Ntrack with pedal
As many of you know I use a GNX4 to play midi files backing tracks (basic bass and drums along with various control functions for rack devices).
I
have also incorporated an OQO into my live rig which allows me to play back midi files and whatever else is in the NTrack file, wav’s etc etc.
I am using a custom made Midi foot pedal that allows me to do base lines with my foot including chords (broken chords too). (more on that here anyway…
From my Axiom25 midi controller I can press play or stop on a file in Ntrack (when it wants to work right), but what I would like to do is the same thing with a foot pedal.
I am finding some out there but many of them are for MAC,which is really cool since it goes over wireless bluetooth using OCUlator to do the mapping, but I guess I am just looking for suggestions for PC.
I found this:
Midi over USB
which looks like it might work, and a lot more complicated pedals out there that you can control rack effects with like the voodoo labs ground control stuff but I don’t know if that can be set up to control the play/stop functions of NTrack and seems a bit overkill$$$ for this application (as do many of these pedals geared more toward controlling rack FX) guess I am also looking for an APP to do the mapping for STOP/PLAY/LOOP on the pedal to control NTrack.
Also, the OQO has wireless capability so looking for options that could utilize the input as well, and any help or suggestions for devices will be appreciated, I know I don’t deserve help but that never seems to have stopped anyone here in the past. 
dontcare
I got it sorted.
What was the solution you ask? a $300 X-tempo POK pedal? and almost equally as expensive Frontier Alphatrack?
NOPE!
The answer was literally staring me in the face, it was the GNX4.
Settings> MIDI faders/control setup
Action: Record
Event: [Controller [^]
[MIDI event to receive[^]
Controller/Note: [0 ] Channel: [16]
Action: [Record]
Then I simply made a midi file with the controller note 0 on channel 16 and put it in the GNX4 and set it up as song 1. (when you press the play pedal it starts recording on the computer)
Same thing with automapping the PLAY command:
Name: Play/Stop
Event: [Program change [^]
[MIDIevent to receive [^]
Control note: [1
]
Channel: [16 ]
Action: [play/stop]
Then I simply made a midi file with the program change 1 on channel 16 and set that up in the GNX4 to play as song #2.
Switching back and forth between these two song numbers I can press play, then record, then pressing play again makes it stop!
Awesome! hands free recording! Getting footloose over here!
Tina if you want to try this here are the two midi files:
PLAY
Record
Anyone else interested in doing this you don’t need a fancy or expensive GNX4 to control NTrack with a foot pedal, any generic midi or USB foot pedal that can send signals or program changes will do, don’t be a dingle dorf like me.
and if you don’t know what messages your pedal sends on it’s own you can use the LEARN button inside NTrack which will tell you what it is putting out so you can map that to a command function as well…
dontcare
Yes, I could use this, keep me from running from the drum kit back to the computer on the other side of the room!
you got it man,
if you are real savy with wi-fi and bluetooth you can even set up a wireless device to do the same thing, an iphone for example.
but as I said before any generic midi foot pedal (or controller) will do.
You can also go the keystroke route as SONAR has and use a cheap pedal like this:
X-keys
OK forgot to mention I wanted to thank TimOBrien it was a post he left on Homerecording in 2007 that led me to this knowledge.
dontcare