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Can I use a foot pedal to change setups and/or songs?

Yes, setups and/or song changes can be assigned to a footswitch or pedal. Your options and method will depend on the type of gear you're using.

  • If you're trying to use a USB footswitch which plugs directly into your computer, see this FAQ.

  • If your pedal connects to the back of your keyboard, you may use the below guide to configure it.

Most keyboards send some type of Continuous Controller (MIDI CC) message when a footswitch or foot pedal is connected to one of the ports on the back of the keyboard. RMS Keyboards accepts a variety of CC messages to be assigned for show navigation hotkeys, but keep in mind that some CC messages are reserved for certain functions (CC7 for example, must be used for volume control). You may attempt to assign your pedal by doing the following:

  1. In RMS Keyboards, enter edit mode. A section containing new options will appear to the right-hand side of each keyboard window. This list of options will contain the currently assigned next-setup hotkey (default is A#-1).

  2. In the keyboard window that your midi keyboard is assigned, highlight the hotkey assignement field for "next setup." For example, highlight the default value "A#-1".

  3. Now step on your pedal or footswitch while plugged in so that it sends its message to RMS Keyboards. If the keyboard sends a CC message that RMS Keyboards accepts as a hotkey assignment, the assignemnt will change to the type of CC message that RMS Keyboards received. If it did not change, you will need to program your keyboard to send a different type of message, or try connecting your pedal to a different port on the back of your keyboard.

Most keyboards allow the user to reprogram what CC messages are sent when the footpedal is pressed. If your keyboard allows this, you may change it to one of many neutral CC messages that RMS Keyboards has not already reserved (like CC:88), and then use the technique above to assign it to the next setup hotkey.

Here is a list of CC messages that RMS Keyboards reserves for other functions in the program. Try programming your keyboard to send a CC message that is not on this list:

  • CC 1 - modulation

  • CC 5 - porta time

  • CC 7 - volume

  • CC 10 - pan

  • CC 11 - expression

  • CC 64 - sustain

You may also want to confirm what kind of message your computer is receiving when you press your pedal. To do this, download and open MIDIVIEW, which registers all messages received by your computer from the connected MIDI equipement.

After your pedal is configured, you'll most likely want to engage the Cycle by Songs preference; so that the last patch of a given song will move easily to the first patch of the next song with a simple tap of your foot pedal.

If you get stuck when trying to configure your pedal, just call us for further details or assistance.

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