GROUND CONTROL Programmable MIDI Foot Controller Owner's Manual D IGITAL M USIC C ORPORATION
Please visit our web site at: www.voodoolab.com Copyright 1998 by Digital Music Corporation. This publication is protected by copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of it may be reproduced or transmitted by any means or in any form without the express prior consent in writing from Digital Music Corporation. Ground Control, System Mix, GCX, and Ground Link are trademarks of Digital Music Corporation.
Table of Contents INTRODUCTION Overview . About this Manual 3 . . . . . . . . CONNECTIONS Power . MIDI . Expression Pedals 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . QUICK START SETUP MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . PROGRAM DEVICES 9 9 11 13 16 18 19 Entering Program Devices . . . Assigning MIDI Program Changes . . Using Expression Pedals . . . Controlling the System Mix Plus VCA . Controlling the GCX Guitar Audio Switcher . Naming Presets . . . . Saving Presets . . . . PRESET MODE Preset Access: Bank .
3 Introduction Overview ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Ground Control is a programmable MIDI foot controller which allows you to control up to eight MIDI devices at once. It will also control our System Mix Plus and up to four GCX Guitar Audio Switchers. The Ground Control lets you use standard guitar volume pedals to add real-time control of your sound with MIDI continuous controller messages.
4 Program Devices Mode You use Program Devices to actually create your presets. This is where you: • • • • Select Programs for each MIDI device. Specify the function of the two Expression Pedals. Set the System Mix Plus volume. Turn loops on or off in the GCX Guitar Audio Switcher. When you have finished creating your sound, you can name and save it as a preset. You can store up to 100 different presets, or 360 with the optional expanded memory.
5 Connections Power ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ To use the supplied Power Adaptor, plug the body of the adaptor into a suitable power receptacle. Then plug the cable into the jack marked "Power" on the Ground Control. If you have the GCX Guitar Audio Switcher, you don't need to use the supplied power adapter. The GCX will phantom power the Ground Control through a standard 5-pin MIDI cable.
6 Expression Pedals ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ There are two Pedal inputs on the back of the Ground Control. Many devices allow you to change parameters in "real-time" via MIDI Continuous Controllers. Any passive guitar volume pedal can be used. Guitar volume pedals always have high impedance pots, typically 250K. To connect your pedal, simply plug a guitar cord between Pedal jacks 1 and 2 on the Ground Control and the AMP or OUT jack of your volume pedal(s).
7 Quick Start Quick Start lets you use your Ground Control in a very limited manner. It is provided for those users who want to just plug it in and use it as quickly as possible. It is highly recommended that you proceed to the following section, SETUP MODE. To use Quick Start, the Ground Control must have its original factory settings. To restore to factory settings, see Initialize Memory on page 18.
8 ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ If you plugged a volume pedal into the Ground Control to use as an Expression Pedal, set your device to respond to MIDI Continuous Controller 007. If you don't know how to do this, see the owner's manual for your device. Your volume pedal must be plugged into the Ground Control's "PEDAL 1" jack. Enable the Expression Pedal from Setup mode. Here's how: 1. Press both [SETUP MODE] buttons (numbers 5 and 0) at the same time to enter Setup mode. 2.
9 SETUP MODE Setup mode is used to tell the Ground Control about your system. In Setup mode you will: • • • • • Assign names and channels to each of your MIDI controlled devices. Enable and calibrate any guitar volume pedals being used as MIDI expression pedals. Enable control of the GCX Guitar Audio Switcher(s) and the System Mix Plus. Define the function of each Ground Link button. Select other options or restore factory settings.
10 After entering Setup mode, activate this function by pressing [DEVICE NAME/MIDI CHANNEL]. The display will read: 1. DEVICE ↑ ↑ Number Name / 01 ↑ Channel Number You can define devices 1-8. This number tells you which device you are defining. Press [SELECT ∧ or ∨] to choose the number of each device. Name You should enter the actual name of your devices, such as "MPX-1", "EVENTIDE" or "TRIAXIS". The Ground Control starts with device #1 named "DEVICE". Devices 2-8 are blank.
11 Note: Each device in your system must be set to its own MIDI channel to respond properly. Start Number Most devices number their programs starting from 1. If your device starts numbering its programs from 0, then the device will always be off by 1 from what is displayed on the Ground Control. You can fix this by telling the Ground Control that it should "start at 0". Here's how: 1. Press [SELECT ∧ or ∨] to choose the device 1-8 that you need to change. 2.
12 most cases the Normal setting is preferred, but you may want to try the Fast setting. Press [-/NO] or [+/YES] to select between NORM and FAST. Calibrate You should calibrate your volume pedals so that they will track properly. Here's how: 1. Press [CURSOR >] to display "SET MIN/PRESS YES". 2. Set your volume pedal to its minimum position (i.e. volume all the way down) and press [+/YES]. 3.
13 Expanders ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Expanders allows you to configure your Ground Control for use with the following: • • • GCX Guitar Audio Switcher(s) Ground Link System Mix Plus GCX Guitar Audio Switcher The Ground Control can control up to 4 GCXs to provide any combination of 32 audio loops and switches. To control GCXs from your Ground Control, they must be enabled here. After entering Setup mode, activate this function by pressing [EXPANDERS].
14 Ground Link Normal operation of the Ground Link is to control loops 1-8 of GCX #1. You can redefine each button on the Ground Link to control one of the following: • • • Any loop of the GCX(s). Start and Stop a MIDI sequencer. Send MIDI continuous controller on/off messages. To redefine Ground Link buttons, enter Setup mode and activate this function by pressing [EXPANDERS]. Then press [SELECT ∨] until you see: G.
15 Press [+/YES] until the display shows: 3. SEQ S/S Now Ground Link button #3 will start and stop your sequencer. MIDI Continuous Controller On/Off: With the cursor on the GCX #, press [+/YES] until the display shows: 1.CH01 CTL004 This indicates that Ground Link button #1 will control MIDI continuous controller #004 on channel 1. You can use [CURSOR < or >] to move the cursor and select each parameter. Then use [-/NO] and [+/YES] to select MIDI channels 1-16 and continuous controllers 0-120.
16 System Mix Plus VCA The System Mix Plus includes a stereo volume control (VCA) which can be accessed remotely with your Ground Control. A VCA is a Voltage Controlled Amplifier which is just a fancy name for a type of volume control. For the VCA to be controlled by your Ground Control, it must be enabled here. To enable the VCA, enter Setup mode and activate this function by pressing [EXPANDERS]. Then press [SELECT ∨] until you see: VCA IS OFF Press [+/YES] to turn VCA control on.
17 Preset Access There are three different ways of accessing presets, "Bank", "Bank4" or "Direct". Bank mode lets you access your presets as 10 banks of 10 presets each. This way you use [SELECT ∧ or ∨] to choose the bank, then [0-9] to call up each preset within that bank. Bank4 mode lets you access your presets as 25 banks of 4 presets each. You still use [SELECT ∧ or ∨] to choose the bank, but only [1-4] to call up the presets. This frees up the upper row of buttons for instant access to other functions.
18 Initialize Memory This function restores the Ground Control's memory to the factory settings. 1. Press [SELECT] until the display reads: INIT MEM Y/N 2. Press [+/YES]. 3. After the warning, if you still want to continue, press [+/YES] again. Exiting SETUP MODE ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ To exit SETUP MODE, press either [SETUP MODE] button and answer [+/YES] to the prompt. The Ground Control will return to Preset mode.
19 PROGRAM DEVICES This is where you will: • • • • • Select the Program for each MIDI controlled device. Specify what each Expression Pedal will control. Set the System Mix Plus volume. Setup audio loops and switches on the GCX(s). Name and save each combination as a Preset. The changes occur in "real time" while you edit your presets, so you can experiment with new tone combinations before you save them.
20 Assigning MIDI Program Changes ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Use the [SELECT] buttons to choose each of your MIDI controlled devices. You will see the names of each device that you entered in Setup mode. It will look something like: TRIAXIS ↑ - 18 ↑ Device Name Program Number Now enter the number of the program you want for each device. You can access any program from 0 to 128.
• 21 If the device starts at 0, then choose program 128 by pressing [1] [2] [8]. When no program is selected, the display will show "--" instead of a program number. Using Expression Pedals ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Before using Expression Pedals, you need to enable and calibrate them from Setup mode. You specify what each Expression Pedal will control by pressing [SELECT ∨] until the following display appears with the desired pedal number: P1.
22 If you have more than one MIDI device, you must specify which one the Expression Pedal should control. Press [CURSOR >] to get to the following display: P1->TRIAXIS ↑ ↑ Pedal Target Device Press [DATA] to choose the desired device. Controlling the System Mix Plus VCA ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Before controlling the System Mix Plus VCA, you need to enable it from Setup mode.
23 Press [CURSOR >] to select the target device. Then press [+/YES] to choose VCA. The display should look like: P1-> -VCANow press [CURSOR <] to return to the previous screen. Use [DATA] to select Stereo, Left, Right, or Pan. The expression pedal now controls volume from 0 (off) to 127 (maximum). Using Both Preset Level and Expression Pedals You may use both the preset level and the expression pedals simultaneously. When a preset is recalled, the preset level will be sent to the System Mix Plus.
24 GCX-1 Now press [1] through [8] to turn on or off the appropriate loops. The LEDs next to each button show the current status of the loop. Repeat as necessary for "GCX-2" through "GCX-4". Naming Presets ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ To enter the name for your new preset, press [SELECT ∨] until you see: "_INIT " Press [DATA] to change the characters. Press [CURSOR] to move the cursor to each position. To save time, when you press and hold either [DATA] button, it will auto-repeat.
25 Saving to a different location (Copy) Sometimes you may want to save your preset to a new location. This is useful when you want to start with an existing preset and just change one or two things. Also, it allows you to copy presets from one location to another. To save to a new location, press [SELECT ∨] once to see: SAVE TO 01 The first digit (bank) will be flashing. Press [DATA] to select the new bank. Then press [CURSOR >] and the second digit will flash. Use [DATA] again to set this number.
26 PRESET MODE From Preset mode you can recall any of 100 user programmable presets. This is how you use the Ground Control while you are playing. When you power up the Ground Control, it starts out in Preset mode. After displaying a startup message (which you can skip by pressing any button), a directory of the presets in Bank 0 will begin to scroll. If you are in Program Devices, you can change back to Preset mode at any time by pressing [SELECT ∧] until the Preset mode light comes on.
27 continue to scroll until either a preset is selected, or you return to the original bank. To help you remember which bank you were in, when you change back to the original bank the decimal point following the bank number will light. Expanded Memory If you have expanded memory (8K instead of 2K bytes), you have 360 presets. These presets are arranged in 36 banks, 0-9 and A-Z. Each bank contains 10 presets.
28 About MIDI MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a universal language that allows electronic devices made by different manufacturers to communicate with one another. Although using your Ground Control doesn't require a thorough knowledge of MIDI, it is helpful to understand Channels, Program Changes, and Continuous Controllers. Channels MIDI Channels are like channels on your television. When you select a channel on your TV, you only receive the broadcast transmitted on that particular channel.
29 There are 121 different MIDI Continuous Controllers, numbered 0 to 120. Each controller is like a slider or a knob; it can transmit a "continuous" stream of values ranging from 0 (all the way off) to 128 (all the way on). The Ground Control has inputs for two guitar volume pedals which you can define to send any MIDI Continuous Controllers you wish. The position of your pedal is converted into a value from 0 to 127.
30 Warranty Digital Music Corporation warrants this product against any defects that are due to faulty material or workmanship for a period of five years from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty does not include damage to the product resulting from accident or misuse. This warranty is given to the original purchaser only and it is not assignable to any other person.
