Best alternative Controllers for Kemper

  • Hi!
    This has been probably talked over many times in this forum, but could you guys advice me which controllers are ”best” to use with Kemper.


    I’ll most likely get the Kemper remote, but I want to know if there are cheaper and good alternatives out there.


    Thanks!

    Gear: Kemper Profiler | Neural DSP Plugins
    Guitars: .Strandberg*

  • Behringer FCB 1010 with a Kemper4Uno chip is what I used before the Remote. It worked ok and has the bonus of 2 built in expression pedals, though I didn't like the feel of the switches.

  • I'm using a FAMC Liquid Foot+12+


    It's an absolute beast and I'd not use anything else. The latest firmware has really got it right and I use it for several other items as well as the KPA. The remote cannot do what i do with my midi controller but it isn't super simple to set up. Once set though, it's immensely wonderful.

  • Thank you guys! This just makes it clearer for me to choose the Kemper Remote. I need it only for Kemper.

    I was thinking the same thing, until i found the RJM Mastermind LT. That does above and beyond what i need; lighter, cheaper, smaller, etc. And if you feel like you need more buttons you can throw a 2 button EXT switch, and get 6 switches. It works wonders.

  • Gorius Big Little Giant or Little Giant are great choices. They can even do more things than the RJM and Liquid Foot, such as infinite midi messages with a single click (subject to massive maximum memory), looped commands, logical programming (if, then, else), sequential steps, etc. Great editor too.


    But I think the Liquid Foot and RJM Masterminds have the big advantage of colour LCDs for each stomp. The Gordius only have single LCD.

  • Yes. They can do pretty much everything the remote can (although getting the looper to work can be problematic I believe). The big downside compared to the Remote is ease of use. The remote is totally plug and play and is just a dream to use. I have an RJM and it is way more powerful than the remote but needs setting up.


    The other advantage of the remote is a single cable to front of stage so need for multiple midi cables (RJM needs 2) plus power (although it is possible to send power to some of the midi pedals with a 7 pin midi with the right power adapter.

  • Thanks. I was looking in to the idea of having a battery powered midi board, and buy a wireless midi cable of some sorts. I do already have the Remote, but was playing with the idea.. I hate cables :P

  • The Kemper tuner can be displayed with the LEDs of the Microdesignum MIDI Grande:
    https://www.microdesignum.cz/E…Grande/MIDI-Grande-manual


    As I don't need morphing or the looper, I don't know, if this would work. Everything in the Kemper, that can be controlled via MIDI, should work with the MIDI Grande.
    How to control the looper is explained here:
    http://forum.microdesignum.cz/showthread.php?tid=9


    The Gordius also displays the Kemper tuner.


    However, the sad thing is that while any midi board capable of sending four CC messages simultaneously can use the looper, the undo/redo button (was there something else as well?) is no longer accessible by midi.


    Glad I have the Remote now.

  • Liquid foot just released beta software to integrate with performance mode for KPA. Helps with pulling the slot names automatically, moving up/down through performances etc.


    Liquid Foot is not the cheapest controller and takes some programming to get it working, but an option.

  • Thanks. I was looking in to the idea of having a battery powered midi board, and buy a wireless midi cable of some sorts. I do already have the Remote, but was playing with the idea.. I hate cables :P

    If you can find a way to do this for ethernet ( i.e. for the remote) you would be my friend forever...the remote for me is brilliant but it would be even better if totally wireless!

  • Thanks. I was looking in to the idea of having a battery powered midi board, and buy a wireless midi cable of some sorts. I do already have the Remote, but was playing with the idea.. I hate cables :P

    Sometimes I use the BlueBoard with my Kemper:

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  • That's almost perfect! Perfect footswitch size and no cables at all! Only downside is that you need to connect an ipad or iphone. And there we have cables and stress again. ||

  • And there we have cables and stress again.

    Cables have their downside, to be sure. However, assuming your cable is in good working order (and they're cheap enough to replace if they're not), it's about the most bulletproof device you'll have on stage.


    Wireless is very convenient. It's also under ever increasing attack by everyone from cellular companies gobbling up bandwidth (600 was the latest victim; there will be more) to the bar's kitchen microwave operating in the same 5Ghz range as your router.


    Want stress? Try coping with constant dropouts or noise in the middle of a gig with absolutely no option to fix it because you can't eliminate bandwidth conflicts between the first and second set. Your gear is your gear, and you have no control over the conflicting perps. A bad cable between your Kemper and remote, however, can be swapped between songs while the front man stalls for you. Problem solved. On to the next song.


    Of course, all the old dogs who have seen the evolution of wireless gizmos remember the days of truckers' CB radio conversations suddenly being broadcast, at Marshall on 11 volumes, through their guitar wireless units and coming out of the guitar amps. Very exciting. Possibly even stressful.


    I run wireless for my guitar and IEMs because I like to move, and cables get in my way. It creates a vulnerability, but that's the cost of doing business if I want to leap about without getting snared like some hapless rabbit in the woods. Why in heaven's name would I want to create that vulnerability for another piece of gear like my remote that's going to sit in one place all night?


    Screw that. Wire the remote to the amp, run the cable path on the floor, out of the line of fire. Duct tape is your friend. :)

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

    Edited once, last by Chris Duncan ().