The Kemper Foot Controller: A Proposal

  • Well for sure there will never be a consensus on the pedal board but lots of good ideas have been discussed here. Now I am in agreement that if CK want to release the product by year end we will have to conclude thus the importance of schneidas stats :D

    Guys, this is not a referendum, it's a market survey!


    Kemper are certainly doing something interesting by asking users' opinions, this gives them a vision of the potential market. Of course they knew there would be contrasting opinions.
    Please keep in mind we're not deciding on this subject, only giving our opinions!


    So don't worry, and keep your ideas coming LOL

  • My 2 (poor Euro) cents:


    -Rigs on the bottom row (4 buttons)
    -Tap on the bottom row (1 button)
    -4 FX stomp on the medium row (2 leds for each button) + 1 stomp/effects switch;
    -Tuner and Bank (up and down) on the upper row (3 buttons).


    I know that is cool to be able to change more than an FX by pressing a single switch, but i much prefere it to be software implemented in the next releases, and having the opportunity to switch any single stomp/fx.

  • I think this should be user-assignable as long as there is a "manual" mode for gigs where you just need a "vanilla" comp, o/d, chorus and delay/rvb. It would be good if you could switch amps while retaining the manual config for the stomps...
    Sorry if all this has been said: just joined and haven't had time to read all 27 pages:-)

  • I know that is cool to be able to change more than an FX by pressing a single switch, but i much prefere it to be software implemented in the next releases, and having the opportunity to switch any single stomp/fx.


    I couldn't agree more on that...


    Here's a quick mockup of what you're describing... It's not my first idea, but it would still work fine :)


    [Blocked Image: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7245/7164570083_20842bc21e_z.jpg]

  • Here's another version (with 2 rows, multi-LEDs, etc...):


    [Blocked Image: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8014/7164727537_1f5b17c2fa_b.jpg]


    - 4 "Presets/Amp Channels", Boost and Tap on the bottom row
    - 4 Multi-Leds and Bank on the second row
    - Mode, Screen, Loop and Input/Tuner on the top row.


    Loop: Would allow to turn on/bypass the external Effect Loop


    Input/Tuner: Would allow to select the input type. Press & hold and you mute the input for the Tuner


    Mode: you can switch between Stomps and Effects (for the second row switch). Press & Hold and you can choose what you want on the bottom and/or the second row (Rigs, Stomps, Effects, Multi-Actions, etc...). That way, if you want to have 8 Presets, you can... or if you like to have your Stomps on the bottom row... you can have them, etc...etc...


    The best thing would be to have 4 Leds for the 4 switches on the bottom row too... (LEDs are cheap :)). And use the LCD display to indicate the type of setting, stomps name, etc...


    Just thinking out loud :)


    Phil


    PS: sorry for the crappy draft, but I did it quickly ;)

  • I think, spids design and ideas are really nice (switching between stomps and fx-section with one button). :thumbup:


    However I will use my Voodoo Lab GCP, I want to switch anything on and off with one step.
    I use the Kemper live now, have 6 Rigs, nothing more, but switch every Stomp or the EFX/Boosts, etc...


    Perhaps it´s not the right place here, but especially for me:
    my wishes are: so many switches as possible!


    The rig buttons in the bottom row (4 pcs) , perhaps the "solo boost-button" or the "tap-button" aswell (programmable?!).
    second row for the efx-section
    third row for the stomps
    right the bank up/down and the tuner buttons
    two slots for pedals
    and a big display
    I just need one LED for each button


    and... a very strong and flexible CAT5-cable to connect to the Kemper!!! Not this crap that you can buy everywhere...


    Best regards, Mario

  • Current votes:


    -FX on bottom row:
    MoreK, killihan, Chris Beaver, richaxes, guitarnet70, TMV, vibracore (il padrino), stumcc
    8 votes


    -Rigs on bottom row:
    DanielRigler, Steeldom, Vitchpat1, schneidas, RAPH, ace, jakeykim, JoeBlob, luntho, imall41(vote changed), Gibson, Froschn, Acker, Zappledan (vote changed), Spid, mDan, JimmyNo, getzzn,y-mun
    19 votes


    -Neutral:
    and44, Guitartone, Stemast (vote changed), Doc (vote changed), BRUNO
    5 votes


  • I couldn't agree more on that...


    Here's a quick mockup of what you're describing... It's not my first idea, but it would still work fine :)


    [Blocked Image: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7245/7164570083_20842bc21e_z.jpg]


    That's exactly what i thought. :thumbup:


    And a simple suggestion to CK, in the case he didn't thought about it: when an FX is tuned on ti would be cool that the kind of FX would be displayed in the screen.

  • Only 31 votes? How many KPA owners are on the forum?


    Definetely rigs on bottom row for me. Which is a buy or not buy point. But I think there are so many different usages of that incredible KPA, that it's not possible to produce a one for all footswith.


    At the same time I would so much prefer one with expression pedal and don't think it's in consideration still. So let's see, what comes out and decide then. :)

  • I think, spids design and ideas are really nice (switching between stomps and fx-section with one button). :thumbup:


    Thanks buddy, I'm just trying to "illustrate" some ideas and thoughts I can read over here... after all, a picture is worth a thousand words :)


    Quote

    However I will use my Voodoo Lab GCP, I want to switch anything on and off with one step.
    I use the Kemper live now, have 6 Rigs, nothing more, but switch every Stomp or the EFX/Boosts, etc...


    I know that feeling, it's exactly what I would also like to do.


    Here's an illustration of a 3 rows version (with Effects on top):


    [Blocked Image: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7215/7351217556_d0764d1d94_b.jpg]


    And here's the version with the Effects on top:


    [Blocked Image: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7351237448_5437b654a6_b.jpg]



    The only thing I notice is that there's too much choices and everyone has one and CK already said he wants to keep the KFC simple. That's probably why a 3 rows with 6 or even 7 switches might never happen (I'm hoping for, but it might be just a very small percentage of users thought).


    That's also why I'm really considering to build one by myself (well, actually based on the future Mastermind GT and/or from the Livid builder kit). Since I have just some limited knowledge and it's a side project, it would take a lot of time to make it happen, but it would eventually look like that:
    (note the effects and stomps labeling would just be a sticker you can change to your wish... or even have none if you want 8 stomps or 8 effects you can switch with the X/Y selector ;))


    [Blocked Image: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8002/7166059487_9a4e7753e4_b.jpg]


    But that's surely not what CK will release, so it's out of the question and just shown here as purpose of argumentation of something we're all agree here: No layout will satisfy everyone, regardless how much effort, time and thoughts are put in the KFC. So, it might be better to just stick to an idea and build the thing... all customers will see if it's still good or not for them.


    Personally, I'd prefer to see some effort done on the Rack version... I'm still waiting for it :D


    My 2 cents,
    Phil

  • I know for a mayority of players it does't matter if the footswitches do loud mechanical clicks or not, but if there is the slightest possibility to find footswitches that are rugged and sensitive, but yet operate silently this would do a big favour to those players (like me) who also want to use the electric guitar in concerts with lower volume range (for instance a duo with a cello ... ), where audible klicks can be quite annoying.


    Four jacks for external expression pedals - that's awesome!

    www.audiosemantics.de
    I have been away for quite a while. A few years ago I sold my KPA and since then played my own small tube amp with a Bad Cat Unleash. Now I am back because the DI-profile that I made from my amp sounds very much convincing to me.