The Kemper Foot Controller: Evolution

    Unfortunately this foot controller is not what I would need together with the Kemper, as well as everything I have seen so far. Not having a proper control possibility during playing is currently one of the criteria preventing me from buying a Kemper.


    The basic need of a foot controller imho is to allow to switch to different sounds during a song. For each song there should be a bank of voices (5 different should be sufficient). In addition I do not see any need to switch on or off single effects during a song, as you can create several voices, which are only different in this effect on or off. Generally I would guess about 128 or 256 banks should be sufficient (means being prepared for 128 or 256 songs). A voice could be a rig, but as only 128 rigs can be midi controlled, this is not sufficient.


    In addition, as you only have two feet, and one is usually needed for standing upright, only one expression pedal is needed ;). The binding of the pedal (e.g. to volume or to wah), should be maintained in the voice. As I do not want to have additional accessories to carry arround, the expression panel should be included in the foot controller.


    The last question important question is how to program the foot controller. Why not use the same idea as from the KPA itself? Use a USB stick, which can be written from a software on the computer and read from the controller, when plugged into. However, the controller could live nicely without internal memory an synchronisation. The banks should be programmable with proper names.


    Now lets come to how good reachable the switches should be. This would be my prio:
    1. switching voices (V1-V5)
    2. expression pedal (and on the right, EXP PED)
    3. tap (TAP)
    4. looper (L)
    5. tuner (T)
    6. bank change (B+, B-)


    I would not put the switches directly behind each other, to not tap the front row when going to the back one.


    This leads to following setup:


    floorboard.PNG


    This has only 2 rows instead of 3, but 7 columns instead of 6 resp 5. However the footprint size (2*7=14 vs. 3*5=15) is smaller than even the smaller floorboard presented in the beginning. It includes the expression pedal as well.


    Hope you rethink the design!

    Kemper Stage

    You can do that with any controller able to send multiple CC#, LiquidFoot just to name one, or Gordius or AllAccess.....
    You can do that right now if you like to, no need for the Kemper foot controller

    "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" Serghei Rachmaninoff


    Some like to use the KPA in the same why as a normal rig - one row for effects on/off - the other for selecting the amp (channel) - so it's to complicated (and a waste of rig slots) to have separate rigs for each channel AND effects combination.


    I would also like to have an expression pedal integrated - but can live with one or two external ones as well.


    My most important point is - I want it now :D

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    Like 1
    Quote from Armin

    My most important point is - I want it now

    Indeed. I almost bought a Behringer FCB and then decided that an integrated board would be more useful. That was several months ago ... :whistling:

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer

    Quote from Zappledan

    Indeed. I almost bought a Behringer FCB and then decided that an integrated board would be more useful. That was several months ago ... :whistling:


    For the price, you should have bought the FCB.
    I did. Actually my third FCB.
    Sell it when the Kemper board arrives.

    Quote from guitarnet70

    You can do that with any controller able to send multiple CC#, LiquidFoot just to name one, or Gordius or AllAccess.....

    Thanks for your hints, but...



    I guess you mean the Liquid Foot LF+ 12, the Gordius Little Giant and the Rocktron All Access, which seems to be discontinued for the Midi Raider.



    None of those have the expression pedal. All of those have a quite large footprint. On the first view I didn't see good options to program those easily for with the Kemper.


    All of them seem to me closer to the two Kemper approaches itself, than to my wishes, actually... :(

    Kemper Stage

    Quote from Armin

    Some like to use the KPA in the same why as a normal rig - one row for effects on/off - the other for selecting the amp (channel) - so it's to complicated (and a waste of rig slots) to have separate rigs for each channel AND effects combination.


    I do agree that this actually, what you currently get with more floorboards. Maybe people demand for that.


    I would see it as a waste of rig places as well, by the way, this is why I talked about voices instead of rigs. For me a voice would be a basic rig plus some adjustement to the effects.



    And to be honest, I want the preferred sound with only one tip of a foot and not switch manually some of the effects on or off. This I would do only during practicing, never on stage, and during practicing I can also stop playing for 5 seconds and press the button on the Kemper... but thats just my opinion about that.



    With a good floorboard, Kemper should get interesting for live music as well, currently I see it just as a recording solution.

    Kemper Stage

    I found something nice on the web searching for the All Access Board:
     [Blocked Image: http://www.nefkom.net/anned/joes%20rackgrafic.jpg]


    And this is what I would not like to build up on stage! Kemper is easy, as it can be carried around as a single unit and plugged into the PA directly. You need just 2-3 cables: 1 from guitar to Kemper and 1-2 from Kemper to PA. For me, this is one of the big benefits of the Kemper. With the floorboard, there should be one more cable and one more unit, not more! Separate additional pedals is a bad idea for me.

    Kemper Stage

    Modern floorboards do both:
    Send program changes and continuous controller changes as well.
    Most can even be programmed according to the uswer's needs.
    People are different, and what you see as a waste is essential for someone else..
    There's already a broad consensus on the board what a dedicated controller of the KPA should be capable of.

    Quote from DocLine6forum

    There's already a broad consensus on the board what a dedicated controller of the KPA should be capable of.

    Maybe you can give me the scenarios of use, for which the setups as presented in the beginning of this thread are good for, as I tried to do in my first approach?


    E.g. I explained why I think one expression pedal is enough, why I think it should be integrated, why I think switching voices is sufficient and switching on/off effects get better replaced, why I would put which functionality in which row and so on.


    Alternatively you could also tell me, why my arguments are wrong, as it seems like nobody is supporting my approach (once again the graphics, just as a reminder):
    floorboard.PNG

    Kemper Stage

    Hey, I don't say your arguments are wrong.
    In fact I don't argue with you at all.
    It's just that you are talking about your very own preferences.
    That's fine.
    Other people prefer different things though.
    And the broad consensus documented well in some threads here on the board is:


    1. Possibility to change rigs as well as single effects.
    2. The board will have no pedals built in as many users prefer different pedals.