#37 MIDI foot controller

[Robert Keller]

A user requested MIDI foot controller options on the LEGO group:

Can anyone tell me if there is an easy way to map Impro-Visor
transport controls to a MIDI foot controller ? Or some alternative way
to use it hands free while practicing with an instrument?
I downloaded an earlier version when got the LEGO Bricks book, but
ended up sticking with BIAB for the moment. Now, once again frustrated
with BIAB's overkill and crap interface, I really want to give Impro-
Visor another look as a simple practice accompaniment tool,

Ideally, I'd really like to be able to play/stop/rewind/loopPlay etc
without taking my hands off my instrument (acoustic bass - not so easy
to set aside every few minutes when practicing !)

For instrumental practice accompaniment, I think some hands-free
control ability would make Impro-visor an exponentially cooler tool.
Sad to hear it's not in there right now.
In case you really want to think about it at some point, here are my
ideas. I'm not really a programmer, but have dabbled a bit. I believe
that the Java MIDI classes have a controller event listener class
which probably provides all the methods you would need. Captured
control events could be mapped to a few basic functions of the Impro-
Visor program.
I would say just eight or ten functions would be enough:
Just having play, pause/resume, stop would be great.
Adding "play loop", and ability move forward/move backward loop
start point, increment/decrement loop bar length would make for a
super efficient practice tool.
Even cooler would be ability to increase/decrease tempo, maybe in
5bpm increments, and to transpose up or down in half step increments.
It seems most decent MIDI foot controllers these days are user-
programmable as to MIDI channel and MIDI control code assignment, so
you could just program into Impro-Visor a fixed set of control codes,
and let users set up their controllers to generate these.
More messy coding-wise, but even more sexy would be to include in your
prefs section a dialog where people could user-assign MIDI control
codes to a wider range of Impro-Visor functions.
As to which pedal, I have been looking at the Behringer FCB1010 ref:
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-FCB1010-Controller-Expression-Pedals/...
This unit seems to have plenty of MIDI controller programability
making it quite versatile, at a pretty modest price.
I am sure that if Impro-Visor could do this, I would use it for
practicing hours every day!