Best sub £400 multi-effects type setup - any strong opinions?

StefB

vasselmeyer said:

@Megii Consider that you can also do this with the Zoom MS50G which has the same patches and sounds as the G3 in a stompbox sized box. It also does MIDI over USB, but you can't use an expression pedal.

@vasselmeyer - I'm intrigued at the possibility of patch changing an MS50G via MIDI to USB, it could be the answer to a headache for me.  What kind of cable do you use for this?  Ideally I'd like a short one with a single MIDI connector at one end and small USB for fit the Zoom on the other.

And is there a manual anywhere of which MIDI #s the Zoom will respond to?  Nothing in the manual as I can see...

Cheers.

vasselmeyer

@StefB You need  something in between the Zoom and the  MIDI controller unless the midi controller has mdi output over USB. I use the Kenton  midi-to-USB converter and power it via  an old phone charger. That also powers the Zoom via  its USB-in port. That means in terms of cables I have a short (30cm) midi cable from the Midi Moose to the Kenton  and then a USB cable from  the Kenton to the  Zoom. If you wanted to do it with just one cable then you'd need a midi floor controller with USB out and then you could just plug directly into the Zoom. I've seen Arduino-based controllers that do this but I couldn't be bothered and just bought the manufactured bits instead. I think Disater Area do midi USB controllers but they're really expensive.

In terms of midi commands, Zoom never documented their midi implementation but when the pedals came out, a few people stuck analysers on it and worked out the  PC and CC changes which the Share and Edit software sent and reverse engineered the  commands.

All you need is to set up patches and then send a PC change to the  pedal from the controller. My  Midi Moose just sends consecutive PC signals so buttons 1-to-5 send PC 0-4. If the controller is programmable then you can send any PC change you want via any button.

Most of the stuff on the web is around the G3 but there is a short thread on  the MS-50G on Rig Talk here:
http://www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=188318

There are also videos on YouTube. Just stick "Zoom MS50G midi" into the search box and there are quite a lot of videos showing what people have done.

Gassage

It's always going to be a compromise, but nothing, nothing at all comes close to a Carl Martin Quattro. In another league.

WindmillGuitars

I've a TC G-System for sale if you're interested in quality multi effects

StefB

vasselmeyer said:

@StefB You need  something in between the Zoom and the  MIDI controller unless the midi controller has mdi output over USB. I use the Kenton  midi-to-USB converter and power it via  an old phone charger. That also powers the Zoom via  its USB-in port. That means in terms of cables I have a short (30cm) midi cable from the Midi Moose to the Kenton  and then a USB cable from  the Kenton to the  Zoom. If you wanted to do it with just one cable then you'd need a midi floor controller with USB out and then you could just plug directly into the Zoom. I've seen Arduino-based controllers that do this but I couldn't be bothered and just bought the manufactured bits instead. I think Disater Area do midi USB controllers but they're really expensive.

In terms of midi commands, Zoom never documented their midi implementation but when the pedals came out, a few people stuck analysers on it and worked out the  PC and CC changes which the Share and Edit software sent and reverse engineered the  commands.

All you need is to set up patches and then send a PC change to the  pedal from the controller. My  Midi Moose just sends consecutive PC signals so buttons 1-to-5 send PC 0-4. If the controller is programmable then you can send any PC change you want via any button.

Most of the stuff on the web is around the G3 but there is a short thread on  the MS-50G on Rig Talk here:
http://www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=188318

There are also videos on YouTube. Just stick "Zoom MS50G midi" into the search box and there are quite a lot of videos showing what people have done.

Thank you ever so much for this @vasselmeyer, very useful indeed :-)

duotone

Avid Eleven Rack any good? 
https://www.thomann.de/gb/avid_eleven_rack_hardware_only.htm?sid=7d5a444ca876a50165cd24c87cba8a67&ref=prod_rel_219662_0