Volume pedal

[NORMANN]

Hi guys,

who could help me to find the right expression pedal for the Prophet 6 (CV gate), i am looking for the EV-5 Roland but i'm not sure of the polarity ! i am using the FV-50 BOSS as stereo expression pedal so i know this kind of product and it's good working things.

Thank a lot for your help.

JC

[DavidDever]

This (a voltage-control pedal) sounds like an excellent accessory opportunity for DSI - maybe with a wooden base, rubber feet, and a DSI or SEQUENTIAL logo emblazoned upon the neoprene pedal surface.

And it would fit into the void left within a 61-key case / bag by a 49-key keyboard. 

[Sacred Synthesis]

I agree.  Until about three years ago, DSI did offer their own Evolver-esque volume pedal, with "Dave Smith Instruments" written across the top.  I still have two and continue to use them.

[DJKeys]

I have been using the Yamaha FC7 for years, in fact I have one that is 30 years old and still works perfectly. I own 3 of them.

However, it doesn't work well with the P6, as the volume goes to maximum very quickly and is really unusable.  I contacted DSI support and they said this has always been the case with Yamaha.  I bought the Moog EP 3 and it works perfectly:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG20DJ4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It also works with my other keyboards and has a detachable cable. I have 3 of them now as well

[Hector Space]

I agree.  Until about three years ago, DSI did offer their own Evolver-esque volume pedal, with "Dave Smith Instruments" written across the top.  I still have two and continue to use them.

I was also using two Yamaha FC7's with my rig - will need to reverse the tip and ring connections for the P6 to work smoothly. The FC7 has quite a high resistance (50k Linear) when compared to most linear midi swell pedals. Typically you'll want a pedal with a linear 10K pot. And you'll want full range at the wiper from zero to rail (typically 5v). I modified one of my older FC7 (30years old!) with a 10k quarter turn Alps pot (from a Dx7 modwheel!) to work with my Forte. It works but the mod is quite tricky. So I gutted two ancient knackered Cry Baby pedals. Extended the physical sweep range and installed a 10K linear pot. These work well!
 
Sacred Synthesis: Your picture also shows a 20 note pedal bass board.. Could you tell us a bit more about them and your setup using them? Where's it from please? I have a Studiologic MP117 17note board which has been really good for the last 4 years, but those extra notes would come in handy! I currently drive the MP117 off an external zone on my Forte.
Cheers
Steve

[Sacred Synthesis]

Sure.  I use a Hammond XPK 200L Pedalboard.  After trying all the Hammond Pedalboards, I settled with this one due to the number of notes, the length of the keys, and their portability.  They're long enough to allow for toe and heel playing.  By that, I don't mean the jazz organ type done entirely with the left foot, but the classical type done between both feet, in order to create a perfect legato.  The pedals have a decent feel; they're not too loose or light, but have just enough firmness when depressed to allow for accuracy.  Of course, they're only a MIDI controller meant to be used in conjunction with a Hammond XK organ, but they work fine with other sound sources.  I use mine to control an Evolver Desktop.

You can buy the XPK 200L for $1,200 from Musicians' friend, Guitar Center, or Sweetwater.

If you don't need the longer pedals, I would suggest the Hammond XPK 200 Pedalboard, which recently went out of production.  It has only the little stub pedals, but I found the touch and build quality to be excellent.

I would have far preferred the Nord Pedal Keys 27, due to the larger number of notes, but I haven't been able to afford their $2,500 price tag.

[NORMANN]

Hi,

Than'x for the answers, i do owned a YAMAHA FC7 too, but this pedal only work well on YAMAHA, the movement is too short to be usable as you said Djkeys ! i didn't know about the DSI one !
maybe on the Roland website i will find the pedal caracteristics.

JC

[Hector Space]

Hi,

Than'x for the answers, i do owned a YAMAHA FC7 too, but this pedal only work well on YAMAHA, the movement is too short to be usable as you said Djkeys ! i didn't know about the DSI one !
maybe on the Roland website i will find the pedal caracteristics.

JC

If you swap the FC7's connections - the ring with the tip it will work quite happily on the P6. You can buy a change over lead to do this, if you're not into soldering.
Once you've changed over the ring and tip connections you'll find the pedal works over it's full travel fine. Since the FC7 has a quite large physical swing from full on to off, it is very smooth with the P6.

[Hector Space]

Sure.  I use a Hammond XPK 200L Pedalboard.  After trying all the Hammond Pedalboards, I settled with this one due to the number of notes, the length of the keys, and their portability.  They're long enough to allow for toe and heel playing.  By that, I don't mean the jazz organ type done entirely with the left foot, but the classical type done between both feet, in order to create a perfect legato.  The pedals have a decent feel; they're not too loose or light, but have just enough firmness when depressed to allow for accuracy.  Of course, they're only a MIDI controller meant to be used in conjunction with a Hammond XK organ, but they work fine with other sound sources.  I use mine to control an Evolver Desktop.

You can buy the XPK 200L for $1,200 from Musicians' friend, Guitar Center, or Sweetwater.

If you don't need the longer pedals, I would suggest the Hammond XPK 200 Pedalboard, which recently went out of production.  It has only the little stub pedals, but I found the touch and build quality to be excellent.

I would have far preferred the Nord Pedal Keys 27, due to the larger number of notes, but I haven't been able to afford their $2,500 price tag.

Thanks very much for the info! I have also looked at the Nord Pedal bass and decided it was too expensive. I'm a left foot pedal player - I got the bug for it after seeing Stevie Winwood live. I'm intergued by the extra possibilities of both feet as you've mentioned. My big problem is how to manage the two swell pedals, sustain pedal and rotary fast-slow pedal as well! There ain't enough room down there!! Lol

[DJKeys]

Hi,

Than'x for the answers, i do owned a YAMAHA FC7 too, but this pedal only work well on YAMAHA, the movement is too short to be usable as you said Djkeys ! i didn't know about the DSI one !
maybe on the Roland website i will find the pedal caracteristics.

JC

Hi JC-

Actually, the P6 is the first keyboard with which the FC7 didn't work.  It worked just fine with my Access Virus, Korg and Nord keyboards.

-dj

[NORMANN]

Gi guys,

i have bought the M-AUDIO EX-P expression pedal, i owned the sustain from M-AUDIO which is a very good one and prices is just 18€, i will let you know when i get it, normally before tonight !!!

[NORMANN]

Hi,

Done, i received the M-AUDIO EX-P today and it works perfectly with the Prophet6, here it is,
https://www.thomann.de/fr/maudio_expression_pedal.htm  only 18€90 !

i owned the sustain pedal from M-AUDIO too
https://www.thomann.de/fr/maudio_sp2.htm

both are really good stuff, i often play on stage and can tell you that this is reliable material.

JC

[Jason]

If you swap the FC7's connections - the ring with the tip it will work quite happily on the P6.
Once you've changed over the ring and tip connections you'll find the pedal works over it's full travel fine. Since the FC7 has a quite large physical swing from full on to off, it is very smooth with the P6.

Thanks for such a great tip!
I don't always come over here to the Prophet-6 forum because I don't own one. I have been tolerating a very poor relationship between my FC7 and Prophet '08 for 8-9 months now. I guess there were other things dominating my focus. As you suggested, I switched the leads on the Volume pedal, and now it is working beautifully with my Prophet 08's. I have three FC7's (the other two work well with my S70/XS and HX3), and am glad to not have to trade this one in for something else.

[Hector Space]

Cheers. I'm happy to help! B-)

[DJKeys]

Cheers. I'm happy to help! B-)

Hey, Hector-

Do you just cut off the molded end and solder on a new TRS Plug?  If so, how would you know which wire was Tip and which was ring? Or do you disassemble the entire unit and change the polarity of the cables inside?

I have an FC7 I might experiment with, but I don't want to spend a lot of time on it-

Thanks-

-dj

[Hector Space]

I took the FC7 body to pieces and swapped over the leads soldered to the pot. But the FC7 is not a trivial piece of kit to strip down. Even taking the pedal plate off the base is an exercise of ingenuity! So unless you're fascinated by how other humans design things like I am, it's probably not a good idea.

I would suggest: either cut off the existing plug strip back the sheath and solder on a new 1/4" stereo jack  - you'll have to use a bit of trial and error to get the tip and the ring connections the right way round, but the screen is obviously the screen! Or, if you don't want to mess up your FC7, either make or buy an inline converter. This is an adaptor cable that switches the ring connection with the tip. Usually it consists of an inline stereo jack socket that is wired to a stereo plug. What I'd do is buy a stereo headphone adaptor lead that converts a standard 1/4" plug to 1/8" (not the other way round!!!) cut off the 1/8" plug and solder on a 1/4" stereo plug. :-)

[DJKeys]

I took the FC7 body to pieces and swapped over the leads soldered to the pot. But the FC7 is not a trivial piece of kit to strip down. Even taking the pedal plate off the base is an exercise of ingenuity! So unless you're fascinated by how other humans design things like I am, it's probably not a good idea.

I would suggest: either cut off the existing plug strip back the sheath and solder on a new 1/4" stereo jack  - you'll have to use a bit of trial and error to get the tip and the ring connections the right way round, but the screen is obviously the screen! Or, if you don't want to mess up your FC7, either make or buy an inline converter. This is an adaptor cable that switches the ring connection with the tip. Usually it consists of an inline stereo jack socket that is wired to a stereo plug. What I'd do is buy a stereo headphone adaptor lead that converts a standard 1/4" plug to 1/8" (not the other way round!!!) cut off the 1/8" plug and solder on a 1/4" stereo plug. :-)

Thanks, that is what I thought.  The FC7 is very hard to take apart.  I might just opt for that inline converter.

Thanks!

-dj

[Jason]

When I did it, I took the FC7 apart. There's a screw or three on the bottom to separate the pedal plate from the base, and then you remove the long bolt that runs through the whole pedal. It then falls into two pieces, with very little to worry about. From the there, switching the two colored leads was the simplest of solder jobs. The whole process start to finish was 20-some minutes, and I was taking my time.