# Improve how to control QC: MIDI and switches **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests\ **Tags:** presets, quad-cortex, midi\ **Created:** [August 31, 2024, 7:34am UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/improve-how-to-control-qc-midi-and-switches/15179 "2024-08-31T07:34:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cranio76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@cranio76](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/cranio76)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 7:34am UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/improve-how-to-control-qc-midi-and-switches/15179/1 "2024-08-31T07:34:07Z")
Quad Cortex is incredibly powerful, but its configurability is still limited. This makes many “power user workflows” that are possible with other machines cumbersome or even impossible when it comes to controlling the unit, especially via MIDI, where you can’t take advantage of the full power of your external MIDI controller. The control system would benefit from a complete overhaul: 1. **the non-reserved CC#s** could be **freely assigned** to **steer ANY parameter of whatever effect** 2. please make so that **any non-reserved CC#s** can be **assigned to bypass on/off** 3. a **Learn function** would enhance this even more, together with a “ **Latch/momentary** ” option 4. footswitches should be **freely assignable to many functions**. The fact that the Stomp/Scene/Preset modes take only full rows can limit the possibilities. For MIDI, the benchmark should be Line6 Helix’s Floor MIDI implementation. Points 1, 2, and 3 would really enhance the control possibilities with an external MIDI controller. Any “power MIDI user” I know noticed immediately how the implementation was lacking configurability. Number 4 on the other hand is particularly important for players who like the “God patch” approach, where they tend to use as few patch changes as possible (ideally one big, complex patch only) leveraging scenes… Also here, you could see how this is implemented in the Helix. ---
**Author:** ![jamsden](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/unity.neuraldsp.com/jamsden/32/1607_2.png) [@jamsden](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/jamsden)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 12:58pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/improve-how-to-control-qc-midi-and-switches/15179/2 "2024-08-31T12:58:24Z")
I would recommend looking at Fractal Audio FM3/FM9 foot controller layouts. This essentially replaces the three fixed preset, scene, stomp QC modes with 8 footswitch layouts where any footswitch can do anything you want. These layouts are global with preset overrides so your footswitches can do similar things across different patches for consistency and ease of use. To me, limited footswitch and MIDI control are the weakest part of QC. I would much rather have had that fixed over preset compatibility. QC has plenty of models, but not enough control of them for practical gigging use. A great example I came across building a patch last night is I can’t assign a QC footswitch to control the Rotary block speed. I have to use a scene or expression controller to do it. ---
**Author:** ![PickinPete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@PickinPete](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/PickinPete)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 2:11pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/improve-how-to-control-qc-midi-and-switches/15179/3 "2024-08-31T14:11:03Z")
Improving MIDI implementation has been requested before and has been a hot topic on the forum. If you do a search for specifically what you’d like to do via MIDI, there are a few workarounds that have been posted that may help you. Hopefully, now that plugin capability is underway, NDSP can turn it’s attention to improving MIDI. Welcome to the forum! ---
**Author:** ![DiffractionCircuit](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/unity.neuraldsp.com/diffractioncircuit/32/3793_2.png) [@DiffractionCircuit](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/DiffractionCircuit)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/improve-how-to-control-qc-midi-and-switches/15179/4 "2024-08-31T20:28:27Z")
Waaaaay too many requests in the forum for MIDI and expanded footswitch functions. Adding more is only muddying the waters at this point. Have a look through the top requests here: > **[Feature Requests](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/c/quad-cortex/qc-feature-requests/20)** > > Suggest Quad Cortex features here! You can suggest ideas and vote on them too! ---
**Author:** ![ozanerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e68b1a/32.png) [@ozanerk](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/ozanerk)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 7:47am UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/improve-how-to-control-qc-midi-and-switches/15179/5 "2025-07-31T07:47:30Z")
Separating stomp cc#s for each mode as a user suggested before is crucial. We might able to access to stomp engage/bypass via external Midi in all modes. Also separating engage & bypass “values” of stomp cc#s is so crucial in order to be able to sync toggle led states of external midi foot switches such as Fcb1010 or Morningstar. For ex. 0-63 bypassed, 64-127 engaged. ---
**Author:** ![legzalez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@legzalez](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/legzalez)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 1:33pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/improve-how-to-control-qc-midi-and-switches/15179/6 "2025-08-10T13:33:51Z")
We already have this request, which addresses this issue! > [@Feat. Request: Make Hybrid Mode more like “Command center” on Helix](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/feat-request-make-hybrid-mode-more-like-command-center-on-helix/8761): > > Instead of having the top row just for stomps and the bottom row for scenes (as the soon to be updated hybrid mode), it would be better if we could assign any of the foot switches to any function (pedal, scene or preset) as you currently can on the Line-6 helix eco-system using their awesome Command-Center. ---
**Author:** ![ozanerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e68b1a/32.png) [@ozanerk](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/ozanerk)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 1:55pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/improve-how-to-control-qc-midi-and-switches/15179/7 "2025-08-10T13:55:08Z")
Yep I have already voted it.