Using expression pedal attached to Quad Cortex to control a plugin

Quad Cortex
1

Hi, I’m currently trialling the Petrucci Archetype, running on a Mac M4Pro mini. I’m using my QC as the audio input, and a hub on the Mac connected to some studio monitors. My aim is to run the Petrucci stuff on the QC but (a) it doesn’t yet work, and (b) trial stuff doesn’t run on the QC.

I have a Hotone Ampero II press expression pedal connected to the QC, works great and I’m familiar with how to assign the pedal functions to QC functions.

Here’s the question. I’d like to be able to use the Hotone (while it’s connected to the QC) to control, say, the wah on the Archetype. I’ve set the QC as the Midi input device on the Archetpe, have a blank preset with output to Multi Out. I’ve discovered the right click ‘Enable MIDI learn’
But now I’m stuck, I don’t know what to do next. No amount of pedal waggling is getting through to the Archetype. I’m not a complete MIDI novice (I’ve set up an Airstep to control functions on the QC) but I’m pretty close to it. I suspect I’m missing something really simple. Suggestions very welcome.
Thanks in advance.

2

The QC don’t send the Expression pedal position via Midi automatically, but you can configure it to do so.

Note: You have to do this for each QC Preset. (the Midi config is per preset, there’s no ‘global’ midi settings)

Check the page 86 of the QC Manual v3.2 , but basically:

  • in Cortex Control, click the ‘midi’ button at the bottom of the window, (on the QC , it is located on the ‘three dot’ button in the upper right corner, if I remember correctly)
  • Click the Expression pedal you want to configure
  • Use a ‘CC’ (Continuous Controller) message , choose an arbitrary channel
  • In the Plugin, use the ‘Midi learn’ functionality and use the expression pedal, the plugin should now detect the midi messages.
1 Like
Using MIDI Controller (or QC) as a footswitch to control archetype petrucci in logic
3

Thanks Ben, I’ve just got to doing this. I’m there in terms of the rocker on the pedal EXP1 controlling the position of the wah in the Archetype. So that’s good. I’ve tried assigning another channel to the on/off switch on the pedal (EXP2). The mapping seems to show what I’d expect.
But as soon as I move the pedal, even taking pressure off the switch, the movement turns the wah back on in the Archetype. I’ve tried changing the ‘learned’ CC toggle to CC, but it’s not staying off
I must be close!

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So in Cortex Control I’ve given a value range of 1 to 2 for EXP2, set both to CC Absolute and it seems to be happy at present… Fingers crossed. Thanks for the help

5

Aaargh. So close!!! I’ve changed the EXP 2 setting back to toggle (I’d confused myself as to how it was working above) and now it swiches on / off Ok. But for a brief moment each tine I switch the sound ‘warbles’ then settles to what I’d expect. I’m now confused!!

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I’m trying to do this for the Mansoor plugin and just can’t get it working.

QC to iMac via USB, Logic is reading the XP movement but the matching CC mapping is yielding no results. I’m trying the ‘midi learn’ function on several different channels, getting nowhere. Wondering if it’s because I’m using an aggregated device as interface (but Logic is reading the XP data; weird)

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I’ve progressed a bit more in understanding what’s going on (I think). I’ve set Channel / CC on the Mac for EXP1 and EXP2. The learning function correctly picks up the channel / CC for both the rocker and switch. But, whereas the QC recognises the switch as a momentary and you’re able to define it as ‘latching’, no such capability seems to sit in the Archetype. So when I press the button it actually switches the wah on the Petrucci, but when I let the button go, the ‘value’ shoots up to 1 and the wah turns on again. I’ve messaged support, who suggested recalibrating the pedal, which I’ve done but it’s had no effect. Fingers crossed they come up with another idea

8

So I’ve had Neural Support confirm that my assumption regarding the Hotone switch being momentary is the issue, When I use it on the QC I can set latching emulation. There’s no such capability in the plugin.

I’ve ‘bodged’ a workaround by assigning one of the footswitches on my QC to turn the wah on and off. As I’m only trialling it, and my main aim is to use plugin on my QC ‘soon’ it’s not the end of the world.

I assume it’s not just the Petrucci Archetype, I guess any plugin which you might try to use an expression pedal to turn on / off won’t work unless the expression pedal has a latching footswitch.