Strymon El Cap v.2 and DIG v.2 tap tempo/MIDI and Disaster Area Clock??

[paisleywookiee]

So, I've got the DIG v.2 and the El Cap v.2 shows up tomorrow. I'm looking at this here doodad for setting a specific tempo for both pedals:

micro.clock — Disaster Area Designs

PLEASE ALLOW 4-5 BUSINESS DAYS FOR CUSTOM COLOURS TO SHIP Micro-Sized MIDI Tap Tempo and Clock Source The micro.clock allows you to synchronize your tempo-enabled MIDI and non-MIDI devices, without taking up too much precious board space. Bundle with one of our TRS-MIDI cables to allow for MIDI

www.disasterareadesigns.com

Will that work? Seems like it would, and fixes my biggest gripe of the Strymon pedals (as someone who's coming from the DD-200 and 500), no precise tempo settings.

 

[Orvillain]

Yeah I think it will. You just need to set the Dig2 and El Cap2 to 'TAP' mode for the exp/midi in socket. The micro-clock will send a constant stream of taps to the pedals.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Yeah I think it will. You just need to set the Dig2 and El Cap2 to 'TAP' mode for the exp/midi in socket. The micro-clock will send a constant stream of taps to the pedals.

NOICE! How fucking cool is this? Both delays with a precise/anal-retentive BPM!!! I'm geeked.

 

[Orvillain]

NOICE! How f*****g cool is this? Both delays with a precise/anal-retentive BPM!!! I'm geeked.

I ran two Boss DD7's and a single FS5U with a stereo cable for years. Sync'ing delays across different pedals is awesome!

 

[paisleywookiee]

I ran two Boss DD7's and a single FS5U with a stereo cable for years. Sync'ing delays across different pedals is awesome!

Yeah, I'd love to see if there's a way to make my board configurable from mono to stereo. I think if I start at the first Strymon (El Cap), then follow stereo to the end (Blue Sky v.2), all of that would easily be switchable by simply flipping the switch from Mono to Stereo, without having to plug/unplug

 

[paisleywookiee]

Yeah so I read the instruction manual (second time I've looked at one this week; what's wrong with me?) and its MIDI 1/4" port can be set to either MIDI or tap tempo, in which case the device I posted would use its two outputs just in tap mode for the BPM. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.

 

[Orvillain]

Yep, that is my understanding too!

 

[laxu]

Yeah, I'd love to see if there's a way to make my board configurable from mono to stereo. I think if I start at the first Strymon (El Cap), then follow stereo to the end (Blue Sky v.2), all of that would easily be switchable by simply flipping the switch from Mono to Stereo, without having to plug/unplug

Note that the V2 Strymons offer a switch for mono vs stereo input, but not mono output. So you might want to try if you can tell a difference between both outputs plugged in on the last pedal vs only left (mono) out plugged in.

For MIDI control there's a few things you will want to look for:

1. Setting the EXP input to work as MIDI I/O. This differs a bit on each pedal for reasons unknown but usually it's "hold either footswitch when powering up the pedal, then turn one of the knobs until a LED turns blue".
2. Setting the MIDI channel. Same thing as above, but different colors mark different channels and if you want channel 4-16, you need to send a MIDI PC message to the pedal.
3. Setting MIDI output. This only matters if you do anything with MIDI output signal. Most of the pedals have a couple of options on what it outputs. Might not need to do anything for this.
4. Setting whether it reacts to MIDI clock. I think this option is only available on pedals with a 5-pin DIN MIDI input like the Volante for example.

If the pedal doesn't have a MIDI clock feature I think just sending the MIDI tap tempo Control Change, usually CC 93, should do the trick. I haven't used the Disaster Micro Clock so can't say how well it works.

RTFM is relevant here.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Note that the V2 Strymons offer a switch for mono vs stereo input, but not mono output. So you might want to try if you can tell a difference between both outputs plugged in on the last pedal vs only left (mono) out plugged in.

For MIDI control there's a few things you will want to look for:

1. Setting the EXP input to work as MIDI I/O. This differs a bit on each pedal for reasons unknown but usually it's "hold either footswitch when powering up the pedal, then turn one of the knobs until a LED turns blue".
2. Setting the MIDI channel. Same thing as above, but different colors mark different channels and if you want channel 4-16, you need to send a MIDI PC message to the pedal.
3. Setting MIDI output. This only matters if you do anything with MIDI output signal. Most of the pedals have a couple of options on what it outputs. Might not need to do anything for this.
4. Setting whether it reacts to MIDI clock. I think this option is only available on pedals with a 5-pin DIN MIDI input like the Volante for example.

If the pedal doesn't have a MIDI clock feature I think just sending the MIDI tap tempo Control Change, usually CC 93, should do the trick. I haven't used the Disaster Micro Clock so can't say how well it works.

RTFM is relevant here.

Actually, for my use, you can set the exp/MIDI to just accepting tap tempo, at which point the Disaster Area device I posted will work fine. You can indeed get fancier by using MIDI too, but it's not necessary here I don't think.