Wireless sustain pedal?
- Thread starter Derekmson
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I'm curious, what have you found? My own google search didn't turn up any, except the nu-motion which afaik has been nothing but a web page for over 4 years.
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Why? One cable is going to improve your cable management?
happyrat1
Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
Interesting hypothetical arduino project: Build a bluetooth pedal controller board with off the shelf parts and software.
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To some extent, Wireless MIDI (including Sustain) exists, to some extent it can't exist (yet).
The problem is related to the protocol: wi-fi or Bluetooth. Quoting from Wikipedia: "Bluetooth is a packet-based protocol with a main/follower architecture." I'm not sure about wi-fi, but I imagine that the question in both cases amounts to: which device will be the "main" one (in Bluetooth speak)?
Currently , all things Bluetooth MIDI appear to be "followers" (except computers, including smartphones). That is, where (at least) CME sees its niche. It has developed the WIDI Uhost: a "main" device. (I do have it, but I haven't yet had a set-up to use it.)
That may be a way to fulfill your wish of less cables. - Note that CME also offers the WIDI Master pairs of Bluetooth MIDI (5-pin) dongles. And that wireless connections are bound to cause some latency (delay), however acceptable or irritating. (Again: I do have some. An initial test had me purchase additional ones. But I haven't been occupied with MIDI connections lately.)
(My only relation to CME is having some of its products.)
I have to say I can’t think of a practical reason to have a wireless sustain pedal.
It’s not like it needs to be moved away from the keyboard and by going wireless you introduce the need to muck around with batteries or extra power supplies.
It’s not like it needs to be moved away from the keyboard and by going wireless you introduce the need to muck around with batteries or extra power supplies.
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Wifi and bluetooth are not the only way to do wireless. See my link in the post before yours, for example. There have been wireless transmitter/receiver systems long before wifi or bluetooth. X10 was a big one for many years. There were also wireless MIDI systems that predated these protocols, among other wireless devices. But lag (latency), cost, and 100% reliability are all potential issues.To some extent, Wireless MIDI (including Sustain) exists, to some extent it can't exist (yet).
The problem is related to the protocol: wi-fi or Bluetooth.
Good point about CME's bluetooth devices, though. Most MIDI keyboards can accept sustain messages on their MIDI input that will affect the sound you're playing. So here's one possible solution that I think would address the lag and reliability issues, though not cheap:
The MIDI Solutions Footswitch Controller would turn your sustain pedal into something that directly sends MIDI (you can have it do all kinds of things, but for sustain you'd just program the box to use CC64). Normally, that box would connect to your keyboard via a MIDI cable, but the appropriate pair of CME wireless MIDI devices will allow you to make that connection wirelessly. The fly in the ointment for the OP is that the Footswitch Controller (and the CME device you connect to it) need power (any wireless pedal would need power), so the question becomes, how do you get power to it, without running another cable (whether back to the keyboard to potentially get power from its MIDI Out jack, or to an AC adapter), since running any wire for power (whether to the keyboard or to a wall outlet) negates his goal of doing this in order to lessen the wiring. The power adapter from MIDI Solutions requires AC, but in the the fifth paragraph of their FAQ (under "Is it possible to use a MIDI Solutions product as a stand-alone device"), they also talk about how you could rig up a battery source, or a USB source. If you took the USB route, you could power that with a rechargeable USB power bank, and then (or with any other battery source), it would be entirely wireless. If you created, let's say, a small piece of plywood to which you would velcro all these pieces, you could place that "mini pedal board" on the floor and have your wireless sustain pedal. But you'd have the extra variable of having to make sure your USB power bank were charged, or if you used AAA batteries or whatever, that they were fresh (or freshly charged rechargeables).
For the most part, I agree with you. The practical reason I can think of is if you use a keytar. And in that case, we can simplify my example above. You'd still use the MIDI Solutions Footswitch Controller and the two CME pieces, but you could add the MIDI Solutions power adapter and just plug it into the wall. Because the goal in this case doesn't require reducing the wiring, but rather untethering you so you can move away from the pedal if you'd like for much of your playing, but you could still walk over to where the pedal is when you need to use the pedal. The pedal is stationery and tethered to electricity (through those other boxes), but you, yourself, remain mobile.
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Yes, my text seems narrow-minded.
However, I figured that OP would likely have no practical choice beyond wi-fi and Bluetooth for both the transmitter and the receiver side.This is where powerbanks could come in. Or rechargeable batteries. Depending on the circumstances.
I'm still waiting for wireless 110V power cables.
LOL - Search for "lightning rod".