[FishMS]

Hi all,

This may be covered elsewhere, but if so, I can't find it. I have looked at everything I can and learned a lot, but seemingly not one basic issue.

I am currently swapping from vocals with solo acoustic to vocals with electric and backing tracks. It is all shaping up except I have decided I need to use a pedal.

When I first tested the new format I tried using the screen on the tablet in the usual way, but I was sweating like a rapist and I got sweat on the screen and then it behaved very erratically, hence I need a pedal.

I am getting to the question. Everything I have read seems to indicate that you get one function per switch on the pedal - forward/back, up/down, etc. To do what I need I will need forward/back, play/pause at a minimum, perhaps other functions? Perhaps someone else with more experience of this use case can advise me.

It seems like there is one function per switch, and no "press and hold" function like of the GA/FC footswitch that I have for my Boss Katana.

I was looking at the Airturn PEDPro (not a high point for marketing) but it looke like I could only get forward/back out of that. How many switches will I need to do what I require, and are there recommendations for which pedal to use?



Thanks in advance all.

[Edmund W]

Hey, I use setup similar but as an instrumentalist.

I have each song as an independent MP3 file and have the score separated into pages.

When I open the first page in a song, the associated audio file starts automatically, a setting in the software.

Having the software page through a setlist each song plays in turn.

Making sure I have a decent intro or a second or two of silence helps me.

In performance I don't need to pause/rewind, I can't see why I would.

So, if you are looking for a Bluetooth pedal I can fully recommend the Donner Page Turner which has two customisable switches.

I hope you find a system that suits you.

Good luck.

Edmund

[FishMS]

Hey Edmund,

My problem is that I am never sure how long I am goig to spend rabbiting on when I am introing songs. Sometimes I think that audiences really need to know details about a song when they probably couldn't care less. No matter, I still converse/argue/harangue/worship them a lot so I want to control the start and stop of the music in order to facilitate this.

Thanks for your reply.

[Edmund W]

Yeah, I think we all suffer the same problem, boring the audience between numbers. 

I just press the pedal when I'm ready to start the next song and the audio kicks in. ?

[FishMS]

I don't bore them. I am fascinating :-)

[jeffn1]

I don't bore them. I am fascinating :-)

Does this help: https://pageflip.com/products/dragonfly

(I think there are other four pedal options out there, but they may not be especially made for sheet music).

Jeff

[FishMS]

Thanks Jeff,


That pedal looks good. But I am yet to establish - is 4 pedals/switches what I need to do the things that I need to?

[Geoff Bacon]

More functions means more expense.

Couldn't you just have a cloth (or "sponge" in a box so that the audience can't see it) which you brush before using the tablet ?

Then make a note of the tablet functions (and frequencies of operations)  you actual require during a "performance"; that will give an indication  of how many functions you really require (occasional ones you could perhaps get away using a cloth).

I have considered a pedal in the past (I was going to make a USB one) but  don't have any actual experience!  (and I haven't experienced issues using the screen like you have)

Geoff

[FishMS]

I am not trying to get away without using a pedal - I want to use a pedal, and I am trying to find out what functionality the pedal needs to have to execute the use case as expressed in the original post.

I didn't have the sweating problem as a solo acoustic performer, but rocking appears to wring out the sweat from me. When it gets on the screen it causes a lack of response, and an unneeded overhead for my already overstressed brain to deal with :-)