Timeline: controlling smear w/ expression pedal

[teofilrocks]

Hi everybody, first post here. I've been searching and searching and reading the Timeline manual, but I can't tell if you can control the additional parameters that don't have a dedicated knob, like smear, with an expression pedal. I'd like to have on-the-fly control over smear specifically so I can create a reverb+delay type sound. Can the timeline function this way? Has anyone done this?

Thanks!

 

[Jamar]

As far as I understand, the expression pedal can only control the primary functions with knobs (not the secondary functions that don't have dedicated knobs.) If I'm wrong somebody enlighten me.

 

[sawdust76]

Thinking of selling my timefactor for the timeline. Mainly to be able to control the ambient delays more. The smear effect is what is drawing me to the timeline. I'd also like to know if it can be controlled by an expression pedal. Being able to have a nice warm delay and gradually wash it out with smear sounds inspiring.

 

[thesooze]

Yes, expression control is limited to the primary functions with knobs, AFAIK

 

[Gary_]

I have a Timeline and a Mobius - the other folks here are correct that 'hidden in a menu' functions are not controllable by the expression pedal.

On the Mobius, two of the knobs are user-definable to allow you to control any patch parameter. So what you do is assign 'x' to the knob, then assign the exp pedal to control that knob. Job done.

I did suggest in a thread back then that Strymon were monitoring that it would be great to do similar on the timeline via an update...... The grit knobs etc would be far better if they were user definable to any parameter per patch. Yes, make them default to the current was (so as not to ruin patches already made) but allow them to be changed if needed as then some of the cool background stuff would be tweakable on the fly. Understandably, they don't comment on future updates but they saw the request so we live in hope

 

[sab2208]

I believe you can control any of the secondary parameters with an expression pedal, but it has to be done via midi. For Smear, it's CC# 38 and Value Range 0-18.

For example, I have a DMC-6 midi controller with an expression input. I have its expression input set to control the Vinyl secondary parameter. This means that whenever I am on a Lo-Fi delay/preset, my expression pedal (which is plugged into my DMC-6) is active and controls the amount of vinyl noise on that preset. For any other type of delay, the expression pedal is inactive (because only the Lo-Fi algorithm has the Vinyl parameter).

So, you can control Smear via an expression pedal, but you need to do it using midi. And obviously you will only have control of Smear when using a delay/preset that has Smear as a secondary parameter.

Additionally, I believe you can also use a midi controller and assign its footswitches to increase and decrease Smear. For example, pressing/holding footswitch 1 increases Smear and pressing/holding footswitch 2 decreases Smear.

It's all assignable and controllable via midi with either of the above methods.

 

[mcdes]

I believe you can control any of the secondary parameters with an expression pedal, but it has to be done via midi. For Smear, it's CC# 38 and Value Range 0-18.

For example, I have a DMC-6 midi controller with an expression input. I have its expression input set to control the Vinyl secondary parameter. This means that whenever I am on a Lo-Fi delay/preset, my expression pedal (which is plugged into my DMC-6) is active and controls the amount of vinyl noise on that preset. For any other type of delay, the expression pedal is inactive (because only the Lo-Fi algorithm has the Vinyl parameter).

So you can control Smear via an expression pedal, but you need to do it using midi. And obviously you will only have control of Smear when using a delay/preset that has Smear as a secondary parameter.

Additionally, I believe you can also use a midi controller and assign its footswitches to increase and decrease Smear. For example, pressing/holding footswitch 1 increases Smear and pressing/holding footswitch 2 decreases Smear.

It's all assignable and controllable via midi with either of the above methods.

this makes sense

 

[sawdust76]

Thanks. Useful information. I was looking to get a dmc controller with it also, but midi is like reading Chinese to me without the pleasure of a fortune cookie.

 

[DisasterArea]

sab2208 has it right. All of the secondary / machine specific parameters may be controlled via MIDI, but you have to control them one at a time. The "expression" CC is kind of like a "meta-control," in that it controls all of the panel pots at the same time. You set heel and toe values and the expression parameter fades between them. You can have these parameters set anywhere you want, so that the delay time goes down while mix goes up, etc. It gives you a lot of performance control, if you can accept the main panel knobs as the only things you'd like to control.

If you want to control Smear or Vinyl or the Ice Interval, then you need to use a MIDI controller. If you know what parameter you want to control then it's not too hard to make that work. What is difficult is having separate parameters on every patch, because the CC for Ice Interval isn't the same as Smear, isn't the same as Vinyl, etc. You kind of get stuck with that control assignment, which I'm sure was the reason for the expression parameter - so you could have different stuff assigned per preset.

A DMC-0 could be adapted to read an expression pedal, and would be the least expensive way to do this barring maybe a used FCB-1010.