Behringer FCB1010

[deviant]

Is this board able to be used as a true stomp box with stock firmware?

I have it working, almost. My problem is that to switch Next and Previous Preset, it takes 2 presses, so that's not ideal. Seems that it's not really meant for this kind of task, which is totally disappointing. And I only got this far in making it work by reading lots of forum posts. I wouldn't recommend buying one.

I'm thinking I might need some sorta plugin to intercept these MIDI signals through Reaper, but I'm not sure exactly what is going on.

Has anyone else ran into this issue who could advise?

[stateofepicicity]

I used to have the FCB1010, and it can work wonderfully, but I highly recommend upgrading to the UNO firmware. I bought mine through Swell Sound Electronics; it was inexpensive and extremely easy. With it, you can program it to be really versatile, including using it in stomp box mode. The big help is using one of the software editors that are out there. You can make it virtually limitless by combining it with Bome MIDI Translator. I use Reaper too, and I used to have the UNO upgraded FCB1010 route to Bome MIDI Translator, then to Reaper. With that setup, I was able to control just about anything in Amplitube and Reaper. Two things to keep in mind though:

There was a bug, which I reported years ago and I'm not sure was ever fixed (not as of 4.9.0, but 4.9.1 was just released yesterday), where the VST3 version would not accept program changes within Amplitube's internal MIDI within Reaper on Windows. For internal program changes, you'd have to use the VST2 version. Conversely, the VST2 version would not accept MIDI next and previous from CC commands in it's internal MIDI mapping, so you have to use the VST3 version for that, but you have to reset it for each session. It will open mapped correctly, but after a few stomps it stops responding, so you have to clear those commands first in the Amplitube MIDI Global menu and remap it each time to you CC command.

A workaround is to use Presets as stored by Reaper, not Amplitube. I don't ever use that method, but Reaper does provide their own VST preset saving and switching, but it may be less intuitive than Amplitube's preset switching. I never use Amplitube as a standalone, but the next / previous Program Change programming might work fine that way, and, at least for Program Changes aside from anything else, using the standalone might be advisable. I suspect the only real problem is in the VST versions.

All other MIDI mapping I've tried with Amplitube has worked really well for me, controlling any parameter by foot, so it can work really well for live use. Unfortunately I haven't had my FCB1010 for a while, but I wouldn't look at it as a limitation, just a learning curve. Reaper can take some trial and error with MIDI setup, and the FCB1010 definitely takes some MIDI knowledge and the upgrade to be extremely usable, but really, you have all the tools to control just about whatever you want with Amplitube with your foot. Just go for the UNO plus one of the software editors, and you'll have an infinitely easier time.

I'm not sure how you have it set up, but I do recommend creating a MIDI track in Reaper for your FCB1010 alone, then sending that to your guitar track running Amplitube. That always worked well for me.

Best of luck with your MIDI adventures!

[deviant]

Thanks for your detailed reply. I can't match the amount of words you said but thanks, I appreciate it.

I used to have a Line 6 FBV controller and this all worked for a while and then it broke. It was set up through reaper to pass MIDI commands and I set up this FCB1010 the same way. I knew about the UNO chip, but since I already paid a lot for this, I hoped it would at least have the same basic functionality or if not a workaround and it doesn't.. And it sounds like it's even hit or miss with a chip.

I don't know why there's such a lack of these things on the market (MIDI pedal board with wah) also at a decent price. Amp simulations are well known now and I wonder what everyone's using for them.

[stateofepicicity]

I feel you about the price of MIDI controllers. Even to get the price as low as it is for the FCB1010, consider this: it's made in China, and it's absolutely a rip off of the Roland FC-300. Over time the black plastic pedals on mine started not to trigger MIDI commands reliably, so I tried many times to fix it by affixing, e.g., rubber bumpers to the inside triggers.

The thing with the UNO chip is, if you can still buy it from that guy with Swell Sound, it was really really reasonably priced, and made the programming as much of a breeze as was possible. I see he still does have a facebook page where it's just posting about his amp repair, but he might still make those chips. The thing is, programming without the external software editor is hell. I used the one made by the designer of the UNO chip, and it was great. I'd save entire layouts for the board and load whatever I wanted right away.

As far as what people are using, I would assume the people most consumed with this stuff are switching to the amp in a box solution, like HeadRush, Helix, or whatnot. I've never tried those myself. For a seamless solution, I'm assuming the iRig Stomp I/O would work really well. That's not helpful when you've already invested in the FCB1010, but I digress...

[deviant]

Thanks again, I'll probably look for a chip soon. I'm just not in the US so will look for one more local and there's some on reverb.

[LtKojak]

the FCB1010, consider this: it's made in China, and it's absolutely a rip off of the Roland FC-300. Over time the black plastic pedals on mine started not to trigger MIDI commands reliably

I have made in excess of 3.600 performances with my FCB1010 since April 2005, counting 3x45m gigs, rehearsals, spontaneous jams and studio dates with no problem whatsoever, and it's still going strong as we speak.

Sorry yours didn't last that long.

[stateofepicicity]

I have to update about MIDI Next / Previous Preset Switching though the Global CC commands; after some work with Ryan in tech support, it turns out it was not working for me mainly because I was sending MIDI CCs translated from other commands in Bome MIDI Translator; when I changed my setup to send the CCs directly from my controller, actually using the MIDI thru function in Bome, it worked as it should at the beginning of every session. I have no idea why this was the case, but I see it's something in sending the CCs that were translated that caused it. I'm still going to if I can figure that one out in the future, weird as it is.

About the PC commands in the VST3, that's something they're looking at, but as long as you use the VST2.4 version in the meantime, you're fine!

This post about the operation of the FCB1010 is interesting. I can't troubleshoot that setup any longer, since I no longer have the FCB1010 or the computer I used at that time, but it gives food for thought to consider if anything else might have caused inconsistent MIDI messages, like maybe that old processor being overloaded from the ton of audio processing I was hurling at it haha. The thing I really did like about that unit that is relatively unusual in the controller world is the offset placement of the top row of pedals; I really don't know why that is not the standard.

[deviant]

So I finally got a UnO V1.0.4 chip, replaced it, turned it on and now it doesn't work. No lights, nuffink. Waste of time.

[stateofepicicity]

It sounds like something got knocked out of place when you replaced you EPROM, but I'm not a good source for troubleshooting. It's only a waste of time if you do not try to troubleshoot this with someone who knows this issue. There's quite a bit written about the chip, and I'm sure with some searching you can find others who've encountered that problem. It may also help to write the seller from whom you bought it. I'm sure they have good info on what can go wrong during installation and how to correct it. It was years ago that I installed mine, but I remember it came in an electrostatic shield of some sort, with warnings on how to handle the chip. I can't remember what they were specifically. There is a world of UNO resources or there with people who could help troubleshoot this. I'm only guessing, not having had the unit for a long while and never having experience this issue. In fact, I replaced my EPROM twice, once was for an updated chip. I wish you luck, but I caution a different approach with music technology, for your own love of music. It usually takes more of a learning curve and more willingness to troubleshoot than you presuppose before you get the result you want; I mean that about guitars and everything connected to them! It's all engineering, and most musicians are not engineers, so we get frustrated that something in the engineers' approaches and designs didn't like up to what we expected. But if you take a moment to try to understand their thought processes, you can tap into so much benefit. Come to think of it, the person who designed the UNO has a couple of websites, I believe ending with .be. I remember he's Belgian. I have no doubt he'll have some idea of what could've happened during your installation. Something in the electrostatic warnings is ringing a bell to me, but I just don't remember.

[deviant]

Some evil person had put the sticker on upside down..

I looked up instructions how to install after I bought it and forgot about the little tab, which needed to be near the capacitor. But when I got the chip I forgot about this just installed it in the same direction the text was in.

When I got the chip out this time to turn it around and put it back in, I bent some pins in frustration. I bent them back into place with fingers and fortunately it's worked. I just need to set things up but I think I'm good.

[stateofepicicity]

That is awesome! Remember also that there are great software editors out there too, like the one from the inventor of the chip

https://www.fcb1010.uno/

and another one, which is free:

http://host.mtnsys.com:81/faq-fcb/PCEditorBeta.htm

Both are great, but I used the first one mostly. They make using the unit a breeze, and programming only takes a minute this way.

[deviant]

Thanks. I already tried both, though neither worked. The first one doesn't recognize the controller. The other one quits as soon as its opened. I've tried to program it manually and can't get it to work so far with the bottom row and have given up for today. I used this guide.. https://www.voes.be/fcb1010/pdf/fcb1010 ... ftware.pdf

So nothing's really changed, I still hate this thing.

[stateofepicicity]

The thing with the software editors is you don't have to use that guide. Just program what you want the whole thing to look like with the editor and send it sysex to the unit. You should write the guy in Belgium and get him to guide you through so that it recognizes the unit.

[tdwimsatt]

I recently go the FCB1010 and added the Uno chip. The FCB1010 goes into Stompbox mode but I am not able to assign pedals to the stomp boxes for some reason. I can see in Amplitube the midi light blink when I step on a pedal and a number appears in the upper box (e.g. 093, 094, etc) but the assign is not recognizing the triggers. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[deviant]

Spoiler: I temporally gave up and made little progress.

Considered selling it but didn't. Last time I checked, it was sending all sorts of values when using the pedals. It should have been smooth up and down from 0-127 but it was random in between so I put it away. Can't remember what the state of the stomps were.. The guides are all horrible. I got the FBC1010 PC Editor to load, though.. Not sure why it wasn't before but it still didn't solve anything.