Foot controller question

[kkmm]

First, this has nothing to do with mandolin although playing mandolin could benefit from it.

I ask this question in this mandolin forum because there are so many experts covering all aspects of music, not just mandolins.

I am looking for a foot pedal midi controller that has at least 12 pedals (there are a few out there already), and I like to program each pedal to send to MIDI channel(s) 3 or 4 notes of a chord (example: C / E / G for C major) .

Here is why I need foot controller with this feature: the controller will be connected to a keyboard arranger or a rhythm machine such as the Yamaha QY100, so an automatic accompaniment is played by the keyboard arranger or Yamaha QY100. Since the hands are completely free, one can play guitar / mandolin (or other instruments) with this accompaniment. The player changes chords by stepping on the appropriate pedal.

Basically, you have a band backing your playing in real time. No pre-programming is needed except selecting rhythm and tempo.

If an arranger is used, one can even play with one hand (melody,fill-in, etc....). Very helpful for people who lost one hand/arm.

I have read the spec of some of these foot controller, but it is not clear to me if they support what I described above.

I would appreciate inputs from anyone in this forum has used this feature of a foot controller (brand and model please).

[gspiess]

Wow. It's been a while since i did any midi programming, and I actually used to have a QY unit, but I'm not aware of any guitar-based foot controllers that can do that. I wonder, though, if a midi bass pedal board, like what you would see on an organ, would be able to send more complex midi note strings? Most of them cover at least an octave and a half, so you would have the physical range, but I don't know if you could assign individual note numbers to each pedal that would include start/stop track instructions. There are some out there, starting around $500 and going a lot higher.
When I used an accompaniment track, mostly with drums, I had a Boss Midi box that would send a signal to bring up the right track; and then I used an on/off pedal to start it. If you're playing a loud venue, try programming a click track to a separate output, and feed that into a headphone amp.

[Beanzy]

I've not tried the use you outline but I use an IK iRig Blueboard which enables four pedals to be programmed to send MIDI Program Changes and MIDI Control Changes, along with two external footswitch connections. There is a midi out cable for the iPad to interface with other kit. I wonder if you could attach a couple of latching pedals to give you the option of 4 states for the 4 on board buttons?

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigblueboard