Keith McMillen Softstep 2 - Generic Midi Device

Installation & Configuration Linux
#1

Has anybody successfully used the Keith McMillen Softstep 2 to control Ardour ?

I am using Ardour 5.6 and would like to use the Softstep to control it (using it as Generic Midi Device). I am using it in Toggle Mode. I am able to connect to Jack and use it within Ardour to mute / unmute a track or to toggle record on a track (Ctrl - Middle Click and Midi learn) But I am not able to use it to toogle play, pause or to stop the playback. Is this intentional ?

Can I configure Ardour to use normal Midi messages to control those controls ? Or does anybody know how to configure the Softstep so this would work ?

Thanks for any help !

#2

You can probably just CTRL+Middle click on the button you wish to control, which puts it into learn mode. Press whatever button you want on your foot pedal, and viola, it should learn it. See this related link: https://community.ardour.org/node/7936

#3

Midi lean did work - I was able to mute / unmute a track or to toggle record on a track.

But Midi learn for Play / Pause and Stop didn’t work. The window is shown, but pressing the button doesn’t do anything.

#4

You should probably run the MIDI Tracer and see what your pedal is actually outputting. Menu / Window / MIDI Tracer. Very useful!

#5

Release 5.6 contained a significant regression: MIDI Learn for the transport buttons was removed (unintentionally). 5.7 will be out in the next couple of days with this feature restored.

1 Like
#6

Thank you for your feedback Paul. In this case I was not crazy.

Great that it’s fixed in the next release, it’s just a little bit too late this time (I could use the footswitch on Saturday), but in this case I am using a wireless keyboard to start recording.

#7

If you paid for 5.6, the nightly builds are available to you which will contain the fix. http://nightly.ardour.org/