What is the difference between an expression pedal and a volume pedal?

I bought this Boss volume pedal for guitar that has an output for a keyboard expression pedal.

But my PSR-S900 doesn't have any option when assigning footswitch parameters for expression.

I'm toying around with this thing, and I don't know what to do.

Beakybird

Same thing.
DonM

Why in Cakewalk when you choose among controller messages there are options for volume or expression when they are the same thing.

They seem to do the same thing. When there is decreasing expression markers in a midi, the volume goes down - but the volume slider stays where it is.

Very strange.

It would have been nice if Yamaha gave the option in the PSR-S900 to edit the parameters of the highest and lowest volume when choosing volume as a pedal parameter.

Beakybird

Volume pedals are hooked up between an AUDIO line. They use a CVA to modulate the volume.
They cannot be recorded in a sequence.

Expression pedals are used when you are recording. They send Controller number 7 to the sequencer and "stairstep" the volume in 128 steps. A really good one is pretty transparent. Many keyboards have an input for an expression pedal which is connected to the MIDI volume controller.

Volume pedals have to be connected between the audio output and the amplifier input. they have 2 jacks. IN/Out

Now both can be considered a volume or expression pedal however it's important to know what they are doing.

You can assign an expression pedal to the volume parameter.

The pedal you are describing seems to use both a VCA and the ability to control a MIDI signal.....

[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 04-28-2009).]

Beaky, you do not mention the model of the pedal, so I will make some assumptions.

But I will say the s900 will have a midi setting to assign this pedal (via the midi inputs) to control the expression for the keyboard. Even to the point of assigning it to only specific tracks/parts.

First for the record, Expression is controller 11, Volume is 7.

And controller 7 data CAN be recorded in a midi sequence. ANY midi controller data can be. And the midi range, they are not steps, is 0-127 btw.

An in-line audio volume pedal works in a different way in that it attenuates the actual audio signal and has nothing to do with MIDI.

If this is the "typical" guitar volume pedal then it cannot be used with MIDI..It is an analogue audio device only. Again, a model name would be very handy

7 and 11 are essentially the same, but with a difference .

If you have the track volume set at say 95 the expression pedal will lower and raise volume but ONLY relative to the tracks volume (in this case 95) the expression pedal even at max 127 will only go back to the original track volume.

When you use it to send controller 7 (volume) it will change the volume of the track right up to the max of 127, or the minimum of 0, regardless of the originally stored track volume.

Dennis



[This message has been edited by miden (edited 04-29-2009).]

Spot on Dennis; in Cakewalk I only embed expression commands into tracks to adjust the relative volume. The track volume is used to adjust the overall level of the track within a mix.

Regarding volume pedals, you can get mono and stereo units that are designed to be in the signal path from your keyboard to your mixer and these would almost certainly not operate correctly if used as an expression pedal plugged into an "external controller" jack on a keyboard.

The name expression pedal comes from the electronic organ, (Which is why you seldom see a volume pedal mentioned in electronic organ specs (They normally also have 2 switches on them) whereas other instruments just call them volume pedals. (And don’t usually have switches on)

Regards

Bill

It is a Boss FV500H. It has a 1/4" output that says EXP, but it doesn't have a midi output.

It also has an input and output for use as a volume pedal, a tuner out, and a knob to adjust minimum volume when being used as a volume pedal.

I think that this requires a keyboard that has a 1/4" input expressly for an expression pedal. Otherwise, I would need a midi expression pedal. Am I correct?

Beakybird

[This message has been edited by Beakybird (edited 04-29-2009).]

Didn't they sometimes get called a swell pedal, too, Bill?

I always thought that was a swell name for them..

Does anyone still make expression pedals with a toe switch or two? I always did like them for Leslie Fast/Slow and pitch bend effects...

Not a 100% sure, but I think you would need a stereo cable to go from the pedal's EXP to the S900's inputs.

I use a Yamaha FC7 and it has a stereo plug on the end.

Ian