Hello gents,

Having read an older post by diki on a swell pedal for the Nord C1, in which Chas recommends the Behringer FCV100 swell pedal, I have some further questions.

As of today I'm using a Yamaha FC7 pedal to control swell of my Nord C1. It is a comfortable pedal to work with, with plenty range of motion, but this range doesn't quite correspond with the Yamaha pedal setting of the Nord C1's pedal preset. Still, the Yamaha preset fits better than the other presets (Roland, Fatar, Ernie Ball). The range is quite smooth to say 75%, but after that it springs rather quickly to 100%, without much control. This is very inconvenient since this is the most important "range" for me!

I've read some good things about the Behringer FCV100 pedal (thing is cheaper than dirt!). However, Diki had some problems setting the pedal up. How does i.e. Chas find a way around that?

Many thanks!

Not sure what problems Diki had with the Behringer pedal. I have had none. In fact, I think it's the best bang-for-the-buck in the industry. Very smooth and problem free after two years of heavy use. It works much better than the integrated expression pedal on my PK7a pedals (although the 2 (left and right) side switches on the Pk7a is convenient for controlling 'rotor' speed. When not using the PK7a, I velcro a little Roland (momentary) pedal to the side of the FCV100 for this purpose. I highly recommend this pedal if you're not using bass pedals (unless you're using a 13 pedal set like the PK5. Good luck. BTW, I think I may be the only Nord C1 user on the board. Check the Nord forum.

chas

http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/017925.html was the thread.

Actually, my issue with the pedal had to do with how it worked with Roland keyboards. I haven't tried it on a Nord...

Thing is, on Hammond's, even if the volume DOES increase a lot in the top 25% of the B's pedal travel (and I can't say it does all that much), it is pre Leslie, so there's not so much a case of a LOT more volume, but the Leslie just starts to get more overdriven, without the volume itself jumping all THAT much.

For me, it's not JUST about the pedal's throw (most keyboard volume/expression pedals don't have nearly as much range of motion as a B3), but also about the angle that it sits at. The Hammond volume pedal, when played from the bench, tends to have your foot at a very comfortable angle when at about 60-70%. You actually have to almost force your foot to stomp down to 100%, and it isn't comfortable to leave it there for long... And that's a GOOD thing!

I am sure you can get used to almost anything (mind you, I still have trouble making the little Roland EV-5 work for organ - too short throw for me), but there is something just so RIGHT about the Hammond B3's pedal, and it's response, throw and position and angle, it is amazing no-one has managed to copy it properly...

The Nord C1 and C2's swell pedal circuitry is somewhat emulating a B3's, varying some of the frequencies concerned when you work the pedal. The guys at Clavia said that they modelled the C1 and C2's Hammond models to a B3 they had in their laboratory - and according to them one should experience the same feel.

The throw of a Hammond swell pedal is almost 80 degrees; the throw of most commercially available expression pedals are 40 degrees tops. I chose the Yamaha FC7 since it has quite a nice long throw and by situating the pedal quite far away from my bench I have a comfortable position and good control over it, "idling" at about 80% and somewhat stressing my leg to reach the 100% position, which, as Diki said, is a good thing.

Now, when I want to comp very subtle I have to be VERY careful on the swell pedal, otherwise my sound is too loud or I won't be heard at all. It is all about control: the small range (even though the FC7 has quite a long throw - I think about the same as the Behringer FCV100) makes it too sensitive to my likings.

Maybe I have to find some way to expand the range of motion of the pedal, using a kind of gear on the potentiometer.

Be nice if Nord let you edit in detail the curve for the volume pedal rather than providing simple presets...

I've spent many years playing real B3's and the last two playing the Nord C1. I think the Berhenger pedal matches up very well to the 'real' B3 pedal. Unless you plan to constantly go back and forth between the two, I would say, stop over-thinking it and just get used to it. The concensus among actual Nord C1/2 USERS is that the Berhenger pedal is the closest in 'feel' and range. Personally, I never even think about it, and I'm sure I would if it varied too much from the real thing. At $25, what do you have to lose?

chas