Struggling Mightily with MIDI and Boss Pedal

ginacc

Hello - we're desperate to start utilizing StageTraxx to its full benefit and really want to get it to start sending MIDI commands to our guitarist's Boss GX-100 Guitar Multi-effects Pedal. We've watched all the ST3 youtube videos along with Scott Uhl's in-depth video on sending MIDI to the Helix, but it's not translating to the Boss for some reason. And since the Boss is a newer thing, we cannot seem to find anyone online offering any good info on the Midi functionality.

Here's the issue: StageTraxx recognizes the Boss GX-100 as a Bluetooth device (YAY). So we open the Lyrics, press the Midi button, play the song, and it says "Waiting for Midi commands." BUT that's where it stops. As he's hitting the buttons on the pedal, it does nothing. It doesn't write in any commands. Surely there is something super obvious that we're missing but we cannot quite put our finger on it.

Any ideas?

Lishy

ginacc what are you trying to do? Send timed patch changes to the boss unit? Or get it to change presets at the beginning of the songs or both?
Have you set a midi channel on the boss?

ginacc

Lishy We're trying to get it to change patches as the lyrics scroll. Followed all the directions and the Boss shows up in StageTraxx, but when we hit play and try to send the midi time stamps, nothing happens.

peter

Does the Boss really work as a bluetooth midi device? Does it show up in Settings > Bluetooth Midi Devices Setup?

ginacc

peter Yes, it shows up as a Bluetooth device in StageTraxx. We have the Bluetooth adapter on the Boss, but can't figure out why it shows up in StageTraxx but won't "talk" to it.

Lishy

ginacc what have you set on the boss midi wise? Have you set a midi transmit channel? And a relevant CC message for each button?

dsc66

I am not convinced the Boss Gx100 receives bluetooth midi messages via the adapter (i dont have a gx100). The manual suggest either midi or usb for receiving midi messages, not bluetooth. I would suggest getting it working via usb connection first before trying bluetooth midi. If you get the usb working, then try bluetooth. For bluetooth, you may want to look at something like the WidiMaster from CME. I have a boss amp that uses the same adapter, and as far as I can tell, the BLE midi seems to be specific to Boss Bluetooth pedals and not a general midi interface….

jaytrax

The Boss Bluetooth Adapter is used to stream Audio for practice sessions and the midi portion is only to use the app to make parameter changes to the Amp and fx blocks instead of the GX100 itself of the Pc App

Use a WIDI Master or similar for midi control via the Lyrics editor

GrahamD

Hi There,

Not sure if this helps. I purchased a midi multifx floor unit to try with Stage Traxx 3, (Area 2000, by Donner Music). It was relatively inexpensive as I just wanted to get into midi patch changing. It works like a dream. I had a Boss GT1, as I only play in a duo, but it was painful to be only able to patch up and down, and my duo partner normally hosts the session and just picks random songs depending on the mood of the room. Now I have put the midi command to find my patch on song load up. As soon as the song loads my pedalboard has the correct patch loaded for that song. I haven't tried patch changes during songs but it looks easy to do. I just followed the midi commands in the ST3 manual and using a USB C to USB A adaptor in my ipad, and a Roland UM-One midi interface cable from the adaptor to the midi in on the multifx board.