Daisy Chain GCX

Q & A for building and interfacing your rack gear with Ground Control Pro and GCX-based systems.
dwman3
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:09 pm

Daisy Chain GCX

Post by dwman3 »

hi i know how to daisy chain two gcx's via midi but how do u chain them together.
for my setup i want to use the first gcx for A/B switch and channel switching and a couple of TC Electronic pieces and sum pedals, and the second one is nothing but pedals. thanks

Josh Fiden
Site Admin
Posts: 177
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:36 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by Josh Fiden »

GCX loops are all completely independent, so you are not required to use them in any particular order and it doesn't matter which GCX. You just follow your signal chain and run from the OUT of one loop into the IN of the next. I'd try to arrange them so the wiring is most convenient.

If that doesn't answer your question, please post.

Josh Fiden
Founder / CEO

josecarlosfuentes
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:02 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by josecarlosfuentes »

I'd like to control 4 GCX from a MIDI controller that sends control change messages. Is this possible? GCX always uses MIDI channel 16, so any control change message sent to the daisy chain will make all the GCX to react.
Or should I use a Ground Control Pro?

Regards

Jose

Josh Fiden
Site Admin
Posts: 177
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:36 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by Josh Fiden »

josecarlosfuentes wrote:I'd like to control 4 GCX from a MIDI controller that sends control change messages. Is this possible? GCX always uses MIDI channel 16, so any control change message sent to the daisy chain will make all the GCX to react.
Or should I use a Ground Control Pro?

Regards

Jose
The easiest way to do this is with a Ground Control Pro. You go into SETUP and tell it that you have 4 GCX units and it just works. However, if you want to use a different foot controller that is capable of sending 32 cc messages with each preset, you can get replacement PROMs for GCX 2-4 which force them to a different set of cc numbers.

Josh Fiden
Founder / CEO

josecarlosfuentes
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:02 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by josecarlosfuentes »

Hi Josh,
my controller can send more than 32 cc messages, and also arbitrary MIDI strings. So, I can make the controller to send anything to the daisy chain. Can I use it to control the 4 GCX without replacing PROMs? If Ground Control Pro can do it by sending MIDI messages, I think maybe another controller can also do it.

Thanks!

Jose

Josh Fiden
Site Admin
Posts: 177
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:36 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by Josh Fiden »

josecarlosfuentes wrote:Hi Josh,
my controller can send more than 32 cc messages, and also arbitrary MIDI strings. So, I can make the controller to send anything to the daisy chain. Can I use it to control the 4 GCX without replacing PROMs? If Ground Control Pro can do it by sending MIDI messages, I think maybe another controller can also do it.

Thanks!

Jose
Yes, you can. Send the following hex sysex string:

F0 00 00 07 01 08 10 F7

If correctly received, the active LED on each GCX will come on. Now each GCX will respond on MIDI channel 16 with the following cc numbers:

GCX#1 80-87
GCX#2 88-95
GCX#3 64-71
GCX#4 72-79

Which foot controller are you using? Please post a description of the rig, that's a lot of loops!

Josh Fiden
Founder / CEO

dwman3
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:09 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by dwman3 »

that was help full but i wanted to know to just how to chain the GCX's them selves

Josh Fiden
Site Admin
Posts: 177
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:36 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by Josh Fiden »

dwman3 wrote:that was help full but i wanted to know to just how to chain the GCX's them selves
Connect from the MIDI OUT of GCX#1 into the PEDAL IN of GCX#2. That's it. On the Ground Control Pro, go into SETUP>EXPANDERS and enable GCX-2.

If you are running loops in series for effects you are connecting the OUT of loop1 into the IN of loop2, then the OUT of loop2 into the IN of loop3, etc. Just continue this... GCX#1 loop8 OUT goes to GCX#2 loop1 IN.

Does that answer your question?

Josh Fiden
Founder / CEO

dwman3
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:09 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by dwman3 »

yes that does thanks alot , are there any plans to make a bigger GCP with more buttons?

Josh Fiden
Site Admin
Posts: 177
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:36 pm

Re: Daisy Chain GCX

Post by Josh Fiden »

dwman3 wrote:yes that does thanks alot , are there any plans to make a bigger GCP with more buttons?
I doubt we'll ever make a larger Ground Control Pro. We will have a solution for additional instant access buttons. No schedule yet and it hasn't been started.

Thanks,
Josh Fiden
Founder / CEO

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