Boss ES-8 ES-5 Thoughts

[BurningSkies]

Oh wow, didnt realize this. I am struggling getting MIDI sweeps to go from my SA Reflex Controller through ES MIDI In/Out t . Future impact, using the exp jacks could be the ticket!!!!

Yeah, read through the ES manual for more info. but I'm pretty sure those ctrl/exp. would be a good solution for you. I honestly haven't played with it, but may soon need to if I'm messing with the C4. I actually had my DMC-3XL built with a roller-expression as well but haven't played with that either. (hint to those getting Disaster Area Controllers, you can add one OR two expression rollers to your pedal and there's an EXP in jack).

 

[DELACIUS]

Man I wish you guys can do a videos of your pedal boards, how do you use them and connect them. You guys rule...

 

[BurningSkies]

Man I wish you guys can do a videos of your pedal boards, how do you use them and connect them. You guys rule...

Recently simplified:

An example of a sound that I use live that has several MIDI pedals & a few standard pedals. Go to about 30 seconds in to hear it put together.

 

[DELACIUS]

Oh man thanks, I think I'll pull the plug on ES-5, just have to check if I can connect Expression to control Tensor, H9 and Future Impact (now V3) together with one expression pedal... I'm totally new in midi/switching world

 

[BurningSkies]

Oh man thanks, I think I'll pull the plug on ES-5, just have to check if I can connect Expression to control Tensor, H9 and Future Impact (now V3) together with one expression pedal... I'm totally new in midi/switching world

You shouldn't have a problem doing that. They have an expression-in that you can use MIDI to assign.

My one little grump on the ES-5 is that I'd really love to be able to control 'parallel' signals' volume individually, which it doesn't allow for. That won't bother many people (probably only me)...

The other thought is that depending on the number of effects, you don't necessarily need loops for everything. For instance, my compressors are out front of my ES-5. I only turn the Cali off for one or two songs in the set and I'm not looking to move its placement in the signal chain. Similarly, I have the Spark out front of the ES-5. I use it for two songs in the set I don't switch during the song, so just as easy for me to turn it on and off. Your MIDI pedals may or may not benefit from being in loops. If you're interested in changing their signal chain placement do, if you're going to leave 'em in the same place always...don't. For instance, my reverb (Dr. Scientist Atmosphere) is last in my chain and always last, so it's not in a loop, I just MIDI control it. Same for my Strymon Timeline. I currently have my Future Impact and my C4 out front of my ES, but may opt for them loops eventually.

 

[DELACIUS]

You shouldn't have a problem doing that. They have an expression-in that you can use MIDI to assign.

My one little grump on the ES-5 is that I'd really love to be able to control 'parallel' signals' volume individually, which it doesn't allow for. That won't bother many people (probably only me)...

The other thought is that depending on the number of effects, you don't necessarily need loops for everything. For instance, my compressors are out front of my ES-5. I only turn the Cali off for one or two songs in the set and I'm not looking to move its placement in the signal chain. Similarly, I have the Spark out front of the ES-5. I use it for two songs in the set I don't switch during the song, so just as easy for me to turn it on and off. Your MIDI pedals may or may not benefit from being in loops. If you're interested in changing their signal chain placement do, if you're going to leave 'em in the same place always...don't. For instance, my reverb (Dr. Scientist Atmosphere) is last in my chain and always last, so it's not in a loop, I just MIDI control it. Same for my Strymon Timeline. I currently have my Future Impact and my C4 out front of my ES, but may opt for them loops eventually.

Thanks for this, this has been really helpful. I think Es-5 is coming.

 

[BurningSkies]

Thanks for this, this has been really helpful. I think Es-5 is coming.

Add this from one of the FI threads to your calculations:

I love Disaster Area (and their tech support is actually really kickass too). But I think the ES units may offer a bit more in terms of loop possibilities. I don't note that they have anything about doing parallel signal patches. Also you are limited to 4 MIDI pedals (similar to the DMC's) but the Boss units allow for concurrent control of something like 7 or 8? That may be extreme, but you never know.

Some of the choosing came down to physical size for me. I liked the features on the ES-8 but couldn't fit it on my board (it was too deep). I ended up with the ES-5 and then a DA DMC-3XL next to it.

 

[cosmicevan]

Update on my end, using expression in on ES-8 can be used for sending MIDI sweeps.

I am also in the process of a board overhaul to add in a Meris Hedra and Ottobit Jr controlled via MIDI and also add MIDI control over my Red Panda Tensor and Particle 2.

The one thing I am grappling w is that I plan to use the MIDI for Red Panda stuff to control presets. The challenge becomes that I am used to running the Tensor after the ES-8 and independent. Now w ES-8 controlling presets, I just need to think a bit more on triggering presets since I dont want the changing of presets to affect whats on and off. Jist need to consider my various most used layouts. Maybe will make a set of patches that are identical but all trigger a different preset in the Tensor or Particle so I can toggle them without disrupting my other effects.

I am also likely going to stack the Meris stuff in a single loop since I can trigger on/off via MIDI so dont need them always on as w regular stomp boxes.

 

[BurningSkies]

Update on my end, using expression in on ES-8 can be used for sending MIDI sweeps.

I am also in the process of a board overhaul to add in a Meris Hedra and Ottobit Jr controlled via MIDI and also add MIDI control over my Red Panda Tensor and Particle 2.

The one thing I am grappling w is that I plan to use the MIDI for Red Panda stuff to control presets. The challenge becomes that I am used to running the Tensor after the ES-8 and independent. Now w ES-8 controlling presets, I just need to think a bit more on triggering presets since I dont want the changing of presets to affect whats on and off. Jist need to consider my various most used layouts. Maybe will make a set of patches that are identical but all trigger a different preset in the Tensor or Particle so I can toggle them without disrupting my other effects.

I am also likely going to stack the Meris stuff in a single loop since I can trigger on/off via MIDI so dont need them always on as w regular stomp boxes.

Yeah, a couple ways to skin it. I haven't gotten there with MIDI in loops because right now it's easier to have the functionality of using either the ES or the DMC at will. If I go to something like my C4 in a loop, I have the added flexibility of using my 'outboard' fuzz instead of it's onboard distortion, but I have to have a patch set up on the ES that just turns on the loop for the C4 then use the DMC to pick/change patches, vs. ignoring the ES and using the DMC instead.

I'd probably end up with a bank of single MIDI pedal patches for those in loops intended just for DMC interfacing.

If you're worried about having MIDI pedals' patches up and running then hitting an ES patch and having 'em change or go dead, I think you shouldn't have a problem? I have all my patches trigger commands to all my MIDI unused pedals to tell them to bypass in case I've turned them on outside of the ES. You'd just not do that. There should be nothing that tells MIDI Pedals to shut down unless you tell 'em to.

 

[DELACIUS]

Update on my end, using expression in on ES-8 can be used for sending MIDI sweeps.

I am also in the process of a board overhaul to add in a Meris Hedra and Ottobit Jr controlled via MIDI and also add MIDI control over my Red Panda Tensor and Particle 2.

The one thing I am grappling w is that I plan to use the MIDI for Red Panda stuff to control presets. The challenge becomes that I am used to running the Tensor after the ES-8 and independent. Now w ES-8 controlling presets, I just need to think a bit more on triggering presets since I dont want the changing of presets to affect whats on and off. Jist need to consider my various most used layouts. Maybe will make a set of patches that are identical but all trigger a different preset in the Tensor or Particle so I can toggle them without disrupting my other effects.

I am also likely going to stack the Meris stuff in a single loop since I can trigger on/off via MIDI so dont need them always on as w regular stomp boxes.

Can you do midi sweeps with ES-5?

 

[cosmicevan]

Can you do midi sweeps with ES-5?

I imagine so. I have the ES-8. I believe functionality.in that area is the same on both.

 

[BurningSkies]

Can you do midi sweeps with ES-5?

I imagine so. I have the ES-8. I believe functionality.in that area is the same on both.

Yes. It has the same MIDI expression functionality. It only has one EXP in though...does the 8 have 2? Right now I'm using the Hub for my C4, but I may either move over to the ES-5 or leave the hub expression and do a second one for the FI or whatever.

 

[DirtyDuke]

I have a brand new ES5 I'll sell. I've used it once and upgraded to the ES8

 

[DELACIUS]

Yes. It has the same MIDI expression functionality. It only has one EXP in though...does the 8 have 2? Right now I'm using the Hub for my C4, but I may either move over to the ES-5 or leave the hub expression and do a second one for the FI or whatever.

Does that mean you can control just one effect, or you can control a bunch with one expression pedal, like Tensor, FI and Moog all at the same time?

 

[BurningSkies]

Does that mean you can control just one effect, or you can control a bunch with one expression pedal, like Tensor, FI and Moog all at the same time?

I don't think you can sweep multiple pedals at the same time, but I actually haven't played with it. I've been using the expression on my SA Hub instead.

From the manual:

 

[DELACIUS]

Thanks I'll check that!

Just checked tutorial says: The ES-5 can use up to TWO External Control Pedals to perform control functions whereas the ES-8 can facilitate up to four.

Now what does that mean?

 

[DavidJones]

Thanks I'll check that!

Just checked tutorial says: The ES-5 can use up to TWO External Control Pedals to perform control functions whereas the ES-8 can facilitate up to four.

Now what does that mean?

You can sweep multiple Midi effects at a time with ES-5

 

[BurningSkies]

Thanks I'll check that!

Just checked tutorial says: The ES-5 can use up to TWO External Control Pedals to perform control functions whereas the ES-8 can facilitate up to four.

Now what does that mean?

Control pedals aren't expression, they'd be like tap-tempo or other midi-command.

 

[DELACIUS]

You can sweep multiple Midi effects at a time with ES-5

But can you control pedals that have no midi, like Moog MF101 and Red Panda Tensor?

 

[BurningSkies]

But can you control pedals that have no midi, like Moog MF101 and Red Panda Tensor?

Nope. Its definitely a Midi expression.