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Worlds First Drum Machine in Pedal Form!

#401
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to get your BeatBuddy for $199. It will NEVER be this inexpensive again!

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#403
DavidPackouz said:
Not really sure -- honestly we haven't tested it with momentary switches. We designed it to use latching switches because they are much more reliable generally and are much cheaper too.
Click to expand...

Doesn't sound right... A momentary switch is surely the best option for a tap tempo or drum accent hit. Softer to press, easier to use in the circuit for the job they are required (as a foot press is always on, rather than alternating between on and off), less moving parts inside so I would imagine they would be more reliable and cheaper than latching switches.

Sure you've not mixed up latching and momentary?

:hiding:
 
#404
dannybuoy said:
Doesn't sound right... A momentary switch is surely the best option for a tap tempo or drum accent hit. Softer to press, easier to use in the circuit for the job they are required (as a foot press is always on, rather than alternating between on and off), less moving parts inside so I would imagine they would be more reliable and cheaper than latching switches.

Sure you've not mixed up latching and momentary?

:hiding:
Click to expand...

Yeah, it doesn't sound quite right to me either. If they were latching, for every time the were clicked on they would have to be clicked back off then back on. Wouldn't that make it very hard to do accent hits? Or does the accent hit come every time the state changes from high to low?
 
#407
I can't comment on which WOULD have been easier, but David has been very consistent in stating that these require latching footswitches. He has also recommended this footswitch, which I think is the one in the video. It is latching:
http://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Guitars-FX-020-Stereo-Footswitch/dp/B000EO6N08

Based on what I do know about them, I can see a case where, with the accent hits, you want latching. You only want one, obvious press of the footswitch to result in a single accent hit. If it's a momentary switch, it might depend too heavily on how long you hold it to result in one vs. multiple accent hits? Again, I'm just speculating here. I understand the electronics a little, but not a lot.
 
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#408
Each kind creates implementation puzzles.
For a latching (press-on / press-off) switch (which I agree is more mechanically complex and failure-prone, as well as more expensive) it can be easier to "do what it does" on any level change.
With a momentary switch, you're faced with the decision of performing the action on the rising (initially pressed) or falling (released) edge of the signal - both of which are subject to 'switch bounce' that can create many closely-timed events (yes, latching switches need to be debounced too...)

For tap-tempo, an implementation could find it easier to simply measure the 'on-time' between latch-on and latch-off. Without understanding the firmware, it's hard to know just what implementation decisions have been made and for what reasons.

As for demos - well - they could be just anything, couldn't they ;-)
( Veteran of many trade-show demos... )
 
#410
Adamixoye said:
I can't comment on which WOULD have been easier, but David has been very consistent in stating that these require latching footswitches. He has also recommended this footswitch, which I think is the one in the video. It is latching:
http://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Guitars-FX-020-Stereo-Footswitch/dp/B000EO6N08

Based on what I do know about them, I can see a case where, with the accent hits, you want latching. You only want one, obvious press of the footswitch to result in a single accent hit. If it's a momentary switch, it might depend too heavily on how long you hold it to result in one vs. multiple accent hits? Again, I'm just speculating here. I understand the electronics a little, but not a lot.
Click to expand...


You are correct -- that is the footswitch we used. And it worked great! We found in our research that latching worked best for what we wanted to do. The way we work it is that regardless of whether the switch is turned 'on or off' it sends a single signal to the BeatBuddy which triggers the desired command -- accent hit, tap tempo, song advance or back, or pause/unpause
 
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#412
Songs like "Pancho & Lefty" by Townes Van Zant or "The Weight" by the Band have one 3/4 measure in their chorus which causes most drum machines to flip the beat. Will the BeatBuddy have the capability of inserting a 3/4 measure in an otherwise 4/4 song?
 
#414
etoncrow said:
Songs like "Pancho & Lefty" by Townes Van Zant or "The Weight" by the Band have one 3/4 measure in their chorus which causes most drum machines to flip the beat. Will the BeatBuddy have the capability of inserting a 3/4 measure in an otherwise 4/4 song?
Click to expand...

Yes, you can mix different time measures -- if they are in separate midi files. It uses the midi files as mini loops to construct the songs and plays them on command.
 
#418
This has probably been asked already, but I haven't yet had the chance to go through the entire thread. Can other midi instruments, or non drum wave files be added to to the beat buddy, or just drums? If so, I'm imagining that can open up a whole nuther set of possibilities.
 
#419
I'm not going to dig up the exact post, but I'm reasonably certain that David specifically stated you can use whatever .wav files you like to make up your own custom kit.

Joe Nerve said:
This has probably been asked already, but I haven't yet had the chance to go through the entire thread. Can other midi instruments, or non drum wave files be added to to the beat buddy, or just drums? If so, I'm imagining that can open up a whole nuther set of possibilities.
Click to expand...
 
#420
Any chance of those who purchased it getting the programming software before the beat buddy arrives? I, fer one, wouldn't mind beginning to program the things I plan to use if for before the pedal arrives.

Also, I remember reading something about a user support group, or a place where people will be able to share their beats and stuff. Is that around yet? Is there going to be a forum where all these kind of questions can be easily answered?

Got up to around page 7 in this thread... but have to admit it's a bit of a chore.
 

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