Volume pedal=Expression Pedal?

[marshall409]

just grabbed a zoom g1 on ebay for about 60 bucks CAD shipped....not bad.

whats the deal with expression pedals for these multi effects? (Digitech RP series etc...) They have a 1.4 inch input on the back, usually labelled control in. a volume pedal works doesnt it? would it have to be a stereo volume pedal? or does it have to be an actual expression pedal? whats the difference?

Adam

[mikemorgan]

A volume pedal takes line level signal, passes it through a potentiometer, and turns the voltage up and down, thereby increasing the signal from guitar to amp.

An expression pedal sends midi continuous control messages using midi control protocol, i.e. volume.

The question is, are you changing a line level audio signal, or are you controlling a midi device that will do it for you. If you want to control the volume on a guitar processor, you need an expression pedal. OR, you can place a volume pedal between your guitar and processor, or processor and amplifier input. Hope this helps!

[marshall409]

Originally Posted by mikemorgan

A volume pedal takes line level signal, passes it through a potentiometer, and turns the voltage up and down, thereby increasing the signal from guitar to amp.

An expression pedal sends midi continuous control messages using midi control protocol, i.e. volume.

The question is, are you changing a line level audio signal, or are you controlling a midi device that will do it for you. If you want to control the volume on a guitar processor, you need an expression pedal. OR, you can place a volume pedal between your guitar and processor, or processor and amplifier input. Hope this helps!

no no....nothing midi here. 1/4 inch jacks. its not really even a processor, just a small pedal with a control in, kinda like a jack for an external foot switch. thanks fore the help though mike. anyone else?

Adam

[amra]

I have seen people use M-Audios cheapo ($29) expression pedal with RP series effects units with pretty good luck. They have the same 1/4" jack you are talking about.

[marshall409]

yes...but would a volume pedal work the same?

[sile2001]

Yes they can sometimes be used as expression pedals, depending on if the resistance value of the pot in the pedal is compatible with what the device is expecting. To do so, you have to make a custom Y cable that has a single TRS 1/4" plug on the device end, and that splits into a Y cable with the two leads each having one terminal in common with a single terminal on the TRS plug. Those two leads of the Y cable then plug into the input and output of the volume pedal. I don't know what pot values are needed or which terminals go to what, but I know it can work sometimes.