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Hardware Instruments => MiniBrute => General discussion on MiniBrute => Topic started by: radray on October 04, 2014, 04:49:04 am

Title: Minibrute works with expression pedals, who knew?
Post by: radray on October 04, 2014, 04:49:04 am

So the Minibrute schematics site hosted by Yves Usson has gone live recently at http://hackabrute.yusynth.net/index_en.php (Thanks Yves!).  Many cool things to be found in those schematics but one of use to everybody who owns one is that all the CV in's can use a regular expression pedal or volume pedal to control it.  You do not need a cv pedal as some have previously thought.  Why this information is not in the user manual I have no idea but I have tested it out and it works!  I tried it out using a Ernie Ball Volume Jr pedal by connecting a 3.5mm stereo to left right 1/4" TS splitter like this one http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP159-Stereo-Breakout-10-Feet/dp/B005HGM1D6 to the Minbrute cv in and to the volume pedal in and out.  If you have a typical expression pedal you will need something like this http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MHE100.5?adpos=1o2&creative=54989267161&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CN2dkIGAksECFYGTfgod1wgAcA to plug it in.  On pitch it will cover a 12 octave range so it may be a bit much but for VCA it was great and Filter was a usable range as well.  I have started a topic at electro-music.com http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-62935.html for those wanting to discus the schematics/circuits and the possible mods that this new information can bring. 

Title: Re: Minibrute works with expression pedals, who knew?
Post by: kitesrfun1 on November 28, 2014, 02:46:09 am

This is  great news. Do you have a recommendation for an inexpensive pedal? Would Mgs expression pedal suffice?

Thanks for all of this!

Title: Re: Minibrute works with expression pedals, who knew?
Post by: kitesrfun1 on November 28, 2014, 04:06:30 am

Also what is the exact model of your Enrie Ball?

Title: Re: Minibrute works with expression pedals, who knew?
Post by: radray on March 23, 2017, 01:45:06 am

I know this is a long time coming but here it is for future readers.

The volume pedal I used was this one http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/ernie-ball-vp-jr.-passive-volume-pedal?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=COLt--it69ICFYNXfgod-uQPpA It has to be a passive volume pedal to let 5V DC through. Buffered (battery powered) pedals would probably be AC coupled filtering out the 5V DC from the Minibrute.

As far as expression pedal most will probably work but some may give a bit different results. The Moog EP-3 is around $40 so that's a fair price. I do recommend you get one that has a knob on the side for fine tuning like the Moog and a few others have. That just helps it be compatible with more devices. I tried a Line 6 one before and it was the least compatible with multiple pedals and synths. I returned it and got a Roland EV-5 and it worked great with many different pedals and synths including Line 6.

Title: Re: Minibrute works with expression pedals, who knew?
Post by: woodenfingers on March 27, 2019, 09:31:41 am

Thanks for the information!
I’m definitely going to have a try at using an expression pedal with my minibrute.
Rock on Minibrute!
Cheers
W.