Pedal? What Pedal?
Apr01

Pedal? What Pedal?

Posted By on Apr 1, 2019 | 0 comments

10 Controllers are about ready to go… awesome! But the Pedal (insole piece) has been the ongoing challenge. Wireless charging would be nice, heck add cap sensing and seal this up. It’s all possible and then some. But lets get this going already right? Last week, I painfully learned that nothing glues to velcro strips (really) so forget that. Besides, velcro is not very secure and won’t align anything. Had some nice breakthroughs on the rubber 3D printing but likely only a custom product given print time. However, it’s great way to shape it for the “feel”, or to make my own, so not a waste of time after all. In the lastest version, there are 2 pieces that have to fit together and come apart easily for battery changes (or to change shoe sizes). Inner SoulPedal protects the electronics and sensors. The top part makes it fit comfy and stay in place. Will this one work? We’ll soon see. Need some Magnetism in your day? In other Bucket-list news, I’ve been taking Guitar Lessons for the first time. The curse of playing by ear is that everyone thinks you can play guitar -even friends that also play guitar. There’s a lot going on in there that needs to come out. A month of patience and enjoying the...

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“An Actual Photo, not a Rendering…”
Jan12

“An Actual Photo, not a Rendering…”

Posted By on Jan 12, 2019 | 0 comments

I’m quoting Elon Musk today where he tweeted “This is an actual photo, not a rendering.” His Starship is really cool (up to 100 passengers?), but so is this – and as real as it gets. The new SoulPedal® enclosure for the Controller fits perfectly. Loving the recessed letters in blue to match the modded blue stripes on the knobs. The box master was precision printed and buffed out for the mold. And yup, that’s an Expression out 10K pot to control other pedals.   After hooking up with another Beta Tester in Phoenix, I’m getting the sense that musicians don’t fit the “average size 8” shoe norm – more like size 11. So moving on now to multi-size pedals. Notice the old Makerbot 3D printer in the background. The pedals don’t need to be so precise, just comfy and flexible so I’ll do these myself for now with materials on hand. All I can say is good things take time. On the right side, I’m not quite sure what this one plug is going to do just yet, so I called it “Other.”  You know, when people say, “No, it’s the other plug.” Well now there’s officially an “Other” plug. It literally has endless possibilities!       All the top knobs are about feel in the shoe… exactly how foot pressure translates to control. And of course, MIDI Out is still there and was combined with External Control to run my Boss Delay as an example.         And guess what the Pad does. If you just barely tap it, for now, it’s how we switch between MIDI/EXT, WAH, or VOLUME. Like I said… for now. Nice colors for each mode too.        ...

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Controller Innyrds – Does More
Dec01

Controller Innyrds – Does More

Posted By on Dec 1, 2018 | 0 comments

How about a Wireless Wah-Volume-MIDI-Expression Controller. There are a few more chips on it since last time, but digital and analog are completely in their own spaces and it has 3 knobs on top for the feel. The Pedal (not shown) has motion sensing and a nice pressure sensor under the ball of your foot. This Controller board is complete and a precision 3D print for the box arrives tomorrow. Plans are to update the Pedal for sizing, then it’s all Beta Testing with local artists… maybe explore some with ASU who showed an interest last month. True story, this project landed me a 2nd interview in front of 3 VPs at Fender as a EE Pedal Designer, reporting to VP Stan Cotey. Ken Porter, Fender VP R&D felt that SoulPedal® “was a conflict of interest.” I knew I’d either build pedals for Fender or continue down this path. Good news, I’m now focused on SoulPedal® and maybe I’ll cross paths with Fender again someday. Either way, I’m having a blast as this has endless possibilities in the world of...

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Nice Volume Control Demo
Oct16

Nice Volume Control Demo

Posted By on Oct 16, 2018 | 2 comments

The video says it all. This is all part of combining the Wah and MIDI controller into a single unit with the new Volume and Expression out. So far so good! (Xanadu by Rush was a song I played since I was a young kid in Canada. Great song!) Stay Tuned,...

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TDK “Band” Loves SoulPedal®!
Sep20

TDK “Band” Loves SoulPedal®!

Posted By on Sep 20, 2018 | 0 comments

We just returned from the TDK Dev Conference in Silicon Valley (Sensor Technologies… yes, the same TDK that made audio tapes). It turns out that several TDK executive members, including CEO Jon Nelson, are also musicians. Apparently, there’s a TDK band, and they all loved SoulPedal®. In fact, it was Jon who introduced me to several TDK Directors and insisted I meet Rich Fry, Director ICT Sales who is now eager to engage as a SoulPedal® Beta Tester. Over the years, first impression to this technology have always been with amazement and awe – 100% of the time. Whether that translates to a sale or acceptance in the industry is only just starting to come into focus. It can’t be just cool or another wireless product; it’s got to add value. That’s exactly why SoulPedal® is being shared in a personal and custom way in our Beta Program. Playing devil’s advocate, there is obvious excitement among TDK staff because their technology is being applied in a brand new way to something they love to do for fun. So I asked Rich “Are you excited because it’s using TDK’s motion technology, or do you believe SoulPedal® is something you’d buy, and why?” His answer was both candid and encouraging. “Yes (to the TDK), but often in our band we are pointed to without warning when it’s our turn to solo. That’s hard to do if you’re not quite ready and right in front of your pedals.” He went on to say that “…given the fast change-over times between band line-ups, it would be great to have a faster setup.” So Change-over Time may not be just a Manufacturing indicator, and not having to run cables round “trip” from the amp to the pedals and back does add value (pun intended). The photo isn’t my actual setup, it’s just a teaser to get people thinking simplicity and ease of use. But I wouldn’t put it past someone duct-taping SoulPedal® to their rig to just throw on stage in a hurry. Initial, we’re not replacing your sacred pedal board, it’s an enhancement and a new feel for now, but that Wah pedal may have a finite life. I really can’t wait to see what people think of the variable taper for starters. Aside from the TDK Band buzz, the meeting with motion experts yielded some great tips that will directly translate to a better product. In fact, positional accuracy (in a multi-pedal configuration) could maintain around 3 mm accuracy over a 1 foot distance using our existing Beta design (which is actually using older technology). They already do this in the medical industry,...

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