Footswitch help

[zilla]

So I was sitting at work thinking about pedals this morning and had an idea...

I want to move my pedals so they live on a shelf in my rack and have a single footswitch that can turn the pedals on or off.. I'm thinking something like the footswitch that comes with mesa boogie amps... silent momentary switches with LEDs. and then have a super long cable from the footswitch to the rack.

I'm trying to firgure out what would be the best way to do this...

Obviously I don't want to run signal wires from each pedal to the footswitch.. that would be ridiculous.

So i'm guessing that I'll need to use a relay switching system on the footswitch and phantom power for the LEDs and relays, but I'm not sure how to go from a SPST remote F/S to switching an effect on or off..    Would i replace the traditional 3PDT switches on the stomp pedal with a soft touch relay board and then just run the power and grounds out to the remote F/S?

Ideally I'd like to use a standard midi cable (7 pin, i think?, power, ground, and then 5 signal lines to control up to 5 remote pedals)

comments? suggestions? help?

[drolo]

You could build a loop box for the pedals with your five loops. Each loop consists of a relay that will bypass the effect(s) in the loop. (Your effects are always on) The footswitch connects to your loopbox and activates/deactivates the loops. If you use latching relays, you can use momentary stomp switches. If non latching relays you will need latching stomp switches or build in a latching circuit for each relay.

[selfdestroyer]

Maybe something like The Epic Looper?

US - http://jmkpcbs.com/product/epic-bypass-looper-kit/
UK - http://diy.thcustom.com/shop/the-epic-looper-v1-0-pcb-set/

Cody

[zilla]

the problem with the looper is that the gutiar signal still passes thru the looper. 

What i want is more like a footswitch that will turn pedals on and off much like how a pedal changes channels on an amp.

Drolo is talking more about what i'm thinking of, but I'm just not 100% sure on how to execute it.

Are there any oshpark or other pcbs for latching relay switching?

[rullywowr]

the problem with the looper is that the gutiar signal still passes thru the looper. 

What i want is more like a footswitch that will turn pedals on and off much like how a pedal changes channels on an amp.

Drolo is talking more about what i'm thinking of, but I'm just not 100% sure on how to execute it.

Are there any oshpark or other pcbs for latching relay switching?

Latching relays will work great.  Google "a switching scheme" on freestompboxes

Here is a link:
http://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=13295

You may need to be logged in to read this but lots of great info there. This can all be done even without microcontrollers.

[zilla]

awesome! many thanks!

[Thomas_H]

Are you aware that using something like the EPIC can be used with remote switches?
Meaning that you build a footswitch board with 5 switches and use it with your feet, running a cable to the EPIC box with the relays standing on your shelf where your pedals are.

The other possible solution is to replace your pedal footswitches with relay true bypass.
They usually work with a momentary switch to GND. You only would need to wire a second footswitch parallel to the new pedal switch.

First solution leaves your pedals intact and requires to wire them to the looper box, second requires to replace the pedal footswitches.