Topics

1

Building pi-Stomp / Pi Stomp with Hotspot

« on: November 21, 2023, 10:21:33 AM »

So I've tried everything and can't get the Pi Stomp hotspot to work.

My Mac and iPhone/iPad all see the Stomp, but when I try to connect I get a message back that I can't.  I'm 10)% positive I'm using the correct password. 

Any chance there's a problem with the Rasp Pi?  I don't mind buying a new Rasp Pi 3 A+, but can't think of anything else that could be the problem.

Thoughts?

2

Building pi-Stomp / Install keeps stalling....

« on: August 29, 2023, 06:06:13 PM »

At the same place:

"Building wheel for zeroconf (PEP 517): started"

Something I'm doing wrong?

3

Using pi-Stomp / MIDI works on one channel only

« on: August 29, 2023, 09:48:07 AM »

OK - this is a weird one....

Any effect I put on the left channel (input/side), I can control via midi (in this case on/off).  Any effect I put on the right channel (input/side), when I assign the controller, it "registers" and displays that Midi channel #26 is not assigned.  However, the effect parameter (in this case on/off), doesn't change when I send the signal/press my controller. 

I can move any effect to the left side and it works just fine.  Move it back to the right side and it doesn't.

Also, MIDI controller #70 or #71 will randomly assign when I'm trying to add.  There's no midi #70 or #71 with my setup.  I have figured out how to trick the system when using the MOD interface (I put a pedal on the board and just let it assign to that pedal, then its "used" and won't get assigned).

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks!

4

Using pi-Stomp / Filer Manager

« on: August 26, 2023, 02:46:57 PM »

Quick question -

There's a pedal plugin that allows you to loop saved audio files.  To use it, the files (wav or ogg format), but must be stored on the "MOD file manager section".

Is there a file manager section of the Pi Stomp that would allow this? 

Thanks!

5

Using pi-Stomp / Midi/Expression Add on Board

« on: June 17, 2023, 08:14:14 AM »

Three quick noob midi questions -

I am using the USB port to receive midi signals from my Arduino.  I also have added the midi/expression pedal add on board.   Both work great.

1) Does the midi-out on the add on board work when using the usb port to receive midi-in signals? 
2) Does the expression pedal also connect to other devices when using the same out port?
3) Can the output port send a signal via USB or do I need to use the 1/8" jack to 5-pin midi adapter and then another adapter to USB.

I am looking to change one of my amps to one that also has midi control.  I want to change channels on the amp and use the expression pedal as a volume control for the same amp.

Thanks!

6

Building pi-Stomp / Review / Feedback

« on: April 18, 2023, 09:34:30 AM »

So, I'm a few weeks into building, tweaking, and using the pi-stomp and wanted to provide some overall comments that might help others.

Pros:
1) This pedal is simply awesome.  I mean awesome.  If you like building effect or any electronics really (and play guitar), its one of the best I've ever made. 

2) It helps if you know a little Linux if you want to "tweak" stuff.  I also had to do some debugging and knowing what little Linux I do helped a lot.  You could probably do the same with a text editor using a Microsoft product.  But I'm an iMac guy and use the Terminal app exclusively, so I can't speak to that.

3) The unit seems to be very low noise, even using some of the compressors and distortion pedals.  I have a very complex pedal board with a long signal chain and I found that the distortion effects were much more quiet than even those emulations built into my amps.  This includes some fuzzes as well.  I don't have any test results so no measurements were taken; just my ear.  Maybe you won't have the same experience, but I suspect you will.

4) I can't detect any latency.  It might be there if you build some complex pedalboards, but I haven't had any problems.  Compared to my EHX Pitchfork, the Pi-Stomp seems to have zero.  I know this isn't true, but for what I do with it, I can't detect any [latency].

5) I found support to be pretty dang good!  No, you won't get instant answers as these guys have day jobs.  But I didn't have to wait days either when I had some technical problems.  In fact, I was helped with an "add-on" Midi controller I built into my pedalboard that added 8 more switches using an Arduino Teeny computer - they even helped me with some code for that controller and it had nothing to do with the Pi-Stomp.

Cons (very minor)
1) Probably because I'm thick-headed, but the instructions for everything you might need to build and tweak were across multiple web pages.  This includes the build of the OS (github).  Jumping around via different links was a little bit of a pain (I eventually just bookmarked them - should have done that early on!).

2) I was missing a couple of spacers and had a couple of extra bolts.  Not a big deal as I have spacers on hand.  Lots of parts in this kit (and to be fair, there's no QC department with paid assembly folks), so sometimes minor things like that get missed).

3) The web interface can be a little glitchy - this isn't on Treefallsound at all, but something to be aware.  Again, this was minor as I never lost anything boards I was building.  But the dang thing would sometimes not update or would randomly disconnect from the Pi-Stomp.

Recommendations for all builders
1) Get the enclosure.  Its VERY well made and all the electronics fit into it perfectly and very professionally.  It would have been a royal pain to make this myself out of some aluminum Hammond enclosure.  I've made tons of pedals and drilling a couple of holes for pots, a stomp switch and some in/out jacks is super easy.  But the Pi-Stomp has a screen and jacks that really need to be precision measured and cut if using your own enclosure.  Unless you've got the tools and have done that kind of thing before, I really don't recommend it.

2) Build with the LCD below the enclosure and not protruding up.  A little more work, but worth the effort.  It just plain looks better.

Recommendations for Mods:
1) Add a plastic window that would protect the LCD display. 

2) Add the ability to assign banks/programs that can be addressed via a midi controller.  In that way you aren't picking a pedal board and flipping through presets, you could just hit Bank A - Board 2 and then use the midi controller and PI-Stomp switches to turn off/on effects.  I know this would be pretty dang difficult, so I get it doesn't have that functionality.  NOT a deal-breaker at all.  I play in a cover band that performs a HUGE variety of songs.  I don't actually flip through boards much if at all as I can get the effects I need with one or two boards/snapshots.  But I can see some folks who would really like this.

This is a very impressive piece of hardware, buts it is NOT for someone who isn't familiar with building these types of kits.  If you've built several footpedals in the past, you're probably in good shape (MUST be compentent with soldering).  I've done that kind of thing plus some digital builds like a cable TV decoder and even guitar amplifiers, so for me this was easy. 

Overall I can't see any guitar player not falling in love with it.

Hope this helps!

7

Building pi-Stomp / No sound channel 2

« on: March 04, 2023, 01:06:02 PM »

While I'm debugging the Aurdino MIDI device, I noticed another quirk.

When I have a mono in and a mono out plus connected, I can get sound.  However, when I have mono in and a TRS with left and right outputs, I don't get sound out of either channel.

I am using a simple MOD board with just the interests connected to the outs (and crossed and connected to both to test).  However I have this same problems with ay pedalboard.

Any suggestions?

8

Building pi-Stomp / External Midi Controller

« on: March 02, 2023, 06:40:45 AM »

While we're busy debugging my Pi Stomp build, I had another question around midi controllers.

I'm thinking I will build an external midi controller board with 8 buttons.  I'll use the Teensy 4.1 and its usb port to send messages to the Pi Stomp via the existing USB port.  However, I have also added the Midi add-on kit for my expression pedal.

Should I use the TRS MIDI in port on the add-on board or just use the existing USB port?

Wanted to completely understand before I start hooking stuff up - creating more for me to debug!

Many thanks again - having fun building and debugging the Pi Stomp.  Good learning experience.

9

Building pi-Stomp / Expression Pedal & Tweak Knobs - Updated Additional Issues

« on: February 26, 2023, 01:43:27 PM »

Hey,

First I would like to say, "Well done!".  I know that nobody is getting rich off this kit, commercially its a pedal worth double the cost! Extremely well designed - layout and enclosure are first-rate.  I've been building effects and amps for 30+ years from both kits and straight from schematics.  And while this is complex, if folks follow the instructions found on several pages, you'll have success with a top-tier product!

So, now to my problem - I've checked the ADC chip, where I've connected the Tweak knobs (0,1) as well as the configuration (outside lugs to +3v, opposite lugs to 0V, and wiper to middle lug).  I also built the midi/expression pedal add on board (expression pedal connected to pin 7) and for whatever reason I cannot get any of them to work. 

Can someone post the files that I need to edit and code for each?  I keep checking all the default files and I seem to have it all correct, but I'm missing something.  Has to be a configuration problem.

Many thanks and again, kudus on a job well-done!

EDITED: I also have another problem - when using the MOD UI I noticed that that three primary buttons on the Pi will, if assigned to a preset in one of the sample pedal boards provided, will work the effect just fine.  However, if I try and assign, via MIDI, one of the buttons to a new pedalboard, they won't work.  The halo will light when pressed, but the button doesn't get noticed by the pedal.  No name is assigned either - its like all the MIDI functions of the pedal aren't noticed by the Pi Stomp - but, as I noted, the pedal as already provided on the sample pedal board, will notice the button/switch.

I modified the "default_config.yml" as provided and even took the approach of renaming and saving one of the other config files to use the existing code.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Many thanks in advanced.