Review of Fishman Triple Play Wireless FC-1 Foot Controller

[@hienvu1714]

I have 2 expensive Godin guitars with synth access and have owned a couple different Roland guitar synths since the late 80s and I must say that I much prefer my TriplePlay Wireless and FC-1 foot controller because, besides great tracking and not being stuck with "built-in" sounds like on the Roland, it's just much simpler and much more convenient to use. Sometimes we can't expect something to be simple and convenient yet have every feature we can dream up. I do wish the FC-1 could do more but I bought the system based on what it can do and I'm not disappointed at all.

[@director2bob]

I also have two Godin guitars (Montreal & Session) and also trying to figure out if there is a better option than using the FC1. I know you can plug the dongle direct into a Waldorf Blofeld bypassing the FC1 but trying to understand if you could use a different MIDI foot controller with more buttons so you have have patches easily recalled without having to scroll through banks. That is just not practical playing live when you use 5 or more sounds during a single song.

[@Cavemaaaan]

Thanks for your critical overview for sure :) As for the octave drop....perhaps a DigiTech Drop? They appear ever so often inder or less than half of their standard used price :) DG :)

[@peterhakvoort6563]

Hello over there the midi in function you can acces when you hold down the middle and right button of the fc-1 foot controller Thats the back end of the system where you can manage the functions of the pedal

[@colinb3544]

Buy far the one of the best reviews of the Fishman system that I have seen. Thanks. I will avoid the Fishman FC-1

[@williepurificacion2474]

So why don't you use the expression pedal if you want to mute the synth sounds? You've got selectore switch on the guitar unit to select between guitar and synth or mix, does it still send midi signal even you switch to guitar only selection? If that's the case then there's indeed a slight problem with the unit!

[@wakenwaken3618]

Hi, did They improved issue with guitar only mode? It is working with fishman laptop app for me but not with iPad app.. and I have no hardware synth to try.. it is a pity that this Chanel switch is only on actual fishman module.. this silver knob doesn’t look robust.. for hundreds engagements.. how to deal with this bleed on life situations when you want guitar only ..thx

[@director2bob]

Thanks so much for this video. Do you know if there is a way to use a MIDI pedal that has 12 buttons like the Keith Mcmillen Softstep controller with the FC1 so you can basically store your favorite 12 patches and use the midi controller the same way you would with a guitar pedalboard with 12 stomp boxes? I hate the idea of having to scroll through patches on the FC1. Just thinking there has to be an easier way to quickly change patches. Appreciate any advice.

[@nokie2]

Thanks so much for the excellent detail in your review! What are the latency issues when running through the foot controller to hardware synths? Are you able to adjust the latency? I am using the Triple Play with a laptop and am having frustrations with optimal latency. That said, it is much better than my Roland GR 55 system.

[@vincent_van_nunu]

Thanks. There is no way to adjust the latency that I'm aware of, but from my experience, the FC1 is a noticeable improvement over using a laptop and midi interface to control hardware synths. I run my FC1 into a midi sequencer and find the latency very low and usable. That's the main reason I got the FC1 in the first place.

[@nokie2]

@@vincent_van_nunu Thanks for the quick reply!

[@tonydrake821]

@@nokie2 You can adjust the latency by changing the buffer size in the Tripleplay software preference menu. That, however, presents trade offs.

[@nokie2]

@@tonydrake821 Thanks Anthony - Yes, that is the latency adjustment process I have been using on my laptop loaded with the Triple Play software. What I found interesting in this video is the use of a USB/MIDI converter straight to a MIDI sound module, bypassing the Triple Play software.

[@francescodamico7903]

Hi! This is the very first video i find about this pedal so i thank you! I just have some queations: - did you try other solutions? You could go with the dongle inside one of those synth modules. It should work (but it doesn't have split zones from your fretboard for what i read about). - isn't it possible to set, from the pc app, those switches to do other things? - does the pedal "contains" programs and patches imported and/or saved from the pc (via the dongle) ? Non the sounds, i know, but the settings, split zones, octave shift, and so on ? - Now that i am about to order my triple play would you suggest me to buy this fc-1 ? Is it really useless?

[@vincent_van_nunu]

It's not useless. I enjoy it for stuff like this kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHXdf554lrCYjqc I will check on the answers to your other questions. I believe you can do the split zones thing but I never use that feature.

[@francescodamico7903]

@@vincent_van_nunu Hi. Check this out. Around 2.35 He plugs the dongle directly into the usb midi in of that little sound module and He bypasses totali the fc-1 ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmqwY6qkpKuqbZY

[@primitivepatterns]

Hi, thanks for a great review! I'm wondering, does the FC-1 have sounds built into it or is it just a midi hub sort of thing? I'm hoping I can load custom vst onto there but I know that might not be possible

[@vincent_van_nunu]

No the fc1 doesn't store plugins or presets locally. It allows added foot control and midi / USB host capabilities. But it doesn't operate as a sound module.

[@primitivepatterns]

@@vincent_van_nunu Thanks for the info! Idk why I thought it would be able to store patches. I was always confused watching the sound demos because I thought all of the sounds were built in. I'm coming from a gr-30 so this is all super futuristic for me haha

[@jaysidd]

You mentioned it can be plugged into hardware synth via usb host, other than FC1, can you provide any model or brand of usb host that will work. My goal is to connect the guitar to my keyboard synth. My keyboard has a USB-B 2.0 connection like the one on most printers and 5pin standard Midi in and Midi out. Thanks.

[@vincent_van_nunu]

I have heard people have had success using the Kenton USB Midi Host. Never tried it but supposedly it works.

[@boimesa8190]

​@@vincent_van_nunu what needs to be plugged into the host though?

[@tonydrake821]

Nice honest review. I also find it frustrating that you can't bypass the midi send. I just turn the device off from the controller, but that seems a bit clumsy. Also, the manual is pretty cryptic. Do you know how to change the midi channel in poly mode, or is it fixed to transmit on a particular channel (in poly mode)?

[@vincent_van_nunu]

I'll look into this, but I run the FC1 into a squarp pyramid, and I can change channels from the pyramid.

[@tonydrake821]

@@vincent_van_nunu Hi. I spoke with Fishman and you cannot change the midi channel. It is fixed to channel 1 in poly mode and 1-6 in mono. This really limits the FC-1 as a hardware controller. The ability to sequence different instruments across the midi channels is the whole point of a midi controller. Hard to conceive that they chose another solution. Thanks for your reply.

[@vincent_van_nunu]

@@tonydrake821 yes that is disappointing.

[@badoverman]

Hi.. I have the Triple Connect pickup only, along with a Disaster Area usb host. I also have a Squarp Pyramid and a merge unit which I plug the Connect output from the midi host, along with my keyboard controller. I’m just learning the Pyramid, but for controlling synths set to different midi channels and selected via the ‘track’ button on the Pyramid, I have no problem controlling synths with either the Connect or the keys. My PROBLEM, is that I get frozen notes way too often when controlling synths via Connect pickup! I’m trying to program patches in the basic software(I don’t use a daw or soft synths), but I’m still coming up short in correcting the frozen note issue. Any tips on the patch settings? I use poly instead of mono cause guitar synth mono mode is basically like MPE, where each string is a separate midi channel and could only work on multi timbral or MPE synths like the Oberheim Matrix or the Hydrasynth..I have both but I prefer the simplicity of basic poly, if it would work right!! Also, thanks for the Pyramid vids, it’s a tricky gizmo but I’m hoping to get it orchestrating my rig without too much pain!

[@vincent_van_nunu]

Thanks. Tough to say what could be causing frozen notes. Potentially a lot of things. I'd try removing the merge box from the chain and see if the problem persists. I'd also try booting into hardware mode on the triple play and see if that fixes it. You may also want to look at your string sensitivity settings in the fishman desktop app. Also if you have a USB midi interface try connecting to the pyramid that way (rather than the Disaster Area host, just to troubleshoot that piece of your chain).

[@BennySkyn]

I'm having issues with the fc-1 changing presets on my gt-100. My beatbuddy is the master tempo. From there, the midi goes to a proteus 2000 and from there via splitter cable to the gt-100 and ve-500. Everything is fine until I add the fc-1 to the proteus. It will not stop changing my gt-100 presets.

[@vincent_van_nunu]

Try setting the gt-100 to a different midi channel from the fc-1

[@dieg000n]

Nice! Could you play a little bit with the triple play?

[@vincent_van_nunu]

Some of the other videos on my channel are examples of playing hardware synths with the triple play. Here is one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmfJaYZjr82Zr7s

[@hienvu1714]

​@@vincent_van_nunuHi Vincent. I got frustrated trying to use the TP with my iPad Pro and hadn't touched it in 2 years. I just took it back out to try using it with my Roland synth modules. I have the USB dongle plugged into the FC1 then MIDI out to MIDI in on my synth module and do get different sounds as I press the up button on the FC1 but I'm not sure if those sounds are actually coming from my synth module. Does the FC1 have its own set of GM sounds? The sound doesn't change when I try to change them on my synth module. Do I need to do something on my module in order to change the sounds on the module itself? I've been playing guitars for 50+ years, keyboards for 40 years but I'm still a MIDidiot so thank you for you so much for your help!

[@robertfimbres9628]

What are your thoughts on hooking this up to a stand-alone groove box like an MPC or Akai Force for USB midi via the dongle without the FC1? It seems like the same concept to me as using it with a computer since MPC’s offer USB ports.

[@vincent_van_nunu]

If the groovebox has usb midi host (seems like the force does but I've never used one) then it should work fine and you wouldn't need the fc-1.

[@primitivepatterns]

I used mine without the FC-1 and connected directly to a synth with midi host (an Orgnanelle M) and it works great

[@zapmando]

@Vincent Van Nunu thanks for the vid. one question. Does this switch like run the fishman software, giving you better slides and bends, or is it just a switch/communicator for standalone syths?

[@Astreyaband]

Hey I’m curious, which expression pedal is that in grey, just below your FC1 controller?

[@vincent_van_nunu]

It's from mission engineering.

[@vincent_van_nunu]

@georg walt the one designed for a Strymon timeline I forgot exactly but mission will know

[@gueims]

Have you tried that midi input to see if it merges with the tripleplay midi stream? Then send that over the usb port to the computer. That will allow you to add other midi controller to drive more midi CC parameters. There's no info about this anywhere. So that keeps me away from buying this without knowing. ..

[@vincent_van_nunu]

So, if I follow, I think the answer is yes. I hooked up a midi keyboard to the midi in on the Fc1. Then I played a midi note on the guitar. While the note sounded, I moved the pitch wheel on the midi keyboard connected to the midi in. It worked to apply a pitch bend to the note. BUT, the same keyboard cannot generate the note itself. So the midi in will pass some CC messages, but not actual notes, apparently.

[@gueims]

@@vincent_van_nunuThat's perfect for what I'm looking for. I don't need the notes but the CC's will be perfect. Thanks a lot. If you have a computer near enough to test what is passing thru the usb port that will be a huge help. Thanks again

[@WoodomainJeremyBroun]

Its not clear whether the entire Fishman triple play system is wireless for on stage performance. It looks as though the foot pedal connects via cables but to where? to the computer? I have now watched over a dozen videos on this piece of gear and nobody has explained absoliute basics of how it works! i have an excellent Roland GR55 that does everything but it is not wireless! We live in a wireless age. All I actually want is a wireless 13 pin connection but am persuaded to at least look at the Fishman Triple Play.

[@vincent_van_nunu]

The main concept behind the FC1 is that it provides a USB Midi host in a foot pedal form. So you don't have to have a computer or software program running. Instead you can control hardware gear via Midi 5-pin. But the FC1 is not a sound module. You still need a module to generate sounds. That can either be hardware gear (via 5 pin cable) or software instruments (via USB cable from the FC1). There are cables involved either way though lately there are some wireless / Bluetooth midi 5 pin solutions. Potentially you could use the FC1 with one of those aftermarket wireless / bluetooth midi solutions and the triple play would be essentially wireless end to end. Hope that helps.

[@WoodomainJeremyBroun]

@@vincent_van_nunu Thanks, that helps answer some of the questions. I wish there was a simple graphic diagram somewhere simply showing the components of the entire setup and what is wireless and what isn't I cant quite see the logic of a wireless system used next to a computer as for onstage and outdoor performances you would presumbably need to constantly access that computer. my Roland GR55 has everything i a foot boox with large displays and onboard guitar knobs and toggle switches. But it has a heavy old fashioned 13 pin cable and nobody seems to do a wireless option! I dont know why they call it wireless unless the whole setup is wireless! Further confusion with the Triple Play Connect that links to an iPad. Presumably it could link to a smart phone mounted on the guitar itself (similar to what I have designed for backing tracks : kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqW8Y6lrjax1iJI).

[@vincent_van_nunu]

System is wireless in the sense that the controller on the guitar doesn't need any wires to communicate with the USB receiver that processes the MIDI notes and does the conversion. But that USB receiver has to be plugged into something. Whether a computer or the FC 1. In my video I run the FC1 via a hardwire midi cable into a MIDI sequencer. as I explained above you could possibly get a wireless solution for that piece of it. If the triple play software could be run on the FC1 that would maybe solve your problem but unfortunately that can't be done.

[@WoodomainJeremyBroun]

@@vincent_van_nunu Hi, thanks for taking the trouble to enlighten me. I use my Rolan GR55 for busking with backing tracks and also in normal times at a wine bar. The Fishman is of interest because it is wireless giving me freedom o move around with the guitar (eg mingling) with the audience has been part of my act. I guess it would be possible to have a laptop by the amplifier and presumably the foot control could be wireless but obviously parked somewhere close. Could I scroll to and operate my specific tracking tracks from the guitar or foot controls? The composing aspect of the setup is a bonus not a necessity as I create my backing tracks etc on other software. I have a feeling the authenticity of voices (piano, sax etc) are slightly better on the Roland.

[@vincent_van_nunu]

@@WoodomainJeremyBroun You could certainly change patches / sounds from the guitar controller. In terms of controlling your backing tracks, that may be more difficult. The triply play controller isn’t a great universal midi controller-it’s really designed to operate the triple play system. (as I say in the video, the controller doesn’t even allow you to change octave range, which is very disappointing.) You could get something like a midi guitar wing if you needed to control your backing tracks (assuming they are running in some sort of software that can receive midi commands).

[@tonydrake821]

Can it send out on multiple midi channels?

[@vincent_van_nunu]

I'm not positive, but I think yes. There are three buttons on the FC1. In the TriplePlay desktop software, it is possible to change the channel for each button.

[@tonydrake821]

@@vincent_van_nunu Thanks.