Prototype of a MIDI-footcontroller with Zephyr OS and USB-MIDI

I used my project-free time to build a prototype of a MIDI footcontroller which has been on my mind for a while.

In contrast to standard expression pedals it allows to control two parameters in a x/y-coordinate system, extending the expression possibilities a lot. The actual controller is force sensitive, so by modulating the pressure with your foot on the controller pad you can control the MIDI parameter output. The measured force is translated into MIDI pitchbend messages.

While I was working on the prototype Titouan C. released USB-MIDI support in The Zephyr Project which I used for the device.

In the demo below I used a recorded guitar lick in my DAW and added two plugins to the channel: "Distortion" and "MorphFilter".

In the DAW I mapped the pitchbend messages for the x-axis to the "Boost" parameter of the "Distortion" plugin and the pitchbend messages of the y-axis to the "Morph Factor" parameter of the "MorphFilter".

As you can see the sensor is parametrized for being used with your foot while laying on the ground, controlling the parameters by hand requires quite some force.