Helix Rack and Roland FC-300 compatibility issues

[DSHERMAN007]

I am having issues with expression controls on a Helix Rack connected via MIDI to a Roland FC-300 foot controller. The Helix responds intermittently throughout the pedal movements on simple commands such as volume, single parameter values, etc. Pedal and cable are confirmed to be in perfect working order.
Customer support has not provided any solutions as of yet. I also found another user with the same issues on a forum thread, tho it's been a dead thread for over a year and no solution was ever posted. Any help greatly appreciated.

[Bonnesch]

Hi,

I had the same issue last year. The problem is the Helix does not support midi "Running status" (the "status byte" is not send by the FC-300 if it's the same as the previous midi message, only the new value is sent).

The idea is to force the FC-300 to not activate the "Running status" by sending 2 differents midi message at the same time.

You have to be in "Patch Mode" on the FC-300, and program 2 "patch" (midi stream) to send the pedal value to 2 differents midi CC or midi Channel (for exemple 1 midi message on the CC 1 of the channel 1, to control the Helix, and another on CC1 but on channel 8, which correspond to nothing). Like that, for each pedal position, the FC-300 will sent 2 messages and can't activate "Running status).

Hope this help

[aleclee]

Have you tried V-Guitar Forum?  Lots of FC-300 expertise there and a fair number of Helix owners as well.

[PacoDicenta]

On 7/24/2017 at 9:16 PM, Bonnesch said:

Hi,

I had the same issue last year. The problem is the Helix does not support midi "Running status" (the "status byte" is not send by the FC-300 if it's the same as the previous midi message, only the new value is sent).

The idea is to force the FC-300 to not activate the "Running status" by sending 2 differents midi message at the same time.

You have to be in "Patch Mode" on the FC-300, and program 2 "patch" (midi stream) to send the pedal value to 2 differents midi CC or midi Channel (for exemple 1 midi message on the CC 1 of the channel 1, to control the Helix, and another on CC1 but on channel 8, which correspond to nothing). Like that, for each pedal position, the FC-300 will sent 2 messages and can't activate "Running status).

Hope this help

Thanks, it worked :)