Looking at making a MIDI controller for my Timeline and wanted to look at a few options. First off the retail units I have been reading about.

Tech 21 MIDI Mouse
Disaster Area MMC-3
PedalSync OZ

I am really wanting to take advantage of the Full/Half speed toggle and the reverse and Undo functions. To start out I will most likely look at doing a 3 footswitch box just for those functions until I can learn more about how to have mode switching like the Disaster Area units have.

Strymon Timeline MIDI implementation chart for looping functions:

You can set up your MIDI controller with either MIDI CC (continuous controller), or MIDI note numbers.

MIDI CC values:

• Record – CC# 87, any value
• Play – CC# 86, any value
• Stop – CC# 85, any value
• Reverse (toggle) – CC# 94, any value
• Full/Half Speed (toggle) – CC# 95, any value
• Pre/Post (toggle) – CC# 96, any value
• Undo (to initial loop) – CC# 89, any value
• Redo – CC# 90, any value
• Looper Level – CC# 90, value range 0-17

Note values:

• Record – note 0, velocity > 0
• Play – note 2, velocity > 0
• Stop – note 4, velocity > 0
• Reverse (toggle) – note 14, velocity > 0
• Full/Half Speed (toggle) – note 16, velocity > 0
• Pre/Post (toggle) – note 17, velocity > 0
• Undo (to initial loop) – note 7, velocity > 0
• Redo – note 9, velocity > 0

I was thinking about doing a Arduino project but figured it would be to bulky and to much unneeded overhead. I think a basic PIC with a small program to translate the MIDI values will be my best option.

More to come…