Adding an expression jack to my Mute switch!

[FaithElectronix]

Should It be added before my dpdt switch? Or wired after? I thought after, just want to use my roland ev5 for volume.

[Kevin Mitchell]

 You really should supply more info so the forum can understand what you need help with.

Schematic?
More info?
Better info?

Expression jack on a mute switch? Is this some kind of "troll" post?

[FaithElectronix]

I needed a schematic drawn up for how to wire this up. Its an input jack to on/off DpDt toggle switch then to output jack. I wanted to add a jack for my expression pedal to control the volume. In this box I have both, 2 separate inputs and two separate outs with 2 switches. How could I add the exp jack into the box? Each in/out are wired separate as of right now. I want the pedal to work with both A and B, but not interfere with the individual switching.. Saying that, I feel it should be before the switches, but what would be the easiest way to connect this jack, for this purpose. I'm only using the left side of each switch so far..

Just let me know if that makes sense or not. The toddlers are hyper and everywhere today. HAHA! Sorry for the confusion!

[Hatredman]

Let me see if I understood it correctly...

You already have this on the same box:


And you want another jack with an expression pedal, switchable between the two signal paths, right?

Also, an Expression Pedal is different from a Volume Pedal. What do you really want?

[Kevin Mitchell]

So you want to use the expression pedal as a volume control on a split chain? Why does your mute switch have 2 inputs and 2 outputs?

I'd gladly draw up a diagram for you but I still don't have a clear idea on what you want or what you have right now.

I'll try to answer the best I can. So in my mind I'm imagining two different effects chains and you want to add one control for two channels. Your expression pedal would need a dual gang potentiometer to do this, or put the volume control after some sort of mixer so you can get both channels into one.

Sadly what you're asking for isn't as simple as a wiring layout due to the 2 separate channels.

[Kevin Mitchell]

A thought just struck, you could connect the expression pedal to a circuit with 2 LEDs. Then 2 LDRs connecting from your 2 channels. The expression pedal would set the brightness of the LEDs thus changing the resistance of the LDRs - effectively making a dual channel volume control.

Some tinkering is needed but I could draw up something for you tonight if you're interested.

[FaithElectronix]

Let me see if I understood it correctly...

You already have this on the same box:


And you want another jack with an expression pedal, switchable between the two signal paths, right?

Also, an Expression Pedal is different from a Volume Pedal. What do you really want?

The picture is correct! I wanted an A/B/Y. But my tremolo pedal sounds really cool going out separately in stereo, but I have a fender and a crate. I play all kinds of genres, so I wanted to be able to easily mute one amp or the other, from my pedal board. I wanted a volume pedal, but I'm low on funds and have my EV-5 exp pedal. I use it to set my speed of my EHX Pitchfork, so I didn't wanna mess the pedal up, but I don't use the Exp after I set my pitch rate. So now my rate is set to my liking. I just have an EXP pedal that isn't used. So I figured, let's see how we can make it a volume pedal, without compromising the original EXP. function???

Any ideas??

[FaithElectronix]

A thought just struck, you could connect the expression pedal to a circuit with 2 LEDs. Then 2 LDRs connecting from your 2 channels. The expression pedal would set the brightness of the LEDs thus changing the resistance of the LDRs - effectively making a dual channel volume control.

Some tinkering is needed but I could draw up something for you tonight if you're interested.

This sounds good. LDRs?? Sorry man, i'm in a brain fart, trying to make some food for these kids. LOL! Naptime/ MeTime!

[FaithElectronix]

It just came to me, the resistors. could you draw something up like that, with the rating for LEDs and LDRs?

[Kevin Mitchell]

This sounds good. LDRs?? Sorry man, i'm in a brain fart, trying to make some food for these kids. LOL! Naptime/ MeTime!

Light Dependant Resistor. These are used in the majority of tremolo pedals and many other effects.

Putting an LED against the LDR would replicate what is called an optocoupler. The amount of light hitting the LDR would determine it's resistance. No light = full signal. As the light brightens (adjusting the expression pedal) the LEDs would shine brighter cutting out the signals.

What is the value of the expression pedals rocker pot? I'll bread board something later and give you some part values.

Also - my idea of an expression pedal is literally just a potentiometer in a rocker pedal. I'll look into your Roland ev5 and make sure my ideas will work for your setup.

[FaithElectronix]

I believe it's 10k! It might be 100k though. I'm not sure if the 10k was for the little volume knob on the side or the actual rocker. It didn't really specify.

[slacker]

You can use your EV-5 as a volume pedal, you just need an "insert cable" like this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VisioSound-1-x-Stereo-TRS-Jack-to-2-x-Mono-Jack-Insert-Cable-Y-Lead-/331524554724?var=&hash=item4d30673fe4:m:m7oKRhic9sT9MU_u25Wt0Fg plug the stereo end into the FV-5, one mono end is in the other is out. Stick this somewhere in your pedal chain before it splits to stereo.

[Kevin Mitchell]

Stick this somewhere in your pedal chain before it splits to stereo.

I believe he wants to implement this into a dual channels mute box. 2 ins, 2 outs. So that's where my ideas come in.

[FaithElectronix]

You can use your EV-5 as a volume pedal, you just need an "insert cable" like this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VisioSound-1-x-Stereo-TRS-Jack-to-2-x-Mono-Jack-Insert-Cable-Y-Lead-/331524554724?var=&hash=item4d30673fe4:m:m7oKRhic9sT9MU_u25Wt0Fg plug the stereo end into the FV-5, one mono end is in the other is out. Stick this somewhere in your pedal chain before it splits to stereo.

hmm, the EV-5 has that one single 1/4 stereo plug, not sure how I could add that. Unless the stereo end had a female to female adaptor??? Correct??

[Kevin Mitchell]

hmm, the EV-5 has that one single 1/4 stereo plug, not sure how I could add that. Unless the stereo end had a female to female adaptor??? Correct??

With slackers idea the splitter would pretty much turn your 1 channel expression pedal to two. You would have to place a female 1/4 inch jack in both channels and connect the splitter to each.

[slacker]

hmm, the EV-5 has that one single 1/4 stereo plug, not sure how I could add that. Unless the stereo end had a female to female adaptor??? Correct??

Sorry I didn't realise it had hardwired cable I assumed it had a stereo socket but yeah you could use a female to female adapter or you could make a female stereo to two mono male cable.

I believe he wants to implement this into a dual channels mute box. 2 ins, 2 outs. So that's where my ideas come in.

Yeah, i know that's what he asked for and your ideas are good ones but it might be simpler just to use the FV-5 as a volume pedal, the end result will be the same. The FV-5 is wired the same way as a volume pedal but instead of having separate mono in and outs it has a stereo plug, ring is in tip is out. An insert cable converts this to a mono in and a mono out, so you can then use it as a volume pedal.

schematic

[FaithElectronix]

I would rather just add a jack to my box. Just because, I like doing this. But the cable would come in handy for acoustic stuff. If I understood how to connect it.

[Hatredman]

I drew this during a break at work based on Kevin's idea.

I am not sure if the FV-5 plug is connected the way I think it is (Roland/Boss are used to make things backasswards, like power suppllies with negative center and so on, and I had no time to research).  But if it is, you may try this. You WILL have to do your homework and research how these components work. THIS IS NOT VERIFIED AND CAN KILL YOUR FV-5 IF NOT DONE PROPERLY! I CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. BE WARNED!



The LEDs MUST be opto-coupled with the LDRs in a specific order.
Led D1 must be optically coupled with LDR 1.
D2 with LDR2, D3 with LDR3 and D4 with LDR 4.

You have to calculate R1 and R2 for LED brightness (both are the same value). It depends on the LED you use. You cannot supress R1/R2 because you would fry the LEDs and drain your batteries quickly.

You can do the "optocoupling" stuff yourself with LEDs. LDRs and shrink tube, or you can buy ready-made assemblies of LED/LDR called Vactrols.

It's something like this.



This needs tinkering, but once you get it right it WILL do what you want. But I leave the details as a homework for you.

[Hatredman]

Slacker's idea is simpler and way cheaper, though.

[Kevin Mitchell]

Hatredman, I don't think the 4 LDRs are needed. Only 2.

The expression pedal would have one connection the LEDs power source and another connection to the LEDs anodes. The LED resistor to power would have to accommodate the resistance of the expression pedal to make 100% of the pan usable. The LDRs would simply connect like so;

inputA -> switch  -> [LDR] -> outputA

inputB -> switch  -> [LDR] -> outputA