Tap Tempo pedal?

[trumpus]

Hey,

So i went ahead and built a really simple tap tempo switch last night, based on a website that i found.

Literally a super-simple solution - but i'm not sure it works properly.  I took a small ABS plastic box from Radioshack, a SPST switch (always open, momentary) and a mono jack.  I connected one side of the switch to the slleve and one side to the tip and voila.  I connected it to my Boss DD-5 with a mono cable and it KINDA worked.

The issue is, i need to step on the switch, in tempo, about 10 times before it finally sets the tempo.  Is this normal?  I've never used a tap tempo switch with this pedal, but it works differently from the tap tempo on my DL-4, which sets the tempo immediately.  Did i do something wrong?  IS there a better way to do this?

Has anyone else built a tap tempo switch that works better?  What parts did you use?

Thanks!

Brian

[trumpus]

Anyone?

Brian

[TELEFUNKON]

de-bounce

[trumpus]

huh?

Brian

[d95err]

Hey,

So i went ahead and built a really simple tap tempo switch last night, based on a website that i found.

Literally a super-simple solution - but i'm not sure it works properly.  I took a small ABS plastic box from Radioshack, a SPST switch (always open, momentary) and a mono jack.  I connected one side of the switch to the slleve and one side to the tip and voila.  I connected it to my Boss DD-5 with a mono cable and it KINDA worked.

The issue is, i need to step on the switch, in tempo, about 10 times before it finally sets the tempo.  Is this normal?  I've never used a tap tempo switch with this pedal, but it works differently from the tap tempo on my DL-4, which sets the tempo immediately.  Did i do something wrong?  IS there a better way to do this?

Has anyone else built a tap tempo switch that works better?  What parts did you use?

Perhaps the DD-5 expects a switch that is normally closed? Could be worth a try... What does the manual to the DD-5 say?

[Paul Marossy]

Perhaps the DD-5 expects a switch that is normally closed?

Nope. It's a NO (normally open) switch. I used one in my own tap tempo box, and it works perfect. It sounds like the switch isn't very well suited for the application. In other words, it sounds like it's kinda sloppy in its internal workings. Maybe you should try a different switch?

[Transmogrifox]

de-bounce

huh?

Switches usually need to be debounced.  As you push on the switch and make contact, usually there is a period of time (~5ms) where the switch is making and breaking contact very rapidly, "bouncing".  Likewise when you let off the switch.

You typically need some extra circuitry to "ignore" the bouncing, so that it is either on or off.  Sometimes it is enough to simply add a capacitor in parallel with the switch.  Sometimes you need a Schmitt trigger or other type of switch debouncer.  The Boss pedal input should have switch debouncing handled in software, but maybe their special tap switches include debouncing. 

If debouncing the switch isn't the solution...it may be that Boss averages the taps over too long of a period, so you need to keep tapping to get it to more heavily weight the most recent sample.

[Paul Marossy]

That's odd. Mine is literally just a SPST normally open momentary switch with no other circuitry at all, and it never gives me any problems. I do make sure that my foot makes distinct taps, however. Here's what I used (RadioShack #275-609):



EDIT: BTW, on the DD-5, with everything working properly, four taps is all that is necessary to set the tap tempo.

[spudulike]

So i went ahead and built a really simple tap tempo switch last night, based on a website that i found.

Literally a super-simple solution...

Link please ??

[Paul Marossy]

Just for the record, my Boss FS-5U (which is recommended in the DD-5 manual for the tap tempo switch) uses only a DPDT momentary switch which has a switch that will reverse the poles - no other circuitry whatsoever. I looked inside mine this morning.

This is the tap tempo box that I made: http://www.diyguitarist.com/DIYStompboxes/TempoBox.htm

[BTBAM]

So, how does the polarity make a difference?