The Coda Music Technologies Stomp is a new bluetooth LE pedal that can be used to control unrealBook. It is incredibly designed and engineered to remove all of the problems associated with bluetooth pedals.
The first thing you notice is the build. SOLID. This pedal is built like a tank and is reminiscent of guitar stompboxes. Two momentary switches are the means to control unrealBook. There is a power switch, a repeat switch and importantly, an easy to read/see mode switch! Silkscreened graphics are clean and make the unit look sharp.
One of the most common questions with bluetooth pedals that have more than one mode is “why doesn’t it work even though it is connected?”. Well, 99.9 times out of a hundred, the mode is incorrect. But usually the mode is very difficult to verify and in some cases, really difficult to set. The Stomp fixes all of this, by having a easy to read diagram right on the front along with a button that you can press to set the modes.
The other problem is pairing and unpairing. The Stomp solves that as well. Simply choosing “forget this device” in the settings app of iOS will set the unit to pairing mode! This makes it very easy to pair the Stomp with your iPhone or iPad and switch between them. On many other devices you need to do manipulations to have it reset the pairing.
For pedals that emulate a bluetooth keyboard like the Stomp, the virtual onscreen keyboard can be problematic. Stomp’s answer is to simply press both foot switches at the same time. This will bring up the virtual keyboard and this is quick and easy to do. Press both switches to go back to performance mode again.
Does the sturdy box of the Stomp make a difference? YES! Pressing the switches are smooth and there is no “slop” when activating the switches. This is a well engineered box. The LEDs are bright and provide great feedback. The power switch and repeat switch is flush with the switch bezel to prevent accidental activation. Very nice!
About the only negative is that the unit when powered by a 9V battery, requires a screwdriver to open and change the battery. According to the manual, the battery will last for a very long time. The Stomp, when powered by battery will give a visual warning when the battery is getting weak and needs to be replaced. The Stomp can also be powered by a AC to DC adapter (available separately) via a DC jack. The DC jack however has a major plus! It can take any polarity which is very nice. No more problems with having the wrong polarity with the DC adapter.
The Stomp also has extended range to about 50 feet which is plenty for stage performances!
The Stomp is an exciting entry into the bluetooth market. Coda Music Technologies has created a well designed bluetooth LE pedal that looks and performs great!
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