This is Justin from Nektar Technology. I’m very excited about a new product which will starting shipping to stores in the near future. It’s called Pacer. I hope it’s not out of line for me to discuss the product here. Pacer MIDI foot controller
I was involved in the development of this controller and it has some pretty neat features (DAW integration, RGB LEDs, expansion inputs, etc). One thing, I think that will interest some of you, is that I insisted on including a preset for using Pacer with the Octatrack and OTmk2. Specifically for working with Pickup machines. The stomp switches are configured to use the Octatrack as a multi-track looper, with the ability to select tracks, start recording, start/stop playback, reverse recorded audio, and control track volume. I hope to have a video to demonstrate these features in the near future.
When designing this product, I wanted to make sure that it appealed, not only to guitar players but any musician who uses both hands to play their instrument. With that idea in mind we made Pacer incredibly flexible. Each stomp switch can transmit up to 6 different MIDI messages at once or in sequence. You can also configure Pacer so that specific MIDI messages are sent, as soon as you recall a preset. This has some unique applications when it comes to Elektron products. For example, you can have have a Program Change message sent out to select a pattern as soon as you load a preset on Pacer, then that preset can have the stomp switches or expression inputs assigned to control a unique set of parameters for that pattern. The possibilities are pretty vast.
Let me know if you have any questions. I’m not on the forum as much as I used to be, so you can always contact me via the Nektar support system.
Who has experience with the Nektar Pacer? Does it only control pick up machines? Can you control more functions? How much can I personalize the functions? Can I control for example flex machines with it?
And can the expression pedal function control the fader?
Cheers
T
Don’t think Pacer is out yet. I’ve talked briefly with Nectar because I’m curious… It seems the unit will be highly configurable (as well as do Mackie protocol), so you can easily configure it to work with Octatrack. And everything else midi.
Sorry for the delay. We’ve been really busy getting ready for the imminent release of Pacer. They should be shipping to stores any day now.
Yes, as CarlMikaelBjork says, “highly configurable”. The presets are just examples or templates for what can be done with Pacer. A stomp switch can send a CC, a Note message, an NRPN, a Program Change message, an MMC message and open a relay. All at once. 6 different functions per switch and the functions are arbitrary, so you can send 6 program change messages on different channels or 3 CCs and 3 notes. You can also step through these sets of messages sequentially.
Preset C5 is configured for using Pickup Machines on multiple tracks; which just happens to be the way I’ve been using my Octatrack lately. There are also presets for sending program change messages, so you can switch patterns with your feet. You can reassign the controls as you would like, using the Octatrack’s MIDI chart as a guide.
I’m in the process of writing up a detailed description of how Pacer and the Octatrack can be setup to get the most out of the pair. I’ve found that it’s a lot of fun to be able to control my OT while playing an instrument that requires both hands.
Not yet, but will get one if they are available. But I will wait a little extra for the first real user reviews, not the sponsored infomercials from business Tubers
I am going to sell my McMillen 12 step because midi expander crapped out. Will be nice to midi direct out of the pedal. That an Octatrack templates have me interested.
UPDATE
Still did not get it, DFAM took over my wallet. Utility gear like this (non soundsource/effect) is always more difficult to spend money on. Could be too bulky for my purpose too, no need for DAW control, just a need for handsfree OT looping.
Is the Pacer out in the wild? I see it is available at the retailers but these are all preorders I guess? There are no reviews, demo’s and infomercials to be found at the moment.
Wait a minute, did you say this footcontroller supports MMC command sending?!
If so, I could use this to gain overdub/punch functionality via footswitch for my MPC live. I was very bummed to find out that Akai dropped the footswitch support from the live model, and have been looking for a hasslefree way to trig overdub via MMC for some time now. Very interestring!
EDIT: Too bad, too big for my needs. Back to the drawing board…
Yes, the second batch of units was shipped to dealers at the end of June. Dealers have just been selling through them faster than we can keep them stocked. From our perspective, it’s a good problem to have.
@tsutek
Yes, Pacer’s preset D5 is configured to transmit MMC commands. You can also customize presets so that some controls send MMC messages while others send CCs (or a single control can send MMC messages and other MIDI messages at the same time). I haven’t tested it with the MPC Live but if it’s specs say that it responds to MMC, Pacer should be able to control it.
Not sure what the specs say on that, but Dan from Akai said the live supports overdub/punch function via MMC. I need to test this with some software before I invest in a hardware solution however.
I guess you will not be making a half-sized version of this pedal in the future? I could totally live with having only about half of the controls…
@AndreN et al Do you think the nektar pacer can send real-time messages? It has an octatrack preset “Elektron Octatrack Pickup Machine: Navigate tracks and control Looper.” I have a question submitted to their support.
I’ve not developed an electronic live show, just the singer-songwriter thing these days. But I’m considering it! All my music is on all the music places, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube using my name Sam VanLaningham…and SoundCloud has some of the newer rytm dominated stuff:)
Yeah good stuff @PeterHanes but there’s nothing about real-time messages mentioned is there? I haven’t seen it in any of their documentation that I’ve read, and I’m not finding any examples of people using it with their rytm’s…
There are also presets for sending program change messages, so you can switch patterns with your feet. You can reassign the controls as you would like, using the Octatrack’s MIDI chart as a guide.