Rocktron All Access

For those of you who are touring musicians and use rack or midi equipment, I don't even need to say it. Midi controllers are our everything. That's right. We are guitarists/whatever who pay cold hard cash for devices that don't even make sound. That's got to mean something. The bottom line is we need a midi controller that does 2 things. 1. Functions properly for what we need. 2. Doesn't break. Hey, I can't afford a backup for things like this, but unfortunately if I'm on tour and my controller goes down I am basically out of commission.

For years I used a Ground Control Pro. Great unit by the way and probably the best value you will find out there for a midi unit. I finally switched to the all access for 2 reason. Even though my GCP had never broken, I felt like it might eventually because of the construction. The All Access felt a bit more sturdy. Also, I needed more presets and IA switches.

The all access is indeed very sturdy. It might be the most rock solid controller I've had. I've had some good ones too. The editing isn't too complicated. There's a lot of functionality too. It isn't as functional as some custom options like the Liquid Foot or CAE controller but for most guys it's enough. All I really ask of it is patch and cc changes. Nothing special.

This isn't a cheap unit. Definitely not for the budget minded guys. I have had more expensive and nicer units. This one holds its own in quality but not so much in features. I still like the all access though. It's a good touring unit. If you're just playing at home or locally I would get a GCP and save the money. I personally think the quality and extra functionality is worth it for certain breeds of guitarists. It fits that niche. Also I think the menu in the All Access is one of the better ones. Some of these units can be uber confusing, so that's a nice feature to have for guys who aren't super midi savvy.

- Aluminum Chassis
- 18 switches, including 15 for banks and others.
- Two ports pedals expressions (jack)
- 7-pin midi out to phantom power.
- Midi dump / load from memory.
- Three mode: bank, song and distance.

Well it is simply monstrous, the interest is in fact manage exchange between other programs and exchange controls both pressure and key, system excluded, midi time code and clock timing etc..

Not complicated to use, you just practiced. It's a computer at the foot (IALL access ahah!).
I use it for two years, and I confess I do not use any but nothing bad, strong, easy to use.
Seen our digital age a little update would be welcome (USB, plugins management and programming via computer).

I just bought a second (yes 15 knobs are not enough ...)
+

This must be 2 years that I use to replace a Behringer FCB-1010, which became too small ...

Strengths:
- Solid construction, the chassis switches up!
- The possibility to configure each of the 15 switches to the values ​​you want the midi channel you want
- Each of the three rows of five switches can be selected to generate Program Change (basically, it changes a program or preset in your racks), or control change (basically, it changes the value of a parameter in one of your programs)
- 2 TRS jacks for connecting effects pedals or volume, whose signal is processed and transmitted via MIDI
- A record 7-pin MIDI Out, allowing to feed it through your rack with a phantom power supply (no power supply of cable lying around on stage!)

I use it with 5 racks each with a different MIDI channel, with 10 of the lower switches that change programs, and 5 the highest values. So when I press one of the lower 10, I have 1 to 5 of my racks that change program at the same time, with a tap of the foot.

For the top 5, an example: I set a switch to vary the output volume of my multi fx + 3 dB. Useful when the drummer is unleashed and your volume pedal is already donf: one tap and you win 3 dB output ... happens when the quiet that follows in the song, a new tap on the switch, and presto, - 3 dB without leaving the hands of the handle ...

What I find damage:
- It has "only" 128 pitches for program changes ... it sounds great already, but this pedal opens so many possibilities, you abuse the Program Change ... and you put racks behind, the more possibilities increase (see your course on statistics in Maths Terminale)
- Having to manage the Program Change and Control Change row by row .. again, it's like the comment above, when the machine becomes full, it would be nice to be able to customize more .. but it really is as ultra small note ...

In short, a super good machine (fortunately for the price!) Which justifies the image "high end" which sticks to the skin, both in its manufacture than it works.

One last tip: heat Excel, as you remember then, what switch change what program in which rack ... Good luck!