RJM Mastermind MIDI foot controller

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

About the RJM Mastermind GT

The Mastermind GT is a powerful MIDI controller with a dedicated graphical display for each switch (a.k.a. scribble strips). The Mastermind GT is available with 10, 16 or 22 buttons.

More information about RJM's controllers.

Connecting the GT and supplying power

The Mastermind GT requires a 12VDC supply with at least 2A of current capacity.

Supplying the GT with "phantom power" through the MIDI cable requires RJM's phantom power box. The box connects to the GT with a 7-pin MIDI cable, and to the Axe-Fx with a 5-pin MIDI cable.

Important: Always connect RJM's power supply directly to the phantom power box! Do NOT connect it to the phantom power port at the rear of the Axe-Fx II.

Pedals and switches

SP1-RJM expression pedal from Mission Engineering

GT-compatible expression pedals are available from Mission Engineering. The pedal's LED is synchronized and powered by the GT through a single TRS cable. Another TRS cable connects the switch on the pedal to a switch input on the GT, if desired.

Adding external switches from RJM

Additional external dual footswitches with a LED are available from RJM. These behave just like the GT's onboard switches, without the display. The LED is synchronized and powered by the GT through a single TRS cable.

Powering pedals

The RJM has two ports which can supply 9VDC power to pedals, such as a tuner. The ports are not isolated. The maximum capacity (both ports together) is 100mA.

Setting up the GT with the Axe-Fx II or III

The GT is an extemely flexible and capable controller. You can decide yourself how to set it up, based on your preferred workflow. Many possibilities exist.

Forum member Yek shows some examples:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEvHgoUSFW8
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sikj1zVuXk

The walkthrough below helps you setting up the RJM. Use the software editor for easy editing.

Starting

• Make sure the GT connects fine to the Axe-Fx.
• Make sure you have the most recent version of the software editor, and that the GT connects fine to the software editor.
• Make sure the GT has the most recent firmware installed.

The process starts with performing a factory reset in Setup > System Functions.

General settings

Selecting the device

The first configuration step is selecting your Axe-Fx as the device which the RJM should control. This is done in Setup. Replace the default "Rack Gizmo" with your device.

Make sure to select exactly the correct device to prevent issues. Do not select a "slave" device.

Other device-specific parameters

In the Edit Device screen, verify the following settings.

• MIDI Ch = 1. Change this when the Axe-Fx is set to another MIDI channel.

• Do no use the parameters Assign Buttons and Set Default Buttons.

• Port = MIDI Out.

• Preset Offset = 0. Change this value when the Axe-Fx has a similar different value.

• Max PC Number = 127.

• Bank Type = MSB.

• Number of presets = xxx. This depends on the Axe-Fx model.

• Init PCs = none.

• Init PCs All = 0.

• Init PCs Sequential.

• CC on Preset = ON. This makes sure that ...

• Send PC = ON. This makes sure that the GT transmits preset changes.

• Send Redundant PC = ON. This makes sure that the GT transmits a preset change, even if that preset is already the current one.

• Ignore PC In = OFF. This makes sure that the GT will respond to incoming MIDI Program Changes. Which is required when using a tablet with an app, like BandHelper, that switches presets.

• Ignore CC In = OFF. This makes sure that the GT will respond to incoming MIDI Control Changes. Which is required when using a tablet with an app, like BandHelper, that switches stuff ON and OFF.

...

MIDI parameters

Enter the MIDI menu.

• MIDI Channel= 1. Verify that MIDI Channel is set to the same value as the Axe-Fx (default "1").

• MIDI Rx (Receiving) Channel = 1. Set this to the same MIDI channel as the device which is connected to the GT's MIDI Input. Set to "NONE" when nothing is connected to the GT's MIDI input. This parameter is not being used for bidirectional communications.

Display settings

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Other general settings

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Setting up buttons

...

@

global

• Update on Preset Change

• Send on Preset Change

IA Mode

Multiple button pages

@ 16 button pages

local page

Syncing preset names from the Axe-Fx

There are two ways to sync the Axe-Fx preset names with the GT:

1. Use Get Preset Names in Edit Device. This imports the names of all presets or a subset of those.

1. Turn on Sync Names in Edit Device. This syncs the preset name in real time.

Setting up presets on the GT with specific buttons

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local button page

Axe-Fx III-specific settings

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To do...

• Execute "Set Default Buttons". This assigns the preset buttons on the MMGT to the Axe-Fx Program Changes numbers, and Scene buttons too, saving loads of programming.
• Execute "Get Preset Names". The Axe-Fx will scroll through the presets in the specified range and sync the names. Takes a couple of minutes with the hundreds of presets on the Axe-Fx II XL. Note: current MMGT firmware also supports syncing names dynamically, when switching presets.
  • If "Get Preset Names" doesn't work and you have a XL, make sure you added the "Axe-Fx II XL" and not the "Axe-Fx II" as device.
  • If "Preset-to-Scene mapping" is enabled on the Axe-Fx (I/O > MIDI > Mapping Mode = Custom), the process will fail.
  • If the process stall/freezes somewhere during the process, check the Axe-Fx for a corrupt preset.
• By default the device parameters below show the following values:
  • Send CCs on preset change: OFF.
  • Send PCs: On.
  • Send redundant PCs: OFF.
  • Ignore incoming PC: ON.
  • Ignore incoming CC: OFF.
  • Sync names: ON.
• No need to change this, unless:
  • If you want be able to "reset" the current preset by pressing a preset button a 2nd time, to undo changed IA states, turn on "Send redundant PCs" on the MMGT. Make sure that "IgnoreRedundantPC" on the Axe-Fx is turned ON, to prevent audio gaps. Note that the IA buttons on the MMGT are not updated after "resetting" a preset this way.
  • If you switch presets on the Axe-Fx and want to have the GT to change accordingly, turn off "Ignore incoming PC".
  • If you're using buttons to control external controllers on the Axe-Fx, turn on "Send CCs on preset change" to keep them sync'd.
• Select "Bold On" in "Display Settings" if you want larger text on the buttons.
• Configuring expression pedals:
  • To set up a single expression pedal: disable the other pedal entries in "System > Expression Pedals" (set CCs to None). Calibrated Pedal 1 and assign it to the desired external controller's CC on the Axe-Fx (CC16 for External 1). You can assign a 2nd CC to the same pedal. You can also program specific actions, depending on the position of the pedal and the switch state.
• To make a single pedal do double duty, within a single Axe-Fx preset: configure Pedal 2 (same as Pedal 1, use the CC of another external controller), and use "Pedal Grouping". This enables switching pedal functionality within the same preset.). You can then asign an IA switch to switch the pedal between two duties.
• Set "Max Pages"to the desired number of pages.": 2 (default). Suffices for me.
• "Preset 2nd" lets you instruct the MMGT what to when pressing the current preset switch a 2nd time. Like nothing, or select the "Global Preset".
• Use "Hold mSec" to set the desired "hold switch" time, i.e. "500".
• Scenes: the MMGT offers native support for Axe-Fx preset scenes. Switch to IA Mode to see them in the same position as the preset buttons. The default settings in "Setup > Edit Groups" ("SndOffMsg"=ON and "Allow Off"=OFF) are fine.
• If you want faster Bank Up/Down, set "First Repeat" to 600.
• Assign "Preset Menu" to a switch to see a convenient menu of presets.
• Quicky recall a specific preset by using "Preset Numbering" (enter digits).
• Assign a preset to an IA switch by selecting "IA" > System > Preset. All options are OFF except for "UpdOnPrst".
• Assign "Previous" to a switch quickly recall the previous preset.
• The button HOLD feature is particularly effective to switch Axe-Fx effects between X and Y states. Or to switch an effect between two speeds. I shortened the HOLD time in "Setup" to 500 ms (Setup > Next Page).
• Some effects need adjustable rates. Like Tremolo. I use the button's HOLD function to switch between slow and fast rates. This requires assigning an external controller to the effect's "Rate" parameter on the Axe-Fx, and specifying Min and Max values. On the GT I assigned the HOLD function to the external controller's CC. Note that buttons assigned to external controllers on the Axe-Fx require "CCOnPRST" in System to be ON, and "SndOnPrst" and "UpdOnPrst" must also be ON for those buttons to function correctly and stay sync'd to the Axe-Fx.
• To program a Tempo button: set "Tempo" to ON and assign the button to the Tempo CC (#14). Other OFF/ON button parameters are OFF.
• To program a Tuner button: set the IA to "Tuner" ("Button Action > IA > System > Tuner"), and assign the Tuner CC. All ON/OFF fields are OFF except UpdOnPrst = ON. The tuner display on the GT works very well.
• Page: use pages on the GT for more control. You can can assign buttons on pages 2 and up to functionality that doesn't need to be on the first page.
• IA Mode is the same as Reveal on the MFC-101. It turns all switchs into IA switches for more control. For example, you ue this to make scene buttons available.
• Preset buttons: UpdOnPrst should be tuned on and the switches should be grouped.
• You can name scenes and configure switches per preset by using local pages on the GT, insteed of a global page layout.
• Groups: a group links a number of buttons together, so that only one of them can be engaged. Examples: grouping is handy when switching between two Amp blocks, sp pressing one of the assigned Amp buttons automatically bypasses the other.
• IA Cycle: lets you use a single button to step between 4 effect settings, or switch multiple effects in 4 steps, etc. You can use it to enable a Delay (step 1) and switch it between X and Y (step 2) and bypass it (step 3).

Setting up the GT, Axe-Fx and BandHelper

Read more about syncing the app BandHelper with the Axe-Fx and GT.