Half Damper Pedal

[stepan]

Hello everyone,
First of all thanks for reading my post.

So i have a problem and i need Your help.
I have a Fantom FA-76 synth and a Korg DS1H Half Damper Pedal.
Problem is it won't work with my synth.
I know that FA-76 is old, but that's what i have xD

I don't necessarily want half damper effect, I just want my pedal to work, because i bought it and cannot give back.

If there is a way to make these 2 products work together please help me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[happyrat1]

Korg uses opposite polarity from Roland and Yamaha. If it was a simple sustain pedal then all you'd have to do is wire up a simple gender changer cable that plugs into the pedal at one end and into the keyboard at the other end.

In theory this still works with a half damper pedal but you'd need a schematic for the source pedal and the destination pedal you wish to emulate.

This is because it uses a TRS connector instead of a TS connector.

You have three connections to rewire and I can't seem to find any schematics on line for the pedal.

My advice is to do your homework and figure out how to rewire the pedal properly for the Roland and then build a simple adapter cable that plugs between the pedal and the Fantom without physically having to modify the pedal.

Gary

 

[delaware dave]

Probably not. Half damping pedals use a 1/4" TRS connection. Your keyboard doesnt accept that. You need a sustain pedal that has a 1/4 TS connection.

TRS: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...4-inch-ts-female-to-1-4-inch-trs-male-adapter

TS: https://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSCP...iKtBE2ydzY1-NyBKe1Gp7mbhM4WmaPaMaAmrAEALw_wcB

Note that the end of the plug on the first pic has two black rings and the 2nd pic only has one black ring. That's a functionality difference between the two plugs, in between the two black lines is the "ring", essentially another channel. Pedals supporting half damping pedals use TRS plugs and pedals that dont support the plug use TS. I dont believe the fantom supports the use of a half damping pedal. Luckily sustain pedals are inexpensive. Look for a pedal with a TS end and a polarity switch. The reason for the polarity switch is that keyboards can accept either a normally closed sustain circuit or a normally open sustain circuit. Purchasing the wrong one causes the pedal to work backwards. Purchasing one with a polarity switch flips the circuit to accept either.

Here's one for $20 https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-SP-2...ocphy=9007454&hvtargid=pla-383283681489&psc=1

 

[Biggles]

Welcome.

A half damper pedal like your Korg unit has a TRS plug attached ie connections at the tip and two bands on the sleeve.

Whereas a straight sustain pedal has a TS plug ie connection at tip and just one on the sleeve.

I have not looked at the FA manual to see what it has and probably it is a polarity issue if indeed the FA has facility for half damping

If not you need a simple sustain pedal

 

[Biggles]

My, we three were all pounding a response at the same time.

 

[happyrat1]

It would actually be relatively trivial to wire up an inline adapter converting a half damper pedal to a regular damper pedal.

Simply leave one connection unconnected in the adapter.

Gary

 

[delaware dave]

Agreed, if he has soldering skills. I'm guessing he doesnt because if he did he'd know the difference between TS and TRS and he'd know how to make the adapter.

I wonder if one of these would work https://www.google.com/search?q=hos...rome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#lbl=OVERVIEW&pie=plaji-i

 

[happyrat1]

Actually I just realized that the inline adapter only works for changing the polarity of a Continuous Controller CC Pedal. That's as simple as reversing the Tip and the Ring connectors.

To change the polarity of a switch pedal you actually have to rewire the switch itself to go from normally open to normally closed..

Gary

 

[stepan]

First I would like to say thank You all for such a fast response !! Amazing !
I've read all Your replies, and I think there is no way of connecting my devices.
HERE You can see what I tried before opening thread here. ( https://drive.google.com/open?id=12dKzJBbdH--na9nV1q7N-u1dm8i4Mw7o )

1. I connected a TR connector with cable (which has 2 lines - one black ring) and I've cut pedal's cable and tried connecting them in all ways, but that didn't give any result. Pedal did nothing.
2. I opened pedal and tried to connect my TS cable directly to the knob inside the pedal. The knob has 3 things (i don't know how they are called sorry xD) to which you can connect. This also didn't give any result, although i tried in all possible ways.

But one thing is interesting here: If i connect 1st line from my TS cable to RED of pedal's TRS, and 2nd line to WHITE one of pedal's, it works I mean it stops holding pressed synth keys or starts holding (depending the polarity setting in synth). I tried this inside the pedal's knob too. No matter which 2 THINGS (i still don't know how they are called ) of the knob I connect to my TS cable - synth recognizes that signal and starts or stops holding pressed keys).

Don't know what to write more, I just want to say thank You for more time, and sorry for my English, and that i do not know much technical words xD

 

[happyrat1]

Here's what the manual says about the pedals on this unit,.

https://encyclotronic.com/uploads/400f9cf2f25418a2a8743487d165cb90.pdf

Hold Pedal Polarity

Select the polarity of the Hold pedal. On some pedals, the electrical signal output by the pedal when it is pressed or released is the opposite of other pedals. If your pedal has an effect opposite of what you expect, set this parameter to “REVERSE.” If you are using a Roland pedal (that has no polarity switch), set this parameter to “STANDARD.”

Range: STANDARD, REVERSE

Cont Hold Pedal (Continuous Hold Pedal Switch)

This setting determines whether the HOLD PEDAL jack will provide support for half-pedaling (ON), or not (OFF). When this is set to support use of half-pedaling techniques, you can then connect an optional expression pedal (EV-5, etc.), and employ pedal work to achieve even finer control in performances in which piano tones are used.

Value: OFF, ON

Pedal 1, 2 Assign This specifies the function of each pedal connected to the CTL 1, CTL 2 PEDAL jacks.

Value OFF: The control pedal will not be used. CC01–31, 33–95: Controller numbers 1–31, 33–95 For details on control change messages, refer to “MIDI Implementation” (Sound/Parameter List).

BEND UP: The pitch will rise in semitone steps (maximum 4 octaves) each time you press the pedal. BEND DOWN: The pitch will fall in semitone steps (maximum 4 octaves) each time you press the pedal.

AFTERTOUCH: Aftertouch

OCT UP: Each pedal press raises the key range in octave steps (up to 3 octaves higher).

OCT DOWN: Each pedal press lowers the key range in octave steps (up to 3 octaves lower).

START/STOP: The sequencer will start/stop.

PUNCH I/O: Manual punch-in/out recording will start/stop.

TAP TEMPO: Tap tempo (a tempo specified by the interval at which you press the pedal).

PROG UP: The next sound number will be selected.

PROG DOWN: The previous sound number will be selected.

FAV UP: The favorite sound of the next number or bank will be selected ([1] → [8]).

FAV DOWN: The favorite sound of the previous number or bank will be selected ([8] → [1]).

ARP SW: Switches the Arpeggiator on/off.

PTN SW: Switch Rhythm pattern playback on/off.

This means the FA-76 DOES have switchable polarity built into the Sustain Jack and HALF PEDALING is allowed on the CC Pedal Input.

You may find a combination of these settings that works with your pedal.

In theory it should work in the CC Pedal Input set to Half Pedalling but if polarity remains a problem you might have to reverse the Tip and Ring Connectors coming from the Pedal.

But it is theoretically doable.

Gary