(DigiTech) Whammy (IV) Whammer MIDI-controller

The Whammy Whammer is a sort of MIDI controller I built, meant to be used to control the DigiTech Whammy IV. The Whammy Whammer itself should be controlled by a general MIDI controller, e.g. the FCB1010. It is controlled by PCs and CCs. The Whammy Whammer has 3 major modes: Normal Mode, Vibrato Mode and Sequencer Mode.

Normal Mode:
All of the regular modes from the Whammy can be selected, and can each be started with treadle in heel or toe position. The treadle can be controlled externally. A special button can be used to toggle between treadle in heel or toe, for fast switching effects.

Vibrato Mode:
An LFO changes the treadle position in a very fast and precise manner, creating a vibrato effect. Three submodes can be chosen: Octave Down, Octave Up or Chorus (the +8/-8 Harmony Mode). Each of these three modes has 9 presets, where the speed can be slow, medium or fast, and the depth can be deep, medium or shallow. The speed can be controlled by the treadle and the depth can be controlled by a knob on the Whammy Whammer. The button mentioned in Normal Mode can be used to freeze the LFO in its current position (not shown in video).

Sequencer Mode:
A step sequencer where each step is a triad interval (root/octave, 3rd or 5th). The intervals can range from -2 octaves to +2 octaves. The length of the steps is determined by the number of steps until the next quarter note. So a quarter note followed by three non-quarter notes would mean the're 16th notes, 3 would be a triad, 2 would be an 8th note and so on. The sequence can be 32 steps long. The tempo is controlled via MIDI-clock. 16 sequencer presets can be stored in the Whammy Whammer.

Programming (not shown in video):
Most of the Whammy Whammer's features can be programmed using the Whammer's box and the MIDI-controller. The sequences can be programmed (number of steps, intervals, presets, rhythm), the depth and length of the vibrato presets can also be controlled (defining how deep the deep-settings actually is, for instance). However: To change the MIDI-channels the Whammy Whammer must recieve sysex-messages. I've made a simple computer program for this. The sysex can also change all the other settings (sequences, vibratos) if one find it fiddly to do with the hardware.

Thanks:
Brother (urza89) for letting me borrow your video camera
Scientists at school for giving away resistors and advice
Girlfriend for the awesome artwork

Category:

Music

Tags:

• whammy
• digitech
• behringer
• fcb1010
• midi
• controller
• arpeggiator
• guitar
• synth
• pedal
• effects

[lonnbaker]

Did you ever make any more of these? This is great! I would buy one.

[Kungsgeten]

@lonnbaker Nope, I only built this one. It actually works quite well, even though it is a bit cumbersome to send MIDI (takes some "programming" and cables). I'm happy you enjoyed it :)

[Rhyneer]

How do you hook up whammy pedal to fcb1010? Can I control the whammy pedal with fcb1010?Thanks for your help...again.

[Kungsgeten]

@Rhyneer Yes you can. In this case I have my own device in between (in order to create the arpeggios and the vibrato-stuff). You just connect the MIDI-out from the FCB1010 to the MIDI-in on the Whammy IV. You have to make sure that the FCB1010 sends the correct MIDI data, check the manual for the Whammy IV for info. The bad news is that the Whammy doesn't have a MIDI through, so you have to put in the end of your MIDI-chain, or have a MIDI-splitter.

[sydb]

that was awesome, are you making them, where can i buy one?

[Kungsgeten]

@sydb Yes, I made the little box (which I call the Whammy Whammer) between the Behringer FCB1010 and the Whammy. I've only built one (the one in this video), but if interested it is possible that I could make one for you. I have no figures right now on what that would cost though. Also keep in mind that you would need something to send MIDI to the Whammy Whammer (like the FCB1010 and the drum machine in the video).

[nbzeppelin]

russian ^_^

[derektruckslover]

riktigt snyggt!

[JoakimBD]

Awesome!