Behringer FCB1010 MIDI Foot Controller

Most Liked Positive Review

Great tool, but understand what you're getting

I am a guitar player that extensively uses a multi-effects box, a Roland/Boss GT-3 in my case. I use the FCB1010 board to send midi program change messages to my GT-3. These messages cause my GT-3 to go to different pre-programmed effects patches each time I depress one of the numbered pedals. I may use as many as 3 different patches during the playing of a song, and the FCB1010 board allows me to seamlessly and instantaneously change patches while playing. My approach to using patches is different from how most guitar players want to use the board. So, let me explain what it does and doesn't do well. I looked at a lot of midi foot control boards and finally settled on two that were in my price range and met my criteria for usage and rugged construction. Those boards were the Behringer FCB1010 and the Roland/Boss FC-300. The FC-300 is a great board, built like a tank, and has good user support. It's also $450 and at the extreme upper end of my budget. The FCB1010 is also a great board, however some people have had reported some occassional quality control issues with its construction. I have had no such problems with my board and if I had, I would have merely sent it back and requested a replacement. The FCB1010 is also ruggedly built. If I give the FC-300 a 10 on ruggedness, I would give the FCB1010 a 9. The FCB1010 has a larger footprint on the floor than the FC-300. That is because the FCB1010 has 10 pressable pedals and the FC-300 has 5. I personally like being able to access 10 "patch changes" before pressing the bank change pedal. With the FC-300 you have 5 "patch changes" before pressing the bank change pedal. This is strictly a matter of personal preference regarding usage vs how much floor space you will take up. User support isn't as strong for the FCB1010. It's not bad, but it is by no means stellar either. The cost of the FCB1010 is $150. Since both boards performed in the manner of how I wanted to use them, I went with the FCB1010 and have not regretted the purchase. The biggest complaint I have heard by guitar players who have tried to use the box is that the users manual that comes with it is worthless. Well, that's somewhat true. The manual that comes with the controller is not really a user manual, it merely identifies the controller's features. With a closer read of the manual, they direct you to a web site where you can download a more robust version of the users manual. However, even this manual is not for the casual user. It assumes you understand midi terminology and concepts. So, if you get this board, go to the internet and read several articles about how midi works and what the terms mean. Otherwise, you will be totally lost and very frustrated with the board. Understand, the board is not "plug and play". You will have to learn how midi operates. Most guitar players I know want to use the board as a master controller. Sort of like having a series of stomp boxes where each pedal on the FCB1010 will turn a specific effect on or off. The FCB1010 does not do this well as it comes originally configured from the factory. Fortunately, this is easy to correct. The computer chip that controls the programming of the board is quite replaceable. No soldering, just pop the old chip out and press the new chip in. There are two replaceable chips that I know of available on the internet. The UnO chip, costs around $10, and the EurekaProm chip, costing around $35. Both do a great job of allowing you to use the board in "stomp-box" mode. Using the board in this mode is very common for guitar players that have an handful of basic patches, say one that is clean sounding, one that is crunchy sounding, and one that is highly distorted. They would then use the FCB1010 board (along with one of the chips mentioned previously) to add other effects such as chorus, flanger, phaser, etc. as needed. I approach the patch issue a little differently. I probably have 120 pre-programmed patches with the effects all ready programmed in or out. Each patch is preset with all the effects I need to give me the sound I want. So, I'm building custom patches and hence have a lot of them. The difference in this type of operation is that in stomp box mode, I would press a pedal to get say a "clean" sound. If I wanted to add chorus I would then have to be sure my chorus effect had been adjusted to the correct chorus settings, then press another pedal to turn the chorus on/off. With my approach, I press just one pedal to take me to the pre-programmed patch that has both clean sound with chorus already programmed in. So, if you're a guitarist, think about how you want to use the board. If you want to use it like a stomp box, then acquire the board and order one of the two accessory chips. If you want to use it like I do, you will be programming a lot of preset patches, but you won't need to replace the chip. For those wise in the ways of midi, the board also supports sending out control change messages as well as patch change messages. It does, however, require you to change operating modes (there is a pedal you depress to accomplish this). The guy that makes the EurekaProm is working on a change to his chip to allow sending of the two different message types without having to press a pedal to change modes. If he's successful I would have to give some consideration to purchasing his chip as that would work well for how I want to use the board. I'm very pleased with my purchase. Recognize you need to know midi concepts to use/program the board. Download the on-line user manual. Given you get 10 control pedals and two expression pedals on the board I could not find a better value for the price.