OK folks, I don't much ask for help unless I can't help myself. For 3 Days now I have researched MIDI and I feel I have an ideal about what I'm talking about, but at the same time I'm clueless. Here is Why.

I tried a the Randall RM4( 4 preamp modules) with it's power amp and I've decided that it is the "end all" amp that I'm am getting. It just kicked the shit out of the Mesa Road King imo and cost less too. My question has many areas to cover.

These amps are MIDI programable per channel and I want to use that fuction so I don't have to tap dance on pedals all day. I want to stomp 1 botton and have everything change to what I have set.

I'm going to get the RM100M head(3 preamp modules) with EL34 tubes, Recto, Ultra, and Clean preamps to start. The RM100M head differs from the rack mount RM4 and RT2/50 power amp in that it can't switch between EL34 and 6L6 tubes per channel via MIDI and it only has 3 preamps channels. The RM100M preamp channels is switched via MIDI as well. Both the head and rack version have serial and parallel FX loops.

The head has a 7 DIN MIDI In/Thru with phantom power, designed like and by Rockington, just like the rack version. It changes preamp channels via MIDI footswitch. From what I've learned there is no real industry standard for MIDI and I'm pissed becasue it makes getting a MIDI changable effects rack just a bitch, because some only have 5 pins and some even have different pins asigned for shit depending on the builders.

I need help finding a rack rig with this head that will give me a choice of MIDI veverb, delay, chours, and Wah, if not a few extras on differnet channels. I want to use differnet EQ's on channels. I have a Boss GE-7, so I don't know if getting a new rack MIDI EQ would be idea or not. I can use the preamp EQ as a standard but I would like to shape the Ultra and Recto channels different from the clean.

I want to know how to chain the needed/recommended rack units and how to set up a MIDI footcontroler.

What would be the idea rack and the chain for my needs ( and don't flame the hell out of me for asking what my needs are. You all know that I'm asking about what would give me the best tone via MIDI control)

xDx, I need you brother! Teach me the laws of MIDI

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Looks like you'll have to wait till he's over his hangover

you my friend need to take a visit to www.hugeracksinc.com i've learned soo much from those bro's in that forum, and i still feel like a noob compared to those guys.

i havent had to much hands on with those randall units and the midi functions... which is the main reason i suggest you take your question over there. most of my experiences with midi rack stuff was all via presets.. like switching stored presets on a rocktron intellifex and a jmp-1... now i find myself struggling to do the whole midi learn thing with my triamp. it's pretty different. and that's just for channel switching and fx loop activating... no fx units of anything.

as for the fx units... it all depends on what you're willing to spend... do you wanna fork out $2,000 for an eventide eclipse or do you want a $200 rocktron replifex? that kind of thing... no doubt the eclipse is better, but the replifex is still awesome sounding and easy to use. like boss/digitech stomp box quality sound.

there are other fx units too though...

for the midi eq'ing... if that's what you want. go for it... but imo it's best to start with the best possible foundation. if your modules can't cut it on their own without an external eq, are you sure those are the ones you want? but if they sound awesome by themselves and then the eq just makes them better for you. that is an eq put to good work..

btw, alot of fx units like the t.c. g major and rocktron units will have onboard parametic eq's anyways.

for the different midi chords... i think there is also a dude ar HRI that custom makes midi cables.. look into that.

what are you going to do for a controller?

for the chain... list all of the gear you have and or will have, pedals, fx units, eq's, ect...

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Thanks for that site. I'm not heavy on FX but I do use them and since it has MIDI I might as well use it. The amp sounds wonderful alone without EQ but I use EQ it to help color tone a little different at times. I like complete control and the ablity to change some parts of the sound with EQ.

I know for sure that I'm going to be using EQ (I have a GE-7 but I might get a rack EQ if the rack FX doesn't have one), BBE Sonic Maximizer, ISP Decimator pedal, and maybe a rack mount MIDI wah. I'm looking for a rack FX atm that will give me what I need. I am going to have the BBE and the ISP in the serial loop and I'm thinking that I should put the wah there too... maybe, with the other FX in the parallel loop. Thing is I want to have the EQ in the serial loop for curtain channels too but I need to be able to switch it at the same time. It looks like I will be getting a MIDI Mate or Beringer to control it all too. I have no idea how I'm going to have it all work yet but I will find what works best for me over time I guess. MIDI seems like a dream come true but I know it is really the Devil.

Either way, I will post what happens, what I end up getting, and how I have it setup.

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I use the Behringer FCB1010 floor board for MIDI control, two expression pedals, 10 programmable footswitches (with programmable and 2 continuous changes each), and 10 banks to store it all in, very easy to use, bit of a pain in the ass to program, but if you connect it to a computer, its much easier. Oh, and of course, you can set it to control different devices by sending data on different MIDI channels, which is what you'd need.

My two pennies.

Cool thanks I'm working on figuring all the MIDI stuff out, and once I'm done I will post how I rig it.

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