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Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

Building organ consoles for use with Hauptwerk, adding MIDI to existing consoles, obtaining parts, ...
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triapavl

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Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

PostSat Mar 11, 2017 7:39 am

Long story short, I have a MIDI-switch-based MIDIfied pedalboard which is in effect one "recycled" abroad from an old church organ. The other day, just while I was playing, at that moment keeping a pedal point on the low C#, said key suddenly stopped responding altogether and to this day still won't give any MIDI signal.
All other switches respond correctly except for this one. The pedal key does hit the switch when pressed. I also checked the wires on the switch and they seem to be intact.
What might the problem be here and what can I do to fix it? (Can send photos of the wiring and switches, if needed)
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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

PostSat Mar 11, 2017 8:19 am

With matrix system, the problem would be traced to another upper switch related to your C#. Press C# (or asking someone to do it... since you are not an octopus) and then press successively the other pedals locking for a faulty switch. I had that problem years ago due to a mechanical jam between one pedal and the microswitch.
Luis
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GrahamH

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Re: Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

PostSat Mar 11, 2017 8:47 am

I suggest the first thing to do is eliminate the switch itself.
Use a bit of wire or a pair of pliers or tweezers to bridge across the terminals to which the wires are soldered.
If that causes the note to sound, you have a faulty switch.
If the note still doesn't sound, the problem is elsewhere.

I suspect you have a scan-row set up i.e. 30 or 32 wires plus a common connecting the pedal board to your MIDI encoder, as opposed to matrix wiring where you would probably have a 16-way flat cable.
It is possible that the fault is with your MIDI encoder. You could check this by bridging across the appropriate terminals or pins on the encoder. If there is still no MIDI signal, the fault is with the encoder :(
If you do get a signal when you bridge across the encoder terminals, the fault is with the wiring/soldering.

Graham
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triapavl

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Re: Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

PostSun Apr 09, 2017 12:55 pm

UPDATE
This might constitute a major change. Now the pedal (without my doing anything) has become partly responsive, and by that I mean:
When it is pressed, the virtual key is not pressed. When the pedal starts moving upwards, though, there is a very specific position where the virtual key responds as well; then, if it is moved again upward or downward, the virtual key is depressed again.
What might be happening and how can I fix it?
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1961TC4ME

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Re: Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

PostSun Apr 09, 2017 8:34 pm

Check the wire for the offending note at its encoder board terminal for good connection. I've got one pedal note (low B) that does the same thing from time to time. I wiggle the the entire wiring harness near the encoder board and all is good until the next time it happens. Seems to happen more when the humidity is changing from one extreme to another.

Marc
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Roman

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Re: Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

PostMon Apr 10, 2017 7:52 am

Maybe the switch has moved and triggers in different pedal's depthh. Or magnet is displaced if it uses reed switches. Look at the switch first if it's not loose or something.
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TheOrganDoc

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Re: Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

PostMon Apr 10, 2017 2:56 pm

If your pedals are "Utilizing A Multiplex, Midi Encoder" ,
Please Replace "the Isolation Diode" connected to that Pedal Key Switch,
Be absolutely sure that the end of the diode with the "bar-- on it (The Cathode)" ,
is installed in the same direction as all of the rest of the pedal Key Diodes ! 8)
Your comments Point in that direction !

R.S.V. P., Mel .......... Best Wishes
Mel..............TheOrganDoc...............
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NickNelson

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Re: Help with malfunctioning pedalboard...

PostMon Apr 10, 2017 3:14 pm

triapavl wrote:What might be happening and how can I fix it?


Did you try Graham's suggestion?

If shorting the switch connections generates note-on and note-off messages (reflected in the note sounding or the virtual key moving) then the switch, or whatever actuates it, is defective and needs replacing or adjustment.

Nick

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