Mounting FCB1010 w/ Pedalboard?

hi - I'm not building my own console, but have 3 midi keyboards in a home-built stand on an AKEA Galant desk with a Classic Midiworks pedalboard beneath. Does anyone have suggestions for mounting the Behringer FCB1010 in this context? There is about 35cm between the back of the pedalboard and the wall due to the depth of the Galant, so I can't use the wall for support. I'm expecting to have to build something, but am not sure what approach to take: separate unit, or something attached to the pedalboard. Has anyone already solved this problem?

Thanks
Steve

Sorry but I may not be very helpful! On some organ forum, (perhaps this one?) I have seen photos and small description of a FCB1010 mounting above an organ pedalboard. perhaps "Search" or "Google" {FCB1010, organ}.
STOP PRESS - did find one reference.
http://www.midiworks.ca/gallery/Scott3CMKMPD0.asp
Keith

Thanks, Keith - I already knew of Scott's organ. He has a wall to lean it on. On the same site is another picture that shows the FCB laying flat but I can't imagine how I can reach that effectively.

My main concern is anchoring the FCB so that is does not move when my foot is on it. I'd rather find a way to anchor it that does not require holes in my pedalboard. Perhaps something with clamps?

Happy new year!
Steve

Hello Steve,

I too have a Hauptwerk console based on an IKEA Galant table, and I plan to add a Behringer FCB 1010 to it soon.

At this stage I envisage building a separate structure to support it, and attaching this structure to the pedalboard. Forgive the verbal description, but at this stage it exists only in my mind so I can't send you any diagrams or photos.

My pedalboard is ex-Johannus (a spare AGO pedalboard which was sent out along with an organ where the client ordered a flat European pedalboard) which I acquired from the local Johannus dealer. It has magnets in the ends of the keys and I built my own magnetic reed switch key contacts to go with them, and MIDIfied it using an old Yamaha synth. It has worked nicely for some 12 years now in a number of different settings, most recently in my current Hauptwerk console. I added a board across the back of the pedalboard to conceal and protect the reed switches. This board is quite solid, and I plan to attach my envisaged swell pedal structure to it. The space between the back of the pedals and the wall should be enough to fit it all in.

I envisage making a wooden box with a sloping top. It won't need a front board since it will be attaching to the board already on the pedals. The angle of the slope will be the same as the angle required by AGO console specs for swell pedals. I have downloaded details of AGO console specs from the Wicks organ company website (http://organ.wicks.com/). I plan to make the sloping top of the box almost the full width of the pedalboard with the view to possibly adding more pedals each side of the FCB 1010 at a later date (probably using electronic keyboard sustain pedals).

The top edge of the pedalboard thumping rail is flat and wide enough for me to attach a small wooden rail to it. The bottom edge of the FBC 1010 will rest here sitting behind the rail, which will hold it from sliding out onto the pedalboard itself. Once oriented laterally (again, following AGO specs for swell pedal placement) the FCB 1010 can then be kept in situ with heavy duty double-sided mounting tape beneath its feet.

As I say, this is all in theory at the moment, and I won't be doing the actual work for a while yet.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your project.

Andrew

Hi Andrew - We definitely should compare notes as we go. The idea of a separate box with sloping top sounds like a good one to me. My pedalboard has a vertical rail across the top. A picture can be found here. I can imagine building the box so that the top overhangs that rail, with a lip that prevents it from being pushed back. This is complicated by the curved shape of the pedalboard but I can imagine it working. I'm not sure if my skills are up to building such a thing, though.

I'm imagining a very small shelf on the bottom edge of the box top that supports most of the weight of the FCB (it's pretty heavy). Rather than trying to anchor the very small feet against motion, I'm thinking some kind of spacer on the box top that's tall enough to touch the back of the FCB. Then large swaths of heavy-duty velcro there and on the back of the FCB would do a nice job of securing it without the mess of double-sided tape.

What do you think of these ideas?

Good luck with your project
Steve

In case anyone is interested in how this turned out, I've posted a web page describing my solution here. I built it this last weekend. This is in the context of my organ console, described here. Thanks to Andrew and others for help figuring this out.

Just in time for the Father Willis!

To get more out of your 1010, you could consider upgrading to the Uno firmware (I have) which gives you much more control over what the switches do e.g. allowing them to work as toggle pistons etc. It does involve opening up the box and replacing a chip though (which is easy to do and requires no soldering).
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/fcb1010_uno/

How do you all like the FC1010's "swell pedals"? How do they compare with real swell pedals?

Hello Steve,

Not quite sure why the message which I posted to this list last night hasn't appeared here yet.

Congratulations on this project and many thanks for the links to photos etc. Your "console" bears a number of similarities to mine, and your FCB 1010 mounting device gives me further ideas and impetus towards completing (indeed, beginning) the task of adding the pedal unit to mine.

Andrew

How do you all like the FC1010's "swell pedals"? How do they compare with real swell pedals?

The 1010 pedals have a very restricted range (can't remember the angle offhand, but around 20 degrees perhaps?) which isn't really that well suited to organ use, but it does the job.

In case anyone is interested in how this turned out, I've posted a web page describing my solution here. I built it this last weekend. This is in the context of my organ console, described here. Thanks to Andrew and others for help figuring this out.

Just in time for the Father Willis!

I had to smile when I saw your 2x4 laying in just the right position by the pedal board... I guess I'm not the only one requiring "bench risers"?

Yup - the 2x4 puts the bench at just the right height for me. My pedal playing improved greatly after that. Much better than old prayer books

steve

How do you all like the FC1010's "swell pedals"? How do they compare with real swell pedals?

The 1010 pedals have a very restricted range (can't remember the angle offhand, but around 20 degrees perhaps?) which isn't really that well suited to organ use, but it does the job.

The 1010 pedals move about 18 degrees. According to the Peterson catalog, the travel of real swell pedals is from 41 to 63 degrees for movement of 22 degrees so they are not wildly different. I'm finding the 1010 pedals very natural controlling the swell on the (wonderful) Salisbury Willis. It's been way too long since I used real swell pedals for me to comment on a comparison.

Thanks for the comments about the feel of the pedals. I'm a big fan of the old Willis III infinite swell pedals; I wonder how to replicate those on a HW organ? I reckon I could find an old Smith's fuel gauge from somewhere, but the mechanics of the sprung pedals could be interesting.

For those who've never encountered them, the ISG pedals were a Willis peculiarity, and, as far as I know there are very few left in existence; Liverpool Cathedral and St. Mary's, Southampton being the only ones I've played. They work by the swell pedal being sprung - when you take your foot off it, the pedal returns to its "home" position. The harder you press the pedal, the faster the shutter mechanism moves. So, you can have a good old kick and the shutters slam open, or you can keep your toe daintily pressed on the pedal, and the shutters move incredibly slowly at a constant rate. Very very nice. Particularly when you have a massive swell division or, like Southampton, the 32' and 16' pedal reed enclosed in the choir box.

Now that's cool. I could probably imagine more easily how that could work mechanically than "electronic/programming" wise. Maybe a sub-routine?

That would be interesting to watch a newbie (without a prior indication) figure that one out.

Rgds,
Ed