Hi everyone,
I wanted to know how to set the expression pedal. In the options in “pedals” only the polarity is present.
Hi @Domezena. Welcome to the community?
Yes - plug the pedal in and set the polarity, - use controls on the pedal, if it have any.
The rest is done in other applications.
For example a preset can be programmed to use the expression pedal. That can be both what parameters to modulate and the amount of modulation.
The pedal work with the settings created by the sound designer.
Can you please be more specific in what you mean? What precisely do you want to set?
First of all, thank you for the welcome.
I should mention that I’m not an expert in this field since this is the first synthesizer I’ve purchased. I would like to set the expression pedal for different parameters, depending on the selected preset (for example, adjusting the volume, cutoff, etc.).
I bought the M-audio EX-P pedal, and I saw that it is compatible with AstroLab.
I would like to understand, once the pedal is plugged in, how to assign a specific effect to the pedal. I thought this could be done directly from the synthesizer, but I couldn’t find the relevant setting.
I hope I was clear.
Thanks
That’s what i suspected. But as i wrote, then those settings are done in the applications where the presets is programmed.
Astrolab is playing presets from different software instruments. It’s not just a single synth.
I don’t have AstroLab, but i believe you need to own the full instrument application for a preset to be able to change those settings for that preset. That include if the Expression pedal is not assigned to anything.
As a AstroLab owner i think you have a speciel offer for Pigments and V-Collection.
You’ve given me bad news. 
…I didn’t think it would be necessary to have the full instrument to modify the pedal’s parameter… also because this way, it’s not intuitive and simple, as in theory, you would have to track down all the complete instruments you want to modify.
I’m sorry about that.
It’s clear from which instrument a preset come. You just open the instrument for the preset.
Modulations from for example an Expression pedal is set for each preset.
Some info about AstroLab from the sales site:
https://www.arturia.com/products/hardware-synths/astrolab-61/details
However, from what you’re telling me, does it mean that if I were to open, for example, any string instrument, they should already have their own default setting for the expression pedal? Sorry if the questions might seem silly, but I’m a beginner in this field.
You can only open instruments you own. You can use the presets without. That’s not the same.
Again keep in mind that string presets can be from different instruments. The instruments have different structures and way’s to create sound.
More info:
https://www.arturia.com/products/hardware-synths/astrolab-61/ecosystem
As LBH mentions, the default function of the Expression pedal depends on what the sound designers have done for each instrument/preset.
For instance, all the B-3V presets have the Expression pedal mapped to the Swell pedal by default.
To assign the Expression pedal to a specific parameter for each of your presets, you do need to own the full instruments / V-Collection.
That said, you can re-assign the Expression pedal in Analog Lab without owning the full instruments, in the “Keyb. Settings” options, but only to parameters that are available in Analog Lab’s “Edit Preset” page (mostly volumes and FX), not parameters that are “inside” an instrument.
For instance, that allows you to use the “Wah” effect as FX A or B, and assign the Expression pedal to control the manual Wah parameter, as a Wah pedal would do.
Perfect, thank you very much for all the suggestions you’ve given me.
See the bottom topic:
"How to assign expression pedal to “studio parameters.”
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I tried to assign an expression effect directly inside Analog lab, but when I go to “Keyb. Settings” and go to expression it doesn’t give me the possibility to assign any effect. I tried with some instruments but the result is always the same… Where am I wrong?
I add that I followed the official guide, but when I go to “assign” nothing happens
When you click ASSIGN, then the parameters you can assingn show with a purple shade in the GUI above. There will be no list in a drop down menu. Just move the parameter you wish to assign. If a parameter is already assigned it will show with a red shade.
Are you saying you don’t get the purple parameters?
Only one parameter can be assigned, so a new assignment will delete a current assignment.
If a preset already use the Expression pedal, then this functionality will stop working, if you assign the pedal to a Analog Lab parameter.
Keep in mind, that it’s done pr preset and that you for factory presets will have to create a new Analog Lab preset to save the setting.
First of all, thank you for the thorough explanation. However, what I don’t understand is that when I go to the Assign section, I see the parameters highlighted in purple, but when I try to modify them, I notice that the expression pedal doesn’t change the parameters I selected. I’m definitely making some mistakes in the procedure, but I can’t figure out what they are…
If you load a B3 factory preset, then do your Expression pedal control it’s volume without you change anything?
EDIT: When you say “does’nt change anything”, then do you mean the parameter does’nt move or that nothing happens when it move? EDIT END
Exactly, for example, with the B3 preset, I automatically control the volume with the expression pedal. When I say that nothing happens, I mean that when I modify the parameter, like the delay, the pedal doesn’t respond as it should with the new parameter.
This mean the pedal send on midi CC#11 like it should. So that’s not the problem.
When you assign - If the parameter move when you use the pedal, then are you sure the FX is activated, have a audioble level and that a part is using it?
Are your AstroLab Firmware updated to the latest version?
EDIT: Can you post the factory preset name (not from a named soundbank as i may not have that) you are trying to assign your pedal to. And please tell which parameter you try to control with your pedal. I can check some things in my Analog Lab then, even though i don’t have AstroLab.
We are trying to find out, if there maybe is a bug. EDIT END
It’s likely that I’m making a mistake in the settings because this happens with all the presets. For example, with the ‘Jup Sync Lead’ preset, I try to assign the delay to the expression pedal, and in the Expression section, I see that ‘Delay Volume’ is indicated, but I don’t hear any difference in the preset. My software version is updated to 1.3.
There is delay on that preset, so it should be audioble.
Without having an AstroLab to test, then i think there very well can be a bug in the assignment. (Did this work, when it was suggested i wonder.)
I suggest you contact Arturia support through your account.
Are you listening to the preset in Analog Lab or on AstroLab?
While editing a preset, you can monitor the changes in real-time in Analog Lab, but to hear the changes in AstroLab, you first have to save the edited preset.