Beat buddy with TC Nova System

BeatBuddy General
21

You need the custom MIDI breakout cable for the BB:

http://mybeatbuddy.com/product/midi-sync-cable/

And a 5 pin MIDI cable (not sure on the length):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hosa-MID-303RR-MIDI-Cable-Right-Angled/dp/B00FC4ZAHM/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1451605560&sr=1-2&keywords=5+pin+midi

If you’re not from the UK, I’m sure you can find something similar in your country. I’m actually from the US but got the impression from post #17 that you are British.

Insert the appropriate midi connector into the BB then connect the ‘MIDI out’ on the BB to the ‘MIDI in’ on the Nova. ‘MIDI in’ on the Nova is #5 on page 9 of the Nova manual.

22

Hi Happy New Year!
I have the necessary cables on order hope they come this week/ thank’s Is there any way you can tell me how to best start setting up the Nova?
is there a on/off switch?
is there a way to just scroll through Factory settings up and down ? I am using G switch its recognised but seems to find pedal setting then sometimes when i have pressed everything 5o times a string with a small u After the number?
I am very confused read book but its sure not in my language its like a bag of worms. Not clear at all IMHO.
cheers Derek

23

Hi tried link but its not there just a error message 404 not there?

24

Hi Derek. Try this one instead: http://www.guitaraffair.com/pdfs/g-system-configuration-and-troubleshooting-guide.pdf

25

You’ll have to ask UncleTape or Persist about what he does with MIDI and how to link the Nova with the BB. That’s beyond my expertise.

26

“Bloody Hell” its like building a ROCKET! its a bit beyond me I’m a simple Englishman LOL but that book is about G System int that what women have LOL… Anyway i have a NOVA not a G but having read some of it I get lost very quick, its bit like music reading it seems like arabic to me but if i hear a tune i can usually copy it. So i need someone to lay it out in baby talk…

i have another question sorry to bore you:-) But here you go
PLEASE can anyone tell me having wired my Nova as per instructions/HELP all good from this site re Beatbuddy etc etc Is there any way i can make it so my guitar cuts out all the Nova and just go’s straight to amp. I have to say I plugged it into amp alone last night on a separate lead and it sounds a lot better than the NOVA or any effects. But the downside is you can’t have the fun of the effects and things doing it that way. Remember I’m plugged in to Tuner, then chain do’s wha,tube screamer,fuzz,verb Jimmy,Nova then beatbuddy… Getting there I think? Seem to be spending more time fannying around with trying to set this rig up than playing but i hope it will be worth it…
Cheers Big D

27

Hi Derek. LOL, sorry, pages 40 or 58 refer to the Nova Drive but the references can help you with a midi configuration, if that’s the path you want to follow. Sorry for the confusion. Strongly suggest that you hold off on setting up any of the midi until you have all of your pedals set up and sounding the way you want.

Unless there’s someone on this forum using a TC Nova and a BeatBuddy, I won’t be able to provide the best answers to the questions in your post above. I’ll give it a shot though. I take it no one on the TC Electronics Forum has been able to help you yet?

  • if you have all of the switches on your Nova pressed to “off” (as well as the rest of your effects pedals), you should have pretty close to just straight guitar signal going to your amp and it should be about as loud and the tone should be as clear as if you were plugging your guitar straight into the amp. If the tone and signal quality are not clear and/or the volume is drastically lower when connected through all of your pedals, you may have a bad connection in one or more of your patch cables. Bottom line, your pedal chain when toggled off should get you pretty close to the same quality of sound and volume as if you were running your guitar straight into your amp. You really need to get somebody from the TC Forum to give you a hand with your Nova.
  • Setting up and learning how to use an effects pedal chain is a matter of trial and error to find the sounds you want. Since your Nova is a multi-effects board (with a bit of a learning curve beyond just plug and play), it means you probably don’t need all of the other pedals (except the tuner and maybe the wah) in front of the Nova and BeatBuddy–they’re muddying the waters. I think it was @Rob22315 that previously suggested a minimalist approach with the pedals. To avoid any more frustration, you might want to concentrate on learning/configuring/using either the Nova or the BeatBuddy until you’re happy that you have a grasp on things. If it were me, I’d probably start with the Nova because if you can figure out how to set it up so that it sounds good, then take up with the BeatBuddy–this is just my opinion though. Treat the Nova in bite-size chunks. Twiddle the dials (play with the settings) on each Nova effect separately until you understand what they do and how it effects your sound. Then combine two effects and repeat with the dial twiddling to see how one effect plays with the other. Once you think you know what you’re doing, start on the BeatBuddy. The Nova is probably at least a twelve-pack (of beer) job and the BeatBuddy is a six-pack or so; Once that’s done and if you still have any energy left (ha ha), start to learn how to set up the Nova and BeatBuddy for midi control–which is another case of beer. :confused:

Hope you’re getting a better picture of how the Nova has a lot steeper learning curve than say a Tube Screamer. It will take some time. I gave up on my multi-effects board (a Digitech GNX4) because it was too much for my feeble brain. I also came to the conclusion that the GNX4 colored my tone more than I wanted and now I use fewer pedals with my amp.

:eek:I’m sorry–what was your original question? Hope I haven’t made you sorry you asked . . . .

28

Hi

Hi
Ordered cables they came just now from Holland? plugged in the little BB midi sync lead into PS/2 mini midi port on BB then that gave me two full size input midi cables I plugged a male midi lead into the BB midi out and the other end to the NOVA Midi in! I played but nothing different???
Are you going to tell me like i suspect you may that I also need to purchase another midi lead? so I can pug the remaining midi in from BB cable to the Nova midi out?
Please let me know as I will need to order another cable :- Ta Derek

29

The BB has very limited MIDI capability. I think the original idea from UncleTape was that the BB would push it’s beat out so the Nova could synchronize it’s effects with the BB. In that scenario, you only need to connect the BB MIDI OUT to the Nova MIDI In so you already have all the cables you need. You should contact UncleTape directly to get more details about getting everything set up to make this work. There’s more to this than just connecting the cables.

The MIDI settings are in the manual on pp 21-22. A description of the BB’s limited MIDI capability starts on pg 24 of the manual.

30

Hi
Ordered cables they came just now from Holland? plugged in the little BB midi sync lead into PS/2 mini midi port on BB then that gave me two full size input midi cables I plugged a male midi lead into the BB midi out and the other end to the NOVA Midi in! I played but nothing different???
Are you going to tell me like i suspect you may that I also need to purchase another midi lead? so I can pug the remaining midi in from BB cable to the Nova midi out?
Please let me know as I will need to order another cable :- Ta Derek

31

Derek
That is all the cables you need for BPM time sync between BB and Nova! (Midi OUT from Beat Buddy to Midi IN of the Nova)
The only thing I have added is a Midi cable from the Midi Thru of the Nova to my Infinity Looper Midi in This syncs all three units to the BPM of the Beat Buddy

go to the BB settings menu then
Main Pedal ----> Midi Messages ----->Midi out —> Sync only

In Nova Menu
Midi Setup -----> Sysx ID : 3
then next line in menu
Midi sync : ON

I ONLY use the midi time sync feature between the two units
This now puts any effects that can adjust using the tap tempo on the Nova system in sync to the BPM of the Beat Buddy

FYI
My signal path is
Guitar—> Tuner -----> Vox Wah ------> Digitech Clapton OD Pedal -----> LINE IN on Nova (use line in and NOT drive when OD pedal is ahead of Nova -must set input in Nova menu for Line IN) this also KILLS the Nova’s Drive and Boost functions—Cant use both
You can have all the pedals you want AFTER the Nova :slight_smile:

Hope this helps

32

Great it’s nearly midnight here so I’ll try that tomorrow. Thanks I hope it works I can get back with using the Niva. On that point have you or do you know any cool settings for my Nova I’m suppressed there is not a online patch exchange like the line 6 stuff. I need a SRV clean and Dirty. A good Shadows sound Buddy Holly and some 60s and cool rock n roll sounds including Stray Cats and Rolling Stones style. Any help will be cool Derek

33

Hi OK just done a super instructions, here is what my BB says Setting: Main Pedal: then i get midi out but NOTHING that says Sync only?

Nova
Midi Setup -----> Sysx ID : 3
then next line in menu
Midi sync : ON

Just tried a couple of tunes and “YES” Thank FCUK! its synced when i change drum patches with different tempo th nova adjusts its tap tempo to match Guess thats the idea eh? Thanks for that Im almost like a pro now LOL…

So to move on any patches I need a SRV clean and Dirty. A good Shadows sound Buddy Holly Clapton, and some 60s and cool rock n roll sounds including Stray Cats and Rolling Stones style. Any help will be cool Derek

34

can i make BB scroll through drum settings via pedal to save bending down and fiddling?
Can i lock some setting to a patch so when i press a effect on my board from NOVA it then selects correct drum setting to play with?
God there such a lot to learn! Whats making it even harder i have change day 30 year old Strat for a PRS and I’m finding the PRS fretboard rather flat! maybe if i could get someone to adjust the action a tad higher that will help?
Its seems I’m fancying around with gizmos (that i don’t understand ) more than playing good job him not in the band anymore LOL