Hello,
I have had the BeatBuddy (current firmare, stock content) for quite sometime but just now building a project around it. I was hoping someone could give me some advice . .
I would like to control the BeatBuddy functions of whatever song using the pedal and the footswitch but looking for the best MIDI option to select songs. Currently using the footswitch to scroll up and down but would would rather do song selection through MIDI and have other functions on the footswitch. Having said this, I would prefer that the MIDI controller is a foot controller, but not necessarily opposed to a table top or maybe keyboard controller. In a keyboard controller, a song per note number would be neat but I am not sure if song selection is done through Program Change #s or can a song be assigned a Note #. For the record, I haven’t read the MIDI implementation for BeatBuddy yet.
But the idea is BeatBuddy on the floor and an easy way to rapidly select any song loaded on the unit.
Thanks in advance.
phil
The songbook programs really work great for this, OnSong, for example. There are others that are recommended by some users. The equipment requirements are an IPad, which you could mount on a mic stand, the BB midi cable, and a midi bluetooth receiver, like the Yamaha MD-BT01.
Thank you for the reply . .I was aware of the OnSong capabilities and I do have ipads, OnSong, etc. I just didn’t know how reliable the MIDI over bluetooth was and was thinking other options more hardwired . .but certainly not opposed to this method.
I’ve had no issues at all with Bluetooth and OnSong. It’s a piece of cake and haven’t had any dropped signals or connection issues.
very reassuring to hear this . .thank you!
Same here. No BT issues…other than myself forgetting to connect it when I open an app!
A lot of people here use OnSong… my shallow pockets however led me to Set List Maker and Bandhelper since it had a limited period full trial licence whereas OnSong I had to pay up front. Not sure if that’s changed. But now I know what I’m doing a bit more with BeatBuddy midi I’m happy to use any app or physical controller…currently trying to work out what my options are for expression pedals 
thanks for the reply. Seems like this would be the way to go and after watching a YouTube on it, seems like songs are program changes (based on folder and order) . . ever any problem if you shuffle things around in your content or is it something you just monitor as part of the set up every time? I dont want to build sets in BeatBuddy . .I would rather it be just a repository so I dont think the reshuffling would be an issue but I am curious.
What I do is find a beat I like and save it to a folder within Beat Buddy Manager (BBM). I rename the beat with the song title. Then, within OnSong, I link it to that Folder/Beat Number. Then, any time I bring up the song via OnSong, it automatically brings up the proper beat and tempo. A little bit of front end work but now, it’s very easy. There are great tutorials out there.
When you say “folder/beat number” you are talking about for the program change correct?
I treat Beatbuddy as a set of beats not a set of songs, if that makes sense? Many people here setup their projects as songs and use OP/B, so in effect they create backing tracks…some will not use OP/B but still copy and rename existing beats to new ones and name them after the song they are for and sometimes they may edit those beats and associated drum sets.
I do add beats and drum sets but just to the end of the existing default stuff. So I basically have just one Beatbuddy project, that’s all. Then I have scripts on my PC that auto generate midi presets for everything that I can import to Bandhelper app on my iPad. I create set lists of songs in Bandhelper and then associate the midi presets with the beats I want with those in the app.
Appreciate this is not what everyone wants but it works for me.
Hope that makes sense!
thank you for the reply
Agree with all on the midi over Bluetooth. It is absolutely reliable with OnSong. As far as the order of Folder and songs, yes that is an issue. Once you enter your midi data in OnSong, you won’t want to move the affected folders around within Beat Buddy Manager. The best advice would be to add songs to the end of folders or create new folders after those which you have already numbered.
thank you . . i will pursue it
Yes - that’s correct.
Ordered the Yamaha Wireless MD-BT01 and BeatBuddy MIDI Sync Breakout Cable. Looking forward to experimenting. Thank you all for the information and help.