Express Yourself 2! Further Smart Compact Solutions to Expression Control

Controls - Start (Rise), Stop (Fall), Mode/Alt Switch : Trigger (Hold and Release), Latch (Dual Press Start/Stop),

Auto (Cycling), Tap (Tap-Tempo), Footswitch triggers various actions / Modes, and Hold that to set Tap Divisions.

I've seen a number of articles comparing this to the simpler OBNE Ramper - as also featured in this selection. This supposedly can handle 4 inputs in total - which is incredibly potent, while thee is some degree of complexity in operation - and the speed range is not as wide as on the OBNE Ramper - which is about 1/3 of the cost at current prices. There were hints that these might continue to be produced have the shut-down of Cooper FX - when Tom moved across to Chase Bliss. While the two Cooper FX utility pedals have not been brought forward and are as a consequence quite pricey now as second-hand items on Reverb.com. This is somewhat of an outlier for me - I would quite like to own one, but I need to wait for prices to drop a touch first!

Controls - Treadle Only, Volume In/Out, + Aux for Expression & Tuner.

This is a really cool compact edition of the Dunlop combined Volume and Expression pedal - which is a great matched pair for the Mini CryBaby Wah's too - which I own in 3 varieties. Those enormous volume and expression pedals have always been a bugbear for me - the Volume (X) mini is pretty much spot on, while those Mini Wah's often don't sound quite as good as their larger counterparts which is odd really as those circuits are somewhat tiny and they same to share all the same components!

Controls - Passive Momentary Arcade style Button Switch

Leems Industries is very much an Expression Pedal specialist - having several varieties - all compact, and where the line started off by converting sewing machine control pedals into expression pedals. Currently and besides the Streems which is the smallest and simplest of the Leems varieties which range from $49 to $178 - we have the Beems & Gleems (Laser beam sensor), Meems (Spring sensor), Neems (Throttle pedal). I will likely own several of these eventually - while my first acquisition here will be the Streems for sure.

Controls - A>B Movement : Triangle / Square / One Shot. Knob Position Switch : A% | B%, Knob = Rate / % Position on Dial.

This is a sort of simpler and easier to use version of the above Cooper FX Expression Generator. Obviously is only handles one input vs the Cooper FX's 4, and you have simple options for setting A+B Expression % Values, and then adding movement between them - via Triangle, Square or One-Shot LFO. A really elegant solution for sure - which I mostly use with my OBNE Screen Violence pedal - I have a FLOAT edition of this pedal also, but have not used that yet.

Controls - Passive Slider.

There's now a few varieties of this mini type of Expression Slider - but ONBE did it first as far as I'm aware, and is therefore the industry standard really. I have a plain white one of these which I used with a variety of my pedals, and I also have a FLOAT edition which I've not put to to much use yet. This is about the simplest means of adding proper granular expression control for your rig - a really neat solution.

Controls - Passive Pressure-Sensitive Pad, Black side is more Sensitive than Silver side.

This really cool passive 2-sided pressure-sensing pad needs to come with the proviso that it's only compatible with a handful of pedals really. Of course suitable for use with all the Rainger FX units, but only a relatively small subset of mainstream pedals. These used to be on sale individual in both 1/4" and 1/8" Jack varieties. But these became a massive support burden as prospective users were asking if it was suitable with this or that pedal - and there was no way Rainger FX could really keep up with all those requests and inquiries - they would have had to have acquired and tested hundreds of varieties. So alas currently you can only get these with certain Rainger FX pedals acquisitions - and those are all 1/8" varieties - which are only suitable for those CV style control voltage expression inputs. I may compose a small list of suitably compatible pedals - but it's your risk really if you find one of these to buy separately. I cannot see any examples remaining in the wild! I may try to gently coerce one out of David and his gang the next time I drop in on their cool hideaway Hangar Lane Lab!

A GPX Deviation / Idea sort of based on a mashup of the Leems Streems and Dr Scientist Mini Analyzer LED Display  - so you can better visually see degree / level of expression - which is solely via single footswitch - possibly would have one further knob to set Sensitivity / Speed of Movement. Also thought of two modes (via side-switch) - Up & Down, or Up & Stay - where second press returns it back down again! This is surely something Dr Scientist could put into production if there is any interest. There's obviously pros and cons with this in that you need power for the LED's - so it's no as practically applicable as the passive Leems Streems - but it does give you those cool extra visual cues! [No Veejo obv.]

Controls - Single Click / Twist Knob - Press for Tap Tempo, Turn for Expression %.

This is an evolution of Seafoam's original Micro Expression pedal - where the original has a bigger knob with knurled edges, while this one is smoother, but has the added advantage of being able to be used as a tap tape also. A really cool passive multi-purpose expression controller - really easy to accommodate - and certainly one for the collection!

Controls - Big Knob : Manual / Scale Express, Up + Down Yellow Buttons : Mode Up Down (Single Click) / Bank Up Down (Double Click), R-Side Switch : Tip Direction Ring>Tip / Tip>Ring, Base Switch : Range - Least / Less / Full, L-Side Switch : Expression / Photocell, 3 x Light-Up Knobs control 3 different Parameters per Pattern.

And so to the most complex of all of these, in fact the most complex of Pedal Brainz 3 varieties - where it also has the entirely manual No Brainer $75, then 3rd Eye Simple Light Sensor - $155 and the ultimate of these - the incredible 9-Controls with 5 Banks x 10 Modes (Patterns) Left Brain V2 - at $325. This is fully upgradable mini computer where a combination of sensors and controls manipulates 50 different patterns of expression - which are eminently tweakable via 2 push-buttons, 3 mini knobs, 3 mini slider switches, and one regular knob. It's the kind of pedal that you have to continually reference a manual for - but it's incredibly potent - probably the most potent / capable micro-pedal yet created. An incredible technical achievement - but obviously comes with a relatively steep learning curve!