Bluetooth foot switch discussion

[darylhankel]

Thinking of getting a foot switch.   When playing solo, I have no issues with starting songs while using the Autoscroll feature.   However, now I am playing with a trio, and we don't always start on time, or on count.  Or for whatever reason, I need to stop a song during auto scroll (we get ahead of the song).  I adjust the song Duration, but sometime the issue still persists.

So, as a discussion, how are you guys feel about using the Bluetooth foot switch functionality?  I am looking just to use it to start autoscroll, or to momentarily stop it for a few seconds.  Don't want to go thru setting up page stop or markers, just want to know if anyone is using it for basic start/stopping, and how it it working for you.

Thanks guys!

[darylhankel]

Hi folks,

Otay:  For the record, I purchased a cheap (but sturdy) footswitch from Amazon, the Playwell Music Page Turner for Tablets (link below).  Very small, but functional.  Works well with my iPad.  I use one button to Start/Stop Autoscroll, and the other for Next Song.  Used it at a solo gig last night, and it works very well.  However, it is small, which has advantages and disadvantages ( I accidentally knocked it upside down during a song).  But for now I really like it.  Further reviews to come

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085QHX6DX?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

[JPwilliams]

Hi,

I saw your post. I just also bought a Playwell but I cannot get it to work,. My iPad recognizes it but I cannot get it to acknowledge the codess - any help would be appreciated.

Thanks  JP

[JerryK]

In case it helps, I bought an iRig BlueBoard, a 4-button device.
I set the buttons as Up, Start, Down and Next. 
Up/Down 'jog' the song by 25% of the screen (you cand choose in BH).  Start re-starts the song from the top as-if it had been Selected (automation starts the songs for me, when selected from the setlist).  Next selects (therefore starts) the next song in the setlist.
I used to use the footswitch in Mode B (I think) to avoid loading their app on the iPad but it was unreliable, sometimes unusable.  So I swallowed my annoyance and now use their app to send the data to BendHelper in its Mode A.  It's now flawless.
If it matters, the blue-lit buttons annoyed me, partly because the LEDs just switch on and off with alternate button-presses, which is meaningless, so I cut their tracks on the PCBoard.  Solved.  Presumable saves battery too.