Creating and Customizing Presets for Pacer
Tips and tricks for getting the most from Pacer’s user presets.
Pacer offers a lot of functionality in it’s default user presets but as you spend time with it, you will want to make some changes to the default settings or even start from scratch to create your own presets.
You can find a web based editor for Pacer here: Studio Code’s Pacer Editor
This makes the process of setting up presets very easy. You will need to use Google Chrome or Opera, and Windows users should be aware that Pacer will not be able to communicate with other applications while using the editor.
Below you will find instructions for making common changes, from Pacer’s Setup Menu.
Functions of the Control Edit Menu
Assigning Program Change Messages
If you use Pacer to select patches for instruments or effects, using Program Change messages, Presets A1-A4 are a good place to get started. But you will likely want to change the order of the patches which you select with Pacer’s stomp switches. To do so, you need to change the value of the Program Change message which Pacer transmits, from the Control Edit menu.
To get started, press and hold the [Preset] stomp switch, then load preset A1.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘CTRL’, then press the Encoder Button.
- Press the Stomp switch that you would like to configure.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘PRG’, then press the Encoder Button.
- Now the 3-character display will show the current Program value for the selected Stomp Switch and the active step.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the Program value you would like to transmit.
- The available values are 0-127. The target device may start listing patches at 1, in which case you will need to offset the Program value you select. For example, to select Patch 1 on the target device, you would need to use a Program value of 0 on Pacer. If you want to load Patch 5 on the target device, you would need to use a Program value of 4 on Pacer.
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change.
The instructions above assume that you are using a device which only has 128 patches. If your target device has more patches, you may be able to access patches 129 and above by using Bank change messages. When Pacer’s Stomp Switches are assigned to ‘PRGBNK’, Bank messages are sent first and then the Program value. You can choose the Bank you would like to load by changing the Bank MSB and LSB values. In most cases, you will only need to change the MSB.
After step 5, in the instructions above, instead of pressing the Encoder button, follow these steps:
- Press Stomp Switch [C] twice to select the ‘MSB’ option.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the Bank value, from which you would like to load you patch.
- Press the Encoder button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change
While still in the Control Edit menu, turn the Data Encoder to select ‘SETUP’, then press the next Stomp Switch you would like to configure, then follow steps 3-8 again. When you are done, press the [Preset] Stomp Switch to exit the Control Edit menu.
Assigning CC Messages
As with the the instructions for assigning program change messages, we will start with a template preset.
Press and hold the [Preset] Stomp Switch, then load preset D4 (GM CC).
In this preset Stomp Switches [1]-[6] are setup to toggle between two values for one MIDI CC. This is useful when you want to control something that should turn on with one press and off with another press. Like bypassing an effect or enabling modulation. The CCs used in this preset, the CCs used in this preset are good for MIDI learn purposes, because they are not commonly used. However if you would like to change the CCs to control a specific parameter, it’s easy to do so.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘CTRL’, then press the Encoder Button.
- Press the Stomp Switch or Expression Pedal that you would like to configure.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘CC’, then press the Encoder Button.
- The 3-character display will now show the current CC value for the selected Stomp Switch and the active step.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the CC which you would like the control to send.
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change.
If you are only trying to control on/off type parameters, then you can move on to assign the next control but if you need to define the values for the on/off states or min/max values, you will need to do the following after step 5 in the instructions above.
- Press Stomp Switch [C] to go to the next option for the CC message type.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the CC value, which you would like to transmit for the first press of the selected Stomp Switch (or the Maximum value for expression pedals).
- Press Stomp Switch [C], then turn the Data encoder to select the CC value, which you would like to transmit for the second press of the selected Stomp Switch (or the Minimum value for expression pedals).
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change
While still in the Control Edit menu, turn the Data Encoder to select ‘SETUP’, then press the next Stomp Switch you would like to configure, then follow steps 3-9 again. When you are done, press the [Preset] Stomp Switch to exit the Control Edit menu.
If you need the Stomp Switches to operate as momentary switches (on/max value when pressed, off/min value when released), these same instructions also apply to Preset D3 (Keyboard Tool Box).
Assigning Note Messages
As with the the instructions in the two previous sections, we will start with a template preset.
Press and hold the [Preset] Stomp Switch, then load preset A5 (NOTES).
Preset A5 is a template for transmitting MIDI Note data from Pacer, which can be used to play instruments, like a keyboard. By default, the Notes assigned to Stomp Switches [1]-[6] make up an Em scale but you can reassign them to any notes you would like.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘CTRL’, then press the Encoder Button.
- Press the Stomp Switch that you would like to configure.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘NOTE’, then press the Encoder Button.
- The 3-character display will now show the current Note value for the selected Stomp Switch and the active step.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the Note number which you would like the control to send (hint 0=C-2, 36=C1, 57=A2, 60=C3, etc).
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change.
By default the Stomp Switches will transmit Note On message with a velocity value of 127 (maximum velocity) when pressed and a value of 0 (Note Off) when released. If you want to define the Note On Velocity value, you will need to do the following after step 5 in the instructions above.
- Press Stomp Switch [C] to go to the VELOC setting for the Note message type.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the velocity value, which you would like to transmit when the Stomp Switch is pressed.
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change.
While still in the Control Edit menu, turn the Data Encoder to select ‘SETUP’, then press the next Stomp Switch you would like to configure, then follow steps 3-8 again. When you are done, press the [Preset] Stomp Switch to exit the Control Edit menu.
Assigning MIDI Channels
Most of Pacer’s User Presets are configured to transmit on the Global channel (set from the Global menu, as described in the user guide). This is useful, because you can change the channel which all controls transmit from at once. However, it’s not so useful, if you would like to control more than one device/plug-in from a single preset. In that case you can configure, each step of each control, to transmit on it’s own MIDI channel.
Press and hold the [Preset] Stomp Switch, then load preset D4.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘CTRL’, then press the Encoder Button.
- Press the Stomp Switch or Expression Pedal that you would like to configure.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘M CHA’, then press the Encoder Button.
- The 3-character display will now show ‘0’ to indicate that the control is configured to transmit on the Global Channel.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the Channel, on which you would like the control to send.
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change.
While still in the Control Edit menu, turn the Data Encoder to select ‘SETUP’, then press the next Stomp Switch you would like to configure, then follow steps 3-6 again. When you are done, press the [Preset] Stomp Switch to exit the Control Edit menu.
These instructions apply to most of Pacer’s user Presets. However, some of Pacer’s functions don’t have a channel setting (Relays and MMC messages for example). You can find a table which shows which settings apply to each message type, in the user guide.
Clearing Control Settings and Presets
If you would like to start from a clean slate, you can clear the settings for the selected step, all steps of the selected control or the entire preset. Before doing so, it’s recommended to make a back up of the preset or all of Pacer’s memory.
Press and hold the [Preset] Stomp Switch, then load any of Pacer’s presets.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘CTRL’, then press the Encoder Button.
- Press the Stomp Switch or Expression Pedal that you would like to configure.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘CLEAR’, then press the Encoder Button.
- The Options for Clear are:
- ‘StP’ – Clear currently selected Step
- ‘CtL’ – Clear currently selected Control
- ‘PSt’ – Clear all settings from the current Preset.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the Clear option you want.
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change.
Functions of the Save Menu
The Save menu also has a number of options which can be applied to Presets.
Copying Presets
If you would like to configure several presets to have similar functions it can be useful to copy a preset to a different preset slot.
Press and hold the [Preset] Stomp Switch, then load any of Pacer’s presets (the preset you would like to copy).
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘SAVE’, then press the Encoder Button.
- The display says ‘Store’, press the Encoder Button.
- The display will now show the currently selected preset slot, turn the Data Encoder to select a different preset slot (the preset slot, to which you would like to ‘Paste’ the preset)
- Press the Encoder Button
- Press the [Preset] Stomp Switch to exit the Save menu.
Now you have two presets with the exact same settings.
Renaming Presets
Press and hold the [Preset] Stomp Switch, then load any of Pacer’s presets.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘SAVE’, then press the Encoder Button.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘NAME’, then press the Encoder Button.
- The name of the current preset will appear in the 5-character display with the first character flashing.
- Turn the Data Encoder to changing the first character.
- Press Stomp Switch [D] to select the next character. Observe that the second character is now flashing.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 to create your custom patch name.
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change.
- The 5-character display should now say ‘STORE’. Press the Encoder button
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the Preset*, to which you would like to save, then press the Encoder button or press [Preset] to cancel the save operation.
- Press the [Preset] Stomp Switch to exit the Save menu.
*Note: Since the preset hasn’t been saved yet, the old preset name will still appear here.
Sending MIDI Messages, When Loading a Preset
When you load a preset, Pacer can be configured to send 16 MIDI messages. Relays can also be opened and closed this way. This is useful when you want a preset on Pacer to correspond to a preset on a device or in a performance application like MainStage. You can have a program change message transmitted when you elect the preset, so that the target device/application changes presets at the same time. You can then have preset that you loaded on Pacer, setup to control parameters specific to the preset that was loaded on the target device/application. Setting up MIDI Configurations for presets works in a similar manner to renaming a preset. You make changes in the ‘M CFG’ menu, then save those changes to a preset.
Press and hold the [Preset] Stomp Switch, then load any of Pacer’s presets.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘SAVE’, then press the Encoder Button.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select ‘M CFG’, then press the Encoder Button.
- The 3-character display will say ‘1’ to indicate that the first MIDI Config slot is selected.
- Turn the Data Encoder to select a MIDI Config slot, then press the Encoder Button.
- The 5-character display will say ‘Type’. Press the Encoder Button and the 3-character display will show the name of the current assignment type. Turn the data encoder to scroll through the different functions for the MIDI Config. You will find a table of the assignment types in the user guide.
- Press the Encoder Button to select a assignment type.
- Press Stomp Switch [C] to navigate the different configuration options for the selected assignment type.
- Press the Encoder Button to accept the change or press [Preset] to cancel the change.
- Press [Preset] button to exit the ‘M CFG’ menu.
- The 5-character display should now say ‘STORE’. Press the Encoder button
- Turn the Data Encoder to select the Preset, to which you would like to save, then press the Encoder button or press [Preset] to cancel the save operation.
- Press the [Preset] Stomp Switch to exit the Save menu.