Microdesignum MIDI Piccolo 4S1D

The Microdesignum MIDI Piccolo 4S1D is a compact foot MIDI controller: a small floor unit that sends Program Change and Control Change MIDI messages from its MIDI OUT output to the MIDI IN of a controlled device, such as a MIDI-equipped amp or effects processor¹. It is part of Microdesignum's Piccolo line of simple foot controllers, alongside the MIDI Piccolo 2F1D and the MIDI Piccolo 4F²³.

What it does

The controller's two footswitches, labeled Program (down) and Program (up), decrease or increase the program number shown on the display and send that number as a Program Change message to the MIDI output¹. In practice that means stepping through presets on a MIDI-controlled amp or effects unit from the floor, watching the number on the display as you go.

Besides the two program footswitches, the 4S1D has a CC1 button that sends a Control Change message with a globally configured number. Microdesignum's manual gives the example of CC1 sending CC#27, which switches the Delay block on a Kemper Profiling Amplifier¹. The number itself is set globally by the player, so one button can be assigned to toggle a single function, such as an effect block, on the connected device.

Setup and power

Connection is a single MIDI cable from the controller's MIDI OUT to the MIDI IN of the device being controlled¹. Power comes from the included power supply adapter, connected to the supply socket on the controller¹. The controller also supports a MIDI cable with phantom power supply attached on pins 6 and 7, connected to the MIDI OUT connector, which lets the MIDI cable carry power as well as data¹.

Settings

Global settings are reached by turning the controller off, holding down the Edit/Save button and turning it back on; the display shows GLB when the global settings mode is active¹. This is where the globally configured Control Change number is set¹.

How it compares in the Piccolo range

The Piccolo line covers a few different footprints, and the differences come down to switches and connections:

The 2F1D's MIDI IN, which merges a MIDI signal from another device into the chain, is a connection the 4S1D's manual does not describe³¹. Microdesignum also builds Piccolo-based controllers adjusted for specific pedals, such as the MIDI Piccolo 2F1D for EHX V256, which is a specially adjusted version of the 2F1D⁵. For players needing more switches or relay switching, Microdesignum's range steps up through models like the MIDI Grande and the MIDI Agente Relay Loop 4L2R1D.

For more on how controllers like this fit a rig, see the MIDI pedals page.

Questions