PaintAudio MIDI Captain STD

The PaintAudio MIDI Captain STD is a MIDI foot controller with ten fully programmable foot-switches¹. It sits in the middle of a controller line that PaintAudio positions as more than a switch box: RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the MIDI Captain as "not just a MIDI controller, but a comprehensive musical performance assistant"². In practice, that means a board you program once so each switch fires the commands your rig needs, whether that is changing a preset on a modeler, turning an effect on and off, or triggering a sample in software.

The STD is the black version of the ten-switch MIDI Captain. Its defining trait is what it leaves out: the built-in wireless MIDI module that the blue and gold Pro versions carry¹.

Programming: PC, CC and Note commands

Each of the ten switches can be programmed to send a mixture of MIDI Program Change (PC), Control Change (CC), and MIDI Note commands¹. For a player, that covers the three things most rigs listen for: PC messages call up presets, CC messages turn individual effects on and off or set parameter values, and Note messages trigger sounds in samplers and software.

A single press can carry more than one command. Across the MIDI Captain line, the switches are described as capable of sending single or multiple MIDI commands each time they are pressed, and the controllers can mix multiple MIDI channels and different types of MIDI commands, including PC, CC and Note, in one action⁵². That matters on a real pedalboard: one switch can change your amp preset on MIDI channel 1 while switching a delay on and off on channel 3.

Switch functions are configured by connecting the controller to a computer over USB⁴. PaintAudio publishes an English manual for the MIDI Captain line covering the command setup².

The Time Engine

The STD includes a "Time Engine" function meant to record and automate key-actions, so you can set up complex switch sequences ahead of time¹. Rather than tapping a run of switches in rhythm during a song, you record the sequence once and the controller replays it. It is the feature that pushes the MIDI Captain beyond preset switching toward scripted performance moves.

Power and MIDI connections

The STD has multiple power input options: 9 V, USB, or battery¹. The 9 V option means it runs from a standard pedalboard power supply, and the battery option frees it from the board entirely. Other controllers in the line can be powered via a USB cable or a standard pedal power adapter⁴.

For connections, the STD offers wired MIDI out or standard USB¹. The USB-MIDI functionality across the MIDI Captain line is aimed at controlling DAW software, synthesizers, and effects software on a computer⁶, so the same box can drive a hardware modeler at a gig and a plugin setup at home.

STD compared with the wireless versions

PaintAudio sells the MIDI Captain family in three finishes, and the maker is explicit about how they differ. The blue and gold versions only differ in color and are considered the Pro versions, although the maker notes they carry no specific markings. The black STD version has a spray-coated surface, lacks the built-in wireless module, cannot pair with the MIDI Mate, and is slightly cheaper³. Otherwise, the maker states, they are the same in all other aspects⁴.

The Pro versions can also add an optional wireless MIDI Mate for fully wireless operation³, which the STD cannot use.

The wider MIDI Captain line

The ten-switch STD is the largest controller in the range. The smaller units share the same command engine in different sizes¹:

• MIDI Captain DUO: two programmable switches⁴
• MIDI Captain NANO 4: four programmable switches⁶
• MIDI Captain MINI 6: six programmable switches⁷
• MIDI Captain Foot Controller (BLUE): the Pro ten-switch version with the wireless module³

All of them feature a sturdy metal body and foot switch design for durability⁴, and all support the same PC, CC and Note command set⁴²⁵. The choice between them comes down to how many switches you need and whether you want the wireless module.

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