Can anyone recommend a foot switch to use with Ribbons’ 4-Track Looper? I’m not even sure how to search for what I’m looking for.
If this is covered elsewhere in the forum, please hit me up with a link 
I’m not a builder and I don’t want to go midi. I imagine there’s got to be something inexpensive out there that would work.
Doing some more searching and it seems like a Boss FS 5U should work, but it did not for me.
There is a post here that details a couple ways of doing it. After you get a footswitch that works, you’ll have to assign it to expression as outlined in the manual.
I think you’d be much better served with a MIDI controller, something like M-Vave Chocolate. It will be way more flexible than a passive footswitch, and most likely as expensive or even less.
Don’t underestimate the power of MIDI that Ribbons offer - its MIDI command map is truly spectacular.
Thank you! I didn’t know that there were MIDI pedals this small, this powerful. I have an old FCB 1010 and it is so bulky and such a pain in the butt to program.
Before I read this, I had already ordered a CV foot switch from Loop Master:
Brian custom made this (my choice of switch and LED) and got it to me in a week at a very reasonable price. Very happy with it 
This looks neat ) I’ve had Loop Master make me a custom footswitch once (FS3X schematic). Can confirm it’s built to the highest quality standards, so congrats on this purchase.
So this is a CV footswitch, that sends +5V when pressed, and drops to 0V when released, correct?
This is what I sent to Loop Master for the CV foot switch (from @jaakjensen post) :
"Basically, the CV/EXP input is designed to work with a classic expression pedal. The wiring is:
An expression pedal works by taking the +5V on the RING, running it through a pot in the exp pedal, and sending back a variable voltage on the TIP that the device reads.
When TOUCH is mapped to that input, Ribbons is basically watching the tip voltage and treating it like a switch when it crosses the midpoint (around 2.5V). So you want tip to always be at a solid 0V or 5V, not floating.
That’s why a standard tap-tempo footswitch feels like it does “half the action”: when it’s not pressed it’s effectively open, so the tip can float and end up reading as “on”, and then pressing it forces tip to ground and turns it “off”.
The footswitch that behaves correctly is TRS + SPDT, wired so tip (common) switches between sleeve (0V) and ring (+5V). And yes, the “middle of expression travel triggers it” thing is exactly because you’re crossing that midpoint threshold"
He said that he doesn’t have this up on his website yet, but if you’re interested, just reach out.
Thanks, I know this post, it’s actually in response to my question)
I wonder how exactly your switch behaves? It has a power supply socket - is it only for the LED? What does the LED show? Is it ON when you press and OFF when you release the footswitch?
It’s latching, rather than momentary, although I’m sure he could make it the other way, if you’d like. I think I indirectly asked him if I could get it to behave like the Touch foot switch on Ribbons (ability to be momentary and latching, right?) and got the impression that it would be considerably more expensive.
Just for clarity - I click it, the light is on and I’m recording (4-Track Looper). I click it again, the light is off and the recording stops/starts playback.
I haven’t gotten a chance to try it without power. I’ll check on it and get back with you over the weekend.
You were right - power is just for the LED. Sorry that took so long to get back with you!
Thank you, this is interesting.
Emulating the “smart” way the Ribbons Touch FSW behaves (momentary if held, latching if pressed and released quickly) would indeed require some additional circuitry.
But yours is also smartly designed: it does what’s needed to tell Ribbons you’re switching the Touch footswitch (so it effectively toggles between Tip+Sleeve and Tip+Ring), while at the same time toggles the LED power in sync. This can be achieved without active electronics, using the proper DPDT or 3PDT switch.
