Pressure mats

[Widows]

Hey folks,

have any of you ever use pressure mats instead of stomp switches for momentary switching on your pedals? Always wanted to use on a wah and very interested in using it on other pedals too like trems or mute switches. Any idea as to their durability and ease of use?

Cheers

[R.G.]

Thought about it. I once designed up a mike muter using a pressure mat - the mike mutes when you step away from it, goes live when you step up.

They're reasonably durable, at least the ones for which I found a datasheet. I don't know about the whole class of them in general.

It would be a good idea not to run the signal out through them, not least because they're simple single-pole, single-throw switches, so you'll have to use relay or electronic switching back in the pedal.

[Mark Hammer]

...and then there is this thing:  http://www.effectsdatabase.com/model/stick/patchofshades#

[~arph]

I still have a bag of piezo discs I want to try out.. glue one on the inside of the pedal.. see what signal I get from it when I step on it.
(EDIT: I have a Paul Nelson schematic for this if anyone is interested)

[duck_arse]

^ I did that once, arph. used a "standard boot" to test the bypassings. have since dismantled it for more conventional switching. add a weight to one edge of the disc.

meanwile, back on topic ....

[karbomusic]

2 quarters, guitar cable with one end cut off, duck tape...

Made a momentary switch for my rig when it broke when I was on the road. Worked like a charm, I just taped it to the floor each night.

[GGBB]

2 quarters, guitar cable with one end cut off, duck tape...

Made a momentary switch for my rig when it broke when I was on the road. Worked like a charm, I just taped it to the floor each night.

I hear that's all Curtis Jackson will use.

[GGBB]

Thought about it. I once designed up a mike muter using a pressure mat - the mike mutes when you step away from it, goes live when you step up.

Way cool. Should be mandatory for church pulpits - keep the crazy preachers in place.

[Quackzed]

The Grateful Dead used mic/mute pressure mats...
http://www.dozin.com/mic/main.html

[smallbearelec]

Of possible interest for this application, Taiwan Alpha has a new product line of pressure-sensitive resistors:

http://www.taiwanalpha.com.tw/english2014/p_e_008.htm

I have ordered some on spec and they will be available for sale in early March.

Regards
SD

[Jdansti]

^cool!

Remember the pressure mats in front of the grocery store doors in the 60's and 70's before they had ultrasonic Star Trek sensors?

[Processaurus]

Cool, Steve.  The second one in the picture looks like the FSR's used in MPC type drum pads.

The interesting thing about the force sensing resistors, is, unlike a piezo, which just responds to impulses, is the FSR will respond to static pressure, like someone standing on it.  Could make a fun little two dimensional expression pedal with one...

[deadastronaut]

I was looking at FSR's a while back when messing around with the lightwah..
They were quite pricey back then...but look like a lot of fun to be had with em...

[duck_arse]

modified bathroom scales, anyone? that'd be some heavy expression pedal.

[Jdansti]

Somewhere there's information on using that black anti-static foam used for shipping chips as a squishy variable resistor.

Edit-Here:

http://wiki.lvl1.org/Pressure_sensor_with_antistatic_foam

http://m.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Ridiculously-Cheap-Analog-Pressure-S/

[deadastronaut]

Cool, nice one john, gonna have to try this...