I’m hoping someone can help me with a specific product compatibility issue.  I have an MOX6 that I purchased a few months ago to replace my Motif Classic 7.  Gig with the thing weekly and absolutely love it!  I also have a Boss FS-6 Dual Foot Switch.  Here’s my issue:

The foot switch works flawlessly with the Motif Classic, where I typically use one switch to control sustain and the other as an Assignable Foot Switch to control Master Mode program INC.  However, when plugged into the MOX6, I get some strange behavior ONLY upon plugging both switches in simultaneously.  Either switch plugged into either jack (sustain or assignable FS) by itself works as intended.  However, when both switches are plugged into the MOX6, it almost seems to short circuit, and the sustain is, well, permanently sustained (or sometimes the sustain switch will no longer work at all).  Only after I unplug both switches then plug a single switch in again will operation return to normal.

At first I thought it was the FS-6 short circuiting somehow when both outputs were used.  I called Boss and they weren’t able to help.  I’ve tried troubleshooting by again trying it on the Motif Classic, and it all works flawlessly.  So I’ve concluded it’s something within the MOX6.  I’ve reset to factory defaults, but that didn’t help.  I’ve tried changing all the CTL ASN and FT SW parameters in UTILITY mode, but that doesn’t seem to help either.  And I’ve even tried all combinations of momentary/latch and polarity +/- on the FS-6 itself.

Even though it appears to be the MOX with the issue, the perplexing point is that everything works just fine when I plug in a Roland piano-style sustain pedal for sustain and FS-6 for a single Assignable Foot Switch.  But when I replace the piano-style sustain pedal with the second switch of the FS-6, it all goes haywire.  So this makes me think it’s the FS-6 with the issue.  Very perplexing, as it all works just fine on the Motif Classic!

The second cable from the FS-6 doesn’t have to be fully plugged into the Assignable Foot Switch jack for the MOX to permanently sustain--the tip of the cable plug just has to touch the jack.  Could this be some sort of grounding/short circuit issue, explaining why it doesn’t occur when I use two physically separate foot switches?

Honestly, I can’t remember if I ever successfully used the FS-6 with the MOX6 prior to having issues, so I’m unable to determine if it’s a general compatibility issue (which wouldn’t seem to be the case, as the two switches don’t seem to be in any way connected upon looking inside the FS-6) or if something has gone awry with my MOX6.  I think the easiest way would be for me to take my FS-6 to try with another MOX somewhere, but the nearest dealer is over 90 minutes away, and I don’t know anyone locally that has an MOX yet. 

I know it’s a stretch, but does anyone else use this combination of MOX and Boss FS-6 to let me know if they are/aren’t compatible?  Thanks in advance!!

Philip

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Welcome to the forums.

If there is a problem it is not necessarily with the MO-X, as it is hard to blame the keyboard when you are not using a recommended pedal.

You mentioned some of the things you have tried but you do not mention anything about the SUSTAIN Pedal parameter. How do you have that set?

If set to FC3 the MOX can be set to respond properly for Sustain with Half-Dampering.
If set to FC4/FC5 the MOX can set to respond properly to Sustain with a standard momentary pedal.

The FC3 has a TRS connector. (Tip-Ring-Sleeve)
The FC4/FC5 have a TS connector. (Tip-Sleeve)

The Motif ES did not implement Half-Dampering and used a TS connector for sustain.
The MOX is several generations later and does accept either for the two different behaviors. try setting the Sustain pedal parameter according to the type of connector you are using… no guarantees, but at least it is something you can try.

If all else fails invest in Yamaha pedals, they are recommended and work properly with no danger of ‘short circuiting’.

Thanks for the reply.  I misspoke about my sustain pedal.  I actually have a Yamaha FC4, which has a TS connector.  That is my piano-style sustain pedal.  I currently have the SUSTAIN pedal parameter set to FC4/5, though I have tried both.

I’d love to use a recommended pedal, but Yamaha’s pedal offerings seem to be fairly lean, and it also leaves me with pedal spaghetti, as I also use a Yamaha expression pedal (3 pedals in total)!  I love the Boss as it eliminates at least one pedal, and it doesn’t slide all around the floor like my smaller/lighter Yamaha pedals.  To me, that’s important while gigging. 

I’m not blaming my MOX, per se, as I absolutely love this keyboard, and I’ve demoed quite a few before settling on this one.  I just was curious if anyone else successfully/unsuccessfully used this pedal setup, as it’s a LONG journey to a local Yamaha dealer to try out another MOX.  This is actually my second MOX, as the first board had two dead knobs when I purchased it, so Guitar Center just exchanged it for a working unit.

Thanks again for your quick response.  Unfortunately, I already had the parameter set that way so it didn’t solve my mystery.  But I’ll keep trying until I can get resolution one way or another, and hopefully it doesn’t involve purchasing a new pedal :-)

Keep up the great work with this site--it’s been very helpful as I’ve learned the Motif/MOX…

Anyone had luck with the Boss FS-6 and a new-generation Motif or MOX?  Either switch by itself works fine for sustain and/or assignable footswitch functions, but the sustain seems to be perpetual whenever both switches are plugged in simultaneously.  I purchased two Yamaha FC5s and a single FC4, but the quality didn’t hold up long to nightly gigging--the plastic was pretty thin and flimsy (the FC4 is okay).  Thanks!

psterling - 24 January 2012 08:38 PM

...I love the Boss as it eliminates at least one pedal, and it doesn’t slide all around the floor like my smaller/lighter Yamaha pedals.  To me, that’s important while gigging....

If you would like some ideas to assist in eliminating this problem, take a look at This Thread.

Sorry to re-open old thread, but thought I’d report back with my findings, as the FS-6 is a somewhat popular pedal and Yamaha has no similar product. The issue is due to the common ground within the pedal. The MOX is evidently built differently than the Motif line in that the MOX can’t handle pedals with a common ground.  Other than making my own homemade multi-switch or living with multiple independent foot switches, I don’t believe there’s a way around this MOX limitation. I’ve tried modding the FS-6 itself but that’s not possible due to internal circuitry (it’s a “smart pedal” rather than simple independent switches in common enclosure. Thanks for this awesome site!