Explore top MIDI controllers that let musicians play synths and trigger sounds using foot pedals and modern technology.
Boulder : People who listen to music by Rush know how hard it was for the band when they played live. Geddy Lee had to play bass with his hands while also pressing foot pedals with his feet. He used a Moog Taurus which was a music machine that only played one note at a time. The pedals looked like small organ keys that sat on the floor under his other music equipment.
Boulder : Newer bands keep using foot pedals in their music. The band Russian Circles used an old Taurus pedal until someone stole it from their trailer in 2021. Bassist Brian Cook now uses a Keith McMillen Instruments 12 Step with a Moog Minotaur Model to make the same deep sounds. He presses the foot pedals while he plays a big guitar with his hands.
Boulder : The 12 Step 2 has new features that make it better than the first version. It can connect to other music devices using five-pin plugs and lets you control how loud or soft the notes are. You can also change how the filters work by pressing harder on the pedals. Each pedal can play up to five notes at once if you want to make chords. You need a sound module to hear the music but you can use it with phones tablets or computers through USB. The 12 Step 2 is light and thin which makes it easy to carry and doesn’t take up much space.