I was just wondering what some of you do for foot pedals that move on you while playing. I’ve been taping them down with a little duct tape but some of the stages I play on have nice hardwood flooring and I don’t like using the tape because of the gunk it leaves behind.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Patrick

I have a real simple fix that has worked like a charm for me.  I had some scrap flooring underlayment (thin very clean plywood, like about 3/16” thick) that I just traced my footpedal profile onto.  I cut out the spot where the foot pedal goes, leaving a notch where the chord comes out of the pedal.  Now here is the important part - I then make it long enough that my heel rests on the wood while I can trigger the pedal with the ball of my foot.  The heel resting on the piece of wood keeps the pedal from sliding.  Make sure you don’t make this cut too short - it can never be too long unless you make it two feet or longer.

If this isn’t clear let me know and I will take a couple of pictures and post them.  Cost of this fix for me was $0 since I had the wood and the appropriate tools.

Steve Pas

Steve..

That is an “excellent” idea! So are you just taping the pedal to the wood then?

Stop Chasing pedals - the elegant solution (not as inexpensive as $0, to be sure) but a solution none the less.

wood is fine but hard to carry. Try a bathroom mat

Blu-tac. It never let me down once. A decent sized blob under each corner should do it, just be sure to press it down well at the start of the gig.

If you have a long gig then moistening it a little in the interval is worth doing. I used beer :)

Blu-tac, incidentally, is also a superb insulator of electrical current. I throw this in as a random bonus useless fact.

Df.

Patrick,
I don’t have to use anything extra.  The cutout is just a bit bigger than the pedal footprint.  The wood keeps it from moving.  A little bit of slop in the fit is Ok.  As long as the wood is thick enough the pedal stays put.  And I have had no trouble taking this piece of equipment with me - it fits in my gig bag or in my keyboard case just fine.

Steve Pas

Bad_Mister - 16 February 2010 04:00 AM

Stop Chasing pedals - the elegant solution (not as inexpensive as $0, to be sure) but a solution none the less.

Bad Mister - I checked out the link you posted. Very cool. I was wondering if they sell it w/o the foot pedals?

Try this…

http://www.creepnomore.com/

This is what I use for my Computer Joystick, Steering wheels + Pedals, etc, and my Keyboard’s Expression Pedals and Sustain Pedals....

..anything that I don’t want to slip around!

Non-Slip flexible rubber mat...cut to size with scissors...>>>

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=217606

Paul.....a slippery customer!...;)...!

If you like using tape, there is a product called “gaffers” tape, that AV, photo and movie people use. Leaves no residue and is not so sticky as to be cumbersome. You can get it a good photo stores.  That tape has lots of uses.  If you tidy up cables, it is easy to wrap around, then unwrap it without fighting it.  Really useful black tape. It’s like the Post-it-note version of duct tape. ;)

I use “gaffers” tape as well. Very effective, and easily removed at the end of the show.

Exactly! Gaffers works the best, a role will cost around $15 but will last for quite a while. I tape down 6 pedals for every show & I only buy 2-3 rolls a year.

Here’s what I use gigging…

Yamaha Pedalboard (made by SKB)

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-SKBPS15NP-Portable-Pedalboard?sku=581796