How to Choose a MIDI Loop Switcher to Supercharge Your Pedalboard

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What Is a MIDI Loop Switcher?

A MIDI loop switcher is a programmable effects switcher that allows you to connect your effects pedals into separate audio paths or loops, instead of connecting them in a serial daisy-chain of patch cables. A MIDI loop switcher may have built-in footswitches that allow you to turn different loop paths on and off, or it may rely on external MIDI messages to control loop switching. Either way, the ultimate goal of a MIDI loop switcher is to allow you to toggle multiple effect pedals with a single command.

Common Guitar Applications for MIDI Loop Switchers

A MIDI loop switcher gives you a lot of creative flexibility with your pedalboard. Even if you only use a small number of pedals like overdrive, modulation, and delay, a MIDI loop switcher allows you to easily toggle your pedals in different combinations and routing configurations. And if you have MIDI-capable effects pedals, you can send specific MIDI messages to your pedals when you toggle them. Here are just a few examples of how guitarists use MIDI loop switchers:

Toggle Multiple Pedals Simultaneously

Let’s say you have a basic pedalboard with overdrive, delay, and chorus effects pedals. If you want to kick on your overdrive and delay for a solo, you may be able to get away with pressing both footswitches with one foot, but there’s a better way. A MIDI loop switcher will allow you to toggle them both with a single command. And you can program your MIDI loop switcher to create different “scenes” with your analog pedals, allowing you to easily create layered effects specific to each song.

Easily Sync Multiple Time/Modulation Effects

Tap tempo is cool when you only have one effects pedal that you want to sync to the beat of your song. It gets trickier when you need to re-sync your delay, phaser, and tremolo pedals for every tune. A MIDI loop switcher can synchronize all your effects pedals to the same clock source. And some MIDI loop switchers even offer built-in tap tempo to send to your pedals for analog tempo control, too.

Program Your Pedalboard from a DAW or Sequencer

If your band performs with a DAW or other MIDI sequencer like a drum machine, a MIDI loop switcher makes your pedalboard part of the fun. The most basic application would be to trigger the appropriate pedals and presets for each song via MIDI. And for the sonically adventurous, you could send your pedals pre-created MIDI automation to make parameters move in real time. With some creative MIDI programming, you could create amazingly animated effects configurations that you couldn’t achieve any other way in a live performance.

Feature	Boss ES-8 $824.99 View at Sweetwater	Boss ES-5 $527.99 View at Sweetwater	Boss MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher $469.99 View at Sweetwater	Voodoo Lab PX-8 Plus 8-loop Pedal Switcher $399.99 View at Sweetwater
# of Loops	8	5	3	8
# of Footswitches	12	7	4	8
MIDI Ports	5-pin In/Out/Thru	5-pin In/Out/Thru	5-pin Out	5-pin In/Out
Mono/Stereo	Mono and Stereo	Mono	Mono Loops, Stereo Out	Mono
True Bypass Loops	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Buffered In/Out	Yes (switchable)	Yes (switchable)	Yes	Yes
User Presets	800	200	200	36
Software Editor	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

Feature	Voodoo Lab HEX Audio Switcher $299.99 View at Sweetwater	DPC Micro Compact Loop Switching Controller $189.99 View at Sweetwater	Discontinued Electro-Harmonix Super Switcher Price unavailable View at Sweetwater for reference
# of Loops	6	3	8
# of Footswitches	0	3	16
MIDI Ports	5-pin In/Out	5-pin In/Out	5-pin In/Out
Mono/Stereo	Mono	Mono	Mono and Stereo
True Bypass Loops	Yes	Yes	Yes
Buffered In/Out	Yes	No	Yes (switchable)
User Presets	n/a	0	128
Software Editor	No	Yes	No

Common Questions About MIDI Loop Switchers

Q: If I have MIDI pedals, do I need to dedicate a loop to each one, or can I just turn them on/off with MIDI messages instead of turning loops on/off?

A: You can certainly use a MIDI loop switcher to turn your MIDI effects on and off, so you can place them all in the same loop and save the other loops for your non-MIDI effects.

Q: How do I chain multiple MIDI pedals together without signal issues?

A: If you try to daisy-chain more than a couple MIDI pedals, you can run into latency and signal issues. The best solution is to use a MIDI thru box or MIDI splitter, like the MIDI Solutions MultiVoltage Quadra Thru 1-in 4-out MIDI Through Box. This will take the MIDI output from your MIDI loop switcher and turn it into four separate outputs (larger and smaller through boxes are available, too), eliminating issues with latency and signal voltage.

Q: Can I use a MIDI loop switcher with non-MIDI pedals and amps?

A: Absolutely! Place each non-MIDI pedal in its own loop and configure your custom switching configurations however you like. For amp control, some MIDI loop switchers feature dedicated outputs for your amp’s external footswitch jacks: you’ll want to look for this functionality if amp control is a priority for you.

If you do have MIDI effects pedals, you can connect them to your MIDI loop switcher’s MIDI output and send them MIDI commands as you switch their loops in and out. This way you can change presets and parameters while toggling the loop with a single press of a footswitch.

Q: Should I buy an all-in-one unit, or a MIDI loop switcher and a MIDI controller separately?

A: If you run a simple rig with many non-MIDI effects pedals, you’ll probably be happiest with a MIDI loop switcher that has built-in footswitches: you can use it to switch your pedals in any configuration you wish, and you can send/receive external MIDI if you need to.

For more complicated rigs with many MIDI-capable pedals, you’ll have more control and creative flexibility if you combine a dedicated MIDI controller floorboard and a dedicated multi-effects MIDI loop switcher. The multi-effects loop switcher will handle your audio routing and switching needs, while the MIDI controller floorboard will give you much deeper access to your pedals’ MIDI capabilities than most MIDI loop switchers can provide.

Q: How many loops do I really need? Can I run multiple pedals in a single loop?

A: You probably do not need a dedicated loop for every effects pedal on your board. For example, you don’t need a loop for your tuner pedal, and some MIDI loop switchers feature a dedicated tuner output anyway. Likewise, you can place “always on” pedals like your overdrive in front of the loop switcher: this could also be a good place for pedals that sound best first in the chain, like some fuzz pedals. And you can certainly place more than one effects pedal in a loop, as long as you intend to toggle them simultaneously.

Q: Do MIDI loop switchers support stereo effects pedals?

A: Some effects switching systems support stereo audio paths, and some do not. If you use a single stereo pedal at the end of your pedal chain, like a stereo reverb, you could consider placing it at the end of your loop switcher’s primary output. If stereo effects are a big part of your core sound, you’ll want to look for a programmable loop switcher with stereo loop paths and a stereo output. Some effects switching systems may provide stereo audio paths on single TRS cable jacks (requiring a Y-cable for unbalanced stereo connectivity): be sure to check the specs to know for sure if a switcher supports stereo or not.

Q: Can a programmable effects switcher handle preset changes mid-song without pops or delays?

A: Multi-effects loop switchers with relay-based switching will make changes without any pops or clicks, no problem. Where you may encounter unwanted changes in your sound is with delay and reverb pedals: they may have a “trails” feature to make them decay naturally after you shut them off, but that won’t be effective when you turn off the loop entirely. If that’s a problem for you, use MIDI-capable pedals and toggle them with MIDI messages to retain their trails functionality.

Q: How do I program presets and MIDI commands without needing a PhD?

A: Look for a MIDI loop switching system with a graphical editor app that simplifies the process of assigning channels, CC and PC numbers, and accessing deeper functionality. Some switching systems may have a user-friendly front panel interface, and some may solely rely on a separate editor for all programming. If you don’t want to learn about MIDI programming to use a MIDI loop switcher, narrow down your choices based on number of loops and other priorities, and then check out their respective editor app options to see which one looks appealing. There are plenty of options out there that make programming easy with graphical interfaces and drag ’n’ drop programming.

Q: Will a MIDI loop switcher cause noise, tone suck, or ground loop hum?

A: Many effects switching systems on the market today employ isolated circuits and relay-based switches that keep noise to a minimum. Many loop switchers employ switchable true bypass or buffered operation. It’s important to understand when true bypass and buffers are a benefit to you: true bypass audio loops minimize the effect that your patch cables have on your tone when you turn off the loop. A buffered output eliminates the tone loss you’d experience from your instrument cable and the cable to your amp.

If you happen to use a programmable loop switcher that is completely true bypass all the way through, consider adding a buffered pedal (like a tuner pedal or a dedicated buffer box) to avoid tone loss. In other words, having at least one buffer in your signal chain is usually a good thing, but you really only “need” one single buffer in the chain to prevent high-frequency loss from your guitar and amp cables.

Q: How reliable are MIDI loop switchers? What’s the learning curve?

A: Pro guitarists including Ed O’Brien, Andy Timmons, Chris Buck, and Johnny Marr have been spotted using MIDI loop switchers for live performance, so we’d say they’re perfectly reliable for demanding stage performances. As far as the learning curve, that’s going to vary widely between products. We definitely recommend looking for the effects switcher that has all of the connectivity and switching options you need, and then checking out the user manual from the manufacturer’s website.

If you’re a video learner, do some YouTube research to see what programming a basic patch looks like. Doing this preliminary research will help you choose a switching system that feels relatively comfortable to work with. Programming MIDI loop switchers can be as simple and intuitive as drag ’n’ drop, or as complicated as selecting specific CC and Program Change messages. If you’re new to MIDI and programming it, take the time to research your top loop switcher options and see which one looks the simplest to program for your experience level.

Get the most out of your MIDI pedals with a dedicated controller pedal:
Check out this article to learn more about how to choose a MIDI controller pedal!