Fast Forward Designs MIDI Step: The King of bass pedals

I’ve had my hands—and feet—on a handful of MIDI pedal boards, and the MIDI Step is easily the strongest, with the best features. For some people, it’s over designed. At about 18.5 pounds, it's heavy... but that's because it's almost entirely metal. For gigs or tours, it can take a pounding. Only the molded key tips and buttons are made of strong plastic.

The features go far beyond step-on-a-key-to-trigger-a-MIDI-note. Sure, it can change octaves. But it can also layer the same pitch at a second octave. It can sustain the note you tap after you remove pressure, easily playing legato phrases or holding drones. The MIDI Step also can keep triggering the same note at an adjustable speed to pulse periodically or quickly sputter. Toggle these bonus controls on and off with dedicated buttons as you play.

The over-designed features put it into a mode where it doesn’t trigger notes. I guess you’d play a keyboard normally and use the MIDI Step levers to sustain, activate portamento (glide), control voice modulation, and a few more. Maybe it's useful for some? The only design shortcoming is that it can transmit on MIDI channels 1-13, skipping 14-16… but on a practical basis, this would almost never matter.

This MIDI Step is in great condition. Physically, the case has moderate scuffs, and the key tips are moderately worn as pictured. Functionally, it's been fully serviced inside. Decades of internal oxidation have been cleaned from the front buttons; they work flawlessly now. All pedal switches have been cleaned and work great; all functions perform as they should.

Let's talk about the listing price. The MIDI Step is rare, but that doesn't make it valuable. Its incredible build quality and settings would make me pick this over a sad molded-plastic controller built today. I value it accordingly.

Power it with the included adapter, connect it to your MIDI synth or other device with the included 10-foot cable, and play. The rugged design and full features make this my favorite pedal board yet.