BLESync

JP Carrascal (2019)
A Bluetooth device for synchronizing tap-tempo guitar pedals to computer DAWs
BLESync Device
Electric guitar players often rely on a disparate combination of pedals, whose effects are an essential aspect of the performance language. Many of these effects feature time-based parameters such as delay time or modulation frequency. In a performance incorporating computers and guitars, these parameters should ideally be synchronized with the song tempo as determined by software. While some modern effect pedals incorporate MIDI inputs that can be used for synchronization, a large amount of them require tempo to be "tapped" by stepping on an additional footswitch.

BLESync is a simple MIDI Bluetooth LE device that facilitates the synchronization between a computer and multiple tap tempo-based devices. A wireless connection allows better physical onstage independence between the computer and the guitar performer.

Publication:

JP Carrascal. (2019, November 18). BLESync: Wireless Synchronization Between Computers and Tap Tempo Effect Pedals. Combined proceedings of the Nordic Sound and Music Computing Conference 2019 and the Interactive Sonification Workshop 2019. Full paper (Zenodo)