From presets to specs, pros and cons, all that Nektar'southward Pacer tin can and tin can't exercise, Sound-EconoMix'southward Guide to the Pacer has got y'all covered.

If you're an owner or just thinking almost getting a Pacer, this guide will provide you with information and tips to get the Pacer to work for you!

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Pacer Review

Nektar is known as a maker of MIDI keyboards, and they make good ones. Then why branch into foot controller? And how exercise they stack up?

Pacer has real strengths and is unique as both a MIDI and DAW foot controller. It'due south sturdy, rather easy to learn to apply, versatile, and is playable equally an instrument.

Most of its faults lie with Nektar'southward lack of a firmware update and boosted customization batches for DAWs similar Ableton and gear like the HX Stomp.

The Good

Nektar's Pacer fills in a unique niche amid the dozens of MIDI pes controllers on the market. It has a solid build, intelligent design, relative ease of use, and it has a good array of functions.

Integration

Nektar was articulate to call this a "MIDI DAW" controller. And it stands out from its contest for having excellent integration with Logic, GarageBand, MainStage, Bitwig, and more.

It also provides out-of-the-box presets that can be used with Line6 and Helix products, Kemper, Avid Xi, Fractal Sound AxeFX, Hughes and Kettner GrandMeister, Elektron's Octatrack, and Electro-Harmonix'due south 45000 Looper.

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Pacer also has tons of connections (in case 10 programmable pedals isn't enough for you). You lot can add 2 external expression pedals, and 2 sets of external pedal jacks can be doubled with a Y-cable to requite you four external footswitches and four amp switches.

If you're playing a Line6, Avid 11, or Kemper (for instance), this saves y'all having to buy some other external footswitch.

And equally is hinted in Pacer's integration with Electro-Harmonix's 45000 Looper, this foot controller can exist integrated with any effects pedal that accepts MIDI.

Tip: Information technology no secret that the chief difference between some pedals and their more expensive older siblings is the presence of foot controllers (particularly in the looper world). Pacer's easy navigation between presets allows y'all to control a looper, DAW, amp, effects rack, etc. with just the click of a button.

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The HX Stomp gives you lot all the aforementioned furnishings as the Helix, only the Stomp is virtually 1/3 the toll. If you tin live with half dozen versus Helix's 12 simultaneous effects, a MIDI pedal gives y'all switches similar the Helix at a much cheaper price.

Versatility

Y'all can also program any preset to send upwards to 16 MIDI letters automatically, which can be a life-saver. And so, for example, y'all can have the overdrive boot in automatically when yous select one preset, then turn back downwards with another.

The pedals can be programmed to the same CC numbers across presets. So if yous want your expression pedal 1 to always control volume, for example, that can remain consequent even if all other switches are different.

Build and Visuals

The Pacer is very solid, and its LEDs are nifty.

The buttons are smooth and, although they don't click, you get tactile feedback when you've pressed to engage the switch. We really like the lack of clicking for serenity gigs.

You lot can program the LEDs to pick their color and too whether you lot want the pedal, for case, dim when off and bright when engaged.

While y'all tin can color-code your switches, the simply text y'all tin can input is in the 5-figure LED screen.

Tip: try to utilise consistent coloring across your presets. For case, you might always have the switch you've mapped to overdrive be ruby-red, chorus as blueish, and play/pause dark-green.

In that location are icons (play, tape, patch upwards, etc) on the transport and rail modes. These are super clear and helpful.

Pacer equally Musical instrument

One added benefit of Pacer's layout is that it can exist played like an instrument. Its footswitches are solid, not clicky, and far plenty autonomously that you tin play drum beats or basslines on them without too much hassle.

The expression pedals tin also send pitch control information.

Pacer also has a preset for use with a keyboard (D3). These are its functions:

• Switch 1: Sustain (CC 64)
• Expression Pedal 1: Volume (CC 7)
• Expression Pedal two: Expression (CC 11)

The Bad

If you're playing to Pacer's strengths, it volition work great for you. And so if you're using supported DAWs and amps or MIDI mapping onto effects pedals, you'll be very happy.

But if you're looking for integration with non-supported DAWs, you may be less content.

The fact is that Pacer is long overdue for a robust firmware update. And Nektar's refusing to offering integration with Ableton Alive is really damaging the product's viability. Given the prevalence of improvisational musicians who work with Live, this fail is only curious.

But run into our hacks for using Pacer with Ableton.

At that place are also some features that you lot may need that Pacer cannot offer. For case, if you lot need a long stomp to plough off a looper (as is the example with the HX Stomp'southward looper), you can't practice that from Pacer.

Another big minus for some users might be Pacer's lack on integration with iOS.

See our comparison of the leading MIDI foot controllers.

Specs

Beneath are the specs as listed from Pacer'south manual.

• 10 programmable footswitch controls with RGB LEDs
• ane Preset footswitch for recalling presets & navigation
• 2 expression pedal sockets for connecting expression pedals
• 2 TRS jack connectors for upwards to 4 external footswitches (requires optional Y-cables to use all iv)
• ii TRS jack connectors for switching upwardly to iv amp functions such as reverb/tremolo/channel (Y-cable for access to all 4)
• MIDI output tin be used as a USB MIDI interface, for direct MIDI connection or both at the same time
• one encoder with push button switch for programming, navigation and • control
• 2 row LED display
• USB for connecting to a computer, USB host or USB power supply (for power only)
• DC 9V / 600mA, center negative power supply socket (PSU not included)
• RGB LEDs for each footswitch
• 24 user-configurable presets
• ii read-only presets for DAW track and ship control
• Up to 16 MIDI messages or relay switches tin can be activated instantly when a preset is recalled
• Upwardly to six steps programmable for each control inside a preset, each sending a MIDI messages or executing an activeness
• Steps tin be sent in one shot when a switch control is pressed, or in a sequence of presses
• Option to setup steps as sub presets, expanding preset use across conventional use
• MIDI LED feedback for MIDI CC letters
• MMC and Mackie MCU-support for remote compatibility with virtually any DAW
• Nektar DAW integration for Send and Rails command consummate with defended presets and icons

Pacer's Software Editor

Pacer's manual consignment of its MIDI controls is pretty easy and quick to do with their control knob. Withal, for larger reorganization, information technology's easier to practise on a computer.

Unfortunately, the folks at Nektar never bothered to brand a software editor for the Pacer. In that location is, however, a very functional 3rd-political party app designed by Francois Georgy, available here.

Please note that you must use Chrome or Opera with the web-app.

Here's our tutorial on using Francois' software editor.

What are Pacer's Manufactory Presets?

Pacer comes with 24 factory presets. You can supervene upon or modify any of them.

Thirteen of these are for use with specific devices.

Nektar has likewise designed patches for integration with the following DAWs, amps, apps, and equipment.

Preset Number	Title	Functions of Switches 1-6
B1	Line6 Helix 1	Assigned to control Helix pedals ane-5, snapshot, set listing, tuner and tap tempo. Link to Line6 Presets.
B2	Line6 Helix ii	Assigned to control Helix pedals vi-ten, snapshot, gear up list, tuner and tap tempo. Link to Line6 Presets.
B3	Line6 Pod HD	Controls Pod HD pedals 1-8, tuner and tap tempo. Link to Line6 Presets.
B4	Line6 Pod ii.0/Xt	Turn private effects on and off on Pod XT. Link to Line6 Presets.
B5	Fractal Audio AxeFX 1	Assigned to switch individual page 1 furnishings on and off, tuner, and tap tempo
B6	Fractal Sound AxeFX	2 Assigned to switch individual page 2 effects on and off, tuner, and tap tempo.
C1	Avid Eleven Rack	Turn individual Gorging 11 Rack furnishings on and off, tuner, and tap tempo.
C2	Kemper Profiler	Plough individual Kemper Profiler effects on and off, tuner, and tap tempo. Link to Kemper Profiler Preset.
C3	Line6 PodHD/Helix Looper	Control Pod HD and Helix Looper functions. Link to Line6 Presets.
C4	Fractal Audio AxeFX Looper	Control Axe–FX Looper functions
C5	Elektron Octatrack Pickup Car	Navigate Octatrack Pickup Automobile tracks and control Looper functions. Link to Octatrack Preset.
C6	Electro Harmonix 45000 Looper	Navigate EHX 45000 tracks and control Looper functions. Our guide to 45000 with Pacer.
D1	Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister	Switches channels and main features on/off likewise as using the multiple steps feature on EXP2: The pedal controls a different parameter depending on switch 2-five pressed prior to using information technology: SW1= Channel 1-iv, SW2= Boost, SW3= Modern FX, SW4= Delay, SW5= Reverb, SW6=Gate EXP1= Volume(soft), EXP2= Depending on SW2-5 (press earlier using EXP2) Gain/Mod FX Int/Filibuster Mix/Reverb Mix FS1= Program Up (0-9) / FS2= Program Downwardly (9-0) Links to H&Yard GrandMeister Preset and H&K GrandMeister Tone Command Preset.

How exercise I detect Pacer's Patch for my DAW?

When you register your Pacer, y'all'll select which DAW you'll be using.

So, when you run into the available downloads, including the current firmware, yous'll too see the patch for your DAW.

Y'all tin but have a patch for one DAW at a fourth dimension installed on your Pacer.

Larn how to install the patch for Apple'southward Logic and GarageBand from our tutorial (it also shows how to install downloaded sysex files):

Manuals

These are all of the electric current manuals and guides for the Pacer. They have individual guides for some DAWs that are available when you register your Pacer and select which DAW you lot'll be using.

• Pacer User's Guide
• Creating and Customizing Presets for Pacer
• Utility and Template Presets for Pacer
• Activating and Editing Steps
• MainStage Setup and Troubleshooting
• Line6 Presets
• Kemper Profiler Preset
• Octatrack Preset
• Yamaha Genos Arranger Workstation Preset
• AxeFXII Presets
• H&1000 GrandMeister Preset
• H&Chiliad GrandMeister Tone Control Preset

Template

Here'due south a blank template you lot tin can download to keep rail your own custom presets.

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