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Performers who wish to play with interactive computer
systems often use a foot-pedal connected to the
computer to allow them to trigger or control the
computer's sound playback in some way. Composers who
write interactive computer-music pieces can program
their software to react in various manners when a
foot-pedal command is received. For instance, instead
of creating a piece for live performance and tape,
where the pre-recorded material is exactly the same in
every performance, the composer might create a piece
of software that allows the performer to cue each
subsequent section of the piece by stepping on a foot
pedal. In this fashion, the composer can allow the
performer to control and shape the timing of different
sections of the piece in whatever way they might wish.
There are a number of different types of foot pedal controllers,
but the two most common are called continuous controllers and static controllers.
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Static controllers look like the sustain
pedal for a basic keyboard or synthesizer. They
consist of a basic trigger that sends a message when
the pedal is pressed and then sends a message again
when released. They are more useful for triggering
events in a score or turning on/off certain effects
for a performance. Basically, any simple operation
that could be triggered by one message (i.e. the pedal
being pressed or released) can best be performed with
a static controller.
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Continuous controllers generally are slightly larger
and when pressed will pivot through a range of motion,
sending values at small increments along the entire
range. These controllers can be used to control a
range of values, such as volume, panning, or the level
of a certain effect or type of processing.
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