New Multi Engage/ Bypass Message Type: Simplify Your MIDI Workflow
- Ben
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
If you’ve ever tried managing multiple pedals through a MIDI controller, you know how powerful—and sometimes painful—it can be. MIDI gives you complete control, but keeping track of which pedals should be on or off for each preset can quickly become tiresome.
Picture this: You have 8 pedals connected to your controller. For one preset, you only want 3 of them engaged. That means adding 5 separate bypass messages just to disengage the others. Multiply that across your setlist, and you've got a huge time suck.
We felt the same frustration, so we built a better way.
Meet the Multi Engage/Bypass Message
With the new Multi Engage/Bypass message type (available in firmware 3.13.5), you can set the bypass states of all your pedals with a single message. And it is available for all Morningstar MIDI controllers, both PRO and Standard.
Here’s how it works:
Select the Multi Engage/Bypass message type.
You’ll see checkboxes, each with the names of their corresponding connected MIDI devices.
Choose from three modes:
Engage: Engages only the checked devices.
Bypass: Bypasses only the checked devices.
Set: Engages checked devices and bypasses unchecked ones (our personal favorite).
With Set, you get instant visual clarity—checked pedals are engaged, and unchecked ones are bypassed.
Easy One-Time Setup
Before diving in, you'll need to first set up your Engage and Bypass messages:
In the Editor, go to Controller Settings > Edit MIDI Channel Settings.
For each channel, add the CC number and value for Engage and Bypass.
Example: The Kernom Ridge uses CC #28 (Value 127 for Engage, 0 for Bypass).
Do this once for each pedal, and you’re done.
From here on, you can control all your pedals’ states with just one Multi Engage/Bypass message. No more cluttered presets, or endless scrolling through CC commands.
Syncing Switch States with Actual Bypass States
If you’ve set up a page of toggle switches for individual effects, pair the Set Toggle message with Multi Engage/Bypass. This keeps your switch toggle states perfectly in sync with your pedals’ actual bypass states, easily making your rig feel seamless.
Why This Changes the Game
This feature isn’t just a time-saver. It’s a creativity enabler. You’ll spend much less time programming and more time doing what matters—making music.
Update your firmware to 3.13.5, try out the new Multi Engage/Bypass message type, and experience a more effortless, intuitive way to control your pedalboard!
