Nano Cortex Notes #1

Struggling to Control It with the FS-1-WL

I recently switched my live main system from the BOSS GX-10 to the Neural DSP Nano Cortex.

BOSS GX-10

Neural DSP Nano Cortex

I decided to keep using the same MIDI footswitch I had with the GX-10 — the BOSS FS-1-WL.

BOSS FS-1-WL

However, I ran into more trouble than expected. So this article is both a record for myself and a reference for anyone trying to build a similar setup.

USB MIDI: Tried, but Failed

First, I tried connecting the FS-1-WL’s USB-B port directly to the Nano Cortex’s USB-C port.

No matter what I did, there was zero response. In the end, I concluded that this method simply doesn’t work.

The cable I used was one from AliExpress. To rule out the cable itself, I connected the FS-1-WL to a PC via USB-C and checked the signals using a MIDI monitoring tool — and it worked perfectly there.

So it seems like an issue on the Nano Cortex side.

I double-checked MIDI CC settings multiple times, but never found the cause and eventually gave up.

If anyone has successfully made USB MIDI between FS-1-WL and Nano Cortex work, please let me know…

MIDI monitoring tool — useful for checking CC numbers and values.

TRS MIDI: Success… with a Catch

Accepting that USB MIDI wasn’t an option, I moved on to using TRS MIDI:

FS-1-WL MIDI OUT → Nano Cortex TRS MIDI

First Attempt: Generic TRS Cable (Failed)

At first, I tried using a random TRS cable I had lying around.

Since the FS-1-WL uses a 3.5mm mini jack, I connected it like this:

FS-1-WL MIDI OUT
↓
Mini jack adapter
↓
TRS cable
↓
Nano Cortex MIDI/EXP

This did not work.

Apparently, TRS MIDI wiring standards vary by manufacturer, and honestly… it’s confusing.

Second Attempt: BOSS Official TRS MIDI Cable (Success)

So I switched to a BOSS official TRS MIDI cable.

This one

Both ends of this cable are 3.5mm mini jacks, so on the Nano Cortex side I still needed a phone jack adapter.

The final connection looked like this:

FS-1-WL MIDI OUT
↓
BOSS official TRS MIDI cable
↓
phone jack adapter
↓
Nano Cortex MIDI/EXP

And finally — the Nano Cortex received MIDI signals correctly 🎉

Final Thoughts (For Now)

I still don’t know why USB MIDI didn’t work, but at least I can now control the Nano Cortex from the FS-1-WL — so I’ll call it a win.

In fact, giving up USB MIDI had an unexpected upside: I can now use MIDI power, which means one less power source to worry about during rehearsals. That’s actually super convenient.

The expression pedal also works perfectly, sending signals via MIDI CC1, so no issues there.

Next time, I’ll probably write about actual usability and impressions after real-world use.

To be continued… 🎸