BLESync: Wireless Synchronization Between Computers and Tap Tempo Effect Pedals

 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. In this demo, I present BLESync, 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.