MOEN GEC8 LIVE Programmable True Bypass Looper with MIDI

There’s not a lot of information online about the MOEN GEC8 Live.
I was curious if it would work for me, so I bought it. Here’s what I learned while figuring it out:

The GEC8 Live is an 8 loop programmable effect switcher with a couple unique features:

1. Buffer Circuit
2. Switchable LR outputs
3. Tuner/Mute
4. 2 External contact closures
5. 1 Stereo Loop
6. Programmable MIDI PGM change on CH 1&2
7. External Footswitch with a handful of functions
8. It’s wonderfully small.
9. Momentary mute when engaging loops.

The manual is a bit confusing, and information online is limited so here’s what I’ve learned about it’s MIDI and quirky functions.

1. EMOTION – The emotion jack on the back simple connects via a TRS cable to an include external footswitch. This brings additional functionality to the product.

2. MIDI capability – The GEC8 LIVE can store 2 MIDI PGM change messages, for MIDI channel 1&2 with each preset. In addition the external footswitch can be programmed to send 1 of 10 preselected MIDI CC’s on channel 1. The status of the CC switch cannot be stored with a preset.

3. SHADOW – Each preset can have an alternate state MOEN calls a SHADOW mode. It allows you to toggle particular loops within a preset. You can set it up latching or momentary.

4. DIRECT ACCESS – The GEC8 does not have a direct access mode. In REHEARSAL mode you get direct access functionality, but the loop’s status will be stored when you leave REHEARSAL model into the current preset.

MODES:

There are 4 modes:
RECALL (PERFORMANCE) , REHEARSAL (DIRECT ACCESS), MIDI EDIT, SHADOW EDIT

RECALL mode fires the presets, recalling the status of the 8 loops, 2 FS contacts, the 2 outputs and the 2 MIDI PGM changes.

REHEARSAL (press and hold MUTE|PGM for 2 seconds to enter and exit) takes you to a Direct Access mode. When you leave this mode it will store your settings with the current preset. The MUTE button in REHEARSAL mode cycles though the external FS contacts closures. The BANK button cycles though the OUTPUT variations.

MIDI EDIT – (press and hold BANK for 2 seconds to enter and exit) The manual needs a rewrite. It’s actually pretty simple. The period in the character display indicates the MIDI channel you’re editing. No period = CH1, Period = CH2. It cycles back and forth though the channel 1 and channel 2 settings. Setting the MIDI PGM number was confusing at first, but it’s pretty simple. MIDI PGM’s range from 000~127. The BANK BUTTON cycles though the second and 3rd digits: 00X, 01X, 02X, 03X, 04X, 05X, 06X, 07X, 08X, 09X, 10X, 11X, 12X, Buttons 1~8, MUTE (9) and EXT (0) Select the X value. So to get PGM 054. Press bank 5 times, then press LOOP 4. To be clear it takes two button presses to select your 3 digit PGM number. Once you’ve made your selection the PERIOD will indicate you’re on CH 2 and you’ll get to select that PGM in the same manner.

SHADOW EDIT – (press and hold EXT for 2 seconds to enter and exit). SHADOW EDIT stores 3 modifiers with a preset:

A) Loops within a preset to toggle in/out
B) A Latching MIDI CC function from a handful of preselected options: 0=CC64 (Momentary – Tap Tempo), 1=CC81 (Momentary – Tap Tempo), 2=CC11 (Latching 0/127), 3=CC102 (Latching 0/127), 4=CC23@40, 5=CC23@50, 6=CC23@60, 7=CC15@80, 8=CC15@100, 9=CC15@120
C) An FS1 contact override. Normally Open, Normally closed, latching or momentary.

QUIRKS:

1. EXT (Shadow) functions momentarily mute the signal life preset changes.
2. The loop LED indicators don’t light in REHEARSAL (Direct Access Mode)

Some suggestions for MOEN:

1. Let me store a pair of CC values and fire them with each preset. That way I could drive my Strymon bypass as part of a preset. Add it to the MIDI EDIT page.
2. Give me a Direct Access mode, similar to REHEARSAL mode but that does not store the loop settings to the preset.
3. Loop LED’s should always light to indicate which loops are active, in both RECALL and REHEARSAL modes.

Here’s a scan of the MOEN GEC8 LIVE Owner’s Manual V3.0