Axe2 Preset building

we're up on fw18..
I have 5 presets of this new experimental generation..
I fixed up one of them due to the tonal changes in fw18, and let the global blocks take care of the other 4 presets for me..

these new presets are mental sounding..

and there's been a small layout change that has improved the preset's performance..
there are 2 new PEQ's [set 'flat' so they do not alter the EQ] which are basically behaving as on/off switches for the signal path.
the one in ROW1 must be active to allow the signal to pass through the mixer
so it'll be active when the PEQ's in row's 2 or 3 are active [enabling the cross-fade]
when the PEQ in row4 is active, the PEQ's in rows 1, 2 and 3 are bypass=mute
this therefore routes around the the mixer and effectively shuts off the cross-fading [which I want on my clean scenes]..

 
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Cool new way to utilize a PEQ! Simply amazing how much you are able to slot in, while staying under the critical percentage. Keep thinking outside the box, and it is truly nuts how good this black box sounds with FW18b. Thanks for sharing your finds.
 
essentially, the FIL, VOL and 2 of the PEQ blocks are doing the job of modifiers outside of the blocks you'd normally place them in.
This is to overcome some of the inflexibilities of the way that modifiers currently work.

the FIL blocks have the effect of assigning multiple modifiers to the amp's input-trim, each with it's own curve and min/max settings
FIL4 actually does nothing at all so it's active like a 'modifier off' switch.

the VOL blocks have a modifier assigned to behave as if a modifier were assigned to the input-gain of the delay / reverb.
when these blocks mute, it's like turning these modifiers off.

the ROW1 PEQ has no EQ setting [it's flat], and it allows the signal to pass into the MIX block for cross-fading with either the PEQ on ROW2 or ROW3.
The ROW2 and ROW3 PEQ's have the low's and highs boosted so that when XP1 moves to heel the lows and highs are boosted [to prevent the tone from thinning out as it cleans].
The ROW4 PEQ is also set flat and is used to route around the MIX block so no cross-fade happens at all.
I only want to cross-fade the PEQ when dirty tones clean [preventing thinning]. The clean tones don't need this so using the ROW4 PEQ to route past the MIX block prevents the clean tone from getting the lows and highs boosted when XP1 moves to heel. XP1 can now be used with the clean tones to do other things.. like fade in the delay and strengthen the reverb as it moves to heel [whilst the clean tone's EQ remains constant]..

simple solutions.. but they work beautifully..
and they've opened up a whole new level of elegance and capability to my presets..
 
I should make some recordings of these presets for you guys..
prob though is that my soundcloud has run out of space..
maybe I need to create another account or look for an alternative way to host my new Axe clips..
 
would it help you guys if I took screen shots of each scene so you can see what's active, what's not, with a description of how / why???
 
k.. I'll look into sorting that..
but for starters, just on the "basic" preset so we can nail the fundamental principles
 
as I already have the pic... let's start with Scene1

Scene1 = Riff
features:
amp1-X = 5153Red, panned hard left [no modifiers assigned]
amp2-X = Herbert ch3, panned hard right [no modifiers assigned]
XP1: toe=full-on riff, heel='cleaned to a light crunch"
the cleaned tone remains as dry as the riffing tone. this means that it's just like turning down the volume from the guitar - so no fx are introduced / altered
this is good for songs that require lighter dirty tone during a specific moment in a song like an intro, during a breakdown in the middle of a song, or for backing off in a song that has lighter verses.. so this cleaned tone is not ambient.. it simply "backs off" the power just enough that light playing can be quite clean, stronger playing will fire it up a little..

MFC-101
IA1: none / c1 CC:34, value min=0 max=0 [this calls up scene1] / c2 CC:20, value min=0 max=0 [assigned to modifier extern5]



Col3: Comp: the mix parameter is assigned to XP1. XP1 toe: mix=0 so no compression, XP1 heel: mix=100 so the compression can thicken the cleaned tone

Col4: Filters have the level parameter assigned to XP1. XP1 toe is max level [how dirty the amp gets], XP1 heel is the min level [how clean the amp gets]. This is used to replicate assigning a modifier to the amp: input-trim. The filters therefore control the amount of gain on the tone.
FIL1 is only for amp1
FIL2 is only for amp2
FIL3 / FIL4 are muted because they are used in other scenes

Col7: PEQ Row1 has no EQ and is only there to allow the signal to pass into the mixer. PEQ Row2 has boosted lows and highs.
XP1 toe: mixer gain1 is up, gain2 is down so only the signal in Row1 [through the un-EQ'd PEQ] is used
XP1 heel: mixer gain1 is down, gain2 is up so only the signal in Row2 [through the PEQ that boosts the low and hi] is used
this thickens the cleaned tone

Col10: VOL is assigned to XP1. This is behaving like the REV: input gain.
XP1: toe the VOL level is very very low [almost off] so only the smallest amount of reverb is applied to the dirty tone
XP1: heel the VOL level is higher [set to taste] so a larger amount of reverb is applied to the dirty tone
note though that in the reverb itself, the input-gain is assigned to scene controller 1. Scene Controller 1: scene1 is set very low to further "dry out" this tone.. the outcome is that with XP1 toe, the reverb is almost inaudible, and at heel the reverb is very very small [but a little less so] so the tone still seems as though it's dry..
personally I don't like "bone dry" tones.. if I want "bone dry", they'll still have reverb.. but so small as to be almost [but not] none..

Col12: GEQ sets the final EQ and lever got scene1
the other GEQ blocks are specific to other scenes. They are therefore bypass=mute
 
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Scene2 = Solo
features:
amp1-X = 5153Red, panned centre this is achieved via a modifier assigned to the balance parameter [MIDI CC 20 value min=127 max=127]
amp2-X bypass=mute
XP1: toe=full-on riff, heel='cleaned to a light crunch"
the strength of the delay and reverb for the cleaned tone remains constant [so it does not strengthen as XP1 moves from heel to toe]
keeping the reverb and delay constant is achieved by the VOL blocks in front of the delay and reverb blocks being bypassed [thru].
This essentially switches off the modifiers that are used to control the strength of the delay and reverb.
The PITCH block is active in this scene. It's input-gain is assigned to XP1 so that as it moves to heel, a very gentle [almost unnoticeable] stereo chorus effect increases in strengthen and sweeten the cleaned tone.

MFC-101
IA2: none / c1 CC:34, value min=1 max=1 [this calls up scene1] / c2 CC:20, value min=127 max=127 [assigned to modifier extern5]



Col4: FIL3 is now active. With XP1 at heel the level does not drop as low as FIL1 and FIL2 so the cleaned tone is dirtier than the cleaned riff tone. With XP1 at toe, the FIL3 level is right up at 10dB. This behaves like switching on the boost switch and provide much more gain for soloing with.

Col7: the PEQ on Row3 is now active. This one does not boost the highs and the boost to the lows is smaller than the PEQ used for the Riff scene. This is because the Solo tone does not clean quite so far and therefore does not need quite so much EQ fixing.

Col9 and Col10: the three VOL blocks are muted to prevent a change in the amount of reverb and delay as the tone cleans [effectively switching of the modifiers used to control this].

Col12: GEQ2 is now active. This provides the level boost for the soloing tone and also rolls off the extreme highs and lows a little to compensate for the higher volume level. Remember the Fletcher Munson stuff: more volume will be perceived as if the extreme lows and highs are boosted. So this GEQ lightly tames this effect.
Note: in my live version of this preset, the highs and low will both be a little lower still. This is because gig volume is so much higher, so the increased level for the soloing tone can make the speaker cones push too hard [due to the lows], and the highs will get ice-picky / shrill.
 
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Thanks so much for taking the time to do all of this!!!!! U are much appreciated. Been following u and your
thread since u first acquired the Axe!!
 
haaa.. in it for the long haul [through my relentless ramblings.. lmao]..

hopefully, some of all this stuff can help you guys to wring a little more capability out of your presets..
or improve the way your presets behave <-- looking back through this thread, you'll see that my own presets have been on a long evolutionary journey
or maybe spark some inspired new approach to preset building
 
Scene3 = Clean
features:
amp1-X bypass=mute
amp2-Y = 65 Bassman Normal
XP1: toe=uncompressed, thick clean tone with a moderate reverb
Xp1: heel= gently compressed, thick clean tone with a gentle chorus, moderate reverb and a hint of delay

MFC-101
IA3: none / c1 CC:34, value min=2 max=2 [this calls up scene1] / c2 CC:20, value min=127 max=127 [assigned to modifier extern5]




Col4: FIL3 is now active. With XP1 at heel the level does not drop as low as FIL1 and FIL2 so the cleaned tone is dirtier than the cleaned riff tone. With XP1 at toe, the FIL3 level is right up at 10dB. This behaves like switching on the boost switch and provide much more gain for soloing with.

Col3: as with all scenes that use the compressor, the mix parameter is assigned to XP1. XP1 toe: mix=0 so no compression, XP1 heel: mix=100. This very gently softens the clean tone and makes it a little less dynamic. The effect is quite subtle, but rather nice.

Col4: FIL4 is now active. FIL4 is set flat with its level set at 0dB so it does not alter the tone or signal strength in any way.
It essentially bypasses the modifiers used for cleaning the tones in the other scenes.

Col5: Amp1 is bypass=mute, Amp2 is active and switches to the Y side for the 65 Bassman Normal.

Col7 and Col8: Row4 PEQ and Shunt. These effectively bypass the other PEQ's and the Mix block so that when XP1 moves to heel, the clean tone is not altered [remember, the Row2 and Row3 PEQ's will boost the highs and lows as they cross-fade with the Row1 PEQ].
The Row1 PEQ also bypass=mute to prevent the signal from entering the Mix block.
This means that the signal path from the cab is unaltered as it travels to Col9.

Col9 and Col10: VOL and Delay. This VOL is assigned to XP1. This is behaving like the delay: input gain.
XP1: toe the VOL level is off so there is no delay at all.
XP1: heel the VOL level is higher [set to taste] so a little delay can be added to the clean tone
The actually maximum strength of the delay in this scene is set by Scene Controller 1 being applied to the Delay's input-gain

Col10: Pitch is set to create a gentle stereo chorus effect and has it's input-gain assigned to XP1.
XP1: toe the Pitch shifter is not being added to the tone
XP1: heel the Pitch shifter is added to the tone
The result is a gently compressed, gently chorusing, ambient tone with a hint of delay

Col10: VOL in Row3 is bypass=thru to ensure that the movement of XP1 does not alter the strength of the reverb [so it remains at a constant strength]. This is effectively switching of that modifier.

Col12: GEQ1 is used. This is the same GEQ as used by scene1: riff. This means therefore that the clean tone gets its EQ from the Amp: EQ page. The reason for this is that there are 5 scenes in use but only 4 GEQ's available. Given that the scene1 GEQ does not boost the signal level it made sense to use this one twice.
 
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You do realise that the Axe FX and MFC have effectively become part of your instrument? You've become like a cathedral organist, using pedals and stops to get your sound.
 
Roland said:
You do realise that the Axe FX and MFC have effectively become part of your instrument? You've become like a cathedral organist, using pedals and stops to get your sound.
Click to expand...

funny you mention this…. but yes.. the real time control becomes an expressive instrument in its own right..
you can ride it like riding a wah

I've been building presets similar to this for years.. long before I had the Axe..
all this real time control over tone actually begins to embed itself into your technique and playing style
it becomes a powerful part of your overall voice
 
now that I've got to the "joy point" with my fw18 presests
it's time to create the live versions of the presets.

These presets will be copied and they'll have the X [experimental] suffix replaced with the ST [studio] suffix.
Syb01 X17b will become Syb01 ST18a

the copies for live use will get the LV [live] suffix: Syb LV18a

the ST18a presets will be saved to the area in the Axe that is allocated to storing the studio presets for the band I'm working to create called Syberian
the LV18a presets will be saved to the "performance" area [slots 0 thru 5]

I've booked the largest room in a local studio next week so that I can dial-in the LV18a presets to my stage rig [GT1000FX / two Marshall 1960B 4x12 cabs] at gig levels...
a loud sesh fun day... yaayyy!!!

once this is all nailed, the newly dialled in LV18a presets will be saved to the area in the Axe that is allocated to storing the Syberian live presets ..

this is always fun..
 
so… a day in the studio playing with the Axe-FX II and my backline [Matrix GT1000FX and a pair of Marshall 1960B cabs]

all my live presets are now all dialled in..
the usual high volume tweaks were needed:
- back off the extreme ends of the EQ
- pull back the reverb a touch
- gate a touch harder

fw18 just rocks so hard.. it sounds mental..
what an awesome day..
 
It's decided….
these new presets are now my new stock ones..

love the tone.. love the feel.. love how they perform..

and with cab emulation shut down [cos I use real cabs], I'm the best part of 10%+ CPU better off..
so the XP's react perfectly…

done and dusted…
Clarky is a happy bunny..
 
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