Effects to supplement your AxeFX 3?

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The Axe can do just about everything except convert a polyphonic guitar signal to polyphonic synth sounds. I use these four specialized EHX pedals in the 3/4 in/out loops to make up for that. I’m able to turn them on/off individually on my FC-12. My output 1 LR is guitar only and output 2 LR are synth tones which gives more control on the mixing board.
 
Marcel said:
View attachment 89997

The Axe can do just about everything except convert a polyphonic guitar signal to polyphonic synth sounds. I use these four specialized EHX pedals in the 3/4 in/out loops to make up for that. I’m able to turn them on/off individually on my FC-12. My output 1 LR is guitar only and output 2 LR are synth tones which gives more control on the mixing board.
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How are you configuring the FC to turn these on and off? I’ve been trying to figure out a way to do this.
 
grandinq said:
How are you configuring the FC to turn these on and off? I’ve been trying to figure out a way to do this.
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Heavy-Synth9.jpg

Here's a sample preset I use with the Synth 9 enabled by default on most scenes. I have each pedal input wired from outputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R. If you follow the signal chain starting in the upper left you'll notice I feed Input 1 into Output 3 and Output 4 right after the Pitch Block (used for virtual capo).

The magic to turn the pedals on/off comes from the VolPan blocks after Inputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R. Connect the output of each pedal to these inputs. I use 4 VolPan blocks for Inputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R, each one set with "Left Only" Input Select or "Right Only" Input Select depending which one I'm trying to target. Also important is the Pan Left and Pan Right are set all the way in each direction. Set the Bypass Modes to "Mute" so each of the pedals are turned off independently when you disable the VolPan blocks with your FC-12.

As you can see Outputs 1L, 1R are only for guitar and Outputs 2L, 2R are just the synth tones. Another interesting thing on this preset is that Input 2 is used to feed the audio from my Roland GR-55 for my guitars that have a hex pickup. The signal from the GR-55 also can be turned on/off with the FC-12 by just enabling/disabling the Input 2 block.

One more thing, that Comp Block on the third line is to act as a limiter to prevent too much signal from multiple pedals clipping the audio.
 
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Marcel said:
View attachment 89997

The Axe can do just about everything except convert a polyphonic guitar signal to polyphonic synth sounds. I use these four specialized EHX pedals in the 3/4 in/out loops to make up for that. I’m able to turn them on/off individually on my FC-12. My output 1 LR is guitar only and output 2 LR are synth tones which gives more control on the mixing board.
Click to expand...
Would love to hear some clips of your setup. I'm sucker for guitar synth sounds.
 
Marcel said:
View attachment 90000

Here's a sample preset I use with the Synth 9 enabled by default on most scenes. I have each pedal input wired from outputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R. If you follow the signal chain starting in the upper left you'll notice I feed Input 1 into Output 3 and Output 4 right after the Pitch Block (used for virtual capo).

The magic to turn the pedals on/off comes from the inputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R. I use 4 VolPan blocks for Inputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R, each one set with "Left Only" Input Select or "Right Only" Input Select depending which one I'm trying to target. Also important is the Pan Left and Par Right are set all the way in each direction. Set the Bypass Modes to "Mute" so each of the pedals are turned off independently when you disable the VolPan blocks with your FC-12.

As you can see Outputs 1L, 1R are only for guitar and Outputs 2L, 2R are just the synth tones. Another interesting thing on this preset is that Input 2 is used to feed the audio from my Roland GR-55 for my guitars that have a hex pickup. The signal from the GR-55 also can be turned on/off with the FC-12 by just enabling/disabling the Input 2 block.

One more thing, that Comp Block on the third line is to act as a limiter to prevent too much signal from multiple pedals from clipping the audio.
Click to expand...

Wow that is so well thought out. Thanks for sharing!
 
I just recently got the Freqout after trying the various methods that people were using to get feedback. They were close, but was just missing a little bit for me. The Freqout is good, but also not the same as real feedback from a speaker.

Everything else in the Axe is awesome. FX are world class in my opinion.
 
Brian Coonan said:
I just recently got the Freqout after trying the various methods that people were using to get feedback. They were close, but was just missing a little bit for me. The Freqout is good, but also not the same as real feedback from a speaker.

Everything else in the Axe is awesome. FX are world class in my opinion.
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The most underestimated guitar pedal IMO. I have one that I haven't used since I added active sustainer systems to my guitars but I keep it around because it's really unique and I know I'll end up using it one day.
 
Marcel said:
The most underestimated guitar pedal IMO. I have one that I haven't used since I added active sustainer systems to my guitars but I keep it around because it's really unique and I know I'll end up using it one day.
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Have often thought about adding the sustainer to my guitars, but I'm just not a huge fan of active electronics - I know it's dumb, but it really bugs me to have to be concerned about a battery in my guitar with all the other things going on (batteries for IEMs, guitar wireless, good cables, not forgetting stuff at a show, etc)

I do think the sustainers or Sustaniac or whatever version is out there - are super cool sounding though.
 
Brian Coonan said:
Have often thought about adding the sustainer to my guitars, but I'm just not a huge fan of active electronics - I know it's dumb, but it really bugs me to have to be concerned about a battery in my guitar with all the other things going on (batteries for IEMs, guitar wireless, good cables, not forgetting stuff at a show, etc)

I do think the sustainers or Sustaniac or whatever version is out there - are super cool sounding though.
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I totally hear ya. I had to create a preflight checklist for gigs so I don't forget. If you ever decide to get a sustainer system I can assure you the batteries last a very long time. To save money I purchased rechargeable 9 volt batteries from Amazon and I change them once a month. They'll last 3 months easy but I like being safe and change them often.

Rechargeable 9 Volt Batteries with Charger
 
Marcel said:
View attachment 90000

Here's a sample preset I use with the Synth 9 enabled by default on most scenes. I have each pedal input wired from outputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R. If you follow the signal chain starting in the upper left you'll notice I feed Input 1 into Output 3 and Output 4 right after the Pitch Block (used for virtual capo).

The magic to turn the pedals on/off comes from the VolPan blocks after Inputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R. Connect the output of each pedal to these inputs. I use 4 VolPan blocks for Inputs 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R, each one set with "Left Only" Input Select or "Right Only" Input Select depending which one I'm trying to target. Also important is the Pan Left and Par Right are set all the way in each direction. Set the Bypass Modes to "Mute" so each of the pedals are turned off independently when you disable the VolPan blocks with your FC-12.

As you can see Outputs 1L, 1R are only for guitar and Outputs 2L, 2R are just the synth tones. Another interesting thing on this preset is that Input 2 is used to feed the audio from my Roland GR-55 for my guitars that have a hex pickup. The signal from the GR-55 also can be turned on/off with the FC-12 by just enabling/disabling the Input 2 block.

One more thing, that Comp Block on the third line is to act as a limiter to prevent too much signal from multiple pedals from clipping the audio.
Click to expand...

Brilliant. I am going to refigure the way I route my outboard loopers based on this. Thanks for sharing the idea.
 
Not sure you would call it an effect, but the looper in the Ace Fx Iii is pretty basic. So if you are into looping you will likely want to add that. Fractal has pretty much said that themselves in the past. I wish there was a looper as definitively awesome as the Axe Fx III is in a rack, but I have not found one. I have most recently been using a headrush looperboard and played with the Aeros and various Boss loopers. They all have pros and cons. Looperlative is a rack and had the potential to the fractal of loopers, but I had one in the day about a decade ago and went through a period of wonky support and firmware challenges with its creator and moved on.
 
parkerfly2 said:
Not sure you would call it an effect, but the looper in the Ace Fx Iii is pretty basic. So if you are into looping you will likely want to add that. Fractal has pretty much said that themselves in the past.
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I use a pair of GIbson EDPs in the loops, and an 856 for Zellersasn, which might be the strangest looper of them all.

I find using the Hold function on the Delays to be better the the Fractal Looper for anything more exciting than basic backing tracks.
 
Chorus,tuner, wha, whammy and fuzz external.

The one in the axe are not bad, just the stomp are better to me for these effects .
 
Thought I would want to keep some of my pedals. After a week I sold all of them.

Only thing I kept was a dedicated looper because there isn't a ton of flexibility with the FAS looper block
 
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