Wish Linked Amp and Cabinet channels

giantslayer

Experienced
It would be nice to be able to set different cabinet models for each amp channel. The amp and cabinet blocks each have 4 channels, so it makes sense if changing Amp 1 from channel A to channel B can also change Cab 1 from channel A to channel B. Of course, this would be a setting, not an automatic thing.

I think a reasonable mechanism to implement this would be master-slave switching. In this case, Cab 1 could be set as a slave to Amp 1. When Amp 1 is changed, Cab 1 changes to the same channel. Cab 1 could be changed separately, but whenever Amp 1 changes, Cab 1 changes with it.

This can taken a step further to where any block can have its channel setting slaved to another block. This could open up a lot of possibilities. I think this could alleviate some of the situations where people are asking for extra amp blocks* or more in-depth scene controls.


*Yes, I know a lot of people want multiple amp blocks because of latency, but for those who want it for other reasons, it could help.
 
This is covered by scenes. They’re even more powerful and flexible than what you’ve described.

Scenes are a little too powerful because they change the state of EVERY block. If, in the example above, if I wanted to change the Amp and Cab channels together without affecting the state of other blocks like Drive, Reverb, Delay, etc. the scene couldn't do that. To change just the amp and cab, you have to set up two different amps with different cabs and switch between them with a mixer block. Then that's where some people start asking for more than 2 amps even though they don't plan to use more than one or two simultaneously.
 
Of course, this would be a setting, not an automatic thing.
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This can taken a step further to where any block can have its channel setting slaved to another block. This could open up a lot of possibilities. I think this could alleviate some of the situations where people are asking for extra amp blocks* or more in-depth scene controls.

Scenes are a little too powerful because they change the state of EVERY block. If, in the example above, if I wanted to change the Amp and Cab channels together without affecting the state of other blocks like Drive, Reverb, Delay, etc. the scene couldn't do that.

You need more scenes, hence, to retain the status of no-amp/cab block.
 
This can do a lot to reduce the amount of buttons needed on the foot switch and also the amount of button presses to achieve the desired tone.
I'll illustrate a couple more examples of how this could be used beyond just linking Amp 1 and Cabinet 1.

Example A
Cab 1 and Drive 1 slaved to Amp 1.
This allow not only 4 different amp/cab combinations, but also the ability to set a different stomp box in front of each amp.
Channel A: Top Boost into AC30
Channel B: Tube Screamer into Fender
Channel C: Fuzz into Marshall
Channel D: RC Boost into Dumble
With this setup, all 4 combinations of amp/cab/drive require only 1 button press to switch and this setup requires only 5 buttons on the board (4 amp channels and drive on/off).

Example B
Cab 1, Amp 2, Cab 2, Mixer 1 slaved to Amp 1.
This would enable a user to create 4 combinations of amp/cabinet, with the option to have some of them as single amp and some as dual amp (the Mixer would be used to change from single to dual).
Channel A: Fender Twin
Channel B: Marshall Plexi
Channel C: Fender Tweed / Marshall Plexi
Channel D: Vox AC 30 (clean) / Vox AC 30 (dirty)

Each combination can be accessed with one button and this whole setup requires only 4 buttons the controller. This would be a great solution for users who want to change between different single/dual amp sounds without using scenes that affect all the other blocks.
 
Each combination can be accessed with one button and this whole setup requires only 4 buttons the controller. This would be a great solution for users who want to change between different single/dual amp sounds without using scenes that affect all the other blocks.
There are third party MIDI controllers that can already do this. The RJM can be set up to have a single switch step through channel selection on multiple blocks with each press. Would be nice to have the ability to do it from the FC as well.
 
iaresee said:
If we could assign an external controller to channel select you’d get this and potentially more.
This could be very powerful.

Can't you use MIDI to change channels? What am I missing here?
My idea would work with any controller capable of changing a channel on a block, which should include the FC and MIDI.

My understanding is the new FC units can only have one function mapped to each button (two if you count tap and hold) so its it's not capable of transmitting multiple channel change commands. However, with my idea, it only has to transmit one channel change and then the Axe also changes whatever channels are slaved it.
 
Can't you use MIDI to change channels? What am I missing here?
Yes. With a sufficiently powerful MIDI controller you can already do this. See my note above: you could do this with an RJM controller.

The FC, unfortunately, doesn't allow for this right now but if you could make controller assignment for scene selection it would. There are other ways to skin this cat but that way seems particularly awesome.
 
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Following up on this...

I figured out that I can accomplish the same thing by setting the channel functions of multiple blocks to use the same MIDI CC. For example, I have Amp 1 set to CC#11. By having Cab 1 and Drive 1 also set to CC#11, when I hit the switch on my midi controller that transmits CC#11, it will change all three of those simultaneously.

Of course, I don't have the FC yet so I can't test it, but it appears the same thing might be possible with the Control Switch functions because each of those can transmit 4 MIDI commands. However, it's unclear if this can transmit commands to the Axe FX 3 or if it only transmits MIDI commands to external gear.

On the other hand, if the Control Switches only send MIDI out from the Axe, you should be able to control the Axe by simply connecting a MIDI cable between the OUT and IN ports so the Axe is basically sending MIDI commands to itself.

Assuming this works with the FC, then this wish list item is unnecessary.
 
Following up on this...

I figured out that I can accomplish the same thing by setting the channel functions of multiple blocks to use the same MIDI CC. For example, I have Amp 1 set to CC#11. By having Cab 1 and Drive 1 also set to CC#11, when I hit the switch on my midi controller that transmits CC#11, it will change all three of those simultaneously.

Of course, I don't have the FC yet so I can't test it, but it appears the same thing might be possible with the Control Switch functions because each of those can transmit 4 MIDI commands. However, it's unclear if this can transmit commands to the Axe FX 3 or if it only transmits MIDI commands to external gear.

On the other hand, if the Control Switches only send MIDI out from the Axe, you should be able to control the Axe by simply connecting a MIDI cable between the OUT and IN ports so the Axe is basically sending MIDI commands to itself.

Assuming this works with the FC, then this wish list item is unnecessary.

Turns out this doesn't work. The Control Switch does not do anything to the Axe FX III. Either I have something set wrong or it only transmits externally (which I figured it might). My clever idea of taking a connecting a MIDI cable between the IN and OUT to basically have the Axe send MIDI to itself didn't work. Maybe the device cannot send and receive MIDI simultaneously?

It seems the switching capabilities I was originally looking for can only be achieved with an external MIDI device currently.
 
Turns out this doesn't work. The Control Switch does not do anything to the Axe FX III. Either I have something set wrong or it only transmits externally (which I figured it might). My clever idea of taking a connecting a MIDI cable between the IN and OUT to basically have the Axe send MIDI to itself didn't work. Maybe the device cannot send and receive MIDI simultaneously?

It seems the switching capabilities I was originally looking for can only be achieved with an external MIDI device currently.
You can assign the bypass mode on every block to the same external controller. Then assign that external to a switch on your FC. Then you can turn them all off/on as a group from one switch on the FC.
 
You can assign the bypass mode on every block to the same external controller. Then assign that external to a switch on your FC. Then you can turn them all off/on as a group from one switch on the FC.

That's pretty much what I did (except I did channel changes instead of on/off). Are you able to get that to work on yours or is it more theoretical at this point?
 
That's pretty much what I did (except I did channel changes instead of on/off). Are you able to get that to work on yours or is it more theoretical at this point?
you can't assign channels to a modifier, so you didn't do that :)
 
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