MFC-101 as a general midi controller with Axe-Fx II or Axe-Fx III

trancegodz

Fractal Fanatic
Since the FC-6 and FC-12 are “probably a month or two behind” the release of the Axe FXIII it would be great to have a video showing how to set up and use the MFC-101 as a general midi controller with the Axe FXIII until the FX-12 comes out.

I’d love to see someone hook up the Axe FXIII with the MFC-101 and actually show us how the MFC-101 can be used as a midi controller with the Axe FXIII. What it will and won’t do compared to the FC-12.

I’d also love to see a video of someone setting up and demonstrating what the FC-12 can do.

A video is worth a thousand words.

I love the ease of setting up and using the MFC-101 in Axe FX mode.

The manual for the MFC-101 was overwhelming but thanks to these great tutorial videos by Bernd Kiltz and by Chris at Katsukuri Media it was easy to set it up in Axe FX mode:





Way back when I first bought the original Axe FXII I used an FCB-1010 with the Eureka Prom to controller my Axe FXII and it was very easy to set up and use until I was able to buy an MFC-101.

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if you get the mfc edit you can easily program the mfc for midi, and then reprogram it back for axe fx mode with simple computer to mfc transfers.
 
if you get the mfc edit you can easily program the mfc for midi, and then reprogram it back for axe fx mode with simple computer to mfc transfers.

Thanks. I can't use it at present since it requires Mac OS 10.9.5 or newer and I'm on 10.6.8. I'm planning on getting a new iMac soon, then I will buy MFC Edit and give it a try. Thanks bringing MFC Edit to my attention.

Does anyone know if the midi cc numbers are the same in the Axe FXIII as in the Axe FXII?
 
Would be great if they were, then we could be programming out MFC's to be ready for the III

The manual for the Axe FXIII is out now. I just skimmed through the Axe FXIII manual twice and didn't see any lists for what the cc numbers are for all the different effects.
 
According to @Rex , the CC numbers are user-defined, so they can be used on parameters you require, without wasting the limited number of CCs available.....
 
if you get the mfc edit you can easily program the mfc for midi, and then reprogram it back for axe fx mode with simple computer to mfc transfers.

Thanks! You were right. MFC-Edit is great. While waiting for my name to come up on the Axe FXIII waitlist I wanted to learn to use the MFC-101 just as a general midi controller with the Axe FXII (not in Axe FX Mode), and see what it would do. I figured that would give me a good idea of how it would work with the Axe FXIII.

How are you guys with Axe FXIIIs doing with using the MFC-101 and Axe FXIII together?

Any suggestions?

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/mfc-edit-with-axe-fx-iii.137129/
 
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I got the MFC-101 working with the Axe FXIII. Hitting reveal I have: IA's 1-5 for scenes, IA's 6-10 to turn on and off effects, IA's 11-15 for the Looper, IA's 16 and 17 to turn on and off effects, the 4 external switches to turn on and off 4 more effects, a wah, whammy, and volume pedal. All working like they were with the Axe FXII (except for showing the names). I access the channels by turning what I want on and off in scenes. I can also switch presets the same as before.

First you have to set up all of the user cc numbers in the Axe FXIII as described at the bottom of this post. This takes a while, but it's global so you only have to do it once.

I was able to get the MFC-101 as a general midi controller (not in Axe FX mode) by doing the following:

Change Mode from Axe FX mode to NONE by pressing Edit on the MFC-101, then pressing setup, then pressing the up (or down) button until it says NONE, then press Edit again to save.

Change the port on the MFC-101 from Expansion to Midi. Press Edit on the MFC-101, then press Midi, then use the up or down button to select Midi, then press Edit again to save.

Use only one midi cable from the Midi Out of the MFC-101 to the Midi In of the Axe FXIII. (Do not use the ethernet cable!)

Note: All my switches are set to toggle, send /prst = yes, and GBL = no.

Link A: Link IA switches 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (See page 66 in the MFC-101 manual.

Set IA switches #1-5 c1 CC# all to 34, then setup the following:

Scene 1: c1 Off = OFF / c1 On = 0
Scene 2: c1 Off = OFF / c1 On = 1
Scene 3: c1 Off = OFF / c1 On = 2
Scene 4: c1 Off = OFF / c1 On = 3
Scene 5: c1 Off = OFF / c1 On = 4

I was able to get the Looper functions working by doing the following:

I used IA switches 11,12,13,14,15,16,17 to control the Looper.

Under “Axe Fx Function” set all the IA switches you want to control looper functions to None, the setup the CC#s;

IA 11 Looper Record, C1 CC# = 28
IA 12 Looper Overdub, C1 CC# = 31
IA 13 Looper Reverse, C1 CC# = 32
IA 14 Looper Half Speed, C1 CC# = 120
IA 15 Looper Bypass, C1 CC# = 33
IA 16 Looper Undo, C1 CC# = 121
IA 17 Looper Play, C1 CC# = 29

I don’t use this but if If you want to use Looper Once, the CC# = 30

On your Axe FXIII:
Hit setup, then Midi/Remote. Turn Program Change on, and PC mapping off.
I set program change to "on", scene revert to "on", midi channel to "1".

On your Axe FXIII:
  1. Press Setup.
  2. Scroll down to Midi Remote.
  3. Hit Enter.
  4. Page twice to the right until you get to Bypass.
  5. Here you need to go thru everything and set all the cc#s the same as they are for the Axe FXII. I attached them for you. They are in the Axe FXII manual page 194.
*update: Looper overdub and Looper Half Speed are not in the Axe FXIII, only in the Axe FXII at present.

Axe FXII CC# list.png
 
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I've had the Axe FXIII for three days now. I have an MFC-101 and one of Roadrunner's 4 switch external pedals he made to go with the MFC-101, and three Roland EV-5 pedals, all in a nice road case. I was worried about not being able to use the MFC-101 in the way I am used to. I shouldn't have worried. I got everything working, hitting reveal I have: IA's 1-5 for scenes, IA's 6-10 to turn on and off effects, IA's 11-15 for the Looper, IA's 16 and 17 to turn on and off effects, the 4 external switches to turn on and off 4 more effects, a wah, whammy, and volume pedal. All working just like they were with the Axe FXII (except for showing the names). I access the channels by turning what I want on and off in scenes. I can also switch presets the same as before. MFC-Edit helped a lot.

First you have to set up all of the user cc numbers in the Axe FXIII. This takes a while, but it's global so you only have to do it once.
 
I've had the Axe FXIII for three days now. I have an MFC-101 and one of Roadrunner's 4 switch external pedals he made to go with the MFC-101, and three Roland EV-5 pedals, all in a nice road case. I was worried about not being able to use the MFC-101 in the way I am used to. I shouldn't have worried. I got everything working, hitting reveal I have: IA's 1-5 for scenes, IA's 6-10 to turn on and off effects, IA's 11-15 for the Looper, IA's 16 and 17 to turn on and off effects, the 4 external switches to turn on and off 4 more effects, a wah, whammy, and volume pedal. All working just like they were with the Axe FXII (except for showing the names). I access the channels by turning what I want on and off in scenes. I can also switch presets the same as before. MFC-Edit helped a lot.

First you have to set up all of the user cc numbers in the Axe FXIII. This takes a while, but it's global so you only have to do it once.
Thanks, this gives me hope. All I'm waiting for is the MIDI cable from BTPA and several hours freed up on my schedule. Sounds like your setup is somewhat complex compared to how I have mine (only 1st 4 for scenes, rest are IA's/XY's). How long did it take for you to program it all? Did you run into any snags?
 
Thanks, this gives me hope. All I'm waiting for is the MIDI cable from BTPA and several hours freed up on my schedule. Sounds like your setup is somewhat complex compared to how I have mine (only 1st 4 for scenes, rest are IA's/XY's). How long did it take for you to program it all? Did you run into any snags?

What I did first was to set up all of the cc numbers in the Axe FXIII to match what the cc numbers are in the Axe FXII. This took about an hour.
Next I looked at how things were set up in the midi section of the Axe FXII. I made sure the Axe FXIII was set the same way.
I set program change to "on", scene revert to "on", midi chAnnel to "1".
I changed the port on the MFC-101 from Expansion to Midi.
I looked at the chart showing what all the cc numbers are in the Axe FXII and added them for all the 17 IA's in the MFC-101 to match what I had set up before using Axe FX Mode. I didn't have to do anything to get the Roadrunner 4 switch external pedal to work.

The only snag I ran into concerned the Looper. I had 5 IAs on my MFC-101 set up to control the functions I used the most in the Axe FXII. record, stack, reverse, speed, and bypass. They removed the Half function and the Stack functions in the Axe FXIII so I changed the IA I had set up with stack to be play in the Axe FXIII.
I left the button I'd set up for Half there in the hope that Fractal will bring back this useful function when they get the time.

For scenes I had to change the MFC-101 so the first 5 IAs I used for scenes were all linked.

Concerning cc numbers. Matching the cc numbers to what they'd been in the Axe FXII seemed most logical to me, as all I need to do to use the MFC-101 with the Axe FXII again is to change it from midi back to Axe FX Mode. There are no x/y blocks in the axe FXIII so all of those cc numbers are available for the few new effects that have been added in the Axe FXIII or for channels. They also removed a few blocks from that had been in the Axe FXII so those cc numbers are available to use also.

The Axe FXIII does not have an expansion port. You have to use a midi cable to hook up the MFC-101 and the battery eliminator.

I bought the new version of MFC-Edit and downloaded my MFC set up to my computer and studied it. From looking at it I was able to figure out what I needed to change in the MFC-101. I actually needed up making the changes directly on the MFC-101, but I could have never figured it out without looking at the bigger picture in MFC-Edit.

I kept hoping someone like Chris would make a great tutorial video showing how to do this, but I believe he said he no longer had an MFC-101, and no one else stepped up. With everyone starting to get Axe FXIII's now and the FC pedals still a ways off, there will be a lot of people who have MFC-101's trying to figure out how to use them with the Axe FXIII. I'll probably still end up getting one of the FC pedals when they come out, but I am very happy with using the Axe FXIII and MFC-101 for as long as I need to.

I'll try to answer any questions I can. There are a lot of people on the forum with way more knowledge about all things Fractal Audio than I have. Especially the people who made all the great tutorial videos through the years.
 
What I did first was to set up all of the cc numbers in the Axe FXIII to match what the cc numbers are in the Axe FXII. This took about an hour.
Next I looked at how things were set up in the midi section of the Axe FXII. I made sure the Axe FXIII was set the same way.
I set program change to "on", scene revert to "on", midi chAnnel to "1".
I changed the port on the MFC-101 from Expansion to Midi.
I looked at the chart showing what all the cc numbers are in the Axe FXII and added them for all the 17 IA's in the MFC-101 to match what I had set up before using Axe FX Mode. I didn't have to do anything to get the Roadrunner 4 switch external pedal to work.

The only snag I ran into concerned the Looper. I had 5 IAs on my MFC-101 set up to control the functions I used the most in the Axe FXII. record, stack, reverse, speed, and bypass. They removed the Half function and the Stack functions in the Axe FXIII so I changed the IA I had set up with stack to be play in the Axe FXIII.
I left the button I'd set up for Half there in the hope that Fractal will bring back this useful function when they get the time.

For scenes I had to change the MFC-101 so the first 5 IAs I used for scenes were all linked.

Concerning cc numbers. Matching the cc numbers to what they'd been in the Axe FXII seemed most logical to me, as all I need to do to use the MFC-101 with the Axe FXII again is to change it from midi back to Axe FX Mode. There are no x/y blocks in the axe FXIII so all of those cc numbers are available for the few new effects that have been added in the Axe FXIII or for channels. They also removed a few blocks from that had been in the Axe FXII so those cc numbers are available to use also.

The Axe FXIII does not have an expansion port. You have to use a midi cable to hook up the MFC-101 and the battery eliminator.

I bought the new version of MFC-Edit and downloaded my MFC set up to my computer and studied it. From looking at it I was able to figure out what I needed to change in the MFC-101. I actually needed up making the changes directly on the MFC-101, but I could have never figured it out without looking at the bigger picture in MFC-Edit.

I kept hoping someone like Chris would make a great tutorial video showing how to do this, but I believe he said he no longer had an MFC-101, and no one else stepped up. With everyone starting to get Axe FXIII's now and the FC pedals still a ways off, there will be a lot of people who have MFC-101's trying to figure out how to use them with the Axe FXIII. I'll probably still end up getting one of the FC pedals when they come out, but I am very happy with using the Axe FXIII and MFC-101 for as long as I need to.

I'll try to answer any questions I can. There are a lot of people on the forum with way more knowledge about all things Fractal Audio than I have. Especially the people who made all the great tutorial videos through the years.

Thanks for putting this up! I'm just about to dive into getting my MFC to work with the III & thought it would be easiest to use the same approach in having all the cc#'s in the III match the II. One thing I'm not sure of is what do you mean by "For scenes I had to change the MFC-101 so the first 5 IAs I used for scenes were all linked." Thanks!
 
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Were you using X/Y states with the AxeFXII? If so, how did you configure it on the AxeFXIII using "Channels"? I tried making sense of the manual but I'm just not getting it....long work week.

MIDI/REMOTE: CHANNEL PAGE The Channel page works exactly like the Bypass page except the entries are used to set the Channel of each block instead of its bypass state. The value of the CC message sets the channel as follows: 0 = Channel A 1 = Channel B 2 = Channel C 3 = Channel D The series continues, repeating A, B, C, D for values up to 127 (D).

If my current DRIVE1 cc is #49 on the MFC-101, and I want to use multiple channels in the AxeFXIII, how would that look on the MFC-101 config?
 
I didn't use x/y states with the Axe FXII. I haven't yet tried to access channels directly, so I can't help you with that at present. I'd have to read the manual section on channels and midi remote for channels and try it. I am currently accessing channels with scene changes. In one scene I might have channel A selected for the amp, and in another scene have channel B selected for the amp, or channels C or D selected for the amp. The same idea with effects and channels. So with scenes I can change the channels of anything and everything I want to, amps, cabs, or effects, or all of them. It is easy and makes the most sense to me at the moment. I can turn on or off channels for anything within each scene.
 
I looked into channels for you a bit more. See page 45 of the manual. If I am understanding it correctly first you have to select a different cc# for every effect, amp, and cab etc in the Axe FXIII that you want to turn on or off with the MFC-101. Then if you want to change the channel of that effect, amp, or cab you have to also add a value number. 0 = channel A, 1 = channel B, 2= channel C, 3 = channel D. Similar to how you have to set up scenes but you have to have a different cc# for every effect, amp, or cab you want to control, plus add a #value to change to the channel you want. I haven't tried it yet. Anyone out there, have I missed anything or gotten any of this wrong?
 
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The way Channels would be programmed is similar to Scenes. You define a CC for controlling the specific block you want to control them for, then you provide a data values to select the channel you want.

For example, if you want to control Amp 1 channels, you would assign a CC number for that specific control. This is on Channel page of the Midi/Remote menu.

Then, you set a value for the channel. The simple answer:

Channel A: 0
Channel B: 1
Channel C: 2
Channel D: 3
 
Question:

In the Axe FXIII under setup, in the midi/remote page I set up the cc#s for all the effects, amps, and cabs.
To the right of the Bypass page there is a page for Channels.
It looks like there are all the same things in the Channels page as there are in the Bypass page.
Do you have to set up a whole new set of CC#s for everything you want to be able to change in the channels page? It looks like that way.

Then on the MFC-101 if you wanted to select something and change the channel, you would program the MFC-101 to the appropriate cc# and also add the value to change to the channel you want?
 
Question:

In the Axe FXIII under setup, in the midi/remote page I set up the cc#s for all the effects, amps, and cabs.
To the right of the Bypass page there is a page for Channels.
It looks like there are all the same things in the Channels page as there are in the Bypass page.
Do you have to set up a whole new set of CC#s for everything you want to be able to change in the channels page? It looks like that way.

Then on the MFC-101 if you wanted to select something and change the channel, you would program the MFC-101 to the appropriate cc# and also add the value to change to the channel you want?
Exactly the way I understand it.

Haven't done it yet, but that's what the manual describes.
 
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