Trying summarize the main footswith strategies

Paultergeist

Inspired
Greetings everyone,

Let me begin by thanking everyone for their continued patience and support.

I was digging a bit deeper into the functionality of my AX8 and I realized: I mostly use factory Pre-sets ALWAYS on Scene 1. There are seven other available scenes I *could* be configuring.....assuming I can remember how to get into and out-of *sticky* scene mode, etc. I am just scratching the surface of this thing. I DID for a brief time use the Pre-set mode with the foot switches set to sticky, but I had some latency issues.

At any rate, I am trying to better grasp the configurations available to me with the foot switches. Here is what I have so far.....considering the methodology of the footswitch configurations:

1. Effect pedal-board configuration: Most similar to a traditional bunch of effect boxes in series on a pedal-board. Using a single Pre-set, tapping on the numbered Foot-switches to turn on and off various effects. Very minimal latency. (This is how I am mostly operating currently).

2. Scene configuration: Using a single Pre-set, the footswitches can be configured to each engage a different Scene of that Pre-set. Note that each Scene can be a different volume, gain-setting, EQ, etc., of the amp itself, along with a variety of effects at settings specific for the Scene. In this configuration, I would no longer be turning on/off individual effects with the foot switches. Latency is.......?

3. Pre-set configuration: Within a Bank, each numbered Footswitch (1-8) can be configured (in Pre-set mode) to align with a specific Pre-Set, such that each numbered switch calls up a distinct amp, speaker, and effects configuration. This approach seems to have some latency.

Additional: X/Y switching: This feature allows for a given Pre-set to actually contain two (2) amplifiers (e.g., one clean and one dirty).......I think. I not sure where the X/Y switching would fall in this hierarchy.

Any corrections or clarifications are appreciated.
 
I'm using setup #2 (scenes). Amp switching latency exists but with Q10 it is not that bad anymore. It's the same when switching amps via dedicated presets.
 
I use #3 then #1 because that's how I started. I am also easily confused and had some issues with inadvertently switching scenes or X/Y when i used those. The only way I use scenes is within your number #1, where I may have some IA switches set to switch scenes. There is latency but it's gotten a lot better.
 
After monkeying with really complicated setups, I settled on the stock performance layouts (7 and 8)....with a few modifications.

I put scenes 5-8 on the long press of scenes 1-4 and replaced the preset buttons with my most used IAs. I also added a 'quick access' button which toggles me in and out of a layout that has my favorite presets. Happy as a clam.
 
After monkeying with really complicated setups, I settled on the stock performance layouts (7 and 8)....with a few modifications.

I put scenes 5-8 on the long press of scenes 1-4 and replaced the preset buttons with my most used IAs. I also added a 'quick access' button which toggles me in and out of a layout that has my favorite presets. Happy as a clam.

How do you do that? The long press got scenes 5-8 bit?
 
After monkeying with really complicated setups, I settled on the stock performance layouts (7 and 8)....with a few modifications.

I put scenes 5-8 on the long press of scenes 1-4 and replaced the preset buttons with my most used IAs. I also added a 'quick access' button which toggles me in and out of a layout that has my favorite presets. Happy as a clam.

Yes, do tell.... The long press sound very interesting.
 
It's a standard feature of the FC for the AxeFX III. To set it up in Axe-Edit, hit the 'FC Controllers' button. Got the layout with scenes 1-4. Select the 'Scene 1' button and in the HOLD area of the screen, set

Category: Scene, Function: Select, Scene: 5

Repeat for scenes 2-4.

This makes particular sense to me since I always make scenes 5-8 modified versions of 1-4 with some added effect or boost. Easy to remember what they do that way.

Edit: Sigh. In addition to answering an AX8 thread with info for the III, I got the strategy for the III wrong. I'll leave my original post unaltered above, since it works as described. However, I found a better way. I now set the scene switches like this....

TAP Category: Scene, Function: Toggle, Primary Scene: 1, Secondary Scene: 5
HOLD Category: Scene, Function: Select, Scene: 5

That gets the scene indicator lights to work correctly AND lets you go to any scene with one press or hold. I also reduced Press and Hold Timeout to a quarter second, but that's a matter of preference. Now back to your regularly scheduled AX8 discussion.
 
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@ElectricPhase - OP is asking about the AX8, not the FCs/AxeFX III...

I use some combo of 1 & 2 depending on what I need in each preset / the songs I use that preset for. Usually maybe 2 or 3 scenes for the main parts of a song, and the rest have fx on them. For example, Scene 1 is the basic sound for the verses of a song. One of the switches will have Chorus that I kick in during parts of the song, and another might be Control Switch to turn on the Amp Boost for the heavier/louder chorus of the song (another idea would be to use Amp x/y for this part). Scene 2 turns on Drive, Delay, and Phaser for the solo. (that was just one example of many...)

@Paultergeist - Scenes don't actually allow you to make wholesale changes to volume, gain, EQ, fx settings, etc. You can use Scene Controllers to modify some amp or fx settings (those that have modifier capability), but Scenes mainly control a block's ON/OFF state and X/Y state for each scene. Check the manual, wiki, or search on here for extensive discussion on what scene controllers do.
 
Deepest apologies. I was distracted and not paying attention to where I was posting. I'll do penance by outlining my AX8 footswitch use.....since that's what I actually gig with. :D

On the AX8, I have tap F2 set to 'sticky scene', and it's almost always on. Hold F2 is single X/Y. The bottom row of scenes is consistently clean, crunch, rhythm, and lead...top row, same plus an effect or boost. The presets are named to remind me of what the top row does in scene mode.

I have navigation currently limited to two banks. The presets I use 90% of the time are in the first bank, but I have a handful of song specific presets in the next bank up. If eventually I need more, I'll just expand the number of banks.

Sorry for any confusion I created!
 
In this video is I go over how I set up my AX8 for a one preset per song strategy.

Basically, I have one preset per song, and I have scenes set up for all parts of the song in chronological order. I use a minimum number of amp models and IRs to keep my sounds somewhat consistent throughout the set. I use scene controllers to change gain level from scene to scene.
 
I use a mix of #s 1 & 2: I have the four left most switches (1, 2, 5, 6) as my scene selectors, then the four right most switches (3, 4, 7, 8) as my fx switches. I suppose I should change it to have the front row be scene selectors and the 2nd row be fx switches, but I've used this layout since I bought the unit, so it's too late to go back now!
 
I use an hybrid system:

In some songs I use the sticky scenes mode.

In other songs I go non-sticky (in the same preset). I have footswitches 1 to 4 assigned to scenes 1 to 4, and footswitches 5 to 8 assigned to single effects (2 different delays and to different drives).

I don't use the X/Y footswitch mode.

Very happy with this configuration.

Edit: well... I change from sticky to non-sticky when it's necessary, sometimes in the middle of a song.
 
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......Scenes don't actually allow you to make wholesale changes to volume, gain, EQ, fx settings, etc. You can use Scene Controllers to modify some amp or fx settings (those that have modifier capability), but Scenes mainly control a block's ON/OFF state and X/Y state for each scene. Check the manual, wiki, or search on here for extensive discussion on what scene controllers do.
Thanks very much for that clarification. "Scene Controllers".......gotta figure that out a bit better......more to learn.......
 
.....On the AX8, I have tap F2 set to 'sticky scene', and it's almost always on. Hold F2 is single X/Y. The bottom row of scenes is consistently clean, crunch, rhythm, and lead...top row, same plus an effect or boost. The presets are named to remind me of what the top row does in scene mode.

I have navigation currently limited to two banks. The presets I use 90% of the time are in the first bank, but I have a handful of song specific presets in the next bank up. If eventually I need more, I'll just expand the number of banks.
Thanks for sharing these ideas. I did something similar once with Pre-sets -- saving several Pre-sets into an otherwise-empty bank, and then operating the AX8 in sticky Pre-set mode. In that case, there was too much latency for what was trying to accomplish.

I need to try this again with Scenes, as you describe. I also like your four-button bottom-row clean-to-lead arrangement. I may try that. Thank you -- and everyone else -- for sharing these ideas.
 
HI all,

I would like to introduce my latest setup of AX8 that I am really happy with:

I have one main Preset that covers all the "normal" stuff like a clean, crunch, Rock and Lead Scene.
Inside the preset I have a couple of effects which I place like stompboxes to switches 1-8.

I set up "scene revert = off" - like this I have the ability to do small changes within the scenes individually for songs. For example, for some funky songs I prefer to have compressor on but chorus off in the "clean scene". While other cleans have chorus on and comp on

To not lose the "scene controller" on the switches I set up the F2-Switch to "sticky scene" - and F1 is set to "Single Preset/Bank". Like this I can change easiely from stompbox mode to scene mode and back or to select a specific preset for a specific song.
I dont have so many "specific ones" so one bank is enough for me.

F3 is tap tempo and a long press on F3 the tuner.

On the external controls I have a wha pedal and a pot to adjust the amount of reverb in each preset.

thats pretty much it and works perfectly for me :)
 
@Paultergeist - Scenes don't actually allow you to make wholesale changes to volume, gain, EQ, fx settings, etc. You can use Scene Controllers to modify some amp or fx settings (those that have modifier capability), but Scenes mainly control a block's ON/OFF state and X/Y state for each scene. Check the manual, wiki, or search on here for extensive discussion on what scene controllers do.

I need to re-visit this stream of thought because I think this may be a BIG epiphany for me to understand a point of my own confusion....

I somehow had it in my mind that — while a Preset defined what equipment (amp, cab, effects) were being used, that the Scenes would allow the user to individually adjust re-set ALL the parmenters within those Preset-defined blocks. In other words, I could have an amp and effects defined for a given Preset, then set the amp for max gain on Scene 1 with EQ boosting treble and adding more distortion via effect, then have the amp gain backed off a bit for Scene 2 with scooped Mids and less effect distortion, and Scene 3 set clean with low gain and chorus, etc. All of this — adjusting the amp and effect parameters — being done within the “Scene” level, and simply saving those settings within each Scene.

I am now sensing that my understanding was flawed. This might also connect-the-dots for me as to what Scene Controllers do, as well as explain to me why I was having some issues getting tones to set right.

I am seeking confirmation of my understanding so that I can move forward. Thanks for any help.
 
I need to re-visit this stream of thought because I think this may be a BIG epiphany for me to understand a point of my own confusion....

I somehow had it in my mind that — while a Preset defined what equipment (amp, cab, effects) were being used, that the Scenes would allow the user to individually adjust re-set ALL the parmenters within those Preset-defined blocks. In other words, I could have an amp and effects defined for a given Preset, then set the amp for max gain on Scene 1 with EQ boosting treble and adding more distortion via effect, then have the amp gain backed off a bit for Scene 2 with scooped Mids and less effect distortion, and Scene 3 set clean with low gain and chorus, etc. All of this — adjusting the amp and effect parameters — being done within the “Scene” level, and simply saving those settings within each Scene.

I am now sensing that my understanding was flawed. This might also connect-the-dots for me as to what Scene Controllers do, as well as explain to me why I was having some issues getting tones to set right.

I am seeking confirmation of my understanding so that I can move forward. Thanks for any help.

Those dials that have a so called modifier can change their value for every scene. Some dials don't have a modifier such as the amp blocks bass, middle, and treble dials. Other dials such as gain, drive, and level do have a modifier so it's possible to attach a scene controller to them which then defines the dials value per scene.
 
Okay.....and the AX8 has (2) scene controllers.....so ...again, trying to understand this correctly.....I can select only (2) parameters to adjust from Scene-to-Scene, and those (2) parameters need to be the same across all (8) Scenes....is that correct?
 
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