Older guy having trouble with terminology and newer tech in Axe-Fx III

59 here.... I spent months reading the manual and going though CC's course and Leon's videos.... and now I'm just playing and not tweaking and so am forgetting some of the finer details. Don't be overwhelmed.... break it down to little segments.
 
I've got a decade+ on you, and can understand how modelers can be confusing.

It's important to not try to think of them exclusively in terms of exact replacements for traditional pedals and amps, because they're not. Think of a modeler as a recording studio that incorporates many different pedals, many different amps, cabinets, microphones, delays, reverbs, etc. On top of that you have to be aware of how the amplifiers work, how the preamp and power amp are designed, tube choices, biasing and power-supply sag... because in a Fractal modeler they give us that level of detail.

If, in your experience playing guitar, you had opportunities to work in a studio then you can draw on things you learned. Many of the same things learned playing live will apply if you were miking cabinets. Did you ever take an amp into a tech to be modded, or have an amp built to your specifications? If so, you would have discussed some of the things that changed and learned how they affected the sound. When playing with pedals, did you ever change their order, cascade multiple drives, play with a stereo rig, because, if so, again, that's knowledge that applies to a modeler.

At its most basic level, a modeler is akin to a simple guitar head and cabinet, so build a preset with only those two things, and get it "wired" to the input and output blocks and play with it. Tweak knobs, swap cabinets, experiment, and if something doesn't work, revert the preset and try something different; You can't break the modeler playing with the knobs though you could make ugly sounds. Then, add a chorus or delay, try it before and after the amp, then after the cabinet, and listen to what changes in the sound, and, again, revert it if it doesn't work or you liked a previous sound. Each time, read about that particular block in the manual and fiddle with things. Slowly build out your normal pedal board.

The manual is excellent, way beyond the quality of other companies, but because it's a complex piece of equipment there's a lot to learn so it takes a while to dig through it and understand but the knowledge will build upon itself.

I'll also recommend Leon Todd's videos. He's infectious in his enthusiasm, his teaching ability is superb, and though he's predominately metal, he's a good player and wanders into different sounds and styles, explaining as he goes.
 
As we all know, there is a LOT of depth in this unit. With near limitless potential.

Sufficient enough to have spawned courses like the one you mention.
Then there's the minutiae of each individual block, with the CAB block, and IRs, being an enormous rabbit-hole on their own. It's easy to get buried without a bit of a map.

Leon Todd has great videos on YT, breaking down things in more digestible chunks. He's a great teacher. Everything from learning how to tweak basic parameters, and then he goes deeper from there. There are also some videos by Chris on the Axe Fx Tutorials channel with some great insights and tricks. The Wiki is helpful, as well.

https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Axe-Fx3

Leon - https://www.youtube.com/user/kingcrimsonscourt
AxeFx Tutorials - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPijwlz2kf6tpUaCuADFFyw

The community is great, as well, and there's always timely answers here in the forum for any issue or concern. Sometimes even from Cliff, himself.

I've just been taking my time with it, and going with what sounds good to me.
 
I had severe choice anxiety for like a year. I was always worried about that ‘magic’ setting I’d missed. I soon realised that there are exotic options just in the amp block that I would never have even HEARD of prior to getting an AFX, so I decided to stick to the authentic page and only use one cab - Leon’s TV Mix 2.

Now at our our small duo gigs, I usually just end up using one amp the whole time, using guitar volume for clean to mean, and the only effect is reverb. I have accepted that I will never get all I can out of this unit and that’s ok, I can get all I need.
 
I am 55, but I have a different approach: I only use tutorials as a last resource. I have a trial-and-error approach

1) I touch all the buttons and listen the results
2) If I break something or get lost, then I read the f*** manual or the wiki
3) If I want to expand new ideas, I consult this forum or I watch the videos kindly offered for free by Leon Todd
 
I studied Carters class for days and took notes and wrote down questions for each video and that helped me remember and organize topics. As mentioned above, Leon Todd’s videos are phenomenal as a starting point and he has an AXE-FX III BASICS YouTube series that presents bite size chunks. I got my Axe last year at 67 so you might be older but your not old!
 
Almost 53... been on digital for over 10 years (was originally digital into power amp of tube amp with cab when I first
started. Now I've been PA/FRFR full digital for several years).

I always had some kind of rack multi effects in my loop since early 1990's, so I guess programming the new stuff is
simplistic compared to some of those old editing systems on old effects processors!!! Wish this stuff would have been
around in the 1980's!!!
 
I don't know what's up with all the old guys here. I'm only 9 years old. (In dog years.) Lots of good advice here. If there are specific words or terms you don't understand, feel free to ask the question here on the forum. Learning to use an Axe-Fx is a lot like eating an elephant. You just have to do it one bite at a time.
 
Something that works well for me learning new tools and tech: draft your own user guide while absorbing tutorials, tips from forums, manuals, experimentation, etc. Writing it down helps memory commitment and the iterative process of organizing it helps you develop the all important conceptual model. You also create a succinct (relatively speaking) guide you can later search for that ‘thing you learned’ months ago. I regularly refer to my own ‘custom manuals’ for various DAWs, devices, and software; no way I’d be able to remember all that stuff, or even where I picked it up!
 
A couple of things that I've been doing as a new Fractal user to find my way:

- I don't have a background in using tube amps, so I found much of my lack of understanding was in the terminology and usage of amps themselves, not so much the modeler. I read Dave Hunter's book "The Guitar Amp Handbook" and that helped a lot. I would read something in the book and then go the Fractal to see how it relates to the real world amps.

- Next, I look at actual amp manuals. For example, the Mesa Lonestar is one I found helpful. The Fractal models the authentic controls, so you can go step by step through the Lonestar manual and learn how it maps to the Fractal.

- Another process I've found helpful is to choose an amp and make a preset - amp and cab only (say scene 1). Tweak the amp using authentic controls to get some sound you find OK. It doesn't need to be ideal. That scene is now "done" so don't touch it again. Copy scene 1 to scene 2. Go to scene 2 and change the amp to a different type - any type you're curious about will work for this. Now try to tweak the new amp to sound just like the first one. I found this process really revealing. I discovered things like one amp has tons of gain so it's hard to get it to clean up, one might be more midrangy, one might be harsh, and so on. It's not about getting a perfect tone but an exercise in manipulating the controls and listening.

- Once you have a handle on tweaking the amps in this way, you can try similar experiments with the other block types - drives, reverbs, etc., one at a time to build things up.
 
Nothing to add but this:
I have more than forty years (weekend warrior) experience with tube amps but learned the most about tube amps and effects and routing and, and everything else concerning guitar sound in the past year ... since I've bought the AXE-FX III.
Love it!
 
A couple of things that I've been doing as a new Fractal user to find my way:

- I don't have a background in using tube amps, so I found much of my lack of understanding was in the terminology and usage of amps themselves, not so much the modeler. I read Dave Hunter's book "The Guitar Amp Handbook" and that helped a lot. I would read something in the book and then go the Fractal to see how it relates to the real world amps.

- Next, I look at actual amp manuals. For example, the Mesa Lonestar is one I found helpful. The Fractal models the authentic controls, so you can go step by step through the Lonestar manual and learn how it maps to the Fractal.

- Another process I've found helpful is to choose an amp and make a preset - amp and cab only (say scene 1). Tweak the amp using authentic controls to get some sound you find OK. It doesn't need to be ideal. That scene is now "done" so don't touch it again. Copy scene 1 to scene 2. Go to scene 2 and change the amp to a different type - any type you're curious about will work for this. Now try to tweak the new amp to sound just like the first one. I found this process really revealing. I discovered things like one amp has tons of gain so it's hard to get it to clean up, one might be more midrangy, one might be harsh, and so on. It's not about getting a perfect tone but an exercise in manipulating the controls and listening.

- Once you have a handle on tweaking the amps in this way, you can try similar experiments with the other block types - drives, reverbs, etc., one at a time to build things up.
This is a great take. I am not well versed in more than a couple amps, cabs, effects, etc so for me it's overwhelming the choices you get in the modelers available. I had another modeler that I sold and probably never gave it the chance and time I should have. I just got my AFiii this week and lets say....it does a LOT! I paid form the CC classes I'm glad I did. Just slow down, watch the videos over, and ask question on the forum. I think what can get frustrating is trying to decide what everything is, paralysis by analysis if you will.
 
62 here. If you know the basics like amp types for common tones and basic fx stuff like chorus, delay, and reverb, I don't think basic tweaking or patch building is very difficult. There's a ton of info from the gurus for the more advanced stuff, but sometimes you still have to just turn the knobs to see what happens.

Don't worry about advanced parameters at first. Don't worry about advanced performance setups at first. Don't worry about complicated fx setups at first.

Do use the editor, it makes like a lot easier than the front panel.

Don't get hung up on needing to know the "right way" to do something. With the Axe, there are probably ten ways to do anything. The gurus can generally point out the most efficient way to do something. I haven't come up with an implementation question yet that hasn't already been answered.

And oh yeah, choosing the right IR is everything.
 
I am 71 years old.
Short historical explanation!
I live in Hungary. I can't speak English!
Until 1989, I only saw pictures of Fender, Marshall amps.
I built it based on wiring diagrams.
I thought then I knew everything about tube amps!
To this day, I repair tubular amplifiers in my environment.
Jim Marshall sent the wiring diagrams in a letterhead.
There was no internet at the time. Everything could be accessed through correspondence.
I built ElectroHarmonix, flanger, Chorus, Delay because I got the wiring diagrams from ElelctroHarmonix.
Today's modern amplifiers have a lot of design flaws!
Well, I only said that because I'm a big believer in modern technology. I've had an AX FX III for two years,
and i feel like i don't know anything about amps!
Here on the forum I am trying to gain a deeper knowledge.
 
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