Adding FC-6/12

Intheband

Intheband

Inspired
Ok, so the Fm3 edit will show the current three switches. What happens when you add the FC 6/12? Does it detect the units and add them to the switch control on the edit? How does it change the layout selected?
 
Allow me to clear this up for you.

FM3 edit does NOT show "the current three switches"

It shows any one LAYOUT. A layout is a just a set of 12 switch definitions. Any layout can be loaded on any controller at any time. FM3-Edit might be showing Layout 1 while the FM3 shows Layout 8 and a connected FC might be on layout 2. All are fully independent.

There is an option which causes the FM3 and/or FC controllers(s) to follow along as you change layouts in FM3-Edit, and vice versa. It looks like this:
FM3-Edit 2020-03-04 13-39-11.png
 
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Let's take it to the next level.

By default, a connected FC will be fully independent of the FM3. When you use the Master Layout Menu on the FM3, the FM3 changes layouts but a connected FC does not. And when you use the Master Layout Menu on the FC, it changes layouts but the FM3 does not.

This turns out to be a pretty good way to work. You might change presets on the FM3 and have the FC stay parked on the "Scenes" layout. You might use the FC to change Presets AND Scenes and use the FM3 for tuner, tap tempo and boost. The possibilities are vast. Note that the default layouts of the FM3 are best suited to a single FM3, so you may want to edit some of them if you're using an FC as well.

See page 72 of the FM3 Owner's Manual for a guide to the Factory Default layouts of the FM3.

Using the FM and FC independently is just the beginning, however. In fact, you can easily make them control each other! As you may know from how FCs work on the Axe-Fx III, a feature called LAYOUT LINKS allows one FC to change the layout of another. Well, the FM3 itself is considered an FC in this case. Is your imagination starting to expand?

PS: Watch for the "OMG9" layouts, which will be released after the next firmware release for the FM3. These tightly integrate the FM3 and one FC6 for what testers are calling the "killer app".
 
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Level up: VIEWS!

With only eight layouts, and the possible desire of having different layouts on different controllers, you might imagine that you're going to run out of layouts. Not so fast... The new VIEWS feature multiplies the usefulness of your layouts. Think of a View like a WINDOW on the layout. A 12-switch layout can be broken into FOUR views on the FM3 or TWO views on an FC-6.

For example, Layout 2 "SCENES" on the FM3 begins by showing three buttons for Scenes 1, 2, and 3. When you press and hold the right switch, this advances to the next View, showing Scenes 4, 5, and 6. (And so on... Press and hold the Left switch for the previous View).

So, instead of "wasting" three layouts to grant access to eight scenes on the FM3, we can do it with just ONE layout on the FM3 thanks to the various "View" functions.

As you might hope, one FC can also change the VIEW on another. And this can be done with or without a layout changes. So, in effect, with not too much work, you can create one layout that spans the FM3 and a single FC-6. In general, I think most of us early adopters have found that this isn't as exciting or useful as some of the other options I described above.

See page 74 of the FM3 Owner's Manual for an introduction to Views on the FM3.
 
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Back to FM3-Edit for a moment. The program simulates views by allowing you to dim various switches, as if the current layout were loaded on the hardware of your choice. While you're working in this way, you can change the editor's view and the hardware can follow along (see post #2 above).

These controls look like this:
FM3-Edit 2020-03-04 14-12-34.png

Notice the "dimming" in the illustration above. Because FM3 Edit is set to show this layout as an FM3 would, we see 3 switches and four views.
Here's View 2:
FM3-Edit 2020-03-04 14-16-19.png

Here's how an FC-6 would show this layout. Notice it offers only two views. Notice also, as explained in the FC Owner's Manual (p. 20) that switches flow differently on different hardware. This is for ease of use when using the Front Panel.
FM3-Edit 2020-03-04 14-13-56.png

Finally, here's that same layout as it would appear on a FC-12, with no option to change the view.
FM3-Edit 2020-03-04 14-17-33.png
 
Oh wow, thank you. thats REALLY amazing. Thank you for taking the time out to explain this. Looking forward to getting my FM3 and setting it up. This is going to be the cats ass!
 
I'm interested in these OMG9 layouts. My plan is to use external switches to switch Presets and for Tap/Tuner... if the OMG are like one layout that crosses both FM & FC that would be easier than having to tell both units what to do for every preset.

Can an OMG be set up as Per-preset? That would be optimal for me - one layout covering both devices with 9 per-preset switches.
 
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