Anyone here using an AX8 with Synergy SYN-2 ?

tnjazz

Member
I recently went with Synergy for my main tones, and plan to use the AX8 for FX only via 4CM and as an emergency backup if the main rig has any issues (with copies of all my patches in a separate bank, loaded with amp/cab, etc).

Anyone here using a similar setup? My question is in how to perform the channel switching. If I understand correctly, the AX8 can send MIDI messages per scene, so I want to set up several scenes per patch that will switch channels on the Synergy as needed (the channel switching on it is MIDI). I really only need to switch between 2 modules, and not different channels per module, as all of my modules are single channel anyway.

Curious if anyone here has any tips or tricks on how to set this up? I'm not very MIDI-knowledgeable but I'm going to experiment with it tonight and see what happens.

Any insight would be most appreciated!
 
I use the SYN 2 with my XL and I got my brother using the SYN2 with his AX8 and helped him set it up. Its actually better with the AX8 as you can assign what channel on the Syn2 you want per scene.

-first connect a midi cable from the AX8 to the back of the Syn 2
-You then need to set the midi channel on the back of the Syn 2 see the manual for how to do this (we used channel 2).
-Then in AX8 edit you click on the midi page (i believe, don't have it in front of me).
-Set channel to 2 for all scenes
-You need to decide what PC change numbers you want the Syn 2 to respond too. If you had dual modules we used 1,2,3,4. Lets go using PC 1 & 2.
-So for scene 1, set that to PC 1. For Scene 2 set that to PC 2.

Now to get the syn2 to respond to the ax8 messages.
-via footswitch select scene 1. Next select the channel on the syn 2 via the front channel button and then hold it until the light blinks. Next select scene 2, Next select the channel on the syn 2 via the front channel button and then hold it until the light blinks.

Now for each scene you can pick which PC # you want. Works great, let me know if you need more help.

What modules do you have?
 
Thank you!!

This is exactly what I was looking for. I had thought that it would be set up something like this but I haven't had a chance to try it out yet and I am very MIDI ignorant, for the most part.

So it works with the dual channel Synergy modules too if you set the MIDI channels that way? That's excellent!

Right now all I have are some older stock Randall modules that I use in my RM-50 (Blackface, Treadplate), and I have a Salvation Mods Stonerverb. Also have a Salvation Mods Buddy that should arrive today. I do plan on expanding with the Synergy SLO, the BB/BE and probably a few other JF and Salvation mods as well.

This may FINALLY end my tone quest, and allows me to have a quick backup failover in case the Synergy goes down.
 
Yea the AX8 is better suited for it really. I am limited to the same channel for the same scene. So scene 1/channel 1, scene 2 /channel 2 etc. So if you wanted 5 clean scenes it wouldn't work.

Love my SLO and T/DLX. I liked the AC as well. Very interested in the soon to be released Friedman BB and BE module too.
 
I use the SYN 2 with my XL and I got my brother using the SYN2 with his AX8 and helped him set it up. Its actually better with the AX8 as you can assign what channel on the Syn2 you want per scene.

-first connect a midi cable from the AX8 to the back of the Syn 2
-You then need to set the midi channel on the back of the Syn 2 see the manual for how to do this (we used channel 2).
-Then in AX8 edit you click on the midi page (i believe, don't have it in front of me).
-Set channel to 2 for all scenes
-You need to decide what PC change numbers you want the Syn 2 to respond too. If you had dual modules we used 1,2,3,4. Lets go using PC 1 & 2.
-So for scene 1, set that to PC 1. For Scene 2 set that to PC 2.

Now to get the syn2 to respond to the ax8 messages.
-via footswitch select scene 1. Next select the channel on the syn 2 via the front channel button and then hold it until the light blinks. Next select scene 2, Next select the channel on the syn 2 via the front channel button and then hold it until the light blinks.

Now for each scene you can pick which PC # you want. Works great, let me know if you need more help.

What modules do you have?
How do you hook it up using an axe fx 2 with mfc 101? Is it similar? Does the midi cable run from the axe fx or the mfc?
 
I use the SYN 2 with my XL and I got my brother using the SYN2 with his AX8 and helped him set it up. Its actually better with the AX8 as you can assign what channel on the Syn2 you want per scene.

-first connect a midi cable from the AX8 to the back of the Syn 2
-You then need to set the midi channel on the back of the Syn 2 see the manual for how to do this (we used channel 2).
-Then in AX8 edit you click on the midi page (i believe, don't have it in front of me).
-Set channel to 2 for all scenes
-You need to decide what PC change numbers you want the Syn 2 to respond too. If you had dual modules we used 1,2,3,4. Lets go using PC 1 & 2.
-So for scene 1, set that to PC 1. For Scene 2 set that to PC 2.

Now to get the syn2 to respond to the ax8 messages.
-via footswitch select scene 1. Next select the channel on the syn 2 via the front channel button and then hold it until the light blinks. Next select scene 2, Next select the channel on the syn 2 via the front channel button and then hold it until the light blinks.

Now for each scene you can pick which PC # you want. Works great, let me know if you need more help.

What modules do you have?
Thanks for explaining the midi control! May I ask how you connected the AX8 and the synergy? Was it 4CM? Synergy in loop of AX8? I’m on The waitlist for FM3 and will be using it with my Syn2. Sorry for the rookie question!
 
Thanks for explaining the midi control! May I ask how you connected the AX8 and the synergy? Was it 4CM? Synergy in loop of AX8? I’m on The waitlist for FM3 and will be using it with my Syn2. Sorry for the rookie question!
My setup was 4cm yes. So you would have

Guitar to FM3 input
FM3 output 2 to synergy instrument In
Synergy fx send to FM3 input 2
FM3 output 1 to synergy fx return.
 
Add a powerstation and you've got a pretty nice setup that combines both worlds. IMO the way vai uses it all is great though. Analog pedals in front of synergy and the axe fx in the loop for mod, delays and reverb...etc. Just add a way to switch out the synergy so you can use axe preamp models too.
 
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