Wish Auto Input Level

ruso

ruso

Fractal Fanatic
Saw this on a recent video by Leon Todd (2:47 mark):



Plug in your guitar. Press a button.
Strum a bunch of chugs. Unit automatically sets your input level to the guitar.

Quick pickup adjustment on stage?
Press a button.
Strum a bunch of chugs. Unit automatically sets your input level to the guitar.

Switch guitars? Press a button. Strum some more chugs. Unit automatically sets your input level to the guitar.

Your output jack on your Strat takes a shit and you have to play the opening band’s guitar player’s ESP with active EMG pickups? You get the point…

Since it would be located in the Input Block, levels for each guitar could obviously be assigned to channels, saved to blocks library, recalled either by control switch, scene, etc.

I know, I know, “we can already do this, blah blah blah, tickle the red.” This is absolute idiot proof. It could be engaged by one of the A, B, C, D, E rotary encoders just like the tuner. Quick and easy input level adjustment.
 
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It's a pretty common feature on software amp modelers and permits a nominal input level to the processing chain. Because the modeler is divorced from the A/D converter unlike a hardware modeler, it's important to have this a software modeler.

However, no, it's not the same as the Input Level parameter on the Axe-FX where you're tickling the red, which doesn't change the gain structure.

In any case, this automatic input gain adjustment is a sensible thing to have in a modeler IMHO. However, when I proposed this idea for the Axe-FX, it went over like a lead balloon because that deviates from the behavior of a real tube amp. I still think it would help when sharing presets or switching guitars, but this idea was hammered hard by traditionalists on the forum, including Cliff.
 
GlennO said:
It's a pretty common feature on software amp modelers and permits a nominal input level to the processing chain. Because the modeler is divorced from the A/D converter unlike a hardware modeler, it's important to have this a software modeler.

However, no, it's not the same as the Input Level parameter on the Axe-FX where you're tickling the red, which doesn't change the gain structure.

In any case, this automatic input gain adjustment is a sensible thing to have in a modeler IMHO. However, when I proposed this idea for the Axe-FX, it went over like a lead balloon because that deviates from the behavior of a real tube amp. I still think it would help when sharing presets or switching guitars, but this idea was hammered hard by traditionalists on the forum, including Cliff.
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I understand that deviating from the traditional amp controls would not be a good thing.

I guess I should have given more details on the idea. I was thinking more along the lines of attaching it to the Input Block output level. I guess it would technically be more of a cut. Dial in the Amp Block level with the guitar that has the least amount of output. Plug in a guitar with say, active pickups and the “Auto” function would decrease that output based on the level of the Amp Block.

Or just have it affect the Amp Block level?
 
It would have to be at the input since there might be non-linear blocks before the amp. I agree with you that it's a useful feature since it would facilitate sharing presets or switching guitars. As long as it's optional, there's no downside, but that didn't stop people from condemning the idea last time this came up on the forum on the basis that "real amps don't work like that" :).

P.S. This can be a confusing subject, but the thread title is a bit misleading. It should say Input Gain, not Input Level. The feature being demonstrated in the video is the former, not the latter. I predict that any discussion that follows in this thread will confuse the two :).
 
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Brilliant idea. I swap between my PRS Silver Sky and EBMM JP13-7 regularly; I have to constantly change the input "pad" all the time because one's an active 7-string HB guitar and the other is a passive SC guitar lol.

+1
 
I watched This video on YouTube with Ken Andrews of Failure. His guitar has a two pickups and he send a stereo in to his Axe3. However, he's using two Vol/Pan blocks right after the input and sets the levels differently for each pickup.

Although the FM3 only has 1 mono input, this is still viable and you can set the Vol/Pan blocks to toggle both instead of bypass. You could set up up to 8 different input volumes and save them as effect blocks.

Certainly not as easy as strum and go, but at least you'll know that it works with your guitars.
 
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I just do this with a switch/modifier on Input1 block level for +5db. Rarely use it though cuz I tend to dial in separate presets for different guitars.
 
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