AX8 vs FM9 preset navigation

Just to remember the main issue is to have only 10 characters on the mini-lcd and not having another display with full names on the main screen, just like we have for scenes.

If you use 1 preset by sound (not by song) for any reason (CPU limit, not enough scenes in a song, different presets grid...) you'll have to identify your sounds.
So you would have (at least) <song name> <section name>.
For example:

I Want to Break Free VERSE...
I Want to Break Free CHORUS...
I Want to Break Free SOLO...
I Want to Break Free BRIDGE...
I Want to Hold Your Hand VERSE...
I Want to Hold Your Hand CHORUS...
I Want to Hold Your Hand SOLO...
I Want to Know What Love Is VERSE...
I Want to Know What Love Is CHORUS...

On the Mini LCD you'll end up with "I Want to " many times. That's what I call not being able "easily navigate thru presets".

Of course you can use some strategies, acronym for example "IWTBF VRS" "IWTHYH CHO".... But I don't want my unit to contains hundred of presets named like that.

Automated MIDI, control by tablet are other ones I agree (and will probably give a try), but it need additional hardware (so can possibly fail) and depending situation are a bit complicated just to change presets randomly and easily on a floorboard.

Still open to smart workarounds though.
 
Dave Merrill said:
Back in the days of hand copied magic marker setlists
Click to expand...

Those days ended for you? I literally did one last week.

I have never had an issue with the preset management on Fractal stuff - though I haven't tried in a while. My FM9 is on the truck for delivery today. But it is the same limitations that the QC and Helix have, and I've used those for years.

This whole discussion seems more like a lack of creativity than a genuine problem, to me...
 
g.lolo3 said:
If you use 1 preset by sound (not by song) for any reason (CPU limit, not enough scenes in a song, different presets grid...) you'll have to identify your sounds.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarification/reminder - I think this thread is the only time I've heard of anyone consistently using a preset per sound (i.e., not just for an odd sound that requires full CPU, for example, and where the same song requires a different sound that requires full CPU so more than one preset is absolutely necessary). Does this mean you're not using scenes at all (for these presets)?

I use an FM3 (less CPU) and there are only a handful of times that I've maxed out CPU for a particular cover tune, but if I had it occurring regularly I'd upgrade to a Fractal unit with more CPU capacity. I can't think of ever using more than 8 scenes for a cover song - though if I did I'd use a CS or other way to get additional sounds without more scenes.

I suppose my best advice at this point is to consider a different approach that doesn't entail 'preset per sound' - either using scenes more, or song/setlist features (which I don't use, but would if I had a problem to solve like this one).
 
g.lolo3 said:
Just to remember the main issue is to have only 10 characters on the mini-lcd and not having another display with full names on the main screen, just like we have for scenes.

If you use 1 preset by sound (not by song) for any reason (CPU limit, not enough scenes in a song, different presets grid...) you'll have to identify your sounds.
So you would have (at least) <song name> <section name>.
For example:

I Want to Break Free VERSE...
I Want to Break Free CHORUS...
I Want to Break Free SOLO...
I Want to Break Free BRIDGE...
I Want to Hold Your Hand VERSE...
I Want to Hold Your Hand CHORUS...
I Want to Hold Your Hand SOLO...
I Want to Know What Love Is VERSE...
I Want to Know What Love Is CHORUS...

On the Mini LCD you'll end up with "I Want to " many times. That's what I call not being able "easily navigate thru presets".

Of course you can use some strategies, acronym for example "IWTBF VRS" "IWTHYH CHO".... But I don't want my unit to contains hundred of presets named like that.

Automated MIDI, control by tablet are other ones I agree (and will probably give a try), but it need additional hardware (so can possibly fail) and depending situation are a bit complicated just to change presets randomly and easily on a floorboard.

Still open to smart workarounds though.
Click to expand...
Are you not using Scenes? Not using Scenes for song presets is wild.

Also if this works for you (and everyone's workflow is different), an alternative approach is setting up presets/scenes for specific tones instead of each individual part of every song.
I find it hard to believe that you'd never use a specific combination of sounds again for any other section of any song ever.

It'll take some organization and Google Sheets is your friend here, but something like:

Preset: Clean
S1: Clean with this delay
S2: Clean with that delay
S3: Clean with chorus with this delay and that reverb
...
S8: etc.

Preset: Crunch
S1-8: You get it.

And just make as many presets as you need to create all the combinations of sounds you might ever use and then put Songs together by picking and choosing out of these scenes for your Song Sections.


I also generally make some "Sample Songs" that consist of common tones that I might generically use that could apply to a lot of different songs and keep these in every Setlist. Anything additional that needs to be added can be down by switching to a "Stomp mode" FC layout.


And even if you did need to scroll through and look for specific sounds, it would probably end up being way easier to use this sort of "decision tree" style approach to finding sounds rather than flipping through hundreds of presets live. That is just insane to me.
 
I am kinda of in agreement with everyone else here, it seems like you are making yourself work harder. If you really want to use 80 presets then it might be best to set up in setlist/song mode and plan ahead.
 
So after having used the AX8 for a long time, I definitely became more accustomed to that interface and layout. But, it was also a relatively simpler unit. With the 3rd gen units having even more to offer, it makes sense that an additional learning curve exists. I was able to latch onto what I needed with the Axe FX III and FC12 fairly quickly. But, I still find it easier to use the FX8 with analog sources for amp/cab modeling. I'm going to be working on the FM9 this weekend, and will put in the time I need to at least get started. Relative simplicity is still the goal. Still, I'm not going to back down on what I wish would be possible: A new version of the FX8 (with IR loader, and many of the new fx options).
 
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