Axe Fx III user gigs with FM9 for the first time

Tremonti

Fractal Fanatic
Been using Fractal for 13 years. I have bought everything they have ever made and well versed in all things Fractal. Axe Fx III and FC12 has been my main rig for last couple years. Used the FM9 on Saturday night at The Gator Club in Sarasota for their downtown block party. My band, Johnny Diamond has played there pretty much exclusively, since 2016 and we do once a month, plus any special holiday events(Halloween, NYE, St Patty's). I'm Macho Man in pics.

Set up was easy but I need to build into the floorboard a connection access point. Also I want to have all cabling to run back, together, so it is plug and play. On to the actual FM9, it performed without hiccups. Running cpu at roughly 83% it never glitched. I did wire my Digitech Drop pedal backwards, so went to use and would not work. Lucky I swapped quick and all good.

I do want to change the FM9 layout for my scenes page to have quick access to my boost and multi delay. As of now I have layout 1(presets) being 8 patches per page with one button to bank up. Then layout 2(scenes) is 8 scenes and 1 button for effects/long hold to go back to Layout 1(presets), Layout 3(effects) with one button to go back to layout 2(scenes).

I wish the pedal jacks would allow 2 additional buttons to be added, instead of just 1. That was a bummer to find out about after the purchase, as I assumed it would be doable, like the Axe Fx III.

I like it. I think some added FW updates are coming and I do wish they would add some features that are not in there now. I will be getting something to protect the knobs. Will say i was nervous Saturday night with my feet an dthe buttons. Also drinks being spilt. But otherwise it is great.

But I still want an FM12 Turbo with fries.............................
 

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As far as a connection access point, I’m going to have LASD build me a breakout box. I don’t want to deal with constantly plugging and unplugging stuff from the FM9 itself, so I’ll be having a box made that has all the jacks on one side labeled all pretty with all the connections from the FM9 running into it, zip tied down and static. That’ll sit on the edge of the pedalboard so all I’ll have to do is make all my connections at the box instead of standing on a dark stage trying to see everything on the rear side of the FM9.

It’ll really just be an Input for the guitar, L/R outs for FOH and L/R outs to the power amp for the cabs onstage.

The only thing I’m debating now is that I’ll be going wireless for this, so I might have them build a footswitch into it in case the wireless goes down and I have to switch to a cable without needing to unplug anything.

To my own detriment, I’ve turned all my cable runs into snakes using heavy duty gaff tape or Gorilla tape…..then spending forever getting take goop off cables when I need to pull it apart. I think with this rig, I’ll just have the two cables running to the power amp, so I’ll probably just zip tie them and call it a day, unless I find some kind of sleeve to fit them into that doesn’t leave them covered in crap.
 
To my own detriment, I’ve turned all my cable runs into snakes using heavy duty gaff tape or Gorilla tape…..then spending forever getting take goop off cables when I need to pull it apart. I think with this rig, I’ll just have the two cables running to the power amp, so I’ll probably just zip tie them and call it a day, unless I find some kind of sleeve to fit them into that doesn’t leave them covered in crap

They make some cable snake tubing that is often used for car audio installs.

It's not adhesive so might work better for you?
 
Been using Fractal for 13 years. I have bought everything they have ever made and well versed in all things Fractal. Axe Fx III and FC12 has been my main rig for last couple years. Used the FM9 on Saturday night at The Gator Club in Sarasota for their downtown block party. My band, Johnny Diamond has played there pretty much exclusively, since 2016 and we do once a month, plus any special holiday events(Halloween, NYE, St Patty's). I'm Macho Man in pics.

Set up was easy but I need to build into the floorboard a connection access point. Also I want to have all cabling to run back, together, so it is plug and play. On to the actual FM9, it performed without hiccups. Running cpu at roughly 83% it never glitched. I did wire my Digitech Drop pedal backwards, so went to use and would not work. Lucky I swapped quick and all good.

I do want to change the FM9 layout for my scenes page to have quick access to my boost and multi delay. As of now I have layout 1(presets) being 8 patches per page with one button to bank up. Then layout 2(scenes) is 8 scenes and 1 button for effects/long hold to go back to Layout 1(presets), Layout 3(effects) with one button to go back to layout 2(scenes).

I wish the pedal jacks would allow 2 additional buttons to be added, instead of just 1. That was a bummer to find out about after the purchase, as I assumed it would be doable, like the Axe Fx III.

I like it. I think some added FW updates are coming and I do wish they would add some features that are not in there now. I will be getting something to protect the knobs. Will say i was nervous Saturday night with my feet an dthe buttons. Also drinks being spilt. But otherwise it is great.

But I still want an FM12 Turbo with fries.............................
Nice pics and write up. Thanks for sharing. Looks like everyone had a good time and the FM9 did it’s job. 👍
 
Get yourself an Expression IO from AudioFront.

Very small and useful midi expression box with 4 TRS jacks that can each support an expression pedal or a single or dual switch.

I'm using mine with 4 expression pedals so my pedal jacks are all 3 used as stand-in switches.
+1 for the ExpressionIO. I use mine for the expression pedals also, but have two switches and a fader controller in my FM9 setup. Added bonus: a DAW can record expression pedal MIDI output, so it can be used for reamping....
 
I wish the pedal jacks would allow 2 additional buttons to be added, instead of just 1. That was a bummer to find out about after the purchase, as I assumed it would be doable, like the Axe Fx III.
FWIW, that is not doable on the Axe-Fx III either: it's one switch per onboard jack.
Only the FC-6, FC-12, and FM3 allow two switches per jack.
 
FWIW, that is not doable on the Axe-Fx III either: it's one switch per onboard jack.
Only the FC-6, FC-12, and FM3 allow two switches per jack.
I’m sure I’m asking for a lot of folks, but can you please expand on that, is it a hardware limitation? Any chance of that changing via firmware updates in the future?
 
Get yourself an Expression IO from AudioFront.

Very small and useful midi expression box with 4 TRS jacks that can each support an expression pedal or a single or dual switch.

I'm using mine with 4 expression pedals so my pedal jacks are all 3 used as stand-in switches.
Just bought this. Thanks for suggestion. It may unseat my FC12 if I can build a box with 8 buttons on it and fit it onto the main pedalboard with the FM9
 
Just bought this. Thanks for suggestion. It may unseat my FC12 if I can build a box with 8 buttons on it and fit it onto the main pedalboard with the FM9
One limit with the switches is they will be midi, so not as flexible/powerful as using a built-in switch. But it's a pretty cheap and simple way to expand three number of either switches or pedals.
 
One limit with the switches is they will be midi, so not as flexible/powerful as using a built-in switch. But it's a pretty cheap and simple way to expand three number of either switches or pedals.
If you set them up as External switches, you can use them for any control switch duties and free up switches on the FM9 for other porpoises....
 
Set up was easy but I need to build into the floorboard a connection access point. Also I want to have all cabling to run back, together, so it is plug and play.
I use a Temple Audio Duo 24 for the FM9 with two pedals on the floor, and have the side modules so guitar, and the pedals connect on the right, and the A/C and XLR out are on the left. This works pretty well to organize the connections.

I'm thinking of getting some cable loom wrap to bundle the XLR and power cord to help organize the wires.

If it isn't one thing it's another. :)
 
I am awaiting my Audiofont IO. I mainly want to set it up to access 8 IA buttons or other utilities. Can this do it?
Assuming you mean ExpressionIO. Found this page when googling "audiofont" "io". Fortunately I am fairly fluent in French.... :)

The ExpressionIO can support up to four single or double switches, or up to four expression pedals, or any combination of four single or double switch boxes and/or expression pedals.

I have been thinking about adding one under my FM9 board to add some more control switches under the board for those times when I use the FM9 by itself....
 
I am awaiting my Audiofont IO. I mainly want to set it up to access 8 IA buttons or other utilities. Can this do it?
The main thing to remember is that they are midi, so cannot be used as Control Switches or be used as stand-in switches.

They do support "dual CC mode" which allows for similar tap/hold functions, though.
 
The main thing to remember is that they are midi, so cannot be used as Control Switches or be used as stand-in switches.

They do support "dual CC mode" which allows for similar tap/hold functions, though.
Once set up in the MIDI config, any CC# that can toggle between values 0 and 127 is a candidate for use with control switches via the External Switches function. I have CS sending CC values 0/127 between my FM9 and FX3, and since I staggered the CC #s on the two, I effectively have 12 CS in both units, because both units have their internal 6 and the other's via External 11-16. I have FX3 CS controlling stuff in the FM9, and vice-versa in some of my presets.... 🤪

With a standalone CC switch via MIDI, you will not have the ability to set up CS per Scene to automagically switch on your CS (but internal CS will still be able to do this), but it will give you almost all the things a CS can do if you set up your externals well....

In the MIDI config, you can also set up particular CCs to do stuff like preset select, increment, and decrement, as well as scene select, increment, and decrement. IIRC, there are some volume increment/decrement and save jobbies available also, though my brain can't find a use case for it as of this writing....
 
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Once set up in the MIDI config, any CC# that can toggle between values 0 and 127 is a candidate for use with control switches via the External Switches function. I have CS sending CC values 0/127 between my FM9 and FX3, and since I staggered the CC #s on the two, I effectively have 12 CS in both units, because both units have their internal 6 and the other's via External 11-16. I have FX3 CS controlling stuff in the FM9, and vice-versa in some of my presets.... 🤪

With a standalone CC switch via MIDI, you will lose the ability to set up CS per Scene to automagically switch on your CS, but it will give you all the things a CS can do if you set up your externals well....

In the MIDI config, you can also set up particular CCs to do stuff like preset select, increment, and decrement, as well as scene select, increment, and decrement. IIRC, there are some volume increment/decrement and save jobbies available also, though my brain can't find a use case for it as of this writing....
That's pretty "generic" CC IA (instant access) use... Control Switches can maintain state across scene changes, which is (for many) the main reason to use them.

Now, if you want to use them for the ability to toggle multiple blocks with a single switch, then using them in conjunction with External Controllers is definitely the way to go.
 
That's pretty "generic" CC IA (instant access) use... Control Switches can maintain state across scene changes, which is (for many) the main reason to use them.

Now, if you want to use them for the ability to toggle multiple blocks with a single switch, then using them in conjunction with External Controllers is definitely the way to go.
Just tested to be sure.

If the switch is momentary and held down during a scene or program change, the controlled items stay at the "on" value. A latching (stays on or off until you stomp it again, then switches to the other state) switch would do the same thing. They essentially act like two-position controller pedals - i.e., on or off, nothing in between. If that's what you're referring to as a "generic" CC IA, then, yes, that's what it does.

That said, you can do things with the physical switches themselves to get both momentary and latching on the same CC#. I was doing that in the '90s for Leslie rotor speed control back in the '90s with my Quadraverb II. A pair of SPDT switches, one momentary, one latching (wired up like the 3-way switches at either end of your hallway or staircase) will do that. Bump up to DPDT switches and add an LED, a resistor, and a battery, and you can even have it indicate its status. :) Also, some of the available pre-built switches can switch between momentary and latching, IIRC....
 
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