Controlling Delay Feedback and Level Using Midi CC's

rllw

rllw

Member
Has anyone ever controlled delay feedback and level using midi CC's?

I'm awaiting my new foot controller, but, want to do something like below:

1. Assign Delay Feedback to External Controller 1 on the AXE.
2. Assign Delay Level to External Controller 2 on the AXE.
3. Assign External Controller 1 to Midi CC 100 on the AXE.
4. Assign External Controller 2 to Midi CC 101 on the AXE.
5. On the foot controller, assign an IA switch to send a MIDI cc 100 message to the AXE with a Value of X (say 30) that would bring the delay feedback to "30".
6. Do something similar with delay level.

I'm not sure what I would set the values to in the MIDI CC message....any ideas?

I know I could use an expression pedal with min/max setup, but, hoping to use those for other controls.

Thoughts?
 
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I do this with the AxeFX II. with some scaling maths you can quite accurately set the levels.
on the II by setting the Controller Min and Max, then use that as your scaling for values of 0 through 127. So if your min was -6dB and max was +6dB then obviously 64 is pretty near 0dB.
 
unix-guy said:
You could also do similar with scene controllers or channels plus scenes.
Click to expand...
Yup, thanks, agree. However, this requires the scenese or channels be predefined for each preset. If I use an IA with CC, it can be used on any preset with delay.

Thanks!
 
Rob Weismantel said:
Yup, thanks, agree. However, this requires the scenese or channels be predefined for each preset. If I use an IA with CC, it can be used on any preset with delay.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Yep... I figured that's what you were planning.

However, to be fair it won't be "on any preset with delay", it will only be on those presets you have previously configured with modifiers for those controls in the Delay block. ;)
 
unix-guy said:
Yep... I figured that's what you were planning.

However, to be fair it won't be "on any preset with delay", it will only be on those presets you have previously configured with modifiers for those controls in the Delay block. ;)
Click to expand...

Very true, very true.
 
This is the most powerful way to control the Axe FX. Through the use of modifiers, I used my midi controller to accomplish the same thing scenes does, but with absolutely no audio dropouts.

I made a spreadsheet to help me set the min max and know what value to send to achieve the parameter setting I was going for.

I live by modifiers. Very powerful tool.

I was never restricted to just 8 scenes. Also, with the right midi controller, you could also control external gear, and make the outboard gear work in conjunction with the Axe, to augment axe presets with additional effects or options.
 
I'm so religious about this, I began getting into a rhythm of using the same modifier numbers for the same function all the time.

I should point out that, for instance, if you wanted to create a rhythm sound, and a lead sound, and the difference between those two sounds would be for the lead to be louder, more overdriven, plus have more reverb, and more delay, you could use modifier 1, and set the min for the rhythm and the max for the lead, on every control that you would need to manipulate to toggle between those two sounds - rhythm and lead, and then send CC 16 value 0 to access the rhythm sound, and send CC16 value 127 to access the lead sound.

But.......

Suppose you do what I do, as I mentioned previously - always use the same modifier to control the same feature in all my presets:

  • Modifier 1 - Amp drive
  • Modifier 2 - Amp master volume
  • Modifier 3 - Amp Block Output volume
  • Mod 4 - Delay 1 MIX
  • Mod 5 - Delay 2 Mix
  • Mod 6 - Rev 1 mix
  • Mod 7 - Rev 2 mix
  • Mod 8 - Overdrive Gain
  • Mod 9 - Overdrive Volume
  • Mod 10 - Wildcard - any goofy or seldom used control special for that particular situation in the preset
  • Mod 11 - Amp block switcher (I set both amps to mute when bypassed, put them in parallel on the grid, feeding into the same cab block, then invert the min/max controller of Amp 2), When I send CC27 Value 0, Amp 1 is active, when I send CC27 value 127, Amp 2 is active. This was to give me more amp options with no audio dropouts. The AXE III makes this completely unnecessary for me, but hey if you need 8 amp channels in one preset, you could use this too.
  • Mod 12 - Wah Wah sweep

This means, if all I am doing in a preset, is making the delay wetter, at some point in the song, I still use mod 4, just to keep my stuff organized and predictable.

A word of caution: Suppose you attach a modifier to the AMP Master Volume, and you make the min value 0 and the max value 5, but you try to play with your Axe FX at home, without the midi controller attached. Your preset will have no audio, because it will load with the min value of that modifier!!!!! zero master volume!!!! The way to avoid this, is to go into the utility settings and put medium range values in for controllers, So, for instance, if you get organized and always use the same modifier for the same purpose, you could put medium values "64", or "32" so that there is at least some sound when you do not have your midi foot controller hooked up. No, the presets won't sound the way you intended (you need your midi controller to send the correct values), but at least you'll have audio!!!!

**** Axe FX XL and Axe III have 16 modifiers available, but my experience and this example was with my good old Mark I unit (vintage 2012)

Copy and paste this link into your browser to look at my midi values sheet:

Code: 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZJTUeFwMTeQLLSHC3_Wjc8p9-hO_1y9qKTDbrCFEtK4/edit?usp=sharing
 
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