CPU ECONOMIZING PRESET

sprint

sprint

Axe-Master
Was tinkering around this morning to see how much I could get into a fw17.03 preset without exceeding 90% CPU. To my amazement quite a lot:

This preset uses 4 scenes:
1. Hi Gain Rhythm (Amp1X/Cab1X).
2. Hi Gain Lead (Amp1Y/Cab1X).
3. Clean (Amp2X/Cab1Y (hit Drive for some fuzztastic bender fuzz).
4. Clean with heavy fx (Amp2Y/Cab1Y).

It also has controllers as follows:
  • External 1 - Volume Exp Pedal (MFC - from level to one Oct Up).
  • External 2 - Wah Wah Exp Pedal (MFC)
  • External 3 - Whammy Pedal (MFC).
  • External 4 - Gain (MFC - takes amp1 from low/mid to hi-gain and compensates level).
  • External 5 - Amp1 Boost Switch (MFC).
  • External 6 - Reverb hold temp switch (MFC)
  • External 7 - Gate Pedal (MFC - Adjusts the preset gate from Off to moderate gating).
  • Scene Controller1 - To boost volume block by 1.5db on scenes 2 and 4.

CPU Economy is achieved by:
  • Using Mono Normal Rez Cab.
  • Using the "economy" pre-amps.
  • Using Normal Quality Reverb.
  • Using the Spring reverb which, for whatever reason, uses 7-8% less CPU than all the others (Cliff - pls don't close this loophole :).
  • Avoiding some advanced parameters that increase CPU usage (i.e. Comp, XFrmr Match).
  • Using the Pedal Compressor which uses less CPU than other types.

So what I proved to myself is that I can, after all, have an "every thing but the kitchen sink" preset as long as I'm stingy in the build process. Cool!

I uploaded this preset to AxeChange for anyone interested (Name = Economy Preset).
 
Last edited:
Why not split this into several patches and maintain a higher quality ?
For me even if it meant a small glitch when going from patch to patch, it would be worth it.
I love the reverbs in the Axe (except the spring because I hate that sound) and always use Ultra high res cabs.
To each his own I guess.
 
I think it's great when people here find ways of getting the CPU percentage down by well thought out routing of effects. I'm not into using too many effects myself but it's good to see this happening as the approach to this amazing bit of gear.
 
slinky005 said:
Why not split this into several patches and maintain a higher quality ?
For me even if it meant a small glitch when going from patch to patch, it would be worth it.
I love the reverbs in the Axe (except the spring because I hate that sound) and always use Ultra high res cabs.
To each his own I guess.
Click to expand...

I am assuming that he did this more just to see if he could than for utility.
 
slinky005 said:
Why not split this into several patches and maintain a higher quality .
Click to expand...

This is the exact kind of thing we talked about in the thread about dies the ace need more CPU. Many people speak of the low/normal res almost as if it is inferior. And if a block has a hi Rez option then that is what they want. We typically can not convince them other wise but there is no problem with the normal Rez stuff. It sounds killer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
brokenvail said:
It sounds killer
Click to expand...

This is true, but HQ and Ultrares sound more killer. Lucky for me, I don't do much in the way of effects (Typically just Wah, OD, Delay, Reverb.) so even with HQ everything I typically max out at ~80% CPU.

The real skill is knowing where you can get away with lower settings and where it would be noticeable. For example, there isn't much point going Ultrares cab into a rotary block. I doubt anyone would hear a difference there in a mix. If they did, their ear might be too good to actually get any enjoyment from any music.
 
I prefer to build my patches per song, which allows me to use high quality for nearly everything as I don't need to cram every effect in.
I get that for some people one song means a patch like the OP, but in my case, it allows me to build streamlined patches with only what I need, so more headroom for running higher quality blocks (where available).
 
Ben.Last said:
Well... it is...
Click to expand...

It is not. Example mic pre in cab unless you are getting phasing type artifacts there is no benefit to using the hi res. it just used more horse power to rectify those issue should they come up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
brokenvail said:
It is not. Example mic pre in cab unless you are getting phasing type artifacts there is no benefit to using the hi res. it just used more horse power to rectify those issue should they come up
Click to expand...

Aliasing is not the same as artifacts from phasing. And, as far as the preamp mode goes, I have yet to have a patch that the difference between high and economy wasn't at least slightly noticeable when playing by myself (in a mix is another question). Regardless, by their very definition, the lower quality settings are inferior. If you want to, instead, discuss whether that inferior nature is actually detectable, well, that's an entire different conversation, and one that is based almost exclusively in subjective perception. The problem with your point, as you phrased it, is that it seems to be based in the idea of attempting to convince people that their perception is flawed. When you are doing that in a forum in which people are already inclined to get super stoked over incremental improvements (UR impulses, as one example), that's just simply not a strategy that's going to work.
 
I've always kept a patch like this around as a master starting point for new presets I want to build. Typically, when building a new preset, I start with a master like this one and:

1. Remove any fx I'm not going to use for the task at hand.
2. Replace AMP1, AMP2, CAB1, and DRIVE to build the base tone. All blocks in the master other than these are 1st slot global blocks - they are my effect block defaults.
4. Tweak the EQs as desired.
5. Introduce higher quality features that require more CPU as desired (i.e. HQ Reverb, UltraRez ...). The extent to which I can do this depends on how much I've stripped out in step 1.

The routing and modifiers in this preset are the current "state of the art" I guess you could say for my AxeFx world. Even when I strip out a lot of the FX, the basic routing concept is always the same in all the presets I build. I find the consistency of this method makes it easy for me to construct a new preset or to tweak the ones I have when new features arrive. The routing concept I have holds up for petting anything I've wanted.

A lot of times I'll just take a copy of the master and change the AMP/CAB/DRIVE TO make a new base tone. As stated by others, the economy / low rez settings are still awesomely good to my ear. Though I can hear a difference with higher rez settings, sometimes I'll prefer to keep more fx in my presets (I tend to really like having all the mainstream fx at hand (Reverb, Delays, Chorus, Phase, Flange, Rotary, Wah, Whammy, Harmony, Univibe).

I thought I was going to have to abandon the "master preset" approach given the increased CPU requirements of some recent new features, but now, having worked this patch down to sub 90%, it looks like I can keep going on this tact. It's nice to know that it can still be done for those that want it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom