Different Functions with Each Press of the Same Footswitch

[State of Epicicity]

It would be wonderful also to have a cycle of batches of different commands, like having three steps in which one button changes function type each time it's tapped.

I've discovered since I wrote initially that you in fact can do this with a single FC6 or FC12, and the way to do it is to utilize the Layout Link function:

E.g., you have Footswitch 1 as CS1 Momentary on Layout 6 on the FC12, but the next time you press of Footswitch 1 the same footswitch you want to have it cycle in a loop through channels on Amp1:​

​

Program the Layout Link for Footswitch 1 Layout 6 to switch to Layout 7 with the Tap function (this works even if you've set the CS to momentary, i.e., the CS fully executes its release command before the Layout changes, regardless of whether your Hold Function Execute Mode is set to Timeout or Switch Up). Next, in Layout 7, program Footswitch 1 to a Per-Preset Override command to increase amp block channels from A to D in a wrap, so that Channel D will switch to Channel A. Now assign the gain knob of Amp 1 to CS1 with desired MIN and MAX values and test! You'll see that the first time you press Footswitch 1 in Layout 6, the gain knob will go to your desired MAX value, then as you release the footswitch the Gain will revert to your set MIN value in the Modifier menu, AND the Layout will switch to Layout 7. Next time you press the same footswitch you're increasing Amp Block channels in a wrap!​

That was just one random example, but the possibilities are incredible; they open a new world of programming capabilities to make complex Presets perhaps a wee bit easier onstage. One could theoretically program all the switching one would normally go through in a song to a single footswitch, or simply consolidate to fewer footswitches needed for a single song, opening the possibility of making your preset that much more complicated with even more switches haha!

The implication with footswitches that would normally be programmed to increase the value of a selection but now would increase the value of the selection proceeded by another function is that you would replace your normal "increase value" commands (e.g., increase selection from Channel A to Channel C) on the FC6 or FC12, with individual, basic select, non-increasing commands with a Layout Link attached to each:

E.g., to increase from Channel A to Channel C of the Amp Block, then to select Scene 4, all with the same footswitch:​

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1st press of Footswitch 1: Amp Block Channel A in Layout 3 (with a Layout Link to Layout 4)​

2nd press of Footswitch 1: Amp Block Channel B in Layout 4 (with a Layout Link to Layout 5)​

3rd press of Footswitch 1: Amp Block Channel C in Layout 5 (with a Layout Link to Layout 6)​

4th press of Footswitch 1: Scene 4 select in Layout 6​

The possibilities are just staggering. I knew I had written about this incorrectly at some point, and I wanted to post my own answer to my months old pondering out loud in case anyone else was wondering the same thing! My problem was that I had initially misread the information about Layout Links, considering them as functions only designed to control multiple FCs, utterly disregarding their capabilities in a single FC6 or FC12! It was a big thing to me to change my thinking about this function very slightly, and now I’m excited about how I may consider setting up complicated presets utilizing combinations of Scene Controllers, Control Switches, Multiplexer Blocks, Mixer Blocks, and Layout Links.

Thanks to everyone who shares knowledge and tips on this forum. I just find myself so surprisingly often regarding the Axe FX III as a limitless source of capabilities.

 

[Dave Merrill]

Layout links are very cool.
I have each preset switch in my presets layout also change to my scenes layout, since I know that's mostly where I want to be for the body of a song.

I'm totally with you in wanting the same switch to do different things on successive presses, but IMO layouts are pretty awkward way to get there.
For each of those different actions, you'd need a whole other layout that's a clone of the first one, except for that one switch.
That's a super inefficient use of the available layouts, and a lot to maintain if you change anything about that set of layouts.
Gets even clunkier if you had more than one switch you wanted to act like that.

There are a number of footswitch capabilities I wish we had besides this one, all mentioned elsewhere.
The big one is multiple actions for one switch press, maybe some day.
The RJM controllers can do stuff like this I think, but the big one is too rich for my blood.
There may be others that can get close, but it really seems to me like RJM is on top of that particular heap.

 

[State of Epicicity]

IMO layouts are pretty awkward way to get there.

Dude, totally fair. I admit, it's a son-of-a-bitch workaround, but it works haha! For complicated presets, I use spreadsheets to map out the behavior I'm looking for.

For each of those different actions, you'd need a whole other layout that's a clone of the first one, except for that one switch.
That's a super inefficient use of the available layouts, and a lot to maintain if you change anything about that set of layouts.
Gets even clunkier if you had more than one switch you wanted to act like that.

You're right about that, in a scenario where you're trying to keep everything the same except for the multi-function switches.

For me, I'm just glad that Layout Links are a workable way to achieve this; for a while I didn't think there was any way to do this at all with an FC6 or FC12 without involving MIDI and external equipment or a computer (for me, that means Bome MIDI Translator), and I'm so glad, clunky or not, this is an option. For my presets it works really well, because I generally only use factory Layouts 1, 2, and 9 pretty much as is (although I have the Tuner in switch 6 and the Master Layout in switch 12 (with hidden Master Layout combination disabled, so I can have use switch 6 as a momentary whenever I want). That means that for the way I work, Layouts 3 - 8 are available as a per-preset free for all; more than enough switching for me!

Also, for stuff like gapless switching, which I've really gotten into, I'm finding that I'm mapping out a ton of stuff with spreadsheets anyway, like working out what Scene Controller percentages Input Trim values translate to using logarithmic formulas. I'll create one regular preset with channels to set a different tone for each scene, then I'll analyze it for what list of parameters change between Scenes and Channels, entering those to a spreadsheet, then finding the best way to map out the sometimes weird way I get to recreate gaplessly using only four Scene Controllers and some strange Modifier curves. So I'm already in the most clunky of workflows, but I don't mind; I'm finding it fun as hell to create the behavior I'm looking for and to make it work without MIDI. For me it's more just been a process of wrapping my head around the design intentions and working within those parameters in whatever way I can!

 

[Dave Merrill]

Dude, totally fair. I admit, it's a son-of-a-bitch workaround, but it works haha! For complicated presets, I use spreadsheets to map out the behavior I'm looking for.



You're right about that, in a scenario where you're trying to keep everything the same except for the multi-function switches.

For me, I'm just glad that Layout Links are a workable way to achieve this; for a while I didn't think there was any way to do this at all with an FC6 or FC12 without involving MIDI and external equipment or a computer (for me, that means Bome MIDI Translator), and I'm so glad, clunky or not, this is an option. For my presets it works really well, because I generally only use factory Layouts 1, 2, and 9 pretty much as is (although I have the Tuner in switch 6 and the Master Layout in switch 12 (with hidden Master Layout combination disabled, so I can have use switch 6 as a momentary whenever I want). That means that for the way I work, Layouts 3 - 8 are available as a per-preset free for all; more than enough switching for me!

Also, for stuff like gapless switching, which I've really gotten into, I'm finding that I'm mapping out a ton of stuff with spreadsheets anyway, like working out what Scene Controller percentages Input Trim values translate to using logarithmic formulas. I'll create one regular preset with channels to set a different tone for each scene, then I'll analyze it for what list of parameters change between Scenes and Channels, entering those to a spreadsheet, then finding the best way to map out the sometimes weird way I get to recreate gaplessly using only four Scene Controllers and some strange Modifier curves. So I'm already in the most clunky of workflows, but I don't mind; I'm finding it fun as hell to create the behavior I'm looking for and to make it work without MIDI. For me it's more just been a process of wrapping my head around the design intentions and working within those parameters in whatever way I can!

Yow, no thank you!

But if it works for you, cool, and if switching layouts to reconfigure a switch gets you where you want to be, then rock on.

 

[State of Epicicity]

Yow, no thank you!

Haha, I feel you. I used to do stuff like that with guitar plugins using MIDI for gapless presets long before I got the Axe FX III, so it's not a terribly big deal for me now, especially since at this point I'm really getting a better handle on the many different tone switching options Cliff and Fractal have offered in the unit, and how most effectively to utilize them the ways I like.