Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & video

cheopsnet

Inspired
Hi,

I am very excited to have placed my order for an Axe Fx Ultra... Could not stay in place, so paid the extra $$ on UPS 3 Day delivery!

Despite a busy schedule, I will try to document my experience of the Fractal with videos. I recently started putting together a decent method to record videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SjXdFJITNQ

Yes, the video is a bass cover (admire the beauty recently acquired!! I love it! :p ). I have been playing the guitar for about 12 years and picked up the bass a few months ago, after having found this awesome Jazz Bass (long story). Anyway, I recorded the video on a Flip and the audio on GarageBand/ProTools.

Bottom line: I am confident in the fact that I will not be disappointed by the Ultra, and look forward to paying back Cliff and the Fractal community by doing my best to advertise the unit out there through my humble videos.


I would appreciate if you could subscribe to my channel, so that you can be alerted by my new videos coming up. After a bit of adaptation time, I look forward to improvising with appropriate patches, as well covering in my own way classics from John Legend, Jamiroquai, Johny Lang, Lenny Kravitz, Gov't Mule, KT Tunstall, RHCP... (that is at least my intention overtime ;))

Thanks!!!!!!!!

Louis

Note to gearheads like me: I will feature some cool guitars in the videos to come, namely:
- Gibson Les Paul '59 Reissue Yamano (lemonburst)
- Fender Custom Shop Heavy Relic '62 Strat (Candy Tangerine)
- PRS Custom 10 Top Black Cherry
- James Trussart Steelcaster
- Gibson J-100
............
So stick around!!! Re-Thanks
 
Re: Attempt to document (YouTube) my experience as an Ultra

Update by UPS:
Apr 23, 2010 04:59 AM SAN FRANCISCO, CA, US OUT FOR DELIVERY

Can't wait to try it and post video demos very soon!
 
Re: Attempt to document (YouTube) my experience as an Ultra

I finally received the Axe Fx Ultra!

I had a few things to do before I got a chance to actually open the package. So let me tell you that I was excited when I did break the box open. The Axe was securely packed and I put it on a table. I first plugged it to my Digidesign MBox Mini using the wrong connections...Got more and more frustated, and then finally got it right. I plugged my Gibson Les Paul '59 Lemonburst Yamano Reissue and here we are...

I turn the Axe on, admired the robust and sleek look of the machine (while enjoying the sound of the fan :) ). I proceded to scroll through each preset and play a few chords to see the sounds...

First reaction: Disappointment! Yes, sorry to say that but I feel that my documenting of the Ultra has to be honest. I mean, a lot of really elaborate sounds, but I could not use most of the presets as they are too out-there for me. I enjoyed some of them and did realize the quality of the effects:
-Scrolling from preset 1 to 25: "cool, plenty of choices"
-Scrolling from preset 26 to the last one: "ok, get it,..."

I am exaggerating a little (I enjoyed the hells bells preset), but by the end, I was happy to end this quick overview

HOWEVER, it is when I started on a clean slate by creating my first patch that things got interesting. You see, I am lazy. And I believe that the main quality of this machine, for my use, is that it will finally push me out of my comfort zone (finding one setting and stick to it) and force me to translate what is in my head into sounds. The Axe clearly has lots of capabilities. I have not really done much so far beyond creating a nice crunch sound (FAS Crunch > 4x12 Green cab > reverb).

As a result, my opinion at this early stage:
Pros: The capabilities of the Axe Fx Ultra are endless, you are only limited by your creativity. I have not had the chance to really look at the effect section, but the amp-cab-mic simulation are really good. I don't know how close they are from the original models, but you can tweak settings to get any kind of awesome crunch or lead tones
Minus: Most presets do not turn me on, fairly loud fan, I need to figure out how to get nice clean tones (no effects, just nice clean)

This is my story so far. Videos on YouTube will come once I figure things out a bit more. All of the above is only my opinion, and it is not intended as an objective perspective, as I still need to learn a lot more..
 

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Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

Nice thread!
BTW, what monitors do you use with your MBox?
 
Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

Thanks!
Actually none: I plug Bose headphones in the Mbox.
 
Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

I have similar experiences. I even went & got what was the rage at the time: A QSC HPR 122i monitor. I figured that would give me a minimal coloration on my sound. I hear demos & patches online that sound awesome. I download the patches & they are shrill, or thin. Then I program my own patches & am getting closer & closer. Overall, I am happy, but I am amazed at how downloaded patches sound when I play them.
I guess others would not be happy with my patches if they played through them. I have the Redwirez & they are a dramatic change to the sounds, but it is an effort to go through them.
Also, I am only referring to live sounds. I can play through anything & get a useable tone (with some tweaking) & I have people comment that I sound good (even when I play with tube only guys) no matter what I play. When I got the QSC, people commented how it seemed to fill the room & not be so directional. Also, I have seen posted comments about sustain & how to get feedback, etc. I have absolutely no problem getting that. It is useable, controllable, and sounds great. My experiences with amps: Peavey Bandit, Gorilla, Music Man HD130, Marshall, Mesa Triaxis, ADA MP-1, Roland JC 120 & my favorite: Line 6 ax-2 (wish it had stereo input and I could use it's power amp with the Ultra). Guitartist...always searching for the tone! The ultra has been nice, but not really a plug & play item. It is a toolbox of sorts. Good luck, <><
 
Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

cheopsnet said:
Thanks!
Actually none: I plug Bose headphones in the Mbox.

Now that might be the reason for being a bit disappointed at the beginning,
factory presets were probably not tweaked for headphones.
Also, bare in mind that AxeFx is VERY sensible at the input,
what I mean is that it reacts on every guitar just like an amp would do.
And I guess that presets were also tweaked using different guitars,
per example, you can't plug a LP and use Sultans (Of Swing) presets
expecting it to sound like the real thing.

Anyways, I'm sure you'll love it more and more, keep exploring and tweaking!

@Guitarbot, I also have similar experiences with 90% patches downloaded from AxeChange,
they are either too moody, too compressed, too bright etc.
Ofc that doesn't mean they are "bad", no way,
it's just that people have different setups, different guitars, not to mention different playing and tastes for sound...
 
Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

Thanks guys for making me feel I am not the only one feeling that way..

@Muris_Varajic, I believe I recently watched a very nice ballad that you played on an EVO signed by Steve Vai. It was very nice..

The more I think about it, and the more I think it is a blessing that I don't like a lot of presets: I see it as a way to progress as a musician and to force my ears to analyze/decompose sounds and textures, so that I can replicate the ones I like from artists, concerts and cds.

Quick questions: I want to get rid of the presets I don't like from the Fractal. HOWEVER I want to be able to upload them one day on my Fractal (from the internet / Fractal website), so: Can I delete (make the patches empty) the presets I don't like and, one day in the future, go on the Fractal website and access/download the original factory presets again? Are they available for download? Or am I getting rid of them forever if I delete them now?

I tried to follow the SyxeEx page, but I cannot seem to download the application on my MacBook (this making it impossible to download users patches on my Axe Fx Edit)...I get some kind of table...Arghhh, in the middle of this learning curve people told me about :)

Anyway, thanks and hopefully see you via one of my soon-to-exist videos with the Ultra.

Cheops

PS: Great interface! I was doubtful, but it is extremely intuitive.
 
Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

I'm not sure if you can "delete" presets you don't like,
perhaps there is a way, my AxeFx is not near by so I cannot check.
But you can pick that "blank" preset which is the last one, 384. and copy it over those you don't like.
As for factory presets, yes, you can download all 3 banks from Fractal site, no worries.
 
Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

Sorry for using the word "delete", but that is what I was referring to:
Either Overwrite a blank patch over an existing preset
Or Copy the blank preset onto existing presets

I might reorganize the 380 patches using the following method then:
1-10: blank patches to be used for various clean sounds
11-20: blank patches to be used for various crunch sounds
21-30: blank patches to be used for various dirty sounds
31-40: Misc
41-380: Keep some blank patches + presets of interest

I do not own any Midi interface yet, so I don't plan on doing any back-up / upload of user patches from the Fractal forum... In the future, I will probably invest in an M Audio 2x2 Midiport, as I heard that this device limited the number problems that Axe Fx owners seem to have with Midi connection betweem Axe Fx and computer (in my case, MacBook)

Working on getting sounds when I have a chance (I have been really busy, so I have only played with the Axe Fx once since its arrival), and then I will try to shoot a first video/demo.

Take care

Cheops
 
Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

I have Macbook Pro and I use M- Audio Midi Uno with Axe-Edit and AxeFx, so far no problems.
But that just me, many others have reported problems with it so maybe 2x2 might be safest choice.
 
Re: Documenting my experience as an Ultra user with pics & v

Thanks Muris for your feedback, I will remember that..

Update: I have now overwritten the first 60 presets with an empty patch, so that I can start creating my own patches. I have already made a list of patches I want, providing for each of those the textures I am looking for. I cannot wait to dig into the Ultra. I created a very basic crunch sound and played over a blues backing track on Garageband. The sound was so rich and nice without any recording problem: the Ultra actually makes the whole mic'ing ordeal fun!!!!!

My perspective on the Ultra is the following: the only problem you might encounter is feeling overwhelmed by so many options, sounds, effects and parameters...

Anyway, I cannot wait to share videos on YouTube. I started recording one today, but the camera fell before the end and the video part was not saved...As opposed to starting all over again and feeling uninspired, I will wait to have a few good patches and will record them soon.

Thanks. I hope this as -honest-as-one-can-be documentary on my experience as a new Ultra is not only fun for me but of interest for people who are considering this incredible piece of equipment (that does however look like a Russian VCR pre-war :) ).

Thanks

Cheops
 
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