ENGINEER or GUITAR PLAYER?

You get in the device zone and develop a 6th sense for tweaking/creating sounds later you spend way more time in the playing zone!
 
GuttaLaser said:
I feel I'm really programming... when i'm in a recording session 'couse the Axe have tons of "tools" that are typical of the "post-production" and mixing time, so you can get in right the recording session the 99,99% of the final tone.
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When you are in a recording session, you should really focus on your playing. Your performance is much more important than your sound.

Also, I would leave all the mix-specific tweaks for the mixing engineer. Maybe the mix needs that your guitar should be lo-cut at 200 Hz - No need to do it in the Axe, the mix engineer has a lo-cut that is every bit as effective. And even more important. He has access to all recorded tracks and can tweak all of them to fit together. Unless the guitar is recorded last, you do not have that luxury. Secondly, if the mix engineer is any good, he will have spent as much time learning to mix as you did learning to play guitar. Even if the mix engineer is yourself, I strongly recommend that you separate your time into recording and mixing. It is two different mindsets, and you cannot do both well at the same time.
 
I understand what the OP is saying. But playing has to come on number one. There are times when I don't touch my Axe fx for weeks because all I want to do is practice and not be distracted by any gear. I just plug in a real amp and play with two very simple sounds clean/overdrive. Or better yet play electric unplugged. Having all the options can take away your mind (and time!) from playing.

Other times when I want something new I dive deep into the tweaking thing again. But then after some time I get annoyed because I don't play as much as I would like. All this (both the tweaking and playing) is a constant learning process. And from the tweaking you will also get new playing ideas and inspiration.

You have to do what works the best for you. Just choose two amps and cabs that work. You really don't need more than 4 amps for gigs. When you play with a real amp you only bring one amp to the gig. Choose a practical signal flow or path that suites your bands. Also stay longer on one FW if you don't want tweaking. Adjusting things again or problem solving with a new FW takes much time meaning less playing time.

As for the timing of the loops: yes it is very hard to get them 100% in time when you play along with a metronome. It takes a lot of practice and even then after some rounds the loop will run away from the beat somewhat. One thing I find annoying of the older MFC101 that it has these robust buttons. They are not very convenient for looping. The newer MFC's have knobs that are easier to press I think (?).
 
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I tweak all the time ... It isn't a burden. I tweak because I get new ideas or get inspired by others. As long as it improves things.

Example:
I always use LowCut and HiCut in the Cab block. On the Axe-Fx II I use a global Cab block, so I can easily adjust the frequencies, depending on the room I'm in. But the AX8 has no global blocks. For global adjustments on the AX8 it's much easier to use the Global EQ. So yesterday I set LowCut and HighCut back to default in the Cab block in all AX8 presets. That's tweaking. But it improves my workflow.

Next week I may change something else. Or not.

I also play a lot. :)
 
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dpeterson said:
Do this... create a patch with a virtual pedalboard with the stuff you use or plan to use. Use this as a template when you try to create new sounds..
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Exactly my approach. I manage 2-3 patches on average. If I'm tweaking, it's something simple like adding an effect here or there, or saving certain tempos / delay settings. Otherwise, I haven't really edited a patch in nearly a year.
 
actionjackson12 said:
(I miss having 5 knobs to control my amp etc.)
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We could have 4 knobs, but the wish for knobs to be user programmable when in "recall" mode was never granted. This was how I thought it could be implemented:
1 - In global settings, activate programable knobs, assign desired parameters to each knob
2 - Hit recall or be in recall mode
3 - The four knobs become active
4 - On first knob turn, knob takes over main display, displaying value in big number and name of parameter
5 - On next turn the value changes (maybe have default for that value displayed in a corner)
6 - When idle for user selected number of seconds, the Axe-Fx saves the value and returns to recall screen
7 - Repeat for other knobs

Essentially this is what the RAC-12 was designed for. Skip to 25 seconds in & watch how it takes over screen.

I'd love to have a "RAC-4" built into the Axe-Fx. The capability is there.
 
Hmmmm. I kind of feel the opposite of the OP in some ways. This forum is really geared towards getting the most out of the AXE, and you can read and deep dive and tweak endlessly if you have the time and desire.

I don't really do that though. I did spend some time in the first year learning how to get some power out of the MFC, scenes, scene controllers, and expression pedals. I have never really tweaked out on cabs or advanced parameters though. I sort of flipped through a few amps that I already had an idea about (like Marshall types) and went "Oh, this sounds really good." Then I tried out about 30 or 40 cabs of popular kinds, like TV mixes and things like that, and once I got happy I kind of stopped there.

I created a bunch of "clone" presets of ones that I liked, and tweaked a few effects or controls for certain cover songs, but I have not gone back and tweaked and re-tweaked my tones. I just play. I would love to get back in there and see if I can improve some tones, but I'm just too busy playing, learning new songs, and liking what I hear I guess. Heck, I barely (if at all) re-tweak after firmware updates. I play in a 3 piece, and my tone slays, so I leave it alone. I only use 4 amp models total for the most part, and 2 amps make up 80% of my tones.

The downside is I always feel a little "Axe-Inadequate", like I could get so much more power out of this thing if I really dug into it. But, I'm still chasing my chops around and conquering difficult songs, so that is what consumes me.
 
I have been full circle w/the axe-fx. First year was learning it and going crazy with patches etc. etc. , 2nd year has been simplifying it. I have put in the time to know understand this machine. I know what I need to adjust, when i need to adjust and when I don't etc. etc. I too, have about 3-4 amps i go to and about 5-6 IR cabs that I use...I feel like I have finally "tamed the monster"...this whole question "Engineer or Guitar Player" came about last week...

I had the privilege of sitting down to play a Strandberg 7string and an Orange OR100H...just those two things...after about 30 mins. of playing, i realized I hadn't even touched a single knob, accept to turn the amp on and off. That was refreshing and something i dearly missed. With the axe-fx sitting in front me...it is REALLLY hard to just let well enough alone, it is just so powerful...lol, So I started this post to see how others felt, and its great to see that the power and love of just "SIMPLY PLAYING" still rages on!

SoO, I ordered an Orange OR100H and FX8 hahaha. I will never get rid of my AXE-FXMKII, I LOVE IT but I now I get the best of both worlds.
 
SoO, I ordered an Orange OR100H and FX8 hahaha. I will never get rid of my AXE-FXMKII, I LOVE IT but I now I get the best of both worlds.
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Could have saved a hell lot of money with Matrix G1000FX, no? Wouldn't the results be kind of identical?
 
I spent more early on learning to edit/program the Axe FX when I first got it- before Axe Edit was available. I spend a lot less time editing things now though, but I tend to use a template for presets that's dialed in now for me and I also don't try to emulate other's tones or build very complicated presets.

I still plug straight into tube amps like small Fender amps routinely to keep things simple and focused when trying to come up with song ideas or practice. Or play my old J45..
 
FreeMind said:
Could have saved a hell lot of money with Matrix G1000FX, no? Wouldn't the results be kind of identical?
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Funny you mention that...Im currently running my AXE-FX Direct out to 2 Mackie HD1221's for stereo and then into a Matrix GT1000FX-1U into a an Orange 2x12 centered in MONO (wet/dry/wet). While the Matrix is fantastic, its fairly transparent allowing the axe-fx to do it's job. The Orange OR100 has it's own unique thing going on, it's completely different from the Matrix and axe-fx. Im sure if I put in the time i could achieve an OR100 sound with the axe-fx, but...i don'wanna o_O haha I love my axe-fx rig and im sure I will love my FX8 OR100 rig.
 
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I haven't messed with my config in a major way for quite some time now..
my only change within the last year [I think] was to swap the analog delay with the bucket brigade one..
and as my delay is a global block, I switched it in one preset and all the others changed with it..
so it took just a fleeting moment

I'll only start noodling around if I see something that's of interest to me in a new fw drop..
or if I have some sort of brainwave that could make my config better, more efficient, more feature rich [which is rare now that I'm "there" with the presets]..
or if I have a session that requires me to build a new / specific tone..

my thoughts on all this [not only for the Axe, but for all other fx units I've had] is to spend a lot of time and effort getting exactly right..
then leave it alone
 
clarky said:
my thoughts on all this [not only for the Axe, but for all other fx units I've had] is to spend a lot of time and effort getting exactly right..
then leave it alone
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I agree with that. But that is not always possible with the constant updates and changes in the amps. Updates means tweaking again and to some extent completely start over with your patches. Or not updating and missing the new stuff. It's up to you.
 
I only use a couple of patches. I might add an effect via the MFC101 but most of the time I use the volume on the guitar.

For me the AXE-FX is about convenience. I'm far more focussed on my playing to be sniffing corks.
 
Bodde said:
I agree with that. But that is not always possible with the constant updates and changes in the amps. Updates means tweaking again and to some extent completely start over with your patches. Or not updating and missing the new stuff. It's up to you.
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I've never found that I've had to start over due to a fw drop..
on occasion had to make some minor eq tweaks…
or some tweaks to the controllers that handle the 'cleaning' process in my presets cos an amp in a new fw version cleans up at a slightly different place..
however… this is where global blocks come to the rescue…
fix one.. and I've fixed all..
 
More on the engineer side since I actually did a project to make it easier to "tweak" (see my signature). At the time I did the project I felt there was a need to tweak just to get "more descent" tones from the AXE-FX than the defautls settings allowed. Nowadays the units is so much more effective that I find "intensive tweaking" is no longer needed to get very good tones from the AXE. But just like the unit has become more effective, I find tweaking is much more "effective" and can have dramatic effects on the tone. But needed or not, it is up each person to decide.
 
I'm always looking for new sonic possibilities and I'm not interested in sounding like XYZ. The patches I program influence my playing style a lot too so for me, I'd say playing and programming are linked and I spend equal amounts of time doing both. But then I'm an engineer too and have produced a lot of my own stuff on computers before.
I love the axe just because it is so programmable. Thats why I bought it. If i just wanted to play I'd get a lovely amp and maybe a foot switch or two for channel selection.
 
Engineer vs musician has been the learning process. When you first started playing guitar, you were more the engineer... learning, trying new things, seeing what can fit where. Little by little, the knowledge becomes ingrained and you just play. It's the same with complicated gear.

The thing is I don't try to know and use all things from all styles of music, I use what I like and need. That's what I am doing with the gear. Trying to really learn what I need so using it becomes natural. It's all music after that, with the "engineering" supporting it in the background.
 
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