Essential things to do to a new FM3?

laxu

laxu

Fractal Fanatic
I am receiving a FM3 tomorrow and was wondering if you can point me to what I should do to get a headstart?

I used the Axe-Fx Standard and 2 for close to a decade together so I am very familiar with the Fractal stuff but have been out of the loop for a few years. So far I've done the following:
  • Install Fractal-Bot.
  • Install FM3-Edit.
  • Install FM3 USB drivers.
  • Download the latest firmware.
Do I need anything else? Do I need to upload some switch layout files somehow to the FM3? Is there a defacto switch layout that is great when using the FM3 alone, without the FC foot controllers?
 
I think you have the right approach in terms of getting the software installed. As recommended above, read the manual for ideas on how the switch layouts work. Honestly, the best thing you can do as the outset is just hook it up and play. FM3-Edit will give you an idea of how the new presets are built, and how the FM3 differs from your previous AxeFX units. There are a lot of videos that will guide you, including the great series by @Cooper Carter. Once you've spent a day with the unit, you'll start to get some ideas on how you'll want to access your preset / scenes / effects from the switches. It's possible to do a LOT with three switches (I was skeptical at first, but my mind has been changed). The FC controllers are awesome too. Take a look at the "OMG9" setup that incorporates the FC-6 with the FM3.
 
laxu said:
So far I've done the following:
  • Install Fractal-Bot.
  • Install FM3-Edit.
  • Install FM3 USB drivers.
  • Download the latest firmware.
Do I need anything else? Do I need to upload some switch layout files somehow to the FM3? Is there a defacto switch layout that is great when using the FM3 alone, without the FC foot controllers?
Click to expand...
You don't need Fractal-Bot as it's already incorporated into FM3-Edit.

If the FM3 is new it'll already have the latest 3.02 firmware. If it isn't, or doesn't, I'd recommend immediately using Fractal-Bot to do a backup of the system and factory presets before upgrading the firmware. Once it's finished, compress all the backup files into a single archive and LOCK IT so you can't accidentally throw it away. It's always good to have the baseline system and files available. Then upgrade the firmware.

The OMG9 layout is great if you have an FC-6, because it creates a very flexible switching control system for the FM3 and is included in the latest firmware. The OMG3 layout is very good too.

There's a LOT of information in the Wiki for the FM3.
 
Greg Ferguson said:
You don't need Fractal-Bot as it's already incorporated into FM3-Edit.

If the FM3 is new it'll already have the latest 3.02 firmware. If it isn't, or doesn't, I'd recommend immediately using Fractal-Bot to do a backup of the system and factory presets before upgrading the firmware. Once it's finished, compress all the backup files into a single archive and LOCK IT so you can't accidentally throw it away. It's always good to have the baseline system and files available. Then upgrade the firmware.

The OMG9 layout is great if you have an FC-6, because it creates a very flexible switching control system for the FM3 and is included in the latest firmware. The OMG3 layout is very good too.

There's a LOT of information in the Wiki for the FM3.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Good to know about the Fractal-Bot and I will give the OMG3 a try.

I don't see myself buying the FC6 to go with it as it's very high priced especially in Europe for a one device only controller and I have no guarantee Fractal just won't support it on the Axe-Fx IV or FM4 or whatever comes next years along the line. Will probably add an Airstep or some other wireless system.
 
Great time to be getting back into the Fractal eco-system as the new Cygnus modeling is expected to be available on the FM3 in the near future..you're going to love the FM3 even with v3.02...:cool:
 
Stratoblaster said:
Great time to be getting back into the Fractal eco-system as the new Cygnus modeling is expected to be available on the FM3 in the near future..you're going to love the FM3 even with v3.02...:cool:
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm looking forward to that. I went from Axe-Fx 2 to Helix Floor because it was so much easier to use from the hardware. FM3 will probably be a desktop modeler for me whereas the Helix I use as an fx/routing/switching unit for my tube amps.

But I also have a Quad Cortex coming soon so it will be a real head to head with these three. I am still not even sure which ones will go and which ones will stay. QC has the UI and form factor going for it but is going to be a bit half-baked on features initially. Helix is great except its cab block sucks, basic reverbs are merely ok and the unit itself is pretty large.

FM3 will stay or go depending on how I get along with the hardware. Axe-Edit is of course the best software editor on the market but I hated the Axe-Fx 2 whenever I had to operate it without a computer, which was basically every gig for small tweaks to global EQ, some mix params etc. The performance pages would have probably saved the day had they been available back then. I sold the Axe-Fx 2 when the 3 was released to recoup as much money I could before the 2's value tanked. I did not want to buy the 3 since it was very expensive for horsepower I did not need and felt it wasn't enough of a hw UI upgrade I had been hoping.

Scoring a used FM3 was a stroke of luck as it's still waitlisted in Europe and even though I did not save that much vs new price, I will be able to get my money back if I don't like it so no harm giving it a fair try. I also want to try out Fracpad.
 
Learning to navigate the menu on the hardware interface will make things easier. Now with the Perform-PP and Perform-Gbl pages editing is even quicker. Those pages and the Global settings section are quick and easy.

Don't be in a rush to download 3rd party packs. There are some gig ready stock presets--IMHO. Just crank up the volume and leave as is or adjust to your preference.

Welcome back.
 
Habuman said:
Learning to navigate the menu on the hardware interface will make things easier. Now with the Perform-PP and Perform-Gbl pages editing is even quicker. Those pages and the Global settings section are quick and easy.

Don't be in a rush to download 3rd party packs. There are some gig ready stock presets--IMHO. Just crank up the volume and leave as is or adjust to your preference.

Welcome back.
Click to expand...
Yeah I have never bothered with 3rd party presets or even the stock ones because I know they are not going to work the same with my guitars and output devices. Just build my own base patch from scratch and then make variations of that. That way I need to do the hard setup of the full signal chain and mapping to scenes etc only once.

At most I think I will upload some multi-mic IR mixes exported from ML Sound Lab MIKKO cab sim because I like how those sound and the UI is just so great to work with.
 
laxu said:
Yeah I have never bothered with 3rd party presets or even the stock ones because I know they are not going to work the same with my guitars and output devices. Just build my own base patch from scratch and then make variations of that. That way I need to do the hard setup of the full signal chain and mapping to scenes etc only once.

At most I think I will upload some multi-mic IR mixes exported from ML Sound Lab MIKKO cab sim because I like how those sound and the UI is just so great to work with.
Click to expand...
Not sure what style of music you play but check out the attached preset...it sort of shows some 'extra' capabilities of the FM3 (with its 3 button, and one amp/one pitch/etc limitations) and how I overcome that. This is particularly for the awesome Nelson song "Love and Affection", so it has a drop tuning of 6, then re-routes to half step down, and then reroutes for standard tuning, has a harmonizer part, and also has some killer tones for each Scene, and button 3 steps through additional Scenes 3+.

I don't have the FM3, as I had to return it because I'm returning to the US, and actually have one waiting for me there, so I can't be sure if the harmonized Scene is a Custom Scale or not. I can look with FracTool later on and see.

(Added the system file just in case you're interested in seeing how it works, etc...and it has the custom scales)
 

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Last edited:
Greg Ferguson said:
You don't need Fractal-Bot as it's already incorporated into FM3-Edit.

If the FM3 is new it'll already have the latest 3.02 firmware. If it isn't, or doesn't, I'd recommend immediately using Fractal-Bot to do a backup of the system and factory presets before upgrading the firmware. Once it's finished, compress all the backup files into a single archive and LOCK IT so you can't accidentally throw it away. It's always good to have the baseline system and files available. Then upgrade the firmware.

The OMG9 layout is great if you have an FC-6, because it creates a very flexible switching control system for the FM3 and is included in the latest firmware. The OMG3 layout is very good too.

There's a LOT of information in the Wiki for the FM3.
Click to expand...

I didn’t know Fractal Bot was built in to FM3-Edit?
 
I received my FM3 a couple days ago and have been having a blast.

One thing that seemed odd: the footswitches were totally inactive and the scribble screens blank until I reset them. Now they seem fine.

I didn't see anything in the manual about this being a necessary step.
 
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