Experimental Preset

clarky

Axe-Master
I think I've just nailed the cleverest preset I've ever written barring none [on any FX unit]
it is totally mental

using scenes in conjunction with modifiers, plus a few IA's

this is the basic layout on the MFC

1 - Riff morph via XP1 crunch with delay / phaser [script 90] – IA6: delay
2 – Solo morph via XP1 clean [IA2 phaser = vibe]
3 – Clean morphs in chorus via XP2 [XP1 becomes volume]
4 - Ballad Solo morph via XP1 clean
5 – Bowed Ballad Solo morph via XP1 clean
6 – delay1
7 – Phaser1
8 - NONE
9 – gate1
10 - NONE

XP1 = dirty-clean morphing for scenes 1, 2, 4, 5 / fades in a chorus on scene 3
XP2 = off / on via toe switch: off = volume pedal, on = wah

I know it don't look that special like this..
but it's the functionality it delivers and how it goes about it..

I've essentially shoehorned 4 of my previous presets into one and added to it..
CPU sits at a remarkable 91% <-- I expected to blow it up way before then...

when I get around to it I'll see if I can make a little recording of it
 
I know it don't look that special like this..
but it's the functionality it delivers and how it goes about it..

Looks special from here! That's a lot of functionality packed in to one preset. Very awesome.

I've essentially shoehorned 4 of my previous presets into one and added to it..
CPU sits at a remarkable 91% <-- I expected to blow it up way before then...

Something M@ said at Axe-Fest prompted me to revisit my use of scenes and it's working out great. He said something to the effect of Steve Vai spends the first half of his show on one preset and just switches it up via scenes the whole time. I knew then I wasn't exploring the power of scenes enough. Doing the 8:1 Controller mutliplexing patch really illuminated things for me. Previously I was using two scenes and just tap dancing on the IAs. Now I'm at 5 and even thinking I could use all 8 and lose some IAs in the process. It's me kidding myself that I *need* to be able to tap on a phaser or chorus IA separate from everything else at any point during a song or set.

when I get around to it I'll see if I can make a little recording of it
Looking forward to that.
 
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ok guys...
here's a rough clip showing most of what the preset can do..
a couple of things to note:
- this is eq'd for my monitoring at low volume [it's not for live]
- it's not quite finished with respect to inter-scene levels
- my playing is as rough as you like, but it's almost 2 in the morning at the end of what has been a looooong ass weekend
- I'll add some notes later describing what's going on.. but right now I seriously need to sleep [for about a year or two.. lol]

 
Amp1: X = 5153Red [only X side is used - blends with Amp2: X for riffing panned left, sounds alone panned centre for soloing]

Amp2: X = Herbie ch3 [only used for riffing panned right]
Amp2: Y = Brit800 [used for clean tones]
 
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here's what's happening controller wise with this preset [with respect to the clip]

0:00 scene1: Riff / XP1 [morph] and XP2 [vol] both toe down... erm... riffing a bit
0:21 scene1: Riff / XP1 heel - cleans up just a little, brings up reverb, delay and phaser [X side for phaser]
0:38 scene1: Riff / XP1 toe - back to the riffing tone
0:45 scene1: Riff / XP1 heel again
0:53 scene1: Riff / XP1 toe - back to the riffing tone
1.03 scene2: Solo [main] - amp2 mutes, amp1 pans centre, increase in level, volt kicks in for more gain, delay and reverb kick in permanently [so they're not morphed in as they are in scene1]
1:24 scene2: Solo [main] - XP1 heel - cleans the tone
1:42 scene2: Solo [main] - XP1 toe
1:18 scene2: Solo [main] - XP1 heel
1:24 scene2: Solo [main] - XP1 heel, IA6 switches on phaser [which is now Y side for uni-vibe]
2:38 quick XP1 to toe and back to heel - note that at toe position the vibe is out [it fades out when XP1 is 3/4 forward]
2:47 XP1 toe, vibe faded out
2:52 XP1 heel, cleaned tone, vibe back in
3:02 XP1 toe
3:09 XP2 toe switch=on, XP2 is no longer a vol pedal and switches to a way [crybaby]
3:30 XP2 toe switch=off, wah is off, XP2 is now a vol pedal again
3:36 scene3: Clean / amp1 mutes, amp2 switches to Y side JCM800 - this is neck pup
4:04 in scene3, XP2 changes to control the chorus, heel fades it in, toe fades it out
4:26 still scene3, XP2 toe [fades out chorus], guitar mid selection [both pups on]
5:05 still scene3, bridge pup [which crunches the tone a touch
5:17 jeez... devoid of ideas I play something that it utterly shite... taxi for Clarky...
5:38 XP2 to heel to bring up the chorus [for some very bogus Rush stuff]
6:02 you can hear XP2 returning to toe [taking out the chorus]
6:03 scene4: Solo Ballad / essentially a copy of scene2 Solo but with less level and a touch less top
6:25 IA6 brings in the phaser X side so it's actually a phaser. XP1 1/2 cocked. Like scene2, as the tone cleans, the phaser gets stronger, from 3/4 forward the phaser is out
6:52 XP1 to heel - cleans the tone and the phaser is at it's strongest
6:56 XP1 to toe - full dirt, phaser out
7:03 XP1 to heel again
7:11 scene5 bowed solo / XP1 heel [cos it sounds prettier slightly cleaned]. the bowing is achieved via the gate block
 
Sounds great!!!! U never fail to impress. I wish I had the ingenuity to come up with such a
layout and well thought out patch. It really takes what u had done previously and took it to a
whole new level, Im sure a lot of time has gone into it. It really covers a lot of ground.
Thanks so much for painstakingly going into detail and explaining whats going on and when.
Im hoping you will post this one soon as I'm itching to try this one out!!!! I cant imagine what
you will come up with next.
 
I'll try to post the preset later..

note though that you'll need to do quite some MFC config to get this one running
plus.. you'll need two XP's, one of which needs a toe switch
 
here's the preset
View attachment RiffSolo1a Exp1104.syx

lil' note: scene switching alone [without the MIDI CC:20 config in the MFC] will not make this preset work..
scenes switching and CC: 20 control must occur together

when you choose the preset [and after the MFC is set up] hit the reveal switch on the MFC
scene changes are on the front row of the switches
IA's are on the next row
the functional MFC layout is as follows:

Scene1: Riff -morph-> crunch with phaser and delay
Scene2: Solo [main]
Scene3: Clean
Scene4: Solo [ballad]
Scene5: Solo [bowed]

the MFC config:
SW1 NONE C1: 20 = 000 000 / C2: 34 = 000 Scene1
SW2 NONE C1: 20 = 127 127 / C2: 34 = 001 Scene2
SW3 NONE C1: 20 = 127 127 / C2: 34 = 002 Scene3
SW4 NONE C1: 20 = 127 127 / C2: 34 = 003 Scene4
SW5 NONE C1: 20 = 127 127 / C2: 34 = 004 Scene5
SW6 DELAY1 on/off
SW7 PHASER1 on/off
SW8 NONE
SW9 GATE1 on/off
SW10 IA: NONE

XP1: MIDI CC: 16 [EXT CTRL1]
XP2: MIDI CC: 17 [EXT CTRL2]
XS1 [the toe switch of XP2]: MIDI CC: 24 [EXT CTRL9]

you must also link switches 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the MFC
EDIT -> SETUP -> LinkA 01 02 03 04 05

Modifier assign notes:
EXT CTRL 1
Scene1: XP1 dirty morph to clean with delay and phaser
Scene2: XP1 dirty morph to clean
Scene3: XP1 not to be used
Scene4: XP1 dirty morph to clean
Scene5: XP1 dirty morph to clean

EXT CTRL 2
Scene1: XP2 toe sw off = volume pedal / XP2 on = wah
Scene2: XP2 toe sw off = volume pedal / XP2 on = wah
Scene3: XP2 toe sw off = chorus in to heel / XP2 on = wah
Scene4: XP2 toe sw off = volume pedal / XP2 on = wah
Scene5: XP2 toe sw off = volume pedal / XP2 on = wah

EXT CTRL 5 [MIDI CC 20] is used in conjunction with scenes [to handle parameters beyond the control of scenes]

PHASER1
X side = phaser for scenes 1, 3, 4, 5
Y side = vibe for scene 2
XP1 controls the phaser's level, so the phaser is 'out' when XP1 is at toe, and 'in' when at heel
XP1 at around 3/4 forward is where the "fade-in / fade-out' ramp is on the modifier curve..
so... XP1 at mid-point is a slightly cleaner tone [only just] with a hint of phaser
 
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ahh....
another lil' note...
this one is still a bit of a work in progress..
so levels, EQ, and some of the more subtle modifier settings are still being goofed with..

EDIT: I've also re-EQ'd this preset for loud playing through my headphones
cos this is a more common practice scenario for me than my studio monitors
compared to the original in the recorded clip, I've cut a ton of top from it..
 
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Clarky, thank you for taking the time to put these threads out. Your contributions are greatly appreciated.

no worries matey....
if even just a few of you walk away from all my ramblings with some spark of an idea that leads to something that takes your playing / performance capabilities into some new and cool direction, then it'd all have been worth it

EDIT: I did at one point consider describing in detail all of the processes that take place in this preset
then I almost puked just thinking about it.. it's kinda a daunting prospect..
and no doubt it'll put everyone to sleep [so some of you may enjoy reading it to your kids at night.. lmao]
so I'm not sure I'll actually do that..
 
Thanks for posting the preset, I haven't gotten to give it a try yet.
Besides the MFC I just have two Mission SP2 Expression pedals,
both with switches and one has the spring mod or whatever so it
returns to heel position. I hope I don't have issues configuring it all.
If I do I guess I know who to ask!
I also concur with Rain,,, the solo tone is awesome!!
 
Clarky, that post the run down of what you're changing in the clip and this patch are...An Education man. You really push the controller stuff to the edge. Sounds are glorious.
 
Right on Clark, love the Univibe you rolled in the middle along with the wah setting... sounds great =)
 
haa... thanks guys...

shout if you manage to get it working...
it's quite a big preset this one..
 
lil' note guys
there's been something bugging me about the tone of this preset and how it sits in the mix...
I've realised what it is...
I'd accidentally left the cab delay set to 1.000
set it to 0.000 and it gets a whole lot better...
 
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