Dr. Dipwad
Experienced
Sorry that this is in the wrong place...but, unless I missed it, it doesn't look like the Forum even HAS a section for the FC-series footswitches yet.
Here are my questions about the FC-series Footcontrollers:
Q1. Is the distance between the footswitches larger now?
On the MFC-101 the footswitches are too close together. As a result it's too easy to hit the wrong switch while playing.
I'm hoping the distance (center-on-center) from one footswitch to the next (vertically and horizontally) is a little larger on the FC-12. (Not hugely larger, but perhaps a half-inch. As little as a quarter-inch would help.)
Is it?
Q2. Are all the footswitch functions for ALL footswitches fully assignable now?
On the MFC-101 the worst problem is when I accidentally hit the Program Up or Program Down switches during a performance. Since (like many of us) I use one Program per song, I would rather do program changes from the front panel of the Axe-FX, or control them from a separate 2-button footswitch. Having those buttons stuck immovably on the main panel of the MFC-101 was always a minefield.
I'm hoping that none of the buttons on the FC-series footswitches are "stuck" with one function. In particular, I hope to use an FC-12 for controlling scene-changes, effects toggles, etc., but assign NONE of the FC-12 as program up/down buttons. Then I'll just plug in a separate 2-button footswitch, assign its buttons to program up/down, and keep it well off to one side where I can't accidentally hit it.
Can I do that?
Q3. Different Functions Assignable to Different Footwitches on a Per-Program Basis?
On Program 1, I might have Synth, a Flanger, and a Whammy effect...but no Rotary or Tremolo, or Plex Delay. On Program 2, I might have a Rotary, a Tremolo, and a Plex Delay...but no Synth, no Flanger, no Whammy. When using the MFC-101, this situation would leave many of the footswitches "dark" (unassigned) on any program, according to whichever effects that program didn't have.
On the FC-series footswitches, I hope to fully utilize all the footswitches on every program. When I change to Program 2, the 3 footswitches formerly used by Synth, Flanger, and Whammy will change to toggling Rotary, Tremolo, and Plex Delay. Their scribble strips and colors will update accordingly.
Is that the way it'll work?
Q4. All the same back-panel plugs are present, right?
With the MFC-101 I can use multiple expression pedals, because it has 4 ports for those. And it has 2 ports for adding 2-button footswitches.
Those ports/capabilities will also be present on the FC-12, won't they?
Q5. Full MIDI passthrough on the back of the FC-series?
When connecting my pedalboard to my rig, I wish there was One Cable To Rule Them All: A single cable that carries all the data and audio back to your rack, which "breaks out" on the board to hook stompboxes into my rig's effects-loops AND handle MIDI-controlling those same stompboxes (for things like MIDI synch and program changes).
Let's consider the MIDI aspects first.
Suppose I have a Strymon Timeline on my board which I want to keep tempo-synched, plus I want it to change to different programs when I change programs on the Axe-FX III.
My FC-12 has MIDI ports on the back. I'd like to plug a MIDI cable out from the FC-12, into the Strymon, and send MIDI signals to the Strymon for tempo synch and program changes.
The MFC-101 couldn't do any of that. Apparently the Cat-5 or FASLINK couldn't work simultaneously with the MIDI ports, or something.
But the FC-12 seems to use FASLINK II, right? I'm guessing that's better than FASLINK in some way. Is simultaneous MIDI in/out on the board one of the things that makes FASLINK II better than FASLINK? In short: Can I do this now?
Q6. What about AUDIO passthrough through FASLINK II?
Many of us have used Behringer PowerPlay or Aviom monitor-mix systems, which carry multiple channels of audio across a single cable. And many of us have stompboxes (like a favorite overdrive or wah) that we'd like to keep on the board.
The FC-12 has the ability to daisy-chain with an FC-6, right? Using a new FASLINK II protocol?
How much data can you carry on that protocol? Can you carry multiple channels of audio, perhaps?
If so, what about daisy-chaining an Audio Breakout Box with the FC-12, which puts some or all of the Axe-FX III's audio inputs and outputs on the board where they can be used to put stompboxes into effects loops?
Inside the Axe-FX III's I/O menus, you could set which jacks on the back of the Axe-FX III were in "standard location mode" and which ones were "relocated to ABB." Those which were "relocated" would ignore the jacks on the back of the Axe-FX III and instead use the jacks on the Audio Breakout Box.
That way we could have one cable providing all the power for the FC footcontrollers and carrying both MIDI and audio back-and-forth between our rig and our pedalboard, instead of running multiple cables.
Too much to ask?
Q7. Will the FC-series footcontrollers start shipping at the same time as the Axe-FX III?
A7. No.
Summary:
I like the look of the FC-series. Tell us more, please! And since the Axe-FX III looks likely to solve all the reasons I currently have 2 Axe-FX II units in my rack every gig, I would love to learn that the new FC-series footcontrollers will similarly solve all my MFC woes.
Here are my questions about the FC-series Footcontrollers:
Q1. Is the distance between the footswitches larger now?
On the MFC-101 the footswitches are too close together. As a result it's too easy to hit the wrong switch while playing.
I'm hoping the distance (center-on-center) from one footswitch to the next (vertically and horizontally) is a little larger on the FC-12. (Not hugely larger, but perhaps a half-inch. As little as a quarter-inch would help.)
Is it?
Q2. Are all the footswitch functions for ALL footswitches fully assignable now?
On the MFC-101 the worst problem is when I accidentally hit the Program Up or Program Down switches during a performance. Since (like many of us) I use one Program per song, I would rather do program changes from the front panel of the Axe-FX, or control them from a separate 2-button footswitch. Having those buttons stuck immovably on the main panel of the MFC-101 was always a minefield.
I'm hoping that none of the buttons on the FC-series footswitches are "stuck" with one function. In particular, I hope to use an FC-12 for controlling scene-changes, effects toggles, etc., but assign NONE of the FC-12 as program up/down buttons. Then I'll just plug in a separate 2-button footswitch, assign its buttons to program up/down, and keep it well off to one side where I can't accidentally hit it.
Can I do that?
Q3. Different Functions Assignable to Different Footwitches on a Per-Program Basis?
On Program 1, I might have Synth, a Flanger, and a Whammy effect...but no Rotary or Tremolo, or Plex Delay. On Program 2, I might have a Rotary, a Tremolo, and a Plex Delay...but no Synth, no Flanger, no Whammy. When using the MFC-101, this situation would leave many of the footswitches "dark" (unassigned) on any program, according to whichever effects that program didn't have.
On the FC-series footswitches, I hope to fully utilize all the footswitches on every program. When I change to Program 2, the 3 footswitches formerly used by Synth, Flanger, and Whammy will change to toggling Rotary, Tremolo, and Plex Delay. Their scribble strips and colors will update accordingly.
Is that the way it'll work?
Q4. All the same back-panel plugs are present, right?
With the MFC-101 I can use multiple expression pedals, because it has 4 ports for those. And it has 2 ports for adding 2-button footswitches.
Those ports/capabilities will also be present on the FC-12, won't they?
Q5. Full MIDI passthrough on the back of the FC-series?
When connecting my pedalboard to my rig, I wish there was One Cable To Rule Them All: A single cable that carries all the data and audio back to your rack, which "breaks out" on the board to hook stompboxes into my rig's effects-loops AND handle MIDI-controlling those same stompboxes (for things like MIDI synch and program changes).
Let's consider the MIDI aspects first.
Suppose I have a Strymon Timeline on my board which I want to keep tempo-synched, plus I want it to change to different programs when I change programs on the Axe-FX III.
My FC-12 has MIDI ports on the back. I'd like to plug a MIDI cable out from the FC-12, into the Strymon, and send MIDI signals to the Strymon for tempo synch and program changes.
The MFC-101 couldn't do any of that. Apparently the Cat-5 or FASLINK couldn't work simultaneously with the MIDI ports, or something.
But the FC-12 seems to use FASLINK II, right? I'm guessing that's better than FASLINK in some way. Is simultaneous MIDI in/out on the board one of the things that makes FASLINK II better than FASLINK? In short: Can I do this now?
Q6. What about AUDIO passthrough through FASLINK II?
Many of us have used Behringer PowerPlay or Aviom monitor-mix systems, which carry multiple channels of audio across a single cable. And many of us have stompboxes (like a favorite overdrive or wah) that we'd like to keep on the board.
The FC-12 has the ability to daisy-chain with an FC-6, right? Using a new FASLINK II protocol?
How much data can you carry on that protocol? Can you carry multiple channels of audio, perhaps?
If so, what about daisy-chaining an Audio Breakout Box with the FC-12, which puts some or all of the Axe-FX III's audio inputs and outputs on the board where they can be used to put stompboxes into effects loops?
Inside the Axe-FX III's I/O menus, you could set which jacks on the back of the Axe-FX III were in "standard location mode" and which ones were "relocated to ABB." Those which were "relocated" would ignore the jacks on the back of the Axe-FX III and instead use the jacks on the Audio Breakout Box.
That way we could have one cable providing all the power for the FC footcontrollers and carrying both MIDI and audio back-and-forth between our rig and our pedalboard, instead of running multiple cables.
Too much to ask?
Q7. Will the FC-series footcontrollers start shipping at the same time as the Axe-FX III?
A7. No.
Summary:
I like the look of the FC-series. Tell us more, please! And since the Axe-FX III looks likely to solve all the reasons I currently have 2 Axe-FX II units in my rack every gig, I would love to learn that the new FC-series footcontrollers will similarly solve all my MFC woes.
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