Finally, a real gig with the FM3!

ElectricPhase

Fractal Fanatic
I've been waiting to post a mini-review of the FM3 until I actually had a chance to let it roar....

Venue was about 10,000 sq ft. Decent sound system. Seating was about 2/3 full, with a handful on the dance floor. Honestly, that translates to "mostly empty".

Best guitar tones I've ever had live. Absolutely killed the AX8 I'd been using for years....and for the first time, I believe surpassed my partner in crime's Kemper. I used the JP, Dirty Shirley 2, AC-15, DC-30, and Tweed Deluxe models. AustinBuddy settings with minimal tweaks.

I'm using the FC-6 with it for switching, and still really struggling with finding a layout that works live. What I came up with this time (an OMG-9 variant) seemed so nice in theory, but confused the heck out of me in practice. Given that the FM3/FC-6 combo have limitless switching possibilities, the problem is me. I never had trouble with the AX8, but somehow this is harder....

Once I get that sorted, this device will be gigging heaven.
 
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I had my first weekend with it live as well this past weekend. Very happy with the way it sounded. Controlling for me was a challenge, only in the sense that I was use to the Ax8 and now I'm figuring out the most effective implementation using the Morningstar and the Fm3.
 
I know how you feel. This will be our first gig since March of this year. Its an outside private party. My bass player just wants to do outside gigs here as well. Suppose to be about 150 to 200 people. We will see. Good luck maybe this stuff will be over soon.
 
Our first gig out was great. My rig did great. We started playing at 4pm. At that time my rig was in the sun. The main screen was a little hard to see. But the switch read outs were fine. It took about 30 min and we had shade so all was well. During set up and before we started I did put a towel over the whole unit just to keep out of direct sunlight.
 
I had a gig in direct sunlight this summer , at 1PM the main screen was not usable/visible at all. The minis were fine.
 
I'm using the FC-6 with it for switching, and still really struggling with finding a layout that works live. What I came up with this time (an OMG-9 variant) seemed so nice in theory, but confused the heck out of me in practice.
I'm well too familiar with my limitations and know that multi-function switches where you need to remember what does what would not work for me in a live gigging situation.

That's why, despite it being fairly huge, I bought the FC-12.

I set up the top row with the effects I use most often and the bottom row with different amps having gradually increasing levels of gain from left to right. This way I'm never confused and don't have to do anything other than step on the footswitch I want.

This probably wouldn't work if I was in a cover band and had to use a complex series presets that varied song to song. But I do mostly Jazz gigs where I spend the vast majority of time on a clean preset with a little reverb. Where the FC-12 comes in is jamming with my old Brooklyn Hardcore Punk Funk band members or towards the end of Jazz sets where we usually play a little instrumental R&B, Pop, or Funk (Santana, War, James Brown, Funkadelic, etc.).

Some players are great using the OMG9 layout and if your memory is sharp enough it's a very powerful tool but as an older guy I really need to keep it as simple as possible.
 
Some players are great using the OMG9 layout and if your memory is sharp enough it's a very powerful tool but as an older guy I really need to keep it as simple as possible.

My problem was also with the OMG9 paradigm, but in a different way. I have 'two left feet', and hitting a button on the FM3, then another on the FC6 just wasn't happening consistently. My solution (from a thousand miles up) was to concentrate all of the button combinations during songs on the FC6. Button combinations between songs are allowed to be split between the two units since the brief delay if I screw up isn't a problem.

Ever since I implemented that rule, everything fell into place.
 
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