FM3 Firmware Version 3.03 beta 1

Greg Ferguson said:
Get into the feedback loop with them on the wish list and give them mockups for improvements that can't be easily explained.

The hardware interface drives the majority of actions available/allowed in the Editor.

Personally, I'd like to see the Editor available on our phones and tablets, in addition to the computers. I always have at least my phone with me IF I needed to change something when away from home. I try to set up my Per-Preset Performance Controls for the things I'm most likely to adjust, as a just-in-case.
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I had the Boss GT-1000 before buying FM3.
The GT-1000 can be managed with its own mobile app via bluetooth (the device has bluetooth, so you can connect mobile to the GT-1000 via bluetooth without using any computer).
It's a powerful feature, but I was always going to the computer editor. A keyboard and a mouse are always faster, and the screen is always bigger.
In situations where I had no laptop, I always preferred to edit presets via the hardware unit, because it was easier and faster than the mobile. And screen of the unit is bigger also, it has more buttons, etc.
At the beginning I thought it was a great tool to have the editor in the mobile, but I realized that it was not useful to me.

Anyway, sure there are people who would like it and/or find it useful.

I hope FAS don't start working on mobile/tablet editor until they have improved a little bit the computer editors.
FM3Edit+AxeEdit should be updated with some improvements like browser, preset lists, shortcuts, notes, etc. There are a lot of small things to improve the workflow in these apps, as @laxu said. There are a lot of wishes in this direction...
 
jordikt said:
I hope FAS don't start working on mobile/tablet editor until they have improved a little bit the computer editors.
FM3Edit+AxeEdit should be updated with some improvements like browser, preset lists, shortcuts, notes, etc. There are a lot of small things to improve the workflow in these apps, as @laxu said. There are a lot of wishes in this direction...
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I don't actually mind the computer editor. While I agree better browsers etc would be useful, overall it works very well and better than the computer editor for Helix.

It's the UI on the hardware itself that needs improvements the most. To put it into perspective, I happily use my Helix Floor 99% from the hardware itself. My FM3 instead is used about 40% on the hardware because it's clunky. I'd rather build a preset in FM3-Edit than try to do it from the hardware and same goes for dialing in tones. This is the one area where Fractal is clearly behind their competition and also the one area that historically sees very little improvement until a next gen "Axe-Fx IV" or "FM4" is released. Fractal could start with a pile of small tweaks to significantly improve its behavior.

As for tablet editor, the Fracpad software already exists. I've only tried it on my computer because I don't have the necessary cables or wireless MIDI adapters to hook up to the FM3 with my iPad, but even based on the computer version it works very well even if it's a bit ugly.

I think Fractal would be better off hiring the developer of that or funding its development as the official tablet editor and adding support for hooking up a BT or Wifi adapter to the unused FM3 USB-A port so it's easy to interface wirelessly. This would put Fractal right back at the forefront where they would have a computer and tablet editor in a compact unit, something even the new NeuralDSP Quad Cortex does not offer at present.
 
We're all different. Even with the Helix (or recently, a Mooer GE 300), I only use the editor. The only one where I had no choice is the Headrush. Computer editors are so much more practical, for me. And Axe-Edit/FM3-Edit are head and shoulders above every computer editor, imho
 
fremen said:
We're all different. Even with the Helix (or recently, a Mooer GE 300), I only use the editor. The only one where I had no choice is the Headrush. Computer editors are so much more practical, for me. And Axe-Edit/FM3-Edit are head and shoulders above every computer editor, imho
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Totally agree.
From a UX-UI point of view the Axe-Edit/FM3-Edit are far superior to the competition but everyone has a different use case, preferences, believes, etc..

I think the problem is that one single product cannot cover every case.
Everyone wants the tone, the tweaks, the easy approach, the reliability, the 'press one button and the magic happens' BUT with all the advanced setup ready to be unleashed... One tricky pony unicorn :sweatsmile:

By the way, to stay in topic.. The new drives are awesome!
5 months ago I wrote my impressions on the FM3 and I'm still in the same situation: every time I hit the first chord I cannot stop smiling!!!
 
There is shure space for improvement on hardware UI but thinking back to my Ultra way better now.
I prefer knobs and cursors more than touchscreen on a device I use on stage.

I prefer create presets with Editor and set my Preset Performance Page for every new Preset.
Most usual parameter for tweaking the preset at rehearsal or stage I got within my Profrmance-Page and Global-Perfomance Page.
Let's say ... ok more mids, less gain...Depth and Presence tweak ....Scene Level adjustment (PP-Perform) and save.
Done.

So personally it's usefull as is but shure if something will be added or modified to make it easier (like the Peromfance Pages) I will appreciate it.
 
TenorKeith said:
This^
I used to have a Helix, but I switched to FM3 and don’t regret it for a second. The sounds are immediately useable, and once you learn the ecosystem, it’s really pretty easy to operate!
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I have a Kemper, multitude of analogs and have gone totally FM3 within the past few months. FM3 overshadows everything else in my opinion.
 
unix-guy said:
I'm sure you guys are just being funny... BUT if you've ever actually played with a good bassist you realize how important they are ;)

I've played with a few really good ones and some that were passable.

As my current bassist (who also plays Stick, mandolin, guitar and piano) says: remember, I decide what chord we're playing :)

Edit:

He also owns both an Axe Fx III and FM3... I wish Fractal paid for referrals!
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Oh man that's the truth. Usually the bassists I played with weren't bad but weren't great musicians either (I suppose same goes for the singers/songwriters although they tended to have good ears for melody). But playing with a really good bassist was a different animal as he actually tried to sync up with me (on drums) to drive the song.

And I've also had the opposite experience where I had to put down bass tracks for the band and teach the bassist how to play the songs (but he looked good and brought girls in the door so that's that).
 
TenorKeith said:
What seems surreal to me is that I personally don't care if they finalize 3.03. I know some of you need this FW to be stable, but knowing that Cygnus is right around the corner, I wish they'd just release the whole enchilada.
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You may be in for a disappointment if you think Cygnus for the FM3 is "right arounf the corner".
 
In reference to the our edit tool, i don't think I've ever had a problem with it. I think it's because I've been using it since the fx2 days and I'm so used to it. The real challenge was when i decided to your the buttons to my fx2 and fm3 and quickly fell apart. I had no clue what they did 😂
 
I've got the FM3 and full Helix Floor. I can use both without the computer although the Helix is a lot faster to move around. With Fractal I like to set up a template for a preset and then tweak from there.

I will say the big thing I miss on the FM3 is having the additional switches and the integration of those switches with the rest of the system. The FM3 is designed to be modular with the FC6, which is cool, but it's also kind of a pain.
 
3 weeks is a long time to go with OUT2 broken, and the last official 3.02 release had problems with OUT2 as well. Hopefully they didn't encounter a major issue trying to sort it out. Last year at this time new beta releases were being released just a few days apart, at most 2 weeks apart.

Here's wishing the FM3 team some good luck this week!
 
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