BobXX
Inspired
[ Post under development ]
I've built an FM9 Turbo rig as a backup system of my Rack one based on Fractal AXE FX3 MKII Turbo.
I wish to share some additional hints that may help people that are thinking to do the same.
My final approach is to build my sounds on AF3, than migrate presets to FM9.
The main target is to simplify as much as possible the migration of Presets from AF3 to FM9.
That migration is done simply saving each preset (Export Preset) in your PC with AF3 Editor to a "XYZ folder"
and then load them (Import Preset) with the FM9 Editor selecting the same folder.
The preset goes to the Preset currently pointed in the editor, than you need to save it in the FM9 memory, as usual.
CPU:
We must consider first the different CPU power: an AF3 preset will require about 15-25% more CPU in FM9,
it's not linear because it depends on blocks that are actually used.
This means that an AF3 preset below 55% CPU is pretty sure it will fit FM9 80% without modifications.
Anyway before or after the import in FM9 you can adjust the preset to stay below the FM9 80% CPU,
this is because the Editor simply will alerts you are using more that 80% or even more than 100%,
letting you to work to adjust things.
BLOCKs LIMITATIONS:
Some blocks are missing in FM9 (VOCODER) and other blocks are available in a lower maximum number,
e.g.:
Unfortunately in Fractal Octaver and Harmonizer are both considered PITCH blocks... but the octaver is typically placed BEFORE any distortion block (DIST or AMP),
while the Harmonizer is typically placed AFTER distortion blocks.
So while you could have different scenes for octaver and harmonizer, but they are in different positions and so they require two Pitch blocks.
So while AF3 can have in a single Preset PITCH1 and PITCH2,
in FM9 requires two different Presets both using PITCH1.
Be careful: any PITCH2 imported in FM9 will disappear along with its parameters, it doesn't matter is there is only 1 PITCH block in the preset.
FM9 Editor simply ignores any Block type and number that isn't in the right range. The same happens also with DELAY3, DELAY4 and so on.
This means in general that is better to build your AF3 presets using the lower block number available.
This means also that before the export of a AF3 preset that e.g. has 2 PITCH blocks you have to decide which one to keep,
and check it's named PITCH1.
If it's not, you need to exchange the two PITCH blocks and copy the parameters each other, before the export.
Only PITCH1 will pass.
This is a little tricky, because it requires some work to prepare a preset (precisely two preset versions, the one with PITCH1, the other with PITCH2 converted into PITCH1) before for the export-import.
Alternative method:
Another solution is using the block library, e.g. for pitch:
In this case strangely scenes block ON/OFF settings aren't copied, so you must do it manually,
whilst with the previous method it isn't necessary.
SOURCEs for MODIFIERS:
AF3 allows 2 sources for the same Modifier, FM9 strangely only 1...
This is the really most annoying limitation I encountered importing AF3 presets into FM9, no solutions for it, when you import presets in FM9 the second source will simply disappear.
I wasn't able to find any workaround/solution for it.
I decided to give up and redesign all my AF3 presets, with more complicated layouts and more blocks and without using any double source to maintain the compatibility with FM9.
In some case I decided to totally give up a function, for both AF3 and FM9.
So don't use the second source in AF3 at all to avoid to became crazy if things doesn't work in FM9 as expected.
AF3 modifier:
FM9 modifier:
Hope this difference will be removed soon.
I don't understand technically why FM9 cannot work like AF3, even if there are remaining 30 modifiers left unused.
==========================================
If you are courious about something or want to add some hint your're welcome!
I've built an FM9 Turbo rig as a backup system of my Rack one based on Fractal AXE FX3 MKII Turbo.
I wish to share some additional hints that may help people that are thinking to do the same.
My final approach is to build my sounds on AF3, than migrate presets to FM9.
The main target is to simplify as much as possible the migration of Presets from AF3 to FM9.
That migration is done simply saving each preset (Export Preset) in your PC with AF3 Editor to a "XYZ folder"
and then load them (Import Preset) with the FM9 Editor selecting the same folder.
The preset goes to the Preset currently pointed in the editor, than you need to save it in the FM9 memory, as usual.
CPU:
We must consider first the different CPU power: an AF3 preset will require about 15-25% more CPU in FM9,
it's not linear because it depends on blocks that are actually used.
This means that an AF3 preset below 55% CPU is pretty sure it will fit FM9 80% without modifications.
Anyway before or after the import in FM9 you can adjust the preset to stay below the FM9 80% CPU,
this is because the Editor simply will alerts you are using more that 80% or even more than 100%,
letting you to work to adjust things.
BLOCKs LIMITATIONS:
Some blocks are missing in FM9 (VOCODER) and other blocks are available in a lower maximum number,
e.g.:
- 1 PITCH Block instead of 2
- 2 DELAY instead of 4
Unfortunately in Fractal Octaver and Harmonizer are both considered PITCH blocks... but the octaver is typically placed BEFORE any distortion block (DIST or AMP),
while the Harmonizer is typically placed AFTER distortion blocks.
So while you could have different scenes for octaver and harmonizer, but they are in different positions and so they require two Pitch blocks.
So while AF3 can have in a single Preset PITCH1 and PITCH2,
in FM9 requires two different Presets both using PITCH1.
Be careful: any PITCH2 imported in FM9 will disappear along with its parameters, it doesn't matter is there is only 1 PITCH block in the preset.FM9 Editor simply ignores any Block type and number that isn't in the right range. The same happens also with DELAY3, DELAY4 and so on.
This means in general that is better to build your AF3 presets using the lower block number available.
This means also that before the export of a AF3 preset that e.g. has 2 PITCH blocks you have to decide which one to keep,
and check it's named PITCH1.
If it's not, you need to exchange the two PITCH blocks and copy the parameters each other, before the export.
Only PITCH1 will pass.
This is a little tricky, because it requires some work to prepare a preset (precisely two preset versions, the one with PITCH1, the other with PITCH2 converted into PITCH1) before for the export-import.
Alternative method:
Another solution is using the block library, e.g. for pitch:
- save the PITCH settings you want to keep in the AF3 PITCH Library
(remember to check "save entire block (including modifiers)"
- copy the file (in Windows/MAC OS) from the AF3 Pitch folder ==> to the FM9 Pitch folder
- in the FM9 Editor place the Pitch block in the grid where needed and then load the settings from the library,
remember before load to do a "Refresh Library" (library menu) in order for the new setting to appear in FM9 editor.
In this case strangely scenes block ON/OFF settings aren't copied, so you must do it manually,whilst with the previous method it isn't necessary.
SOURCEs for MODIFIERS:
AF3 allows 2 sources for the same Modifier, FM9 strangely only 1...
This is the really most annoying limitation I encountered importing AF3 presets into FM9, no solutions for it, when you import presets in FM9 the second source will simply disappear.
I wasn't able to find any workaround/solution for it.
I decided to give up and redesign all my AF3 presets, with more complicated layouts and more blocks and without using any double source to maintain the compatibility with FM9.
In some case I decided to totally give up a function, for both AF3 and FM9.
So don't use the second source in AF3 at all to avoid to became crazy if things doesn't work in FM9 as expected.AF3 modifier:
FM9 modifier:
Hope this difference will be removed soon.
I don't understand technically why FM9 cannot work like AF3, even if there are remaining 30 modifiers left unused.
==========================================
If you are courious about something or want to add some hint your're welcome!
Last edited:
