Front panel adjustment on the fly

jrgg

Member
So I am getting back into the axe fx soon. ( I use to have the II or II XL). My only challenge on stage, even with alot of days and pains taken for pre programming ahead, was dealing with the challenges of needing more front panel quick control options for adjusting levels, overdrive gain, reverb,and delay from preset to preset. These were needed from room to room with the various musical settings I perform in. Like many of you I have years of experience with pedals and rack gear, (some of which I could program on the fly while playing,) and wanted to get your feedback, experience and fixes with resolving the front access issues. I found that on the axe fx II I needed more quick controls. Have there been any improvements in this area? Anyone having this issue, and any work arounds with the II XL +? if that is the case

Thanks, Jim
 
the RAC12 is an amazing solution for this. http://shop.fxunits.com



but otherwise there are only limited knobs on the Axe itself, and when you have to change that many discreet things, you just have to go into the blocks to change them. most digital units with shared knobs for functions - including digital mixers, etc. - require this sort of attention.
 
I have an Axe II and this is one of the reasons it now lives in my studio rig. Powerful, great FX.
Just not quick to edit things on the fly on the gig. Got frustrated one too many times, I guess.
 
I also think the AxeFx needs more quick controls but do not want to use a second party device for those changes. The AxeFx needs rotary/push controllers on its front panel!
 
I also think the AxeFx needs more quick controls but do not want to use a second party device for those changes. The AxeFx needs rotary/push controllers on its front panel!
i'm not sure those will be added to the Axe you already own. with the Amp controls added to the AX8 panel, perhaps this is the way things may go with future hardware versions. but no one knows for sure.
 
I think it is what u are used to. I hardly ever use axe edit as im always running it on stage or in a rehearsal room.

Once you are using front panel for a while you almost gain a map in your head of where ls lying your most commonly used parameters.

You can assign x and y buttons to short cut to specify blocks.
 
Yes I agree that it would resolve the live issue if there were a few more with push options. 7 would be great for covering the preamp options and three effects.
 
Hmnnn - I must got a weird, one-off production unit, because mine has these features .... must have been a manufacturing oversight! :confused:
4 rotary controllers are minimal in my view, 5 if you count the big one and yes I know everyone complains about the price as it is but when I make a statement like that I am expressing what I want. And frankly I would pay much more if I could get what I want like a front panel full of rotary/push controllers with OLEDs above each controller and an intergrated reactive digital loadbox so I could stop sending my hard earned money to Two Notes! Now I suppose you want to push back on that as well?
 
i'm not sure those will be added to the Axe you already own. with the Amp controls added to the AX8 panel, perhaps this is the way things may go with future hardware versions. but no one knows for sure.
I am refering to a future iteration of the AxeFx not the one I own or the next one I will buy. If we keep quite and act all happy with what we have now expect more of the same. Like what we get from our government!
 
Yeah, it'd be nice to have quick tone controls like the AX8.

One shortcut I learned about with the Axe-FX is that you can use the X/Y buttons from the Recall screen to quickly jump to the amp's Pre page. Not as nice as dedicated knobs, but it's way faster than hunting for the amp block from the Layout menu like I was doing before.
 
Don't forget about the global controls on the Config page of the Global menu. There you can adjust reverb, delay, and effects mixes +/- 50% and amp gain +/- 12 dB across all presets at once for quick room adjustments. There's also the Global EQs as well for quick tonal adjustments.
 
Some of what you describing could be done by expression pedal input. I have two pedals, one for volume level, one for delay and reverb level, depending on the preset. This works for me live, so I don't have tweak the front panel as much.
I hear you though, I very rarely use the quick control ABCD knobs so maybe that area could be massaged and repurposed. ( I know it has been brought up previously)
 
I have an Axe II and this is one of the reasons it now lives in my studio rig. Powerful, great FX.
Just not quick to edit things on the fly on the gig. Got frustrated one too many times, I guess.
Maybe it's just me, but tweaking at a gig (IMHO) is WAY to late to be worrying about what you sound like. It's reactionary...
Back when I used "real" amps.. it was brought to my attention at one gig that perhaps I should try facing the audience more instead of constantly being bent over my amp.. TWEAKING! :oops:

So I learnt to get it all [initially] set at home then tweak during rehearsals and leave it alone during a gig!
Over the last 6+ yrs of using various AxeFx models, not one complaint on tone (usually the direct opposite) has reached my ears. I've even learnt to mute most of the reverb :)

Summation: If the tweaks are done correctly up front, the only adjustment needed at a gig should be volume.

My $0.02
YMMV
 
Don't forget about the global controls on the Config page of the Global menu. There you can adjust reverb, delay, and effects mixes +/- 50% and amp gain +/- 12 dB across all presets at once for quick room adjustments. There's also the Global EQs as well for quick tonal adjustments.

Yes, thats how I use to work. It gives you the most flexibility and options for fairly quick adjustment.
 
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I usually use command sysex associated with IAs on liquid foot + 12 to open the first page of each effect on the front
panel,it makes it much easier adjustments on the fly
 
I have 2 rules: NEVER tweak anything at a gig, except volume and once my effects like delay, flanger, chorus, reverb are set to my liking, turn then down. They just clutter your tone. So like @s0c9 mentioned, get all that done ahead of time and make sure you do it at gig level. For me the gig is no place to be unhappy with my settings. And no one really wants to see my butt. So when I get to the gig, I have 2 very convenient knobs to set my stage volume and FOH send to please the sound engineer. I like to think I have very good ears and I have never raised or lowered gain, tone or effects because of the size of the room. Of course volume is a different story. But we all hear differently.
 
For me it's not about being unhappy with my settings, it's about having fun with delay time once the feedback goes into oscillation, LFO speed, flanger feedback and other odd effects during my band's weird trippy noise sections.

I have programmed the hell out of my Axe to get some amazing stuff going on, but once it's programmed it can be a little predictable and I end up with little to do once it's all kicking off.

I want to be able to tweak, even if it is 'bad practice'.

Moreover, if quick tone controls are not needed then why does the AX8 include them?
 
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