Getting Started with MFC-Edit

I'm using the one that came with it, though as long as it's 9v AC should work (although I've tried a DC supply out of interest and that worked too, although I wouldn't recommend it).
The one you linked to looks fine to me.
 
Yeah, I missed out on the included 9V power supply :(

I guess that's what you get when you're an early adopter. Oh well.
 
Thanks for the response Gary: It's a mac, I went back and looked, it seems to be in my utilities,and when I check the about tab, it shows up Java 8 -66. I think that it is in the proper place. What i'm having a problem doing is getting my mfc-edit that I purchased to open. The edit program wants me to send the license to a home mcc folder. I created a home/ mfc-101 folder, and dragged the wave and the emailed license into" I don't think this is the proper way to do this and i'm feeling very lost at this time. What I would to find is a step by step procedure on down loading and installing the program. Sorry for my lack of knowledge with this. I am use to programs finding there own way to locating what they need to open.
 
Thanks for the info. If your user name on your Mac is "Walt" then the correct location for the mfc-license.txt file would be "/Users/Walt/MFC-101/mfc-license.txt". Make sure that you look at the email of October 25th we send with a license key attachment. You have to save the attachment (mfc-license.txt) into the /Users/Walt/MFC-101 folder. Otherwise open a support ticket and I'll get you straightened out in a jiffy.
 
It's been a long, frustrating and expensive road, BUT I FINALLY GOT IT WORKING!

The trick was to use the external power supply + midi cables instead of the ethercon connection.

I have not tried to send/receive through the axefx, but at this point there no need to do so (unless i want to return the midi interface).

On a related note, i am using fractal bot to do all the transfers. MFC edit can get the dump from the mfc, but still can't send to it (however, i haven't experimented with it much yet).

It's still a bit of a pain in the ass to do transfers (gotta make sure not plug the ethercon+AC at the same time!!!), but at least it's working.
 
I'm in Song/Set mode, Bank Size 15.

I use "Alternate Presets" on the MFC for many of my foot switches (each foot switch toggles between two different AxeFX presets for clean/dirty, or whatever).

Is there a way to configure the MFC this way using MFC-Edit? I found where you can specify alternate presets, but it doesn't seem to be specific to a certain foot switch number? It's preset-specific - like, each AxeFX preset can have only one other AxeFX alternate preset.
 
That's how it works. Each MFC-101 Preset can have one Alternate MFC-101 Preset. Switches don't have alternate Presets - only Presets have alternate Presets. If you're in bank 2 and press the 2nd switch in that bank you'll be on Preset number 16. First bank is Presets 0-14, 2nd bank is Presets 15-29. So the 2nd switch in the 2nd bank is MFC-101 Preset #16. If you change to the 2nd bank and stomp on the 2nd switch, you'll select Preset #16. If you stomp on the 2nd switch again then the alternate Preset for MFC-101 Preset #16 will be selected. Stomp on that switch a 3rd time and it will revert to Preset #16. You might have the Alt Preset set to "Global", or "Back" or "Off". Or you could select the Alt Preset for that selected Preset. Right-click the mouse on the Alt Preset field and you'll get a popup help "nugget" explaining it.
 
But isn't that just if you're using the MFC in "preset" mode? I'm in song mode, and want to configure alternate presets for each switch (specific to each song).

For example:

Song 1, foot switch 1 = 322/156 (322 is the default preset, 156 is the alternate preset on the AxeFX)
Song 2, foot switch 1 = 322/157


Edit. I should have started also, that i can do this on the mfc... I'm just not sure how to do it through mfc-edit
 
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MFC-101 Presets and Axe-Fx Presets are not the same thing. Song mode and Set mode are two different things. A "Song" is like a "Bank", but instead of having a fixed numerical range of Presets in the bank, the "Song" can contain any Presets (up to 15 of them) that you put in there, in any order. You would use the UP/DOWN switches to select the Song. Once in the Song, the IA Switches (15 of them in your case because your bank size is 15) you can use the 15 IA Switches to select the nth Preset of that Song. Lets say that in a Song I have 5 Presets, 322,19,45,121 and 77, and the remainder are blank. Once I've selected the Song using the UP/DOWN switches, pressing IASwitch #2 will select Preset #19 in the MFC-101. If I press IASwitch #2 a 2nd time, the Alternate Preset of Preset #19 will be selected in the MFC-101. Pressing IASWitch #2 a 3rd time will return to Preset #19 in the MFC-101.

Check section 3.5 Performance Modes of the MFC-101 Owner's Manual. Also check out sections 4.3 and 9.2 for Song mode. Alternate Presets apply to each MFC-101 Preset. Each preset has a secondary Preset (the Alternate Preset). The behavior upon song selection can be further modified by the "Bank Style" parameter but leave that alone until you understand the Song mode better.

If you can't figure it out then send me your sysex dump and I'll take a look for you.
 
Thank you for this great explanation. I think i do understand it, but I'm just not sure how to configure the alternate presets for the mfc using mfc-edit. Where can i find and change the alternate preset for ia#19 (in sing 1 or 2 (using your example above) in the software?
 
On the SONGS page of MFC-Edit:
  • Look at the Song you want to set up Presets for; I'll choose "Hotel California". It has 3 Presets - 40,41 and 42.
  • Screen Shot 2015-12-17 at 6.07.03 PM.png
  • By default, when you select Song "Hotel California" the first Preset (40) of the Song will be selected.
  • Go to the PRESETS & EXT. DEVS page of MFC-Edit and select Preset #40 on that screen Screen Shot 2015-12-17 at 6.11.42 PM.png
  • Next, click on the Alt Preset number (it will be the word "Off" by default) AltPreset-01.jpg
  • Choose the Alternate Preset number you want for Preset #40. Remember that this is the MFC-101 Preset (usually the same number as the Axe-Fx Preset, but not always)
  • Now any time that Preset #40 is selected in the MFC-101 the Alt Preset will be #112 - wheter you got to Preset #40 via Song "Hotel California", some other Song or by directly selecting Preset #40 from Preset Mode (as opposed to Song or Set modes)
  • Repeat the process for each of your Presets
 
So, using your example, if I made P02 (in Blue Collar Man) set to preset #40, it's simply not possible for it to have an alternate other than #112?

Btw, thanks for these explanations. They are magnificent.
 
Correct. At least, as far as I know. Someone else on the forum may have some magic. You could have two MFC-101 Preset #'s point to the same Axe-Fx Preset, but each of the MFC-101 Presets can have their own Alternate Preset. That would be another way. Maybe if I understood better how you're using it there might be a simpler solution. Do you really use 15 Presets in a single Song?
 
I don't use a lot of individual presets at the moment so i treat a song more as a"genre ". For example, song 1 is 80's. Where I'll have 1-5 be various metal tones, 6-10 are more clean tones. Some of the cleans will have alternates that are the specific metal tones.

Song 2 is prog. Where some of the metal tones will be the same as the 80's tones, but might have completely different alternate clean tones, and vice versa.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to utilize the mfc for how i need. If i had a song/set list that was guaranteed not to change, then it would be very different. :)
 
Ah. That makes perfect sense. That's a creative and sensible way to use Song mode in that case. Well, now that you know how to set Alt Presets for each Preset you can get even more creative :)
 
Ok - after checking again on the MFC this morning, you are absolutely correct - it is not possible to give a preset two separate alternates in separate songs. If I have the same preset for two different songs, and make that preset's alternate #80 (for example), they BOTH contain that alternate after the change is made.

I suppose I need to rethink my strategy a little on the MFC. Maybe I can make a copy of the preset (on the Axe) so I can give it a different alternate. I hate using up all my predefined presets though - even though there are over 300 of them. LOL.

Thanks for putting up with me and giving me these great explanations. I hope that it helps others out there having some of the same questions.

EDIT: Fixed wording of the problem
 
Ok, so I might have noticed something recent when getting a sysex from the mfc using mfc-edit... I get an error which I may have overlooked before. Here's the log:

11/25 8:53: Info: Mfc user Home : 'C:\Documents and Settings\xxxxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx\Desktop'
11/25 8:53: Info: MFC-Edit Vers : 4.2, build #3,241
11/25 8:53: Info: Operating Sys : Windows XP, 5.1
11/25 8:53: Info: Java Version : Oracle Corporation, 1.8.0_66
11/25 8:53: Info: Licensed to : xxxxxxxxxxxxx
11/25 8:53: Info: License key : 10b5-bfca-b193-3ea9
11/25 8:54 MIDI DEV: USB Audio Device
11/25 8:54 Receiving: MFC-101 Mark-I/II dump.
11/25 8:54 Receiving Firmware: 3.8
11/25 8:55 Loading file: My MFC-101 Dump.syx
11/25 8:55 Firmware ver : 3.8, Model: MK-I/II
11/25 8:55: Info: SUCCESS - File My MFC-101 Dump.syx loaded.
11/25 8:55 Barf! Exception selecting illegal index (41) on IASwitchLink ComboBox
I should probably mention that this was resolved on Nov. 26th, 2015 via PM and support, lest readers believe it is still pending :D.
 
I should probably mention that this was resolved on Nov. 26th, 2015 via PM and support, lest readers believe it is still pending :D.


It did take awhile to get it working, but yeah - it's working now. Thanks for the help. I do have to say that I wish the whole setup was more "plug and play" (like the AxeFX / AxeEdit via Ethercon), but I guess that's how MIDI devices are.
 
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