Going back to square 1......

Tremonti

Fractal Fanatic
Starting each patch over again and building a master patch to hold everything needed. I play in a cover band and we play about 40-50 pop/rock/dance songs a night. I use around 65 presets in all with my bread and butter being 6 patches. Never used scenes or channels and will to condense these monsters down to size.

I've been a user of Fractal for over 11 years, but I still have things I'm trying to get quicker at or solve. Loaded questions so I'll bullet main things I'd like to know better.
  • How to better achieve cut without being harsh or have thickness without being tubby? All this being in a live band setting and I do realize that the other instruments have to be EQ'd properly to give "pockets for everyone". I still struggle with this to be honest.
  • Leveling patches utilizing built in guide. It has been a while and don't remember, but did they every rectify the screens being on different pages and made it more like the Axe Fx II? I think it made it a pain for all the pages to bounce through.
  • Cabinets IR's are amazing but a chore in that they are vast in # and all have a different voice. What tweaks do you do in the cab blocks? I know the cabinet IR is like 95% of the sound and very important.
 
I’ll chime in on patch leveling. I typically try to have my basic rhythm sound right around 0db (“tickling the red” is fine). Check the meters on your output block for this. I usually set this after I’ve added the amp and cab blocks, but before I add all of my other effects. Then, just make sure your level isn’t being changed too much as you add other effects in the chain.
 
One idea, make sure to try global blocks as much as possible. Try to streamline the effects as much as possible into the fewest combinations, then link them to global blocks. That way any tweaks will flow through all the related patches.

For the IR and tonality, getting cut without harshness, I'd look at the monitoring first. If you can hear at gig volume that the patches are too bright, try to find a way to see how you'd learn that at home. If that means a global EQ that makes everything bright at home, maybe that could help? Also try turning up the volume and playing along with music to see if it drops out.
 
Easier to go thru Austin Buddy.
Sorry I can't remember off hand the others...who are equal.
I guess AB has a name that sticks in your head.
 
For leveling I go to the layout screen on the III and switch to the zoomed out view. Then you can choose blocks and adjust gain with knob C while seeing the output meters at the top left.
 
  • Leveling patches utilizing built in guide. It has been a while and don't remember, but did they every rectify the screens being on different pages and made it more like the Axe Fx II? I think it made it a pain for all the pages to bounce through.
  • Cabinets IR's are amazing but a chore in that they are vast in # and all have a different voice. What tweaks do you do in the cab blocks? I know the cabinet IR is like 95% of the sound and very important.
2 cents on these 2...
leveling... i go thru an audio interface. I know when I hit red on it I will def clip. I load up a factory patch that is fairly loud (brutal). Adjust output 1 to be at 55% (give me someplace to go), set my input gain on my focusrite till just before the red flips on while chugging power chords. I can always see those leds as a level indicator no matter the axefx screen I'm on, and as I build presets I have them hit in a similar area to what the factory presets hit. just how I do it.

cabinet ir... I color code all the 'first cab of each group'. red=4x12, green=2x12, blue=1x12, purple=bass. I only color the first example of a series. IOW the first mic if there are multiple mics for that cab. this way I can narrow down to only red (4x12s) get quickly to a cab that is 'close', then inc/dec the cab in that area to get more specific. Makes it a lot easier to find stuff.
I almost never adjust settings in the cab block, but from time to time I'll mix a 57 w a 121 and drop the 121 mic level till it just adds enough bass to sweeten the 57 sound.
 
Easier to go thru Austin Buddy.
Sorry I can't remember off hand the others...who are equal.
I guess AB has a name that sticks in your head.
That’s what I do. I find a few scenes for the amp I like and use those. Then for leads at a PEQ block at the end of the chain with +2-4db tied to a control switch that’s also tied to the boost in the amp block. So it’ll add a little more grit and boost the volume with one button. And I can apply it to any base sound/scene which is the best part. And I know I have to adjust very little because they’re all leveled so nicely. Usually global out some 400 and That’s it. Adding a little air in the cab block really helps the top end out.
 
I’m in the same boat. Cover band with another guitarist and keys. Live mix can tough in certain rooms. For cutting in the mix, I typically EQ my presets to bump the mids but I also use a PEQ block to add more mids when needed. I also use a Filter block set to null to add a 2-3 db bump. For some presets just the PEQ is enough to cut for solos and for others I use the Filter. I can also use both to get a nice clean boost for solos and clean presets. It’s nice to have those two convenient ways to cut. Also, for certain rooms that I know are tough I will use the global EQ to tweak my Out1 and 2. That is also very effective.

For IR’s, I must admit that I have not gone through most of the available IR’s but I have noticed that for most amps using a mix of 2 IRs made for that amp where one is shot with 57 mic and one with a 121 mic works very well and sounds great live. For example, for a Marshall I use a Brit 4x12 shot with a 57 and a Brit 4x12 shot with a 121. The combo sounds great and gets the job done live.

Good luck.
 
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1. More upper mids in the tone than sound "pleasant" on it's own for cut - upper lows and low mids for thickness. Using the amp's Output EQ, 8-Band Variable Q, I usually boost 250Hz @1.5dB, 500Hz @2dB, 2kHz @1dB and 4kHz @1.5dB. To tighten up the bottom end I'll cut 63Hz @ -3dB.
2. Using the meters on the unit itself helps get close but nothing will really replace your ears for balancing presets.
3. For IRs, I usually set the low cut @100Hz and high cut @ 9,000Hz. I've found a couple of IRs of actual speakers I have a lot of experience with that give me a good starting point with the amp's tone. Sometimes I'll stick with these IRs but a lot of times I'll choose a typical speaker for the amp and trust that it sounds the way is "supposed" to. Sometimes it takes a some time to get used to the tone but I've found using this approach yields consistently good results in a mix.
 
For over 10 years I was in a similar situation..80-90 songs on the list and we could play any of them at any time. Early on in the Axe Fx days (Axe Fx Ultra), I had a ton of presets to cover all these different song flavors and sounds. I eventually realized I didn't need them. I got everything down to 5 presets. 3 presets for "special" effects and sounds, 1 acoustic patch and one main patch that was used 95% of the time. Everything sounded better, the mix was consistent and I was much happier. Guess what? Nobody cared or noticed.
I would suggest you trim your presets down to a few and dial those in using some of the suggestions above. In all honesty, 95% of all the songs we played could be covered by 1 preset with a clean, crunch and lead sounds.
With the AFIII, you have more than enough horsepower to accomplish this using scenes and channels. My $.02..

Here's what I do...Maybe it will help.
To level presets, I use my DAW. I just find it easy to get levels dialed in on those meters. Main rhythm/clean sounds at -12 db on the meters and lead sounds get a 4db boost.

To get cut and thickness without harsh highs and tubby lows I cut pretty steep in the cab block. Thick and cut are both in the midrange, not the highs and lows. I don't what you monitor with on stage or what you use to set up your sounds, but it is important to do patch eq at gig volume. I routinely cut lows up 110 and highs down to 6-7k. At gig volume it is not dark or weak. It's punchy, thick and it cuts.

I have settled on a mix of IRs that I use live. I don't change. I find it easier to settle on one IR "sound" and then tweak the amp block to that based on what I'm going for. This gives you consistent overall sound on everything which makes the mix much easier to get right. Again, I cut lows and highs in the cab block. FWIW I prefer the Celestion IRs for live sounds.
 
This is really good advice, I really struggled with shrill highs at first, then got too aggressive with cuts and would make it sound ‘boxy’.

Love the advice about choosing one IR. I have been using Leon’s (@2112) TV Mix 2. I find it is clear and articulate, and works well on its own. Leon if you ever use multiple IRs in the cab, or just one, I’d love to know!
 
1. Coop Carter’s videos

2. I too use just a fender (59 bassman) and Marshall plexi for a lot of ground. Twin reverb for many others.
Pick a few amps, use channels and scenes (clean to mean; plus fx)

3. Austin Buddy for core amp toanz
 
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1. Coop Carter’s videos

2. I too use just a fender (59 bassman) and Marshall plexi I for a lot of ground. Twin reverb for many others.
Pick a few amps, use channels and scenes (clean to mean; plus fx)

3. Austin Buddy for core amp toanz

Agree +3 - I’m just discovering the 59 bassman! I’m also going to start spending a lot of time with the FAS amps, I suspect they will become my new go-to amps once I get to know them
 
Agree +3 - I’m just discovering the 59 bassman! I’m also going to start spending a lot of time with the FAS amps, I suspect they will become my new go-to amps once I get to know them

FAS amp are great. I’ll often sneak in the FAS Lead in many patches/lead scene ;)
 
For over 10 years I was in a similar situation..80-90 songs on the list and we could play any of them at any time. Early on in the Axe Fx days (Axe Fx Ultra), I had a ton of presets to cover all these different song flavors and sounds. I eventually realized I didn't need them. I got everything down to 5 presets. 3 presets for "special" effects and sounds, 1 acoustic patch and one main patch that was used 95% of the time. Everything sounded better, the mix was consistent and I was much happier. Guess what? Nobody cared or noticed.
I would suggest you trim your presets down to a few and dial those in using some of the suggestions above. In all honesty, 95% of all the songs we played could be covered by 1 preset with a clean, crunch and lead sounds.
With the AFIII, you have more than enough horsepower to accomplish this using scenes and channels. My $.02..

Here's what I do...Maybe it will help.
To level presets, I use my DAW. I just find it easy to get levels dialed in on those meters. Main rhythm/clean sounds at -12 db on the meters and lead sounds get a 4db boost.

To get cut and thickness without harsh highs and tubby lows I cut pretty steep in the cab block. Thick and cut are both in the midrange, not the highs and lows. I don't what you monitor with on stage or what you use to set up your sounds, but it is important to do patch eq at gig volume. I routinely cut lows up 110 and highs down to 6-7k. At gig volume it is not dark or weak. It's punchy, thick and it cuts.

I have settled on a mix of IRs that I use live. I don't change. I find it easier to settle on one IR "sound" and then tweak the amp block to that based on what I'm going for. This gives you consistent overall sound on everything which makes the mix much easier to get right. Again, I cut lows and highs in the cab block. FWIW I prefer the Celestion IRs for live sounds.

This.

I have 5 amp tones in my main patch, and it has been plenty of work to get them to balance with each other properly in a live setting. I can't just do it all at home because it's different when I'm playing with the band. I'm a tweaker and I don't consider 65 tones to be doable or, frankly, the best way to do things.

I use the same cab for all of them, Legacy Cab #54. Initially, it was because of the lack of capability to switch amp and cab channels simultaneously with the FC, but I've come to really appreciate it. Using the same cab ties all the sounds together in a way that just feels right and natural. It doesn't feel jarring to change amps.

Give legacy cab 54 a shot. It has a great midrange, good overall balance, and a thick, full, natural sound. I think it might be what you're looking for.

My trick for taming the low end is to turn down the low resonance on the speaker page.
 
Nice thread... will be watching this one. I am looking to 'rearchitect' my presets, too. They are all setup with too much variation and I need ot impose some standards on my own layouts/methods as it has gotten counterproductive.
 
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