Honest Question....

jlynnb1

jlynnb1

Axe-Master
why buy a state of the art, top of the line modeler and never even crack open the manual? Some of the questions I see asked (almost daily) could be figured out in 2 minutes worth of looking at the manual. I mean, learn your gear....

If I have to ask it's usually an absolute last resort after the manual/wiki/search function/google.
 
Some of it is laziness, but some of it isn't.

In the early days of my Fractal experience, I read the manual, the wiki, the forum...until my head was spinning. Every now and then, I asked a question that, in retrospect, could have been answered by reading just the right paragraph of the manual, but I was so busy thinking about other Fractalish facts that I just broke down and asked the question. Folks were kind enough to help me along.

Sometimes I'd already read the magic paragraph, but I lacked the background knowledge and context to know exactly what that paragraph said.

And some folks are dyslexic. For them, researching through written material can be a monumentally challenging task. Some of them can save hours of frustration by just asking their question.

...and some folks are just plain lazy. :)


Also, it's worthwhile to note that the user demographic is changing. A few years ago, most Fractal users were seasoned guitarists with a solid background in tone and gear, and they were willing (and equipped) to make the technological leap into digital modeling and control.

Fast-forward to today. Fractal has established a solid reputation across the guitar-playing world. It's the recognized leader in its field. A whole bunch of people see Fractal gear as the thing to have. Want to get into guitar? Got a little disposable income? Want to have what's arguably the best—to have the coolest gear, and everybody knows you do? The answer used to be, "Get a Marshall." Now it's "Get an Axe-Fx."

Then that Axe-Fx arrives at your doorstep. Now what? You've got some scrambling to do to even figure out what you're going for, let alone figure out how to make your new Axe do it. "Oh yeah, they have a forum." You dive in and start asking. Eventually, the people asking the total-noob questions find their sea legs, and their questions become more focused. But there are more and more noobs every day. Good thing too. It bodes well for future product development. :)
 
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Before my AXF arrived I spent about 6 months watching all the YouTube videos I could find, I read the manual, joined the forum and even was able to help some users who actually had AFX's. When my AFX finally arrived (as in my wife bought it for me) I found I knew how to operate it, but not how to use it.

There's a big difference between operate and use in this case.

That said, that was before Quantum days and I do think it is a lot easier to dial in a tone nowadays.
 
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Because most of us were to excited to play to bother reading the manual.
I myself downloaded the manual before I even decided to purchase one, because I wanted to see what it could do.
I will say while the manual is helpful in some instances, a lot of what you "need" to know in order to "use" the machine rather than "operate" the machine comes from the great users here on the forum. I have learned more from reading this forum than the manual.
 
Many of us have owned the latest digital effects equipment since the 80's but; many Fractal users are experiencing the first time outside analog gear and the AxeFx can be a daunting undertaking for a first timer.
We take for granted all the familiar terminology and knowledge gained from our previous experiences.
 
also a lot of people on forums don't bother to actually try to figure it out for themselves because they're so used to asking a computer for help whether it be google or people on forums. the amount of questions i see about what string gauges to use for certain tunings always blows my mind because just go buy a set and if it doesn't work then buy a different one until you get one that works, like we did before the internet was in our pockets all of the time. i was having a conversation with someone awhile ago about how apparently people's brains have basically been rewired to know where to look for an answer instead of retaining the actual knowledge. so i just try to stay away from most forums unless i'm looking for a specific thing.

also, some people are geared mentally more towards being RTFM people and others just like to go for it and see what happens. i used to be the latter but now i'm definitely the former.

different strokes and all that.
 
I believe it has a lot to do with the advances made in getting information. With search engines it doesn't take any effort to get information. There's no more going to the library and digging through books or figuring something out on your own. Even with the advent of google, there's always going to be those who want the 'easy' way out and that's fine to a certain extent, but at least show some sign that you at least opened the manual.
 
zombieritual said it right. You used to had to figure it out by yourself or read the manual. I won't claim to have the best ear for hearing what to play when I try to learn a song, but I see people ask for tabs to play Nirvana songs and back then I could play along to almost every song after hearing Nevermind twice. My first instinct when I want to learn a song is still to pick up a guitar first and play along, rather then hit a search engine. So yeah, the internet has rewired our brains to look for information online, rather then retain it, or read it in a manual. The younger generations more then most because that's the only way they have learned to know how. The advent of new game changing technology can always be seen in the behavior of those who came before and those who came after.

That being said, when it comes to manuals there are two kinds of people, my friends. Those who think, excellent, everything I need is in here. And those who think DAMN this thing is big, information overload. So yeah, when it comes to problems with my Axe my first old pre-internet old fart instinct too is not to hit the manual, but hit google instead. See if somebody asked the same question first.
 
Muad'zin said:
...when it comes to manuals there are two kinds of people, my friends. Those who think, excellent, everything I need is in here. And those who think DAMN this thing is big, information overload.
Click to expand...
There's a third kind of people: those who realize that a good manual will tell them how to operate the gear, but not how to use it. Just like the football rule book tells you how to play football, but not how to win games.
 
Rex said:
Some of it is laziness, but some of it isn't.

In the early days of my Fractal experience, I read the manual, the wiki, the forum...until my head was spinning. Every now and then, I asked a question that, in retrospect, could have been answered by reading just the right paragraph of the manual, but I was so busy thinking about other Fractalish facts that I just broke down and asked the question. Folks were kind enough to help me along.

Sometimes I'd already read the magic paragraph, but I lacked the background knowledge and context to know exactly what that paragraph said.

And some folks are dyslexic. For them, researching through written material can be a monumentally challenging task. Some of them can save hours of frustration by just asking their question.

...and some folks are just plain lazy. :)


Also, it's worthwhile to note that the user demographic is changing. A few years ago, most Fractal users were seasoned guitarists with a solid background in tone and gear, and they were willing (and equipped) to make the technological leap into digital modeling and control.

Fast-forward to today. Fractal has established a solid reputation across the guitar-playing world. It's the recognized leader in its field. A whole bunch of people see Fractal gear as the thing to have. Want to get into guitar? Got a little disposable income? Want to have what's arguably the best—to have the coolest gear, and everybody knows you do? The answer used to be, "Get a Marshall." Now it's "Get an Axe-Fx."

Then that Axe-Fx arrives at your doorstep. Now what? You've got some scrambling to do to even figure out what you're going for, let alone figure out how to make your new Axe do it. "Oh yeah, they have a forum." You dive in and start asking. Eventually, the people asking the total-noob questions find their sea legs, and their questions become more focused. But there are more and more noobs every day. Good thing too. It bodes well for future product development. :)
Click to expand...

....Some of the wisest words I've read here.
I'm guilty of asking questions here that I know I could find elsewhere , but it comes down to TIME in most cases , not because I'm too lazy. My average work day ; along with being a husband and father , can really cut in on my "play time". These days , I'm lucky to find time to just play my guitar. Lol.
Most guys around here are pretty cool. I believe the courtesy is directly related to a high level of intelligence.
 
zombieritual said:
...apparently people's brains have basically been rewired to know where to look for an answer instead of retaining the actual knowledge.
Click to expand...
Tangent... When I was young I was *really* good at math... like I could multiply or divide in the 100's or 1000's in my head. Then we all started using calculators, and I pretty much lost my math ability from atrophy. So as much as possible, I quit using calculators so I could re-train my mind. And it worked.

There are lots of people don't read the manual for *anything* - whether it's guitar modelers, software, their new smartphone, or how to put together the new piece of furniture they just bought. As a tech writer, it was always fun writing up these fabulous manuals and help files that nobody would ever look at :)
 
You have to keep in mind the intended target for Fractal products. They are professional products. They are not aimed at beginners. There is an assumption that users have at least a basic understanding of common guitar, amp, and effects concepts and techniques. People that lack those will have a learning curve that is far more steep, even with the manual. Manuals are important, but they are not a substitute for having real world experience. There's nothing wrong with diving in and trying to figure it out for yourself. Many folks learn better that way anyway. That said, the Axe II manual is concise, well organized, and has a great table of contents that links directly to any topic you want. Most any info can be located within seconds with minimal effort. I must have read it a dozen times before I even ordered my XL. I'm not the type to throw down $2500 on a piece of gear without having at least a basic understanding of how it works and how to use it. Would you go out and buy a car with a manual transmission if you've never driven a stick shift before? You gotta do your homework.
 
mr_fender said:
You have to keep in mind the intended target for Fractal products. They are professional products. They are not aimed at beginners. There is an assumption that users have at least a basic understanding of common guitar, amp, and effects concepts and techniques. People that lack those will have a learning curve that is far more steep, even with the manual. Manuals are important, but they are not a substitute for having real world experience. There's nothing wrong with diving in and trying to figure it out for yourself. Many folks learn better that way anyway. That said, the Axe II manual is concise, well organized, and has a great table of contents that links directly to any topic you want. Most any info can be located within seconds with minimal effort. I must have read it a dozen times before I even ordered my XL. I'm not the type to throw down $2500 on a piece of gear without having at least a basic understanding of how it works and how to use it. Would you go out and buy a car with a manual transmission if you've never driven a stick shift before? You gotta do your homework.
Click to expand...

The Fractal WAITLIST allowed me time to read the AX8 manual front to back. This thread may actually inspire me to include it in my night time reading. I do recall it was well written. Most of my own questions on the forum pertain to real world instrument/effects. As for the functionality of the unit itself - I will try to find those answers myself first.
 
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