How do/will you configure your MIDI controller?

T

Tone Jones

Member
Regardless of which controller you are or plan on using, how are you all setting up your boards? Are you going with using the bottom row of switches (insert controller of choice here) for preset changes and the remainder of the switches for IA? Regarding IA, are you simply activating/deactivating blocks or doing more advanced stuff? I'd be interested in learning some of the creative ways you guys are controlling your Axe!
 
Tone Jones said:
Regardless of which controller you are or plan on using, how are you all setting up your boards? Are you going with using the bottom row of switches (insert controller of choice here) for preset changes and the remainder of the switches for IA? Regarding IA, are you simply activating/deactivating blocks or doing more advanced stuff? I'd be interested in learning some of the creative ways you guys are controlling your Axe!
Click to expand...

using the all access at the moment (waiting for the mfc101)
bottom row: program changes

middle row:
6 drive1 + filter2 on/off
7 multidelay1 + delay1 on/off
8 delay2 on/off (mostly slapdelay)
9 pan/tremolo1 on/off
10 modulaton on/off (phaser1/flanger1)

top row:
11 filter1 boost on/off (for solo, it's the last one in the chain)
12 more drive (external 3 setting different gain and tone of drive1)
13 A/B switch (this is the most interesting)
it's connected to external 4
external 4 controls pan/tremolo1 speed
phaser1 speed
chorus1 speed
that way I have 2 different fx settings for those

it's also connected to external 5
external 5 will control the volume and gain of filter2 (filter2 sits before drive1)
that way I have 3 gainsettings. when i get the mfc101 this is moved to another free IA
14 chorus1 on/off
15 tap tempo

expression pedal: only wah

and if I use the looper:
all the same as above but:
8 delay2 on/off (now as looper with external 6 making a fade out/in)
10 reverse
13 add
14 stop/start
15 record
 
On my Liquid Foot -
Bottom row 6 patches
Next row: drive, modulation, phase/flange, delay, pitch, booost
Next Row: amp a/B, filter, compressor, special, pitch, fx loop
Next row: tuner, vol inc, vol dec, reverb.

Exp 1 - volume
Exp 2 - wah, whammy, etc.
Exp3 - momentary switch set to tap tempo

I use special to control effects blocks I don't use often or to control parameters like delay feedback or mixes of effects.
 
Tone Jones said:
Very cool ideas. Keep em coming!

JJ - does the LF not have tap tempo capability?
Click to expand...

you can assign any IA switch or external controller to do tap tempo on the axe-fx. If you use an external switch that has a mono cable instead of a TRS (stereo) cable, you will need to use an insert cable to adapt it.
 
I'm only 1 month into the Axe Fx and about 3 days into the GC Pro. Now that I'm settling into it a little... it still feels like way too many buttons.

Bottom Row - 4 buttons of presets (w/ Bank Up / Down function, of course).

Second Row - 2 of the buttons will be IA assignments; definitely 1 for the tuner and 1 for a solo boost.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what to do. With all these presets in the Axe Fx, I would ideally have my sounds pre-programmed and not need to turn F/X on / off using IA switches. I would just advance to the preset that already has the sound I'm looking for... right? What else can I do with all these spare buttons?
 
ronmail65 said:
I'm only 1 month into the Axe Fx and about 3 days into the GC Pro. Now that I'm settling into it a little... it still feels like way too many buttons.

Bottom Row - 4 buttons of presets (w/ Bank Up / Down function, of course).

Second Row - 2 of the buttons will be IA assignments; definitely 1 for the tuner and 1 for a solo boost.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what to do. With all these presets in the Axe Fx, I would ideally have my sounds pre-programmed and not need to turn F/X on / off using IA switches. I would just advance to the preset that already has the sound I'm looking for... right? What else can I do with all these spare buttons?
Click to expand...

Volume up, volume down. this will allow you to adjust and automatically save volume changes in 1db increments from the controller.
 
javajunkie said:
ronmail65 said:
I'm only 1 month into the Axe Fx and about 3 days into the GC Pro. Now that I'm settling into it a little... it still feels like way too many buttons.

Bottom Row - 4 buttons of presets (w/ Bank Up / Down function, of course).

Second Row - 2 of the buttons will be IA assignments; definitely 1 for the tuner and 1 for a solo boost.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what to do. With all these presets in the Axe Fx, I would ideally have my sounds pre-programmed and not need to turn F/X on / off using IA switches. I would just advance to the preset that already has the sound I'm looking for... right? What else can I do with all these spare buttons?
Click to expand...

Volume up, volume down. this will allow you to adjust and automatically save volume changes in 1db increments from the controller.
Click to expand...

Okay -- now that's a cool feature!! Now I can use 2 more buttons. Thanks!!

I'm a tube amp guy trying to give this whole digital thing a fair chance. I just haven't realized and fully opened up to all the possibilities of this thing.
 
ronmail65 said:
javajunkie said:
ronmail65 said:
I'm only 1 month into the Axe Fx and about 3 days into the GC Pro. Now that I'm settling into it a little... it still feels like way too many buttons.

Bottom Row - 4 buttons of presets (w/ Bank Up / Down function, of course).

Second Row - 2 of the buttons will be IA assignments; definitely 1 for the tuner and 1 for a solo boost.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what to do. With all these presets in the Axe Fx, I would ideally have my sounds pre-programmed and not need to turn F/X on / off using IA switches. I would just advance to the preset that already has the sound I'm looking for... right? What else can I do with all these spare buttons?
Click to expand...

Volume up, volume down. this will allow you to adjust and automatically save volume changes in 1db increments from the controller.
Click to expand...

Okay -- now that's a cool feature!! Now I can use 2 more buttons. Thanks!!

I'm a tube amp guy trying to give this whole digital thing a fair chance. I just haven't realized and fully opened up to all the possibilities of this thing.
Click to expand...
For sounds that have multiple things going and you need to switch to quickly, setting up presets is probably the way to go. Alternatively, if you're using a GC Pro, you could set up the bottom row for basic sounds, which you're doing, and turn stuff on/off like a virtual pedal board. You might have a rhythm sound you like and you just want to kick a phaser in for a brief passage. Rather than creating another patch, you can just kick the IA button on/off. In a live setting it's kind of cool because you can spontaneously bring stuff in and out without having to pre-program it in advance.
 
I haven't got my mine yet (I'm still using G-System and want to upgrade to MFC101) but will configure the presets into banks of 10 (I'm hoping this will be represented by Song mode with title-naming feature in the new Fractal controller).

My intention is to program each button in L->R sequence for each change in the song, so as to avoid stepping back and forth between buttons. I used to do this with the G-Sys and I kept hitting the wrong button and making a fool of myself. If I always know I need to step to the right when a patch change occurs it should eliminate performance errors.

My controller also changes patches on a Roland GR-300. Some of the synth sounds are only used for very brief phrases. Where this occurs, I shall configure the IA switches to Hold type and just step on while I play the phrase and step off to return to the main preset in the song. This way I can add brief brass or sax phrases to songs whenever I like. :cool:
 
I use a Behringer FCB1010 (non-Uno). I operate it in non-Direct Select Mode. The FCB presets in Bank 00 are all set for stompbox-type use, i.e., they don't send a PC command, only CCs.

I have Bank 01 in the FCB programmed to call up my go-to presets. That gives me access to as many as 10 presets (so far, I've never used more than four on a gig) by pressing two switches (Up switch to select Bank 01, then one of ten preset-select footswitches). Once I've selected the preset I want for the song we're about to play, I go back to Bank 00 (press Down switch once). Now I have 10 stompbox selections available. At present, I've implemented eight of those, including one to set tap tempo and one to select tuner/mute.
 
Tone Jones said:
For sounds that have multiple things going and you need to switch to quickly, setting up presets is probably the way to go. Alternatively, if you're using a GC Pro, you could set up the bottom row for basic sounds, which you're doing, and turn stuff on/off like a virtual pedal board. You might have a rhythm sound you like and you just want to kick a phaser in for a brief passage. Rather than creating another patch, you can just kick the IA button on/off. In a live setting it's kind of cool because you can spontaneously bring stuff in and out without having to pre-program it in advance.
Click to expand...

Good points.

The way I plan to use the board is the same way that I've set up Line6 amps and my Boss GT-10 in the past. My objectives are to 1) maximize tonal flexibility while 2) minimizing interaction with amp and pedal board during a live performance. My methodology is as follows:

- 1 bank (or 4 presets) is a song; but I may use the same bank for more than 1 song.
- The point is that I never change banks during a song, and I therefore limit myself to no more than 4 presets per song (which has not been a problem).
- This includes dedicating at least one of the presets to a volume boosted sound for leads.
- If a particular song has very unique passages, then I may have to dedicate 1 bank of 4 presents for 1 song only.

Basically I end up with about 3 banks that I use for 80% of our material, and 5 or 6 banks that I use for the 20% of unique sounding songs. Other than hitting the tuner between songs, I never hit another button or switch F/X -- I don't have to. That's why I have so many buttons left over!!

As a result, using the pedal board during a gig is very simple and predictable. This is what I want -- I really hate the pedal board tap dance. I end up pressing wrong buttons or getting distracted from the performance.

This is the direction I will probably take, but I'm very interested in what others are doing and open to suggestions.
 
I use a Gordius LG>
The board has 12 switches on it, 10 of which you can configure to do anything you want (PC, CC, momentary, note on/off etc) (the other 2 switches are up/down). In order for me to tell you the depth of options would take an entire manual- you wouldnt want to read it and I cant type that long or well.
But I'll describe in short the gist of my current setup:
The Gordius has 1 Global bank, (2) Direct Select banks and 250 banks available using the up/down switches. The Gordius also offers setlist/ song list which I use sometimes.
In my main setup I use about 10 of the 250 banks for accessing presets I've created on the Axefx. I use the up/down arrows to scroll thru to select. The remaining banks are not seen because they are not populated.
I use the Global Bank for switching vol up, vol down, tuner, FxLoop on the AxeFx, tap tempo, Drive1 and Drive 2. The Global Bank is the default switch setup unless overridden by another function assigned to the same switch in banks 1-250 - or- unless the Direct Banks are engaged.
Switches 9 & 10 I have selected to use as Direct select banks (the LG has a software editor which allows you to customise the board for any layout....or multiple layouts). Using switch 9 I access another bank which holds my effects. I have 8 effects in DB 9(selecting Direct Bank 9 or 10 does not take you out of your current preset if setup this way....it allows you to access 16 additional switches per bank 1-250) My Direct Bank 10 holds PC switching for my Jamman looper. I send PC changes to the AxeFx on channel 2, jamman on Ch. 1 and instrument switching using a Sound Sculpture midi controlled A/B switcher on Ch. 16).
So basically, with a 10 switch layout I can access a preset and have 24 stompboxes available to me -3 linked banks of 8...I dont use all for stomps...but you get the idea.

The Gordius actually goes much deeper and I would not be able to describe well- the advanced features the foot controller offers. There are "Extra Patches" I have set up which allows me to use the same switch for multiple preset setups etc...extending each Bank setup beyond what I just described.
For pedals I use two EV-5's. One for volume, one for wah and expression.

Because the Gordius uses an Editor much like the editor Lars has made for the AxeFx, I have different setups for different ocassions. The one above is what I am using currently and is continuing to develop as I become more sophisticated with both the AxeFx and Gordius products.


Humm..I just reread this and dont know if it's going to make much sense...but here it is anyway.
 
Sorry to respond to my own posting :roll: but it looks like the answer is "no."

Little Giant Foot controller
Size: 340mm x 165mm x 70-100mm (L x W x H)
13.4” x 6.5” x 2.8-3.85” (L x W x H)
 
I currently run a All Access.

Picture is worth a 1000 words:

102007AllAccessPhoto.jpg
 
Well, I'm keeping ist quite simple.

FCB 1010 (old, non-Uno version already in use with my GX700 (r.i.p.) and GT-Pro) for 10 presets each bank. Using about 60 presets so far.

Exp Pedal A is External Controller1 that I use for Volume (attatched to the Vol/pan block that I added at the end of each preset I use) and Exp Pedal B is External Controller2 that I haven't even bothered using yet.

Boss FS5 Dual Footswitch with one latching as global bypass and the second momentary for tempo tap.

That's it.
 
GC Pro here.

Bottom row 4 patches: 2 clean, 2 dirty (1 all Axe, 1 Axe for effects and MP-1 for preamp)
5-8 octave, flange, crazy (synth, roto, etc.) tuner
1-4 1 blank right now, 2 pitch, 3 delay 4 boost

Still looking to play with the volume up, volume down thingy. Almost all of the IA's are assigned (off state) on 1 patch. Also use my exp. pedal for whammy and volume control.
 
I use an ART X-15 floor controller.

Unlike some of the ones mentioned so far which have dedicated preset buttons and other dedicated effect on-off buttons, the X-15 has a mode switch. In one mode, the 10 buttons select patches 1 through 10 (or 11 - 20, etc.). And when you toggle the mode, the 10 buttons are assignable CCs which can then turn on/off effects, or tap tempo, etc.

Only problem is you have to toggle the mode before you can use the CCs. Other problem is the LED which lights up when you're in effect on/off mode is the same color and really-really close to the LED for when patch 1 is selected... so I often got fooled into thinking I was aleady in effect on/off mode, only to realize that hitting button 10 did NOT set my tempo, but rather selected my 136 dB super shred metal tone (and right in the middle of that ballad, to boot!).

I plan on replacing the LED for a different color, soon.

Other than that, and for the low price, it behaves really well. You get used to this toggling from patch-select to effect-on/off. If the Fractal controller is affordable, I might buy it. If not, I can live with this one.

Dan
 
Questions for those using the Ground Control Pro: I have assigned CC commands to the IA switches on the GCPro and CC in the IO->CTRL of the AxeFX (ex: Reverb 1 = CC12).
1. Is this the right way to do it ?

2. Is it possible to have the corresponding LED ON when the effect is on by default ? For example:
Preset 44: Reverb is used in the preset -> IA switch LED is ON
Preset 45: Reverb is not used (or bypassed) in the preset -> IA switch LED is OFF
 
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