yek
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How I use my AX8
Over the past months I’ve “perfected” my AX8 setup. Contrary to my primary Axe-Fx rig, which is much more laid out, this is my simple pack-and-go alternative, configured the way it works best for me.
In this post I’ll walk you through it. Yeah, I know, a video would be better, but I (still) hate doing those.
The hardware consists of the AX8, a single pedal and the MC6 controller by Morningstar. I need the MC6 because the 8 onboard footswitches on the AX8 do not suffice for my switching addiction. I use an USB power pack to power the MC6.
I’ve got a main AX8 preset, which I use about 90% of the time. Actually three, but I’ll get to that.
Onboard switches
AMP-X is a clean tone (Twin). AMP-Y is my crunch tone (Dirty Shirley). Switch #1 is assigned to AMP X/Y.
Yes, there’s a slight gap when switching between these sounds. But I can manage that quite nicely, and I don’t need to switch this way that often.
Switches 2, 3 and 4 provide various gain possibilities.
#2: Control Switch, assigned to Boost in the amp block
#3 is OD or fuzz (X/Y)
#4 is FET Boost or SDD (X/Y)
#3 is OD or fuzz (X/Y)
#4 is FET Boost or SDD (X/Y)
This of course means that X/Y switching is enabled in the Global menu.
These are all “global” switches, fixed in position in every preset.
Switches 6, 7 and 8 are also global switches (same position in every preset).
#6 is Delay (X/Y)
#7 is Reverb
#8 is a GEQ used for leads
#7 is Reverb
#8 is a GEQ used for leads
I don’t care for reverb in my live tones, just a little for clean tones, so I mainly use the Spring to save CPU power.
This leaves switch #5. This is my "wildcard" switch and it is NOT a global switch. This allows me to assign it per-preset for specific tasks.
Scenes
Together, the bottom row switches allow me to use various amounts and textures of gain at will.
Alternatively, I can use scenes. I set up my scenes like this in most presets:
- Clean (AMP-X)
- Crunch (AMP-Y)
- Rock (AMP-Y + Boost)
- Solo (AMP-Y + OD + Delay + GEQ)
- Volume swells
F-switches
F1: Single and Sticky presets
F1: Tap Tempo and Tuner
F3: Single Scene and Exit
F1: Tap Tempo and Tuner
F3: Single Scene and Exit
MC6
5 switches on the MC6 control modulation effects: Phaser, Flanger, Chorus/Detune, Rotary and Tremolo.
Now, not all these effects fit in a single AX8 preset. So I have Phaser, Flanger and Tremolo in the main preset, and Rotary and Chorus/Pitch in a secondary presets.
At this moment the MC6 doesn’t support press-and-hold as a secondary switch function. So I can’t hold the 5 switches to switch the effect between X and Y. That's why I’ve assigned the 6th button on the MC6 to switch all these effects between X and Y in one go (I hardly ever use more than one modulation effect at a time). The MC6 can do this because it supports 8 MIDI commands per switch.
To be able to switch all effects between X and Y, I’ve assigned MIDI CCs to Rotary X/Y and Tremolo X/Y in the AX8.
Pedal
One pedal suffices for my needs. It's a spring-loaded Mission. Mainly wah, but doing other duties in specific presets: shimmer, Whammy, simulated feedback, ringmod etc.
Presets
Presets are in post #17.
P.S. Finally, I hope that some of the dreams in my wishes thread someday will become part of the firmware. This includes a "Page" feature, that would allow us to put the onboard switches to better use (second layer of footswitch assignments).
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