Learning curve

Sturla

Inspired
After a month or so with a second hand ax8, I've reflected a bit about the learning curve.

I've concluded that it's not really about the unit being complicated to set up and use. It's really about the huge amount of flexibility, where "everything" is possible.

The other day I wished that the scenes didn't "remember" changes in which blocks were active. And there it was, the option of turning scene revert on/off.

I'd rather have a unit where you don't learn everything the first afternoon, but where over time you get it to sound and operate 100% the way you want.

And for the record, It's not always straight forward to get a tube amp with cabinet and microphone to sound great through the PA.

I'm oficially a happy camper :-D
 
I agree - I don't think the unit is hard to use, or hard to understand. You can get pretty good sounds with minimal effort, and then you have the ability to really hone in on things if you so desire. Ton of flexibility in a small, sturdy package.
 
There's no denying that there is a learning curve.

Recently both the bass player and the singer in my band bought the AX8. They are very happy with it and we get a great sound.

Assisting and guiding them along the way made me realize again that we here on the forum are just a minority of the players out there.
Many if not most players out there haven't got a clue about speakers, tubes, sag, microphones, low cut, phase cancellation, FRFR, etc. etc. etc.
 
I think the learning process with the Fractal products can be steep but it is one of the most rewarding ones.
Since it is emulating real world phenomenons, like speaker drive, different tubes, sag, etc, you are not just learning the unit but also learning all intricacies of the real world signal chain.
I personally think every guitar and bass player should learn all that to better understand their instrument, and therefore be able to create his own sound. I really think that makes you a more "mature" musician.
 
True. But I find, that you don't need to turn every knob to get a good sound. But all the knobs are there, when you start to learn what they all mean.

I'm actually most impressed with all the possibilities in setting up the unit itself, it's behaviour, different uses of switces etc etc.

And of course, it doesn't hurt that it sounds great even straight out of the box.
 
There's no denying that there is a learning curve.

Recently both the bass player and the singer in my band bought the AX8. They are very happy with it and we get a great sound.

Assisting and guiding them along the way made me realize again that we here on the forum are just a minority of the players out there.
Many if not most players out there haven't got a clue about speakers, tubes, sag, microphones, low cut, phase cancellation, FRFR, etc. etc. etc.
Man before I address the OP let me just say how cool would it be to have a guy like Yek or Simon or Chris or Fredman or Java or Danny D or Bakerman or any of the super helpful knowledgeable people around here as your friend to help you out when joining the fractal ship lol

As for learning curve it is there but never really hit me too hard. I stuck to basic parameters at first and slowly learned about things like hi cut/low cut ect. There is something about guitars that we just want to touch everything. The first time I went to a beach I did not think oh so it deep over there? Give me one of those air tanks I am going deep diving. Yes folks get an Ax/Axe and go deep diving with out the air tank
 
Could not agree more.... we all need to encourage people new to this black Box.... It took me 3 years to feel comfortable with this thing and .....STILL learning....put in the time and gigging out will never be easier!!!
 
Everyone here faced the "learning curve". IMHO, one of the best features, (included with the AX8 or any Fractal product) is the support and help you get from the Fractal users community. The FAS team provides the best support you could ask for, and the fellow Fractalites are the best. I have been using Fractal gear since 2010, and I am still discovering things I did not know before. What a great time to be a guitar player.
 
What I meant was, that I prefer the flexibility over an easier set up. The fact that there's a lot of possibilities, gives you more things to consider and learn. But I find it a fair trade off.
 
That being said, you don't really have to change much unless you want it to work slightly different than the default settings.
 
I think, building a preset on the unit is pretty intimidating in the beginning. Just finding the place in the manual that tells you how to make shunts across the entire grid is pretty challenging (I still wish someone would make a compiled list of all the front panel commands). However, if you work in AX8edit, you basically just throw in the blocks you need, and it will sound good with no tweaking whatsoever - it might not sound exactly how you want it, but the same is true, if you build a new setup with pedals and an amp. I think AxeView is a great help, when it comes to fast tweaking of sound.
 
That's true. But if you got a lot of options to tailor something to your taste and needs, you need to get some notion of what the options affect. As opposed to a sollution where most things are locked the way the developer assumes suites most customers.

But, there's no reason to argue. I'm a happy camper as I said. And I suspect maybe you are also. :)
 
Everyone here faced the "learning curve". IMHO, one of the best features, (included with the AX8 or any Fractal product) is the support and help you get from the Fractal users community. The FAS team provides the best support you could ask for, and the fellow Fractalites are the best. I have been using Fractal gear since 2010, and I am still discovering things I did not know before. What a great time to be a guitar player.
So true, @Geezerjohn! I hit this forum all the time and get so much out of seeing what others are using and how they are setting things up. So many amazing players here I think i learn more every day. I was happy with my AX8 tones initially, but a year later, using the tips and tricks I lean here, I've been able to get deeper into the unit and it has definitely improved. Many thanks from me to you all!
 
True. But I find, that you don't need to turn every knob to get a good sound. But all the knobs are there, when you start to learn what they all mean.

I'm actually most impressed with all the possibilities in setting up the unit itself, it's behaviour, different uses of switces etc etc.

And of course, it doesn't hurt that it sounds great even straight out of the box.

As far as a Good Tone....I never get why people keep feel you "have to" turn every knob.. IMHO. That's where it gets muddy, I mean the conversation. There' a a good tone. Then theirs a great tone.Then their is the "cop the record\artist" tone and then their is "your" tone.

Digging deep definitely takes time... But, for me a good tone was always easy.
 
There is no question about it with the AX8 there is way more of a learning curve than other units on the market and some things are easier than others to do though this units interface was a complete rewrite from the Boss, Zoom's and DigiTech units I have owned in the past, which I' finding quite refreshing, I'd defiantly agree with others in the thread too its good the unit is not too easy to master as "would you really like to spend all of that money on the unit and have it mastered in a few hours?" For me I have enjoyed the past few months of discovery and learning, I'v watched many of the videos and found them to be quite helpful and entertaning and have had many individuals in the community help he with my discoveries I'm thinking there probably is no other GP out there that can boast this and in the end we all have and incredible unit that i only wish I had 30 years ago...
 
I'm new to the AX8 and world of Fractal and I find that while certainly there is a learning curve the whole thing just makes more sense to me than my 11r ever did. So it just sat there, mocking me... With the AX8 I knew more about it before I'd bought it and figured it out with a few yt vids and some reading here and elsewhere. There is still a ton to learn, and for me some of it is basic understanding of the signal chain in general, never mind the digital representation of it but I don't find the AX8 at all unapproachable or overwhelming, quite the opposite so far.
 
I'd love to have yek or freman and some of these other guys (mark day) at rehearsal for one day. Maybe that's a new cash revenue. Ha ha.
 
When I first found Fractal, it was because I had broken a Line6 Pod HD500 and frustrated with the sounds, and I wanted something that sounded "better" (without explicitly knowing what that meant) and something in a rack unit with a sturdier floor piece. I had the Axe II XL for a while, and now I'm back to the all-in-one floor unit Ax8! But along that way I learned all kinds of stuff that I didn't know existed before, and I realize more than ever how little I know compared to what there is to know. And I realized how much I suck at playing guitar! I had never dealt with using my tone knobs or volume knob, adjusting my pickup height, didn't know about "edge of breakup". It's really pretty comical that I had been playing for 20+ years (albeit most of that time playing a negligible amount) and I didn't realize how low I was in the spectrum of possibility with guitar playing and effects knowledge.

But I'm diggin' it, and that's what counts.
 
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