MFC-101 as a general midi controller with Axe-Fx II or Axe-Fx III

Any good reason Fractal didn’t make the Axe 3 bckwards compatible with the MFC? I see no other reason than forcing guys to buy the new Line6 looking ugly as hell controller.
 
Any good reason Fractal didn’t make the Axe 3 bckwards compatible with the MFC? I see no other reason than forcing guys to buy the new Line6 looking ugly as hell controller.
The MFC is really quite a limited controller in a number of ways. As a general purpose midi controller, it is entirely "backwards compatible". It's just not integrated.

It was stated that there was not enough room on the chip to add more capability.

Personally, I much prefer the FC over the MFC in terms of form and function.

I really don't understand comments that Fractal is "forcing you to buy" something? They made a product, and they made a companion product. Use one or both... Or get another midi controller that you like and enjoy. There's no need to be insulting.
 
Well If I’d one day decided to buy the Axe 3 I pretty much have to buy the new controller. Adding a legacy backwards mode on the Axe 3 would be easy. On the MFC 3 you even have the XLR connection. My opinion is that the new controllers look more like a Line6 product. Coming from big rack systems with Bradshaw foot controllers the MFC looks much better. So if that is insulting..I’m sorry.
 
Well If I’d one day decided to buy the Axe 3 I pretty much have to buy the new controller.
Not true... Buy any midi controller you want. Many people are using something other than an FC already.
Adding a legacy backwards mode on the Axe 3 would be easy. On the MFC 3 you even have the XLR connection.
So you know the internal programming of the Axe Fx III? Because that's the only way you can say it is "easy". Otherwise, you have no idea...

An XLR connector does not equal the same protocol. Otherwise, I could use my mixer, since it has may XLR connectors :)

The MFC is a midi controller, the FCs are not midi controllers.
My opinion is that the new controllers look more like a Line6 product. Coming from big rack systems with Bradshaw foot controllers the MFC looks much better. So if that is insulting..I’m sorry.
That is your opinion. You are entitled to it.

What's insulting is saying "it's ugly" instead of saying "I don't like the way it looks".
 
Yes It’s easy.. the fact that you can reprogram both the Axe FX3 and the MFC to work good together via midi tells me so. But it’s a hassle we did not need. The XLR connector is there allready. The only good reason to not make that connector compatible with the MFC 3 is coz they like you to buy the new one. All the switching is basically midi anyway..PC/CC commands. So making the MFC3 work over the XLR connector would be a small thing. I even bet it’s only a small change in the firmware to make it happen. It probably worked in the early stages of the firmware before the unit was released.
 
Yes It’s easy.. the fact that you can reprogram both the Axe FX3 and the MFC to work good together via midi tells me so. But it’s a hassle we did not need. The XLR connector is there allready. The only good reason to not make that connector compatible with the MFC 3 is coz they like you to buy the new one. All the switching is basically midi anyway..PC/CC commands. So making the MFC3 work over the XLR connector would be a small thing. I even bet it’s only a small change in the firmware to make it happen. It probably worked in the early stages of the firmware before the unit was released.
I disagree with almost everything you said. Let's just leave it there...
 
I disagree with almost everything you said. Let's just leave it there...
Well I’m not here to pick a fight.. but that last post you made tells me you do not have a critical bone in your body. You just swallow every sales pitch you get served. There are nothing new in that new foot controller that haven’t been done in many other units, linking foot controllers for off/on stage has been done for decades by other brands. CAE, RJM etc also have small displays for showing what is what etc.. besides that the new big controller has the same amount of exp controllers etc... nothing really new about the new controllers..it’s all about marketing a new product..manufactures does things like all the time..

I’ve been around since long before Cliff startet promoting the first Axe model to members at HRI..He’s come a long way and the Axe is now really good. That does not mean we all have to agree about choices made.. In my mind the new foot controllers does not look good or Pro. They look like Line6 units.. I’d much rather have an MFC 4..I’d like to have a row of 5 presets and also have 12 IA switches at the same time. I really like the tight integration of my MFC 2 with my Axe 2 MK2. No need for ext power or phantom power thru midi etc..I can see myself upgrade to Axe FX 3 but I will never buy the new foot controller.

This is the official forum so a message like this should not be a problem at all. I know I’m not alone thinking like this..Also releasing the Axe 3 without the new controller ready to ship without support for the old one is nothing short of a small scandal I’m my opinion.
 
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Well I’m not here to pick a fight.. but that last post you made tells me you do not have a critical bone in your body. You just swallow every sales pitch you get served. There are nothing new in that new foot controller that haven’t been done in many other units, linking foot controllers for off/on stage has been done for decades by other brands. CAE, RJM etc also have small displays for showing what is what etc.. besides that the new big controller has the same amount of exp controllers etc... nothing really new about the new controllers..it’s all about marketing a new product..manufactures does things like all the time..

I’ve been around since long before Cliff startet promoting the first Axe model to members at HRI..He’s come a long way and the Axe is now really good. That does not mean we all have to agree about choices made.. In my mind the new foot controllers does not look good or Pro. They look like Line6 units.. I’d much rather have an MFC 4..I’d like to have a row of 5 presets and also have 12 IA switches at the same time. I really like the tight integration of my MFC 2 with my Axe 2 MK2. No need for ext power or phantom power thru midi etc..I can see myself upgrade to Axe FX 3 but I will never buy the new foot controller.

This is the official forum so a message like this should not be a problem at all. I know I’m not alone thinking like this..Also releasing the Axe 3 without the new controller ready to ship without support for the old one is nothing short of a small scandal I’m my opinion.
You don't want to pick a fight but you're ok to insult me?

That's fine. Move along. I'm happy to ignore you. Bye!
 
There are nothing new in that new foot controller that haven’t been done in many other units
That's not actually what he said, but that's ok! You are still basically correct, and it's great news that you have options that are more appealing to you

Also releasing the Axe 3 without the new controller ready to ship without support for the old one is nothing short of a small scandal I’m my opinion.

It's just a perfectly legitimate reason not to purchase for some folks. Not every one has the same needs, so it would have been a scandal if people that don't need a footcontroller were unable to purchase simply because an accessory they didn't want wasn't available. Last point, there IS support for the old foot controller. That's why we're here. Fractal had no way of knowing which layout I'd want, so I spend a couple evenings learning how to set it up. No big deal...
 
That's not actually what he said, but that's ok! You are still basically correct, and it's great news that you have options that are more appealing to you



It's just a perfectly legitimate reason not to purchase for some folks. Not every one has the same needs, so it would have been a scandal if people that don't need a footcontroller were unable to purchase simply because an accessory they didn't want wasn't available. Last point, there IS support for the old foot controller. That's why we're here. Fractal had no way of knowing which layout I'd want, so I spend a couple evenings learning how to set it up. No big deal...
Not a huge deal but you had to use the midi port instead of the XLR to be able to continue to use it.
Since I’ve got the MK2 version of the MFC I have no choice anyway other than to use midi cabeling.
I’m fine with that. But the MK3 has the Fastlink XLR already and I see no other reason for not supporting it than marketing. I see Fractal hasn’t included the phantom power plug on the AXE 3. So if you like to power your third Party foot controller via the midi cable you need a custom cable or interface. Another move that make no sense.
 
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Can anyone spot where I goofed in the first 5 switches? I want to switch scenes from 1-5 and "scene select" is set to 50 on the axeIII. It's currently switching presets instead.

I had 4 of the switches working correctly, so I went back to fix one and ended up screwing up all 5, lol. I'm completely stumped
 

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Can anyone spot where I goofed in the first 5 switches? I want to switch scenes from 1-5 and "scene select" is set to 50 on the axeIII. It's currently switching presets instead.

Are you sure you're not accessing MFC presets? In other words, what's your bank size? If it's not zero, are you pressing reveal to access any IAs that are normally preset switches?

If bank size is already 0, try setting it to a different value, then back to 0.
 
Ok, so the mystery deepens. Changing the bank size fixed 3 of the 5 foot switches, yet I can’t spot ANY difference in settings across all 5?

Switch 1 and switch 4 are switching to the expected scenes but ALSO changing to new presets. With my obviously low level of understanding of midi programming, I’m under the impression that program changes are what change presets, and all 5 are set to “off” for the PC setting. (Corrected from the picture I posted a while back)

Any of you wizards have any ideas? There has to be some setting I’m missing
 
Check settings again. Are you certain that what you last saw MFC-Edit got sent to the MFC?

A possible answer is that bank size isn't correct, or these IAs have PCs set up now. I would check those settings on the MFC itself.
 
I feel certain, but after deleting the previous files and saving a fresh one, all is now working as expected
 
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