Midi newbie - stupid questions

M

Morgan

Inspired
you've been pre-warned, this thread will consist of all the stupid questions i come up with as i take my first attempt at using a MIDI foot controller. If you're reading this thread and helping out, i'm very grateful and appreciate the time!

Setup is going to be pretty simple.

Guitar > Axe FX II XL > MIDI Foot Controller (Line 6 HD500x)
Output > headphones and or USB to computer

Dumb question # 1

Connectivity. I mostly want to verify since i need to go purchase a cable of sorts.
I assume the right way of connecting the HD500x to the XL is to use the HD500x's MIDI OUT/THRU output, and connect that to the XL's MIDI IN ?
Is that correct?

If so, if i understand correctly, i need a 5 pin midi cable. eg: D'Addario Planet Waves MIDI Cable | GuitarCenter
 
yup, don't know the HD500x but yes you'll be connecting it's OUT -> Axe IN. The planet waves cable will be fine.

Good luck!
 
i've been spending a lot of time reading the various threads , especially this one
http://forum.fractalaudio.com/other...-pod-hd500-control-presets-scenes-looper.html

I'm new to the HD500x, so some of these questions might reflect that.

As far as i can tell, the method posted allows the following

Band UP/DOWN & FS5-8 (A-D) = Cycle through 64 AXE FX Presets 1-64
- 1A-D = AXE preset 1-4
- 2A-D = AXE preset 5-8
etc
- 16A-D = AXE preset 61-64

FS 1-4 (top row)
is used to cycle through scenes for AXE Presets
eg. 1A + FS2 = Axe preset 1 Scene 2

It's currently not possible to use all 8 scenes if i understand correctly.

What if the hd500x was configured away from the default ABCD footswitch mode? My thinking here would be it might be more valuable to stick to a single preset in the axe but with 8 scenes a single foot tap away and move the preset switching to being what i think would be a 3 tap function (bankup/down if you're staying in a single preset, and then choose A/B/C/D as needed.
has anyone tried this? thoughts? am i being stupid.. (likely)

From Line 6 HD500x manual
A, B, C & D - (Bottom row) From the factory these foot switches
provide instant access to presets A-D from the current bank selected.
You can change this behavior in the System & I/O pages to provide
four additional assignable on/off controls. Even in this mode (FS
5-8) you can still access presets by pressing the Bank Up, Down
Footswitches. Pressing either the Bank Up, Down Footswitches
cues the current bank for access to A, B, C or D – loading the preset
causes the footswitches to instantly revert to FS 5-8 mode.
Click to expand...


Next question. Is there a way to map the Drive/bass/mid/treble/presence/volume/master knobs of the HD500x to control the same values on the axe, similar to what the RAC12 does? essentially map to the major amp block controls.

I do not yet have the midi cable, will pick it up on my way home, and then try this setup to see how it works.
Are there any specific config settings to change on the HD500x? or just leave it all to the default.

thanks again.
 
the pod will by default change the 64 presets the rest you have to program on your own. yes you can change the fs5 6 7 8 functions as stated but if you are learning both the axe and the pod and now midi, I recommend starting simple. the pod is a good controller but it is a little tricky to get the display, the lights and all the patches in sync and functioning. you also have to program all used switches and exp and light display for every patch. that's why I would recommend lower 4 patch change(already gonna work) and upper switches for scenes(settings can be memorized to enter into every patch)
 
Morgan said:
Next question. Is there a way to map the Drive/bass/mid/treble/presence/volume/master knobs of the HD500x to control the same values on the axe, similar to what the RAC12 does? essentially map to the major amp block controls.
Click to expand...

There are no direct MIDI CC assignments for any of the block controls in the Axe besides bypass. The Input Drive, Input Trim, Master Volume, Output Volume, and Boost parameters can each be assigned to an external controller in the Axe, but the tone stack controls are not assignable. The RAC12 most likely controls these parameters using MIDI sysex messages similar to the way Axe Edit can manipulate these controls. If you have a controller that can be programmed to send specific sysex messages, it is possible, but the HD500 will almost certainly not support this.
 
big thanks to Dtown for making sure i didn't buy the wrong cable

Been messing around for a little while and it looks like i must have followed instructions correctly.
bank up/down + fs5-8 correctly selects presets within the first 64 presets.

fs1-4 changes to scenes , although right now my first 64 presets are still the factory ones, and any scene other than 2 appears to be mostly all the effects blocks.

expression pedal 1 loks mapped to volume
engaging the toe switch to get to ep 2 seems to be a wah, although i need to dig into that a little more.

at 300$ used, so far the functionality of the hd500x is decent as a foot controller.
I need to think through the best way to set up each group of 4 presets.

thanks for helping out so far to all 3 of you. much appreciated
 
mr_fender said:
There are no direct MIDI CC assignments for any of the block controls in the Axe besides bypass. The Input Drive, Input Trim, Master Volume, Output Volume, and Boost parameters can each be assigned to an external controller in the Axe, but the tone stack controls are not assignable. The RAC12 most likely controls these parameters using MIDI sysex messages similar to the way Axe Edit can manipulate these controls. If you have a controller that can be programmed to send specific sysex messages, it is possible, but the HD500 will almost certainly not support this.
Click to expand...

ok good to know thanks.
 
paranoid said:
the pod will by default change the 64 presets the rest you have to program on your own. yes you can change the fs5 6 7 8 functions as stated but if you are learning both the axe and the pod and now midi, I recommend starting simple. the pod is a good controller but it is a little tricky to get the display, the lights and all the patches in sync and functioning. you also have to program all used switches and exp and light display for every patch. that's why I would recommend lower 4 patch change(already gonna work) and upper switches for scenes(settings can be memorized to enter into every patch)
Click to expand...

fair point. To be clear, i'm not spending time learning the pod beyond it's use as a footcontroller (not worrying about it's use as a modeler/fx).

can you explain what you mean by patches in sync? do you mean axe preset change?
I'm also not clear on the point about the light displays. Are you referring to using the upper switches as a block bypass switch vs a scene change and using the lights to confirm status of the block (eg. fs 1-4 assigned to drive, boost, etc) . Right now, the lights on the lower switches correctly turn on. The top ones (scenes) don't currently turn on.
 
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My previous setup was a mark v (footswitch to change channels, and engage solo boost) and a pedal board (both front of amp, and fx loop)
I'm wondering what the right setup now for the Xl + HD500x would be.
Use 4 presets sequentially either with the same amp different settings, or similar amps (eg 59SLP jump/normal/treble)
Use top row with scenes - each scene either with x/y amp changes, OR engaging different effect blocks

or would it be preferable to use the top switches as static fx engage/bypass (eg. reverb on off)

i'm tempted to think that scenes would be more powerful , but that having the top switches set to specific effects would be simpler to remember/manage especially across 64 presets * 4 scenes
 
what I ment to sync things, you can build named patches in the pod that have something in them that are controlled by 1-4 switches so that you have a patch name that matches the axe fx patch name and when you step on a switch the red indicator light will come on to show the state of the patch. you can also run a signal into the pod to use the tuner (the pod tuner, on at the same time as axe tuner). I do not mean to run signal through it for audio, just to make the pod a great live use floor board. I like to use scenes, to me it is a lot easier then stepping on multiple switches to change from say a clean intro to a distorted lead tone. I set scene 1 for intro 2 for main body 3 for chorus 4 for lead kinda thing depending on song. preset change button for scene 1 fs1 for scene 2 fs2 for scene 3 etc so the pod easily does 5 scenes with out the double preset stomp setting(less confusing live IMO)
 
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you can also the midi through to have 2 floor boards for more functions. some times I connect my pod and fcb1010 to run looper tracks, but I like the pod looper really well so I run my axe signal through the pod with no amps or effects on in the chain to have 2 loopers to work with. but the sync thing is kinda out the window when using two foot boards with one way communication.
 
let me see if i get this.
On the pod build a patch on pod that has 4 random pedals that are engaged/bypassed by fs1-4 . so that as you engage fs1-4 to change scenes, the light is on to confirm what scene you're on?

other question, you mention 5 scenes. is that a typo ?
 
yes build a working or none working(doesn't matter) patch in the pod and name it the same as the patch in the axe, and yes when you set up those switches to bypass the red light will light. but it is tricky to get them on and off in the right place. as far as scenes yes 5. I set scene select cc# and value 1(maybe 0 I forget its been a wile since I set this up, I will see when I can power up the pod and get back to you) to switches 5 through 8 so they will change a patch and select scene 1, the patch will start on scene 1 then if I use another scene and want to go back to scene 1 the same patch switch will revert it back to scene 1.
 
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