New to all this programming....

phitho

phitho

Member
Hello all!! :)

I recieved my II about a month ago, and took the plunge (with the blessing of my better half) and purchased the MFC on Monday and recieved it today (Fractal is AMAZING!!). The thing is, I am absolutely TERRIBLE at understanding how to program the MFC. Funny thing is, I'm a machine technician and am totally not intimidated by technology or machinery, but for some reason when I'm reading through the MFC manual I am totally lost and feel rather overwhelmed! Beyond needing more time with both the Axe and the MFC, where can I get some enlightenment with what I am seeing? I have a very clear idea of what I'd like to do with the controller, and realise that after a few months I will read this post and laugh at my noob-ness....

Can anyone give me some words of encouragement or advise as to what experiences you've all had when faced with using midi controlled devices for the first time??

Thanks so much and it is a pleasure and an honour to now be a part of this community!
 
Can you explain more what isn't working easily or what you are trying to accomplish? Most of the MFC is assigning on/off switches for an effect like chorus or delay or switching patches. Having trouble assigning the buttons?
 
The great thing about the MFC is that you don't need a masters in MIDI to program it. Actually you don't need to program it at all..it should pretty much work out of the box with the II. Just read the MFC quick start guide, set it to Axe FX mode and you should be good to go.
 
Hey guys! Thanks for the replies....

Well really the issue I'm having is not related to the equipment at all. I run in Axe FX II mode and am able to do all the switching as one would expect. My problem is I want to be able to have the most custom designed system I would need, and I'm trying to wrap my brain around how to set up the IA switches, X/Y functions, and using Global functions. All in good time, I guess. :)

AxeWiki is actually a great place, I should have started there earlier....I'm having problems with CC's and how to program a switch to perform particular functions. I think I'm getting too far ahead of myself though.
 
I do not think the MFC is very user friendly.I think it is all the midi jargon. If you have a midi background, programing is probably very smooth but I am from an amp and pedal background prior to the AXE. This is an area where I wish there were more video tutorials
 
I think the hardest part is navigating the menus and knowing exactly what you are changing. But other than that it's just matching numbers. CC# 23 is phaser on the axe? Make the button you want for phaser on the MFC #23. Want phaser and chorus to be that button? Set chorus on the axe to be #23 as well.
 
Cool video, I had just read how to assign IA's about 10 minutes earlier, and it showed me I was on the right track.

Question: Is it possible to have a patch with an IA that will add a volume boost, along with changing the settings for the reverb and delay (perhaps using the X/Y functionality)?
 
so one switch boosts and changes to Y for reverb and delay? yes, if they are all set to the same cc#. the boost would be a filter block set to null type and the Level set to +3 or whatever boost you want.
 
I think the answer is as you already said you think you are getting too far ahead of yourself. Great to have a goal but slow down and take it one step at a time. It will be faster in the end.
Shredology mentioned it is the MIDI jargon. True in any subject, make sure you understand the jargon otherwise you will get ahead of yourself even quicker.
 
phitho said:
Question: Is it possible to have a patch with an IA that will add a volume boost, along with changing the settings for the reverb and delay (perhaps using the X/Y functionality)?
Click to expand...

Technically yes, BUT you would box yourself into a corner with other things.

Realistically and practically what you suggest is probably best achieved with a second preset.

If you have a song that has a lot of changes , rather than say phaser on, or delay off... But a major change with lots of different changes... I find it easier to have a separate preset.

For a while I had the 5 bottom buttons as intro, verse, chorus, middle 8, lead.

So basically one song was all the bottom buttons and each button was a preset ... It might be all the same preset if nothing changes ... Or 5 different presets.

Not saying that is the right way, in fact I have moved away from this concept on the MFC... Seemed to work when I had the GCP... But on the MFC I am starting to rethink.

The thing with setting a lot of things to be the same CC... It becomes global, so it might not make sense outside of one preset... Unless you tie Amp x/y to cab x/y... I can see that making sense in some set ups.
 
phitho said:
Is it possible to have a patch with an IA that will [do multiple different things?]
Click to expand...

Absolutely yes, and it is quite easy actually. You'll operate an Axe-Fx "EXTERNAL CONTROLLER" with an MFC-101 footswitch, then assign it to anything you like in any preset. This is what some people call a wildcard footswitch. This has nothing to do with X/Y by the way!

1. Settle an EXTERNAL CONTROLLER to use. The Axe-Fx has 12 of these. #1 is assigned to the MFC's PEDAL2. The remaining pedal jacks and switches might be used "someday" so I recommend for this exercise we choose "EXTERNAL 12."

2. Assign a footswitch in the MFC-101 to operate External 12 in your Axe-Fx. This actually is a 2-step process: tell the footswitch to NOT have a "native automatic" Axe-Fx function, and then assign the correct Control Change number (aka CC#)

Let's say you want to use footswitch #6 to operate EXT12

STEP ONE: SET THE "IA AXE-FX" function of the desired footswitch to "NONE." Remember, first we have to tell the footswitch to STOP automatically attaching itself to a given effect in your presets. 6 normally controls "COMPRESSOR 1" but we'll globally sacrifice this feature for our exercise. To do this, press • EDIT • MIDI (#4) • Then PAGE RIGHT (#7) six times until you get to the IA01 AXE-FX FILTER 1 page. What you see on this page is actually 2 separate parameters. The first one selects which switch you want to change, and the second one determines what axe-fx function you want to assign. • Press the UP button until you get to IA 06. • Now press footswitch #12 to cursor right so you can change the function from "COMP 1" to "NONE" using the UP/DOWN footswitches.

STEP TWO: SET THE CORRECT CC. A quick look at the FACTORY DEFAULT SETTINGS chart in the Axe-Fx II Manual tells us that External 12 is operated by MIDI CC#27 (we could have also just gone to the I/O CTRL page of the Axe-Fx). Let's set our footswitch up for CC#27. To do this, press • PAGE RIGHT (#7) two times (from where we left off above) until you get to the IA01 c1 CC#001 Ch01 page. • Press the UP button until you get to IA 06. • Now press footswitch #12 TWO TIMES to cursor right so you can change from CC#006 to CC#027 using the UP/DOWN footswitches.

You're done. Press EDIT to save.

You can now set up your Axe-Fx preset so External #12 operates anything you like. If you need help with how to do that, see chapter 7 of the manual, or post back here.
 
Wow! Thanks Matt, when I get some more miles under me I'll definitely be trying that out.

Rather than start another thread, another question I have about the MFC is "is it possible to press the UP or DOWN switch and not have it automatically switch to the preset in the next/previous bank? What I would like to do is press the bank switch(es) and have the MFC wait for me to select a preset in the next bank.
 
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