Noob question regarding scenes and presets.

[thatrandomguy1]

Hello all!
Just recently joined the fractal family and currently have my equipment en route. I've been doing countless hours of axe FX research due to the fact that this is all vastly new to me and have had trouble finding the answer to this question: Is it possible to have a preset saved to the MFC, and then be able to access different scenes of that preset without it taking up all of the switches on the board? I'm wanting to run the first 5 switches as my presets with the rest of the switches being used to toggle effects like chorus, delay, etc off and on. Is there way a way to have say.. switch one being a clean with the ability to change scenes to another version of that clean with more effects without it taking up another switch knob? Also, is there a way to program preset X to save over Preset Y in order to have these presets back to back on my board? For example let's say I really like preset 374 and want to have it saved to switch one with preset 30 being saved to switch two? Thanks in advance!

 

[PRSfreak4]

For example let's say I really like preset 374 and want to have it saved to switch one with preset 30 being saved to switch two? Thanks in advance!

For sure man, you wouldn't necessarily do it with the MFC-101. You would perform this all through Axe-Edit the free software and how you setup your patches with scenes.

So you'll find out that it is a little bit like programming since the presets start with "0" zero, but there is a setting for display offset and preset offset to make presets 1-5 or whatever. That change in the settings helped me a lot. There's a cooper carter and AxeFXTutorial.com video that helps instruct you on how to perform that.

From that programming aspect, you can use Axe-Edit on preset 374 in your example and choose File > Save Preset To A New Number. You can save it to 30, then 31, then 32, then 33. But this will overwrite those specific presets. So when you get your AFX, go through the factory presets knowing that you will be most likely taking a chunk of them to copy and overwrite, but use in a group.

The way I use my MFC is have 5 presets lined up, say 1-5 and build them out. You use the bottom row of the MFC to get from Preset 1 > Preset 5. Then when you are in a preset, you press REVEAL to change Scene 1-5 for the same buttons to change the scenes. You can program more of the buttons to reveal all scenes if you want to. Does that make sense or help? I may have thoroughly confused you if so my apologies. Cheers!

 

[SJB]

Chase -
I use my MFC very similarly to how you describe. However, think of the MFC as a bank of switches that control the AXE; that is where the presets and scenes are stored, not on the MFC. As Ibanezfreak described, you will rapidly learn to use axe edit to set up presets - in axe edit, each preset has up to 8 scenes, however default on the MFC is to access only the first five scenes (this has been plenty for me). On the MFC, you switch from selecting presets to switching scenes by hitting the reveal button. Following IF's math above, I have 5 "go to" presets, with 5 scenes each - that's 25 unique sounds at my toe tips. And by the way, all that uses only a total of 6 switches (including reveal) - the rest can be programmed to toggle individual effects, just like your old fashioned pedal board. Other users build presets for each song, and use scenes to switch between different tones within each song - I like that approach in theory, but I'm not that organized, and still like thinking about the AXE as if it were just the biggest coolest diversest wall of amps and cabs behind me on stage.

Also - in saving presets, you can avoid over-writing by using "Swap"- this function is great for reordering and grouping commonly used presets.

Strap in..... You're gonna love the ride!

 

[Tahoebrian5]

Chase -
I use my MFC very similarly to how you describe. However, think of the MFC as a bank of switches that control the AXE; that is where the presets and scenes are stored, not on the MFC. As Ibanezfreak described, you will rapidly learn to use axe edit to set up presets - in axe edit, each preset has up to 8 scenes, however default on the MFC is to access only the first five scenes (this has been plenty for me). On the MFC, you switch from selecting presets to switching scenes by hitting the reveal button. Following IF's math above, I have 5 "go to" presets, with 5 scenes each - that's 25 unique sounds at my toe tips. And by the way, all that uses only a total of 6 switches (including reveal) - the rest can be programmed to toggle individual effects, just like your old fashioned pedal board. Other users build presets for each song, and use scenes to switch between different tones within each song - I like that approach in theory, but I'm not that organized, and still like thinking about the AXE as if it were just the biggest coolest diversest wall of amps and cabs behind me on stage.

Also - in saving presets, you can avoid over-writing by using "Swap"- this function is great for reordering and grouping commonly used presets.

Strap in..... You're gonna love the ride!

I'm in the process of changing from the ax8 to the XL and am trying to decide how to set up my switching. Your scenario sounds pretty good. One question I have, I would fear that I would get confused about whether or not reveal was on. Do you find that to be an issue?

 

[SJB]

When you activate the reveal switch, the associated led blinks, so it's usually very easy to tell where you are with a glance, and you get used to it pretty quick. Having said that, you will find that there are some critical transitions that require a small tap dance - I actually rehearse these transitions until they are automatic. My biggest problem is my big feet - sometimes I hit scene five button, and also catch the preset bank scroll down, and that's when the fight starts. I'm working on a couple of solutions - probably involving making key switches easier to target in low light.

 

[thatrandomguy1]

The way I use my MFC is have 5 presets lined up, say 1-5 and build them out. You use the bottom row of the MFC to get from Preset 1 > Preset 5. Then when you are in a preset, you press REVEAL to change Scene 1-5 for the same buttons to change the scenes. You can program more of the buttons to reveal all scenes if you want to. Does that make sense or help? I may have thoroughly confused you if so my apologies. Cheers!

This was exactly the answer I was looking for, thanks!. I play in three bands, one of them being a hard rock band, one being a more old school style, and the third being a prog metal project. With the way you do scenes, I can have Preset 1-5 using scene 1 for the first band, then use scene 2 for next band, and scene 3 tones for the third, correct?

 

[thatrandomguy1]

Chase -
I use my MFC very similarly to how you describe. However, think of the MFC as a bank of switches that control the AXE; that is where the presets and scenes are stored, not on the MFC. As Ibanezfreak described, you will rapidly learn to use axe edit to set up presets - in axe edit, each preset has up to 8 scenes, however default on the MFC is to access only the first five scenes (this has been plenty for me). On the MFC, you switch from selecting presets to switching scenes by hitting the reveal button. Following IF's math above, I have 5 "go to" presets, with 5 scenes each - that's 25 unique sounds at my toe tips. And by the way, all that uses only a total of 6 switches (including reveal) - the rest can be programmed to toggle individual effects, just like your old fashioned pedal board. Other users build presets for each song, and use scenes to switch between different tones within each song - I like that approach in theory, but I'm not that organized, and still like thinking about the AXE as if it were just the biggest coolest diversest wall of amps and cabs behind me on stage.

Also - in saving presets, you can avoid over-writing by using "Swap"- this function is great for reordering and grouping commonly used presets.

Strap in..... You're gonna love the ride!

Thanks for the help! So basically, the reveal button is my best friend in this regard? Also, say I didn't program my preset one scene one clean tone to have a chorus effect. Could I use the programmed stompbox switch to activate a chorus at any time even if it wasn't pre programmed?

 

[PRSfreak4]

Thanks for the help! So basically, the reveal button is my best friend in this regard? Also, say I didn't program my preset one scene one clean tone to have a chorus effect. Could I use the programmed stompbox switch to activate a chorus at any time even if it wasn't pre programmed?

The MFC factory defaults have IA stompbox assigned as (Chorus 1) block in your signal chain for on demand FX activation even without scenes. Basically, if you create a simple preset from I > O like below, the MFC would automatically would recognize Chorus 1 as an assigned button on the pedal board:

I | >> [Drive1] >> [Amp] >> [Cab] >> [Cho1] >> [Dly 1] >> [Pitch 1] >> | O

Your MFC will pick up Drive 1, Chorus 1, Delay 1 and Pitch 1 as assigned IAs for you to activate on demand. The REVEAL button gets you where you can attach SCENES to change multiple parameters at one quick switch (Drive1 X/Y; Amp1 X/Y; Delay1 X/Y; etc.).

Check out @yek 's awesome video where he apologetically uses his instructional voice to show you the power of a single preset:


Also, check our Cooper Carter's awesome vids for reference:



It's hard to conceptualize without being in front of it, but this approach saves you some serious rework and amp/cab/fx combos you could never have in person without FAS products.

Hope that helps!

 

[SJB]

Two things -
I think you are limiting your thoughts about scene use a bit. Imagine having presets 1-5 for one band, presets 6-10 for another, and 11-15 for band 3. With the MFC in default setting, bank 1 would access presets 1-5 and all their scenes through MFC switches 1-5. When you go to band number 2, just scroll to the next preset bank, and MFC switches 1-5 will then control presets 6-10. Likewise scroll up another bank for band 3, and access presets 11-15 on MFC switches 1-5.

Two, on switching the chorus, you just need to make sure that a chorus block is in the patch. The MFC leds will let you know which assigned effects are available in the preset. If that makes sense.

 

[thatrandomguy1]

Two things -
I think you are limiting your thoughts about scene use a bit. Imagine having presets 1-5 for one band, presets 6-10 for another, and 11-15 for band 3. With the MFC in default setting, bank 1 would access presets 1-5 and all their scenes through MFC switches 1-5. When you go to band number 2, just scroll to the next preset bank, and MFC switches 1-5 will then control presets 6-10. Likewise scroll up another bank for band 3, and access presets 11-15 on MFC switches 1-5.

Two, on switching the chorus, you just need to make sure that a chorus block is in the patch. The MFC leds will let you know which assigned effects are available in the preset. If that makes sense.

Is there a way to have the patch set to where the effects are not automatically on so that I can use them on demand? Is there a virtual effects loop that I need to put these effects in?

 

[SJB]

Yes, absolutely. You can bypass an effect in a preset scene, and then activate it at will using the MFC switch bank, without changing anything else. This is usually how you set up a wah using auto engage.

 

[thatrandomguy1]

Yes, absolutely. You can bypass an effect in a preset scene, and then activate it at will using the MFC switch bank, without changing anything else. This is usually how you set up a wah using auto engage.

Wow, that is so cool. I knew the Axe FX had some cool feature and good reviews, but that's just OP as hell haha. I was about to order the Behringer FCB1010 and then decided to splurge and get the MFC. Definitely glad I did that. I absolutely cannot wait for this thing to come in.