Ordered my FM3! Now what?

Super excited for my first Fractal product, and my first foray into modelling since my brief time with Line 6 amps a long time ago.

Is there a good "getting started" guide anyone would recommend? "Pretend" I'm an idiot, lol. But seriously, something for the non-engineers in the audience would be great. (Yes, I can just Google it, and will. But looking for recommendations on what y'all felt was helpful.)

Thanks!!
 
I agree with rickboot, read the manual first, it's very well written. Once you have the FM3, zone in on the things you're looking to do in the manual along with Leon's video's. When you get stuck, there's a lot of people here on the forum ready to help you along.
 
Welcome @guitargeek76
The sound will blow your mind. Definitely go through the manual as others have said.
The best advice I got when starting with Fractal products, was to use the editor, and setup preset blocks as if they were 'real'... Like put an amp, and a cab, on the grid, 'wire' them to the ins and outs, and use that as a base. I always stick a reverb block before the output but thats me. Everything else is cream - You want a drive block?... Drop it before the amp, as if it was a real one..... Of course there are no 'rules' ... who's to say you won't ever put a drive block somewhere else, but a great starting point is to connect blocks as if they were the real deal.

Hope you have a good monitoring setup - If so, the FM3 will sound great from the start.

Thansk
Pauly


Super excited for my first Fractal product, and my first foray into modelling since my brief time with Line 6 amps a long time ago.

Is there a good "getting started" guide anyone would recommend? "Pretend" I'm an idiot, lol. But seriously, something for the non-engineers in the audience would be great. (Yes, I can just Google it, and will. But looking for recommendations on what y'all felt was helpful.)

Thanks!!
 
Welcome @guitargeek76
The sound will blow your mind. Definitely go through the manual as others have said.
The best advice I got when starting with Fractal products, was to use the editor, and setup preset blocks as if they were 'real'... Like put an amp, and a cab, on the grid, 'wire' them to the ins and outs, and use that as a base. I always stick a reverb block before the output but thats me. Everything else is cream - You want a drive block?... Drop it before the amp, as if it was a real one..... Of course there are no 'rules' ... who's to say you won't ever put a drive block somewhere else, but a great starting point is to connect blocks as if they were the real deal.

Hope you have a good monitoring setup - If so, the FM3 will sound great from the start.

Thansk
Pauly

I've worked in IT for 20+ years. I promise to RTFM. ;-)

I do not have a good monitoring setup. Waiting on that until I get my house, where I'll have my own office/mancave. That'll be early next year. For now, either running it through the power section of my TA-30 (I know, not ideal), or with headphones.
 
Avoid spending on 3rd party packs or instruction. Its completely unnecessary.

Edit

what I should have also said was ---> spend a little time with it first before looking at 3rd party purchasables. I thought I had put that in there, must be getting old....
 
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Yup - Monitoring is key.

I have seen many people get a fractal unit, the be puzzled that they don't get the sound they were thinking, nor do they get the sound expected from other peoples presets. In the end, it often is a simple case of monitoring deficiencies. I know you've been in IT for ages, so I know you've seen bunches of people expecting an i5 to behave like an i7... This, my friend, is that! Save, scrimp, do whatever you can to get VERY good monitors. That will change your life, & you'll have them for decades.

Thanks
Pauly


I've worked in IT for 20+ years. I promise to RTFM. ;-)

I do not have a good monitoring setup. Waiting on that until I get my house, where I'll have my own office/mancave. That'll be early next year. For now, either running it through the power section of my TA-30 (I know, not ideal), or with headphones.
 
That's very true. I was less than overwhelmed with my JBL 305mkII. It was no fun skipping through the presets. With the smaller, but better Adam A3X I am very glad.
 
I don't necessarily agree with the 2nd part.

Cooper Carter's Fractal courses are well worth the money and can help get many people jump-started.
Could probably just get by with Leon Todd's videos to be honest. I have no doubt that there's good content in CC's classes though.
 
Super excited for my first Fractal product, and my first foray into modelling since my brief time with Line 6 amps a long time ago.

Is there a good "getting started" guide anyone would recommend? "Pretend" I'm an idiot, lol. But seriously, something for the non-engineers in the audience would be great. (Yes, I can just Google it, and will. But looking for recommendations on what y'all felt was helpful.)

Thanks!!
Just go to Youtube and type in Fractal Audio FM3-tons of stuff.
 
Yup - Monitoring is key...I know you've been in IT for ages, so I know you've seen bunches of people expecting an i5 to behave like an i7... This, my friend, is that! Save, scrimp, do whatever you can to get VERY good monitors. That will change your life, & you'll have them for decades.

Any recommendations on monitors? Ultimately it will depend on my ears, but always good to get a starting point.
 
Any recommendations on monitors? Ultimately it will depend on my ears, but always good to get a starting point.
Plenty of threads about this-just type in Studio Monitors in search.

Also, I would NOT just rely on one persons videos...Only because there is more than one way to approach learning and getting the sound you want and if you get ideas from multiple sources it only benefits YOU.
 
Had also thought of just getting a Headrush FRFR 112, and use it more like a "real" amp. Obviously monitors for any recording work, but for just hanging out and practicing I thought this might be the way to go.

I should probably point out that I suck and my playing doesn't deserve the quality of gear I'm drawn to, lol. I don't play in a band, don't play out. Used to sit in with friends' bands from time to time. Using this to jump start my playing again. Recording will be 99% me playing with backing tracks so I can play it back and critique myself.
 
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