Please excuse the new question

M

Michael Lapp

Member
I have my FX III and love it. I use it in my home studio only. I am looking for something that will simply change scenes. I've seem the MFC 101 version III's on eBay and Reverb for $500 and up. I've read about the Morningstar and the Voes. Since I know painfully little bout this, would somebody please make a specificities recommendation based on the following criteria. the primary function is to change scenes
and it must be incredibly simple too setup and operate.

Thank you all so much in advance for your patience. Happy holidays top all.

Michael
 
Any midi controller can do this via midi mapping. On the Axe, you can assign PC #'s to specific preset and scene combinations- ez.

Setup>Midi/Remote>Mapping
 
Flatnine said:
Any midi controller can do this via midi mapping. On the Axe, you can assign PC #'s to specific preset and scene combinations- ez.

Setup>Midi/Remote>Mapping
Click to expand...
Preset Mapping is not a great solution... It doesn't scale well.

Best bet (since the OP wants something easy) is to look for something recommended here that supports scene changes natively.

The Voes controllers or Morningstar MC-6 will work well for this, I think.

BUT you might want to wait for the soon to be released FC pedals...

Also, I'd wager that once you start using scenes and see how using a midi controller works, you will want to do more than just scenes... So buying a controller for one specific function is probably not the best move.
 
Michael Lapp said:
I am looking for something that will simply change scenes.
Click to expand...
Michael Lapp said:
it must be incredibly simple too setup and operate.
Click to expand...

Based on these statements, my suggestion of midi mapping stands. OP- if you have a couple of presets and want to be able to switch sounds with your feet, PC mapping is absolutely the easiest way and will work with any controller- even the midi mouse you may already have laying around. If you don't have any controller and will be buying one, I wouldn't spend more than $100 at this point. My advice- get a Tech 21 Midi Moose used for $75, plug it in, spend 5 minutes programming the PC #'s and you are done. Won't have to even open any owners manual- its that easy. If you get a Morning Star or Voes or whatever else, I guarantee you, you will spend the better part of a day trying to figure out CC's and PC's to achieve essentially the same end.

If you want to control every aspect of every function at all times- then, no this won't work. If you want to push a button and go to your lead tone, then push another and go back to rhythm- done!

Bottom line, if you don't already have a controller, I'd wait for the FC. If budget is a limitation and you just want to have your sounds under your feet, I'd get a very simple, cheap midi controller and PC map that thing and go...
 
unix-guy said:
It doesn't scale well.
Click to expand...

Flatnine said:
if you have a couple of presets
Click to expand...

Exactly... And if you have more than a couple, it's a PITA.

Perhaps the OP wants to use only the factory presets and just access scenes. Sorry, out of luck... Plus, you have to map Every. Single. Scene.

I agree with you that it is possible and it might be the simplest option... But it really isn't a good solution for more than a handful of presets.

And the OP should understand that it must be programmed specifically for every preset + scene combination.
 
I totally get that this technique won't work for you unix-guy, but for the OP it will indeed and for you to discount it based on the way you prefer things to work doesn't really help him much at all does it?

Rather than pointing out shortcomings, what mapping can do is what it sounds like the guy needs while waiting for FC-6 or 12.

OP- how will you typically use your controller? I'm guessing you have some presets you want to access scenes from that you can change back and forth from with your feet whilst jamming. Feel free to chime back in!

BTW, you can indeed access factory presets and scenes just the same as anything else.
 
Flatnine said:
I totally get that this technique won't work for you unix-guy, but for the OP it will indeed and for you to discount it based on the way you prefer things to work doesn't really help him much at all does it?

Rather than pointing out shortcomings, what mapping can do is what it sounds like the guy needs while waiting for FC-6 or 12.

OP- how will you typically use your controller? I'm guessing you have some presets you want to access scenes from that you can change back and forth from with your feet whilst jamming. Feel free to chime back in!

BTW, you can indeed access factory presets and scenes just the same as anything else.
Click to expand...
I'm not discounting it based on the way I work.

You seem to be assuming the OP only has a few presets.

He has not stated that. You don't have enough information, and neither do I.

I am simply trying to make it clear for the OP that there are limitations to this approach. Depending on his needs, Preset Mapping may not work well.

And, in fact, I've agreed with you in my last post.

I also didn't say you can't access factory presets and scenes. You can't access ALL of them, because that far exceeds the limits of preset mapping. AND it would takes HOURS to do all the mapping. (Edit: my previous post wasn't explicit in what I meant).

Whereas, if you use a controller that can do scenes natively, you program for a few minutes and can access ANY scene on ANY preset.
 
Perhaps OP will clarify how he intends to use it otherwise I am indeed assuming that "simple" means you don't want to control everything, just switch between sounds while jamming.

@unix-guy- we do agree on something- wait for the FC is the best option!
 
Flatnine said:
Based on these statements, my suggestion of midi mapping stands. OP- if you have a couple of presets and want to be able to switch sounds with your feet, PC mapping is absolutely the easiest way and will work with any controller- even the midi mouse you may already have laying around. If you don't have any controller and will be buying one, I wouldn't spend more than $100 at this point. My advice- get a Tech 21 Midi Moose used for $75, plug it in, spend 5 minutes programming the PC #'s and you are done. Won't have to even open any owners manual- its that easy. If you get a Morning Star or Voes or whatever else, I guarantee you, you will spend the better part of a day trying to figure out CC's and PC's to achieve essentially the same end.

If you want to control every aspect of every function at all times- then, no this won't work. If you want to push a button and go to your lead tone, then push another and go back to rhythm- done!

Bottom line, if you don't already have a controller, I'd wait for the FC. If budget is a limitation and you just want to have your sounds under your feet, I'd get a very simple, cheap midi controller and PC map that thing and go...
Click to expand...
Seems like the best bet to me. I thought it was supposed to be released by now. I know that when I bought my FX III, they put me on the list but I have not heard anything yet. Thanks for the help.
 
Flatnine said:
Perhaps OP will clarify how he intends to use it otherwise I am indeed assuming that "simple" means you don't want to control everything, just switch between sounds while jamming.

@unix-guy- we do agree on something- wait for the FC is the best option!
Click to expand...
I am recently retired due to a severe spinal injury caused by a neurosurgeon, I sit in my studio and play my guitars for hours every day. It keeps me sane. Really I just want simplicity. Originally, I met Andy Summers at the Collings factory in Texas. He had me buying all kinds of Strymon pedals and a Mesa Boogie amp. By the time I was done I spend close to 8k on all the stuff and was so confused that at time I couldn’t even get a sound. (Lots of drugs involved here). Then, I find out he went to an Axe. I couldn’t believe it. I sold everything on Reverb and eBay and when I was done I recovered enough to buy the Axe and another Collings guitar. I just want to keep it simple stupid, thanks for your help.
 
Flatnine said:
Perhaps OP will clarify how he intends to use it otherwise I am indeed assuming that "simple" means you don't want to control everything, just switch between sounds while jamming.

@unix-guy- we do agree on something- wait for the FC is the best option!
Click to expand...
Thanks for your help, I guess another $500 is just not that much more. All I have to do is sell my wife. My greatest fear in life is I will die and she will sell my guitars for what I told her I paid!
 
unix-guy said:
I'm not discounting it based on the way I work.

You seem to be assuming the OP only has a few presets.

He has not stated that. You don't have enough information, and neither do I.

I am simply trying to make it clear for the OP that there are limitations to this approach. Depending on his needs, Preset Mapping may not work well.

And, in fact, I've agreed with you in my last post.

I also didn't say you can't access factory presets and scenes. You can't access ALL of them, because that far exceeds the limits of preset mapping. AND it would takes HOURS to do all the mapping. (Edit: my previous post wasn't explicit in what I meant).

Whereas, if you use a controller that can do scenes natively, you program for a few minutes and can access ANY scene on ANY preset.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your help. I think I am going to buy the FC6 and just be done with it.
 
unix-guy said:
I'm not discounting it based on the way I work.

You seem to be assuming the OP only has a few presets.

He has not stated that. You don't have enough information, and neither do I.

I am simply trying to make it clear for the OP that there are limitations to this approach. Depending on his needs, Preset Mapping may not work well.

And, in fact, I've agreed with you in my last post.

I also didn't say you can't access factory presets and scenes. You can't access ALL of them, because that far exceeds the limits of preset mapping. AND it would takes HOURS to do all the mapping. (Edit: my previous post wasn't explicit in what I meant).

Whereas, if you use a controller that can do scenes natively, you program for a few minutes and can access ANY scene on ANY preset.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the response, I decided to just hold off for the FC6. Guess I am buying my own Christmas present this year.
 
When the FC6 didn’t show up as expected, I got impatient and ordered the VOES MX 12 with the V Box. I don’t know what the FC 6 does but I have to tell you that the VOES is really impressive. I messaged Patrick and told him what I shared here and he programmed it for me. All I had to do was make a minor adjustment on my Axe and plug it in. The top 5 buttons change scenes and the bottom 5 change presets. The 6th button on the bottom right causes it to seek the next block, as soon as you see that you, just move your foot to the top row and push the button until you get to the block you want. I don’t use that many presets so two rows is plenty for me. Frankly, I couldn’t be happier. It cost me less far than the FC 12 and it is really easy. Perhaps you guys who are really in to this technology may want something else, for me it’s all about user friendly. I retired from very high tech and I don’t want to spend my retirement years thinking!
 
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