ready to try it

Loudman

Member
I'm sure this is an old subject, but so many positives from users say try again. Is the FM 3 my best bet for a new to the Fractal game experience? From tube amp land + pedals tried the Line 6 route and could never get happy with the live application side. I know just pull the trigger and hear it. Go ahead give me a push! lol
 
Which Line 6 product(s) did you own? If you had . . . say . . . a POD or HD-era device, yeah things in the modeling world have changed dramatically. If you had a Helix . . . well . . . maybe still . . . but, while Fractal is without a doubt the cream of the crop with regards to modeling, it is still modeling.
 
Yes, 5+ years ago I went the Helix route, fine for recording but live, no, for me anyway. HX stomp and HX effects but both dulled my tone engaged in and out of the loop, so sold. I'm sure the only way to know is to try it and see if progress in the modeling world might be close enough now for my tastes. Thanks for your input.
 
Is the FM 3 my best bet for a new to the Fractal game experience?
That’s difficult to answer because we don’t know anything about your experiences and needs.

Fractal’s firmware is very powerful. With the power comes complexity, and details are exposed in every model that are glossed over by other platforms, and some people just want to step on a button and go. Sure, the Fractals can do that but to really take advantage of the system we sometimes need to pop the hood and adjust some things. The interfaces, both the front panel and the computer-based editor, let us drill in so we can pick how deeply we want to be involved but some people freak out.

Fractal says this, which I think is a great summary of modeling in general, and especially so with their units…
CBF6F528-194D-4CD2-8C16-D97969C97762.jpeg
 
From a live use perspective, you really have to consider your “work flow” items, how you use what you have, and what you’re willing to change/learn.

I’ve got an amp playing friend who has tried modelers, but if he can’t reach down and tweak knobs all the time, it doesn’t work for him. Never mind that you’re always tweaking because the setup isn’t working… it’s what he knows, he likes it, and so he stays with amps and pedals. Nothing wrong with it; he’s a good player and gets good sounds.

To really get the benefit of modelers, you have to learn new things and be willing to accept new ways of getting to your goals. It takes effort, just like learning to play something new. If you’ll put in the effort, which is actually a lot of fun, the Fractal gear will knock your socks off. Sure, you can just dial up a factory preset, use your three switches in the factory setting… and you’ll walk away saying “I don’t get the big deal about these things… it’s limited.“ But take it further, expand your controllers, learn the hows and whys, and suddenly you’re doing things you could only dream of before.

So back to square one… what are you doing now, and what do you want to do? This info will help all those nice people above help you get the right thing.
 
That's fair. I'm not afraid to tinker under the hood. I do prefer an uncluttered faster work flow and a clearly written manual seems the ticket to get there as well as all the videos. I think finding the right speaker output match for the live room experience will tip the scales for me and there is so much to choose from it can be befuddling, but hey that's why we try new things to try and up the fun.
 
FM3 is really good but won’t do as much at the same time as the FM9 and the Axe. The modeling sounds the same as the big guys. You might find you need more switches. But it will run fine as is. Be prepared to go through a learning curve. Best luck!
 
From a live use perspective, you really have to consider your “work flow” items, how you use what you have, and what you’re willing to change/learn.

I’ve got an amp playing friend who has tried modelers, but if he can’t reach down and tweak knobs all the time, it doesn’t work for him. Never mind that you’re always tweaking because the setup isn’t working… it’s what he knows, he likes it, and so he stays with amps and pedals. Nothing wrong with it; he’s a good player and gets good sounds.

To really get the benefit of modelers, you have to learn new things and be willing to accept new ways of getting to your goals. It takes effort, just like learning to play something new. If you’ll put in the effort, which is actually a lot of fun, the Fractal gear will knock your socks off. Sure, you can just dial up a factory preset, use your three switches in the factory setting… and you’ll walk away saying “I don’t get the big deal about these things… it’s limited.“ But take it further, expand your controllers, learn the hows and whys, and suddenly you’re doing things you could only dream of before.

So back to square one… what are you doing now, and what do you want to do? This info will help all those nice people above help you get the right thing.
I'm using Marshall jtm and Orange heads with a couple of 1x12 cabs in mono, pretty large pedalboard with delays, modulation, a few dirt and fuzz, volume pedal, pitch ala Adrian Belew, using a programmable switcher to create presets. Playing live and recording, but tiring of all the cartage. So what I would like is a streamlined approach with a good cache of effects, ( a really good reverse delay), controllable harmonic feedback from the amp/speakers, spillover on presets/scenes, tones that make you tear up, with practice able to adjust parameters on the fly.
 
Okay, that sounds familiar, especially regarding reducing cartage. I would also say that most of that is pretty doable. Here's where I have landed after quite a bit of time bouncing back and forth between amp-land and modeler city.

I'm not sure how much "tweaking on the fly" you are wanting. On a typical gig (high-end restaurants, events and country clubs) I might make, at the most, two small edits which I then, generally, save to an alternate patch slot. However, most nights I won't touch a thing.

On a larger or less, well-defined gig, I will either take an amp or supplement the modeler with a couple of old, cherished, dirt pedals and run them in the loop treating the modeler like a pedal platform. This makes tweaking crunch and solos almost as easy as it was with an amp.
 
Everyone has their own tastes, so nothing is assured. I mean there are people that decide it's not for them and that's fine.

I can just tell you that I was personally blown away from the first chord I struck after getting my FM3 and it's only gotten better since then. My practice time has gone way up because I enjoy using it. I've owned several modelers (six from three different manufacturers) and this, for me at least, is "the bee's knees" as they say.

I think any parameters you would want to adjust "on the fly" in a live situation would be possible from the Performance Pages.
 
Back
Top Bottom