Sound = incredible. Preset gap while switching

[Blor007]

Hi

I just got my FM3, loving the sound. I do notice the 'gap' measured in time between switching presets is larger than my axe fx II. Is this normal?
I have the latest beta firmware.

 

[Matt_B_77]

Since perception of time, especially very short times, can be slightly subjective, I don't know what to tell you except I avoid changing presets because scenes, scene controllers and channels to minimize preset switching. I know that switching presets is not seamless (never has been) so I've adapted to using the aforementioned methods.

Coming from the Ultra, II XL+, AX-8 and now the FM-3, the addition of channels is a god send.

The FM-3 has 4 scene controllers (2 more than the AX-8). With some amps you can easily get a huge variety of gain levels with 2 scene controllers alone, let alone 4 and those are simple tricks to do.

The addition of the "drive pedal" section in the amp blocks, plus the integrated pre-EQ, means I can avoid using drive pedals which saves CPU for other things.

I'm also going to look into using the Pitch block for delay in place a delay block (it can do both at some level) and using some of the more exotic delay blocks to produce reverb-like ambience.

You're running beta firmware so you're gambling to some degree with the results. I also never get beta firmware myself because I'd rather play than debug YMMV

 

[GlennO]

Hi

I just got my FM3, loving the sound. I do notice the 'gap' measured in time between switching presets is larger than my axe fx II. Is this normal?
I have the latest beta firmware.

More sophisticated amp modelers have more complex presets than simpler amp modelers, and more complex presets require more processing to change presets, particularly for the amp block. That means, even with the cpu power of the FM3, you can get a noticeable gap when switching presets. The only way to avoid it entirely would be to have half of the cpu power reserved just for this purpose, which would mean you'd only have half of the cpu available for blocks in a preset, which wouldn't be a very good tradeoff.

Cliff has done some tricks to make the gap less obtrusive, but it's still there. To avoid it, you need to use scenes and scene controllers to change block bypass states or to change block parameters instead of changing presets (or channels).

 

[Rublalup]

Scene change time are reduced significantly if you have no hold function assigned to the switches. This, however, makes navigating the layout impossible... when (if) I can use my fm3 live I plan on using the omg3 layout and leaving the scene I need to change “faster” in the right switch that only uses tap function

 

[mikhael47]

Preset changes are best used to load up a new song, or setlist and not really good for changing stuff while playing. Use scenes/channels and controllers to switch stuff within a scene

 

[Rex]

Scene change time are reduced significantly if you have no hold function assigned to the switches.

When you have a hold function assigned to the footswitch, tap functions happen when you release the switch, not when you tap it. If you make your taps quick and snappy, with immediate release, the scene change times are very close to those of a no-hold-function situation.

 

[Rublalup]

When you have a hold function assigned to the footswitch, tap functions happen when you release the switch, not when you tap it. If you make your taps quick and snappy, with immediate release, the scene change times are very close to those of a no-hold-function situation.

I guess I have a slow foot

 

[Rex]

I guess I have a slow foot

It's natural to not even think about the release when you expect the scene change to happen on the press. But it's like learning to play guitar: you learn to do a quick tap on the footswitch.

 

[Matt_B_77]

While it doesn't help with presets, I do use toggles (not tap\holds) sometimes because it will work better for what I'm doing (e.g. bank switching).

 

[MrPond]

Like suggested, i removed the hold functions and my scene switching is like instant, i dont hear a real gap anymore

 

[joelster]

OP, is this happening while your FM3 is connected to a PC running FM3 Edit?

 

[Gasp100]

Interesting stuff. If I use the FM3 by itself I definitely need hold functions, I can't imagine ONLY using 3 single use footswitches for a full gig?
I am considering expansion with a Morningstar MC6 which would make all of that possible.
But I do need to consider using scenes and especially channel integration.
Definitely a gap with preset switching which is not that noticeable live, but has always bothered me over time so I have slowly started to adopt to scenes, but have never used channels (for amp changes, keeping the IR the same).

 

[Rublalup]

Interesting stuff. If I use the FM3 by itself I definitely need hold functions, I can't imagine ONLY using 3 single use footswitches for a full gig?
I am considering expansion with a Morningstar MC6 which would make all of that possible.
But I do need to consider using scenes and especially channel integration.
Definitely a gap with preset switching which is not that noticeable live, but has always bothered me over time so I have slowly started to adopt to scenes, but have never used channels (for amp changes, keeping the IR the same).

As Rex pointed before is just a matter of getting used to “program” the changes on the release. I’m trying this as I need my hold functions and I’m getting better as a “fast foot” switcher. When you’re used to analog pedals you may tend to leave your foot to much time on the switch, but is doable and the scene changes are fast enough to use it live

 

[MrPond]

Interesting stuff. If I use the FM3 by itself I definitely need hold functions, I can't imagine ONLY using 3 single use footswitches for a full gig?
I am considering expansion with a Morningstar MC6 which would make all of that possible.
But I do need to consider using scenes and especially channel integration.
Definitely a gap with preset switching which is not that noticeable live, but has always bothered me over time so I have slowly started to adopt to scenes, but have never used channels (for amp changes, keeping the IR the same).

I'm using a simple two-button switch to incr/decr layout views and hold functions of this switch to incr/decr presets.
I removed all hold function of the FM3 switches in the scene layout and added one tap function to access the master layout.
For me a perfect solution and everything works fine right now

 

[USMC_Trev]

Make sure you have spillover turned on.

Spillover

"Spillover is in there but the "right" way to do it is to use scenes. If you stay within a preset and use channels and scenes the spillover is perfect." source

 

[AxeManDan]

Longtime Fractal user and new to the FM3. So far I really like my FM3 and FC6 but the scene switching is has a significant dropout gap compared to my Axe II or AX8. Appears to be changing channels in the amp block during a scene change causing the issue. Using X/Y with my older units didn't do this. A bit bummed the FM3 isn't better in this area.