Wish Support for an External Dual Switch (and functionality) like the FM3

AJ Vargas

AJ Vargas

Experienced
I guess the tittle says it all. I'd love this function to be implemented as I didn't found it in the Axe I/O setup. ATM it only supports Pedal Type as: Continuous, Momentary and Latching.

From pages 12 & 94 of the FM3 manual:

EXTERNAL SWITCHES
This section is for switches connected to the local “Pedal” jacks of the FM3. For switches connected to an FC Series controller, see your FC Owner’s Manual.
Each of the two Pedal jacks of the FM3 can support one or two switches instead of one expression pedal. This requires a simple setting change. Any make-break switch type may be used with the FM3 in this way. Connect switches in any of the ways illustrated below:
TRS Cable
Guitar Cable
Insert Cable
TRS Cable
EXTERNAL SWITCH SETTINGS
External switches require a simple setup:
  • Page to the Pedal page of the I/O menu under SETUP.
  • Set Pedal 1 Setup to “ONE SWITCH” or “TWO SWITCHES” depending on what you have connected
    (or use Pedal 2 Setup if that’s the jack you’re connecting to).
  • Next, navigate down to the SWITCH SETTINGS section and select the TYPE and POLARITY for each of your switches. See p. 94 for more on this setting.
  • Press HOME to nish.
External Switches can be used with many per-preset and global options found in the MIDI/REMOTE MENU. Even more powerful, however, is the STAND IN SWITCH feature, which allows them to perform the same functions as the onboard switches.

I/O: PEDAL PAGE
The Pedal page of the I/O menu contains parameters to set up and use expression pedals or a switches through the Pedal jacks on the rear panel of the FM3. Expression pedals should have a linear resistance taper and maxresistance of 10kΩ to 100kΩ. The Fractal Audio Systems EV-1 and EV-2 expression pedals are recommended. Anexternal switch may also be used, as long as its contacts make and break the connection between tip and sleeve. A regular 1/4" guitar cable can be used with switches. Expression pedals must be used with Tip-Ring-Sleeve (TRS) cables. See "Expression Pedals" on p. 10 and "External Switches" on p. 12.
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PARAMETER
Calibrate PEDAL 1 Calibrate PEDAL 2
Description
Calibrate expression pedals connected to an on-board Pedal jack. First select this menu choice, then:
Press ENTER.
Move the pedal through its full range of motion several times.
Press ENTER again when nished.
Switches, unlike pedals, do not need to be calibrated.
Pedal 1 Setup Pedal 2 Setup
EXPRESSION PEDAL,
1 SWITCH (TIP)
2 SWITCHES (TIP + RING)		Set this according to the what you have connected.
For 1 expression pedal, choose EXPRESSION PEDAL
For 1 switch, connect the switch to the TIP and SLEEVE of a TRS connector.With this setting active, the RING function is disabled as a Modi er/Externalsource to avoid mishaps.
For 2 switches, connect one to Tip and Sleeve and the other to Ring and sleeve.
Switch 1 Tip Behavior Switch 1 Ring Behavior Switch 2 Tip Behavior Switch 2 Ring Behavior
FOLLOW HARDWARE, VIRTUAL TOGGLE		A switch with the default setting of "Follow Hardware" behaves exactly as you might expect: a latching switch latches, and a momentary switch is momentary. If you want a momentary switch to behave like a latching/toggle switch instead, use the "Virtual Toggle" option. Now, every time you tap the switch, its state on the FM3 will flip from ON to OFF, or OFF to ON.
So for example, imagine a momentary switch mapped to EXTERNAL 1 and assigned to the Rate of a Rotary. While you press down on the switch, the Rotary rate increases. When you step off the switch, the rate slows. With the Behavior changed to "Virtual Toggle", you would tap once for a fast rate, and then tap again to toggle the rate to slow.
Note that if you accidentally apply the Virtual Toggle setting to a physical latching switch, you'll need to tap the switch twice (or more) for it to toggle.
Switch 1 Tip Polarity Switch 1 Ring Polarity,Switch 1 Tip Polarity Switch 1 Ring Polarity
NORMAL, REVERSE
The FM3 offers the option to reverse the polarity of any connected switch.
The option “Normal” assumes a “momentary make” switch. Use the option “Reverse” when using a “momentary break” switch, or for creative applications.
 
I know this video from @Javialtonaga is in spanish (dunno if it has subs) but you can get a good idea of the advantages of a dual switch and it's functionality.



And just found this video where there's talking about the dual switches around 19:00

 
Yes, I'm aware of that. Since I saw Javi's video I thought maybe it could be done on the Axe just to find what you're posting in the manual. For me, the Dual Switch option would be awesome since I already use one jack for an expression pedal and was hoping using the other jack with a dual switch for, say, Scenes/Presets increment/decrement, maybe scenes increment+tap tempo, etc... and with the added functionality for HOLD as seen in the FM3, man that would be the icing in the cake for a dual switch worth a couple bucks, IMO.

As you say, there's a TRS jack already so I dunno if it's a matter of FW only. But in this case I think it's one feature absolutely worth porting from the FM3 to the Axe FX III.

TBH, now that I sold my AX8 I've been watching lots of FM3 videos in order to get a grasp of the new switching paradigm and found myself liking what can be done with the onboard three switches but once I saw this option it might be just enough for me to consider getting a second Axe FX III for live playing instead.
 
Yes, AFAIK it's possible to do with a FC (don't have one ATM). Would be really nice to have it working with the "onboard" jacks like it does on the FM3.
 
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