Walk me through how you use scenes

Gasp100

Power User
I want to learn more about the II in conjunction with using scenes for live gigs. I have the MFC101 and EV-1 which are great (although BIG) so it's time to try and get the most out of everything (lots of gigs, full and and acoustic) this summer and the II will be to each one.
Right now I'm only really using 4 patches:
Clean
Broken
Rock Rhythm
Lead
(My fifth patch currently is an Edge preset that I rarely get to use except for that stupid song "Shut Up and Dance" :(
Up top row I have:
OD1 which I rarely use
Chorus (which I could see engaging at the same time I engage a deeper/full delay)
Rotary (punched in on a few sections of tunes)
Phaser (VERY rare, Uptown Funk, Outta Know, that's about it)
Last one is currently open but should probably be a filter for a boost or something...
Right now the middle row of patches is not really being used. I toggle up to patch 20 for acoustic gigs, one single patch
I'm starting to think:
Row 1 = scenes 1-5
Row 2 = patches
Row 3 = IA's
Or could I do Row 1 patches, Row 2 scenes?

I guess I'd like to use scenes to move away from using as many IA switches and have some dual action... action... if you know what I mean.
So, school me on YOUR scene setup!
 
I like to use presets for the over all tone type, rock, hard rock, metal, etc. Then I use scene 1 for rhythm. scene 2 for clean. scene 3 for lead. 4,5,6,etc for special effects. for some songs though I set the scenes up for the changes in the song in order as they are needed( intro scene 1, verse scene2, chours scene 3, verse scene 4, etc). I very rarely use IA's.
 
I have one preset for each song I am playing. Bank size on the MFC-101 is zero, so I use the MFC in set mode (thanks, MFC-edit) with a reverse setlist and switch to the next preset/song using bank down switch (easier than bank up, since it is at the bottom of the MFC). Or I just use my iPad with Setlist Maker.

I have my scenes arranged in the order I play them for each song, so I just switch SCENE UP (which is programmed to the bottom switch on my MFC EXT module) for every scene change. Thus, scene 1 may be intro, scene 2 may be first verse, scene 3 may be first chorus, scene 4 may be second verse, etc. In other words, scene 2 may be the same as scene 4 for example. But that means that all I have to think about while playing through the song is hitting "SCENE UP" at each scene change. And I rarely need more than 8 scenes for a song.

IA1-8 on my MFC are configures as SCENE 1-8, mostly to display what scene I am on. And - for the rare preset which requires more than 8 scene changes, it allows me to jump between the different scenes as required.

I also have a springloaded Mission SP-1 (with toe-switch), and I have configured the toe switch to SCENE UP as well. This allows me to change scene while riding the pedal for any effect I might be using.

The remaining IAs on my MFC are configured to my most used effects (drive, delay, reverb, etc) - and are there mostly as on/off-indicators. I almost never use them, as all my songs are organised in the way I have described. They come in handy when rehearsing though, when I might want to switch off drive and/or delay when practising a part.

This setup means I will only use two switches playing through a set; BANK DOWN for the next song - and SCENE UP when required during the song. Great stuff, and it allows me to concentrate more on my playing - which I REALLY need to :)

(A couple of songs need two presets, but then they are arranged in reverse order so I just hit BANK DOWN iso SCENE UP when required)

Edit: I use the MFC in Set mode - not Song mode
 
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I've been using a more or less standard layout in all my favorite presets. This way, if I use a looper, and change presets, I hopefully won't get the burp when they change, and the loop quits.....

All of my Presets are basically laid out around a given amp: what speaker works best, then drive, chorus, etc. In almost all of my presets, the amp, cab, delay & verb blocks are always active; variables are usually compressor, modulation, and type of delay or verb.

Scene 1: Cleanish amp; Scene 2: Drive; Scene 3: modulation (chorus, mostly; some flange or phaser); 4: Drive & modulation; 5: Solo, using PEQ boosted 4 or 5 typically, with a little bottom end cut, after the speaker cab, before delays/modulation/verbs.

All this being said, I may switch back to using Banks of 5 across the bottom row of the MFC. I'm noticing that in nearly all of my scenes, I'm only changing one block or so; it may be just as easy to turn that block off or on, while staying withing a Preset, while still being able to fast-jump between Presets, instead of Scenes (with the bottom row of MFC buttons). I'm still pondering this one; haven't pulled the trigger, yet. I do like the Scenes, but sometimes it's too much scrolling to get to a Preset that matches up with what the band director calls off.

When I run in Bank mode, I go clean, light break-up, crunch, disto, solo, from left to right on the bottom row of pedals. I still "somewhat" follow that format in my Scenes layout, but I'm still stuck with one amp (at least the way I'm currently laid out) per Preset. Scrolling through Presets in the heat of the action can get a little dicey.
 
So, school me on YOUR scene setup!

I have the MFC set up to change one preset at a time (bank=1) so that when I use up/down it just changes to the next preset. That way, each preset = 1 song. I ALWAYS have buttons 1 through 4 set up for the same basic tones (albeit with different amps/settings depending on the song): 1 = clean, 2 = clean with delay, 3 = crunch, 4 = lead. There may be some variation...for example, if there's a song where I don't really need a crunch tone, I'll have the crunch set up for rhythm that's a little edgier than scene 1 (which is always ultra clean). So in my head, I still always have those four tones going on. The fifth button is set for tap tempo. All of the other buttons are set up for specific effects so I can toggle them on the fly on top of the basic tone (per scene).

I set it this way because I often have more time in between songs than I do during the song. So if there's any lag or latency in changing presets, it's not as big of a deal in between songs as it is mid-song when I need a seamless transition. Then I set up my presets to go in order, so preset 1 is song 1, preset 2 is song 2, and so forth. It keeps things easily organized so that when I need to change on the fly, I at least know it's always set up in that general way. Love it.
 
Thanks guys, so many options. I spent some time with scenes (in AxeEdit) and it's a cool concept. I also started messing with X/Y and holy smokes what you can do with just one patch is really nuts!
Put it this way, my single clean patch with some choice FX and utilizing X/Y for some of those FX would destroy any single amp / pedal board combination I could ever conceive of.
I will have to take a closer look at my set lists for different gigs and determine how I want to approach things.
 
i have a preset for each song, set up scenes for each part of the song. I have IA's for scenes 1-8, then IA's for individual fx on the rest in case i want to switch things up mid song.
 
Amazing! Close to what I imagine in my head and I can dissect that acoustic badger configuration. Thank you!!!

Fremen would have a current version of nearly that patch in his patch collection. I'd start from there. The one I posted to Axe-Change would be suuuuuper old now. You could probably recreate my scene stuff with Fremen's though.
 
For my originals band, I work on the principle of one song = one preset. Each song's preset is based on the same template of WAH > COMP > PHASER > DRIVE > AMP > PEQ > CAB > DELAY > FIL. My MFC is set up with Bank Size 0 and the bottom row of IA's mapped to Scenes 1 to 5.

Rather than using scenes for clean / crunch / dist / solo, I generally use them for parts of the song, ie Scene 1 is Intro/Verse, Scene 2 is a Verse alt (eg with Phaser or Comp, or both), Scene 3 is Chorus, Scene 4 is "something loud but different to Scene 3" and Scene 5 is for Solos. Not all songs use every Scene., so for some I may only ever use Scene 1, for others maybe Scenes 1, 3 and 5, and for others perhaps only 1,2 and 3, etc. However, I find it easy to keep track as I am consistent in always using Scene 1 for verses, Scene 3 for choruses, etc.

To keep preset management a bit easier, I use Global Blocks in every preset, and then use Scene Controllers to manage different parameters within those blocks. For example, I use a single Delay block and use Screen Controller 1 for managing the Mix parameter across all presets. As there are only 2 Scene Controllers available, this does have limitations, but it's fine for my current needs. I don't need a huge variation in sounds in this band, so this system works. Probably would not work if I was playing in a covers band and needed a wider variety of tones. Of course, each Scene has different bypass states for the blocks in the FX chain, depending on the song.

Although Scene Controllers make block management easier, they are not super-intuitive to use, nor is it quick to determine what value a parameter has in any particular preset as the front panel shows the start value not the modified value. (I wish it did show the modified value in the block - it would be much quicker to review presets and make sure I've set up the Scene Controller correctly. Also, I could do with more Scene Controllers as 2 is rather limiting.)

Remaining rows of IAs on the MFC are mapped to either X/Y or on/off for the blocks. For example, I have one each for Delay X/Y and Phaser X/Y, and then on/off for COMP, DRV, PEQ and FIL. Others are unused.

Overall, this setup is designed to minimise tap-dancing, be easy to manage (eg blocks, various block parameters), and allow easy updating of tones across all songs.
 
I am much like Starfighter, with a few subtle differences. I have a preset per song, bank size zero. I use preset mode, (didn't see the advantage to song mode with bank size zero, but maybe I should look at that?) I also don't use the reverse order, (But that's a good idea and I'm going to do that today! Thought of it before, but just never did it. Smart one that Starfighter...)

A couple of pedal board notes:
I cut a 1 short piece of 1/2" PVC pipe, painted it black, and siliconed it onto my MFC to protect my "edit" switch from being accidentally triggered by my fat clumsy feet when I hit "bank up" which I do after each song.

I have 5 scenes, set up as: 1. Intro 2. Rhythm 3. Lead 4. Solo 5. Special
Songs always start on intro (duh...) so that will always be whatever tone you hear first. On songs that only have one guitar sound, that's all there is. But if it's a clean sound, or some special thing, then ya, that's what you get.
The difference from lead to solo varies by song. Sometimes Lead is just like Rhythm with a few db of volume to cut through on little breaks. Sometimes it's a more aggressive tone, or a "wet" tone. Solo is for just that. Special is for long delay sounds, or out there FX needs.

Of course I also have all of my IA's set up, and I have those doing different things that from time to time 5 scenes won't cover. I have a talk box switch that sends my signal through my GCX switcher out to my talk box. I also control my Voiceworks+ vocal processor with my MFC. I run 3 expression pedals. 1 on the left (volume) and 2 on the right (wah/whammy and FX, which does anything from tone morphing to delay mix, ray gun sounds, or artificial feedback)
 
I never got the jist of global blocks (I know I desperately need to find time to read the wiki) but I think I may start employing X/Y more in my patches and I'm still considering scenes as well. Maybe just 2 scenes? Then access to at least 3 more patches on the bottom row... is that possible?
 
yes, you can set your bank size to zero so the up down arrows scroll through presets and you can assign the switches for scenes. global blocks are such a time saver as well...you really need to get to reading, lol
 
Would scenes allow me to use my single expression pedal to control as such:

CLEAN PATCH:
Scene 1 - WAH to external 1 on but set to auto engage (A dry-ish clean with access to WAH for clean funk. Also IA access for Phaser, etc...)
Scene 2 - Delay "2" to external 1, WAH OFF. So this would be for a wet clean (dimension chorus on) and allow me to fade in big delay mix
Scene 3 - WAH OFF, Delay 2 OFF, Rotary ON to external 1. Would allow to control a Rotary parameter... speed maybe? or depth? or BOTH!
Scene 4 - TS808 MOD on for clean-ish leads
Scene 5 - FAT RAT or BB Pre or maybe even a fuzz on for leads.... maybe TS808 as X and Fuzz as Y and switch via scenes or IA...

Basically I would be assigning my single expression pedal (external 1) to a crapload of parameters and as long as I used scenes and had those particular FX ON/OFF I would have a single pedal that could do a crapload of stuff!
 
I changed my rig to use an alternate controller and I don't use scenes.

I use each preset in stomp box mode basically. So on my clean preset I can boost post amp, kick on a drive pedal, a wah, or a mod pedal.

If I want to X/Y or engage multiple blocks at once, I make a new preset.

Preset switching has a minor lag but it works for me.

My controller is a TC Electronic VoiceLive 3. I have that in my rig anyway for singing bkg vox, so I stopped using the MFC to conserve space on the floor.
 
Love this educational/inspirational thread ~ Thanks to all who have shared!

YES! This is the type of thread (among other recent threads) that can be used to show how the AxeFX differs from any other competitors and how it offers SO MUCH more than just what is on the surface. I'm not an FX junky by any means and honestly a lot of my needs could literally be handled by one patch, but another dimension that people forget to consider often is workflow in the home, recording and live environments. What I can do and what I can control using ONE expression pedal is amazing and with the implementation of scenes, X/Y, etc... you have limitless possibilities and could even realize cost savings and space/footprint savings. Pretty cool!
 
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