Wildcard

Matt Picone was kind enough to help me figure this out tonight, so I thought I'd share the knowledge as I searched the forum for "Wildcard" and did not come up with an answer.

First, decide what MFC IA switch you want to use as the "wildcard." For this example, lets' say it is IA13.

Go to EDIT>MIDI and then using PAGE arrows scroll the to IA Assign page...where it says IA01 Axe-FX and (assigned effect).

Next, Use the UP switch to go to IA13.

Then, USE the PARAMETER arrow to switch IA13'a value to OFF (no effect)

Next, use the PAGE arrow to go right one time. the Screen should say IA01 c1 CC#001 Ch01

Using the PARAMETER arrow to go to the CC#001 field

Use the UP Button to change the Controller value of CC from #001 to #027


Hit EDIT to exit and save.

Now: How to use Wildcard

Wildcard is mapping CC#027 to Exp 12. So, in the AXE FX inside a preset, anywhere you can assign a MODIFIER, you can assign the modifier to EXT12, and pushing IA switch 13 will send CC#027 to the AXFX which will interpret that as EXTERNAL 12 being activated.

Example:

In Axe Edit, in the lower right side, on most any effect block (try delay), on the BYPASS MODE area, click on the Controller symbol to bring up the EDIT MODIFIER assign window.

Under SOURCE pull down menu, select EXTERN 12.

Exit. Save preset.

Now, try IA 13 -- it should toggle the Delay on and off (activating and deactivating the BYPASS mode)

Another example:

Pick another preset (different than above).

In the AMP Block, go to BOOST. Select the controller icon above BOOST, and then modifier SOURCE select EXT 12.

Now your IA switch turns the Boost on and off. save the preset. Now go back to the first one -- note that Wildcard still turns on/off delay in the first preset, and turns on/off the BOOST in the second preset. -- That's what makes it a wildcard -- one IA switch on the MFC can do a different effect in each preset (or even turn multiple ones on and off -- you can assign maybe all wet effects in one preset to the EXT 12, and one click makes it go wet to dry).

I'm going to be experimenting with Wildcard and a range for the DRIVE parameter on different amps. I like using a pedal to do this usually, but it would be like playing with amp DRIVE on 3.5 but hitting wildcard could switch amp DRIVE to 6.5 -- preset the value to jump from 3.5 to 6.5-- stuff like that.

There are a LOT more creative possibilities -- just trying to convey the concept here.

It is a very very cool tool! Dweezil Zappa and Matt I think work this up originally before the AXE FX had Scenes/years ago...

Yek has a very good MFC wiki and this info on "Making a wild card IA Switch" probably should be in there... Note that Wildcards can also be controlled by Expression pedals or the External Switch jacks too, not just as on of the 17 IAs.

Yeks MFC-101 How-Tos page - Fractal Audio Systems Wiki

Hope that helps!
 
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Tremonti said:
Followed the above exactly and nada. Any further tips?
Click to expand...

May be I'm pointing to the obvious but the step in bold letters is also necessary:

Go to EDIT>MIDI and then using PAGE arrows scroll the to IA Assign page...where it says IA01 Axe-FX and (assigned effect).

Next, Use the UP switch to go to IA13.

Then, USE the PARAMETER arrow to switch IA13'a value to OFF (no effect)

Next, use the PAGE arrow to go right one time. the Screen should say IA01 c1 CC#001 Ch01

Next, Use the UP switch to go to IA13.

Using the PARAMETER arrow to go to the CC#001 field

Use the UP Button to change the Controller value of CC from #001 to #027
 
Hubertus said:
May be I'm pointing to the obvious but the step in bold letters is also necessary:

Go to EDIT>MIDI and then using PAGE arrows scroll the to IA Assign page...where it says IA01 Axe-FX and (assigned effect).

Next, Use the UP switch to go to IA13.

Then, USE the PARAMETER arrow to switch IA13'a value to OFF (no effect)

Next, use the PAGE arrow to go right one time. the Screen should say IA01 c1 CC#001 Ch01

Next, Use the UP switch to go to IA13.

Using the PARAMETER arrow to go to the CC#001 field

Use the UP Button to change the Controller value of CC from #001 to #027
Click to expand...

Yes followed this. But still can't get pitch to turn off and on. Went to IO and assigned pitch to 27. Help! Thx
 
Set the desired IA's function to NONE in the MIDI menu to make it a General Use IA.

Set it's CC# to match the desired external controller in the Axe II. By default CC#16 through CC#27 are assigned to external controllers 1 through 12 respectively. Pick one that is not already in use.

On the Axe II, assign whatever parameters you want to control at the same time to the above chosen external controller. Assign to the Bypass Mode parameter of blocks to enable/bypass them. By editing the modifier setting for each parameter, you can make the controller behave differently for each assigned parameter. When assigned to Bypass Mode, reverse the start and end values to have the wildcard bypass that block while engaging others at the same time.
 
Tremonti said:
Yes followed this. But still can't get pitch to turn off and on. Went to IO and assigned pitch to 27. Help! Thx
Click to expand...

Don't change the CC# assignment for the pitch block. Leave it at default. Assign the external controller associated with the wildcard to the Bypass Mode parameter (where you normally pick from Mute In, Mute Out, Mute FX In, etc.) of the pitch block instead. It's not obvious, but assigning a modifier to that parameter doesn't select from those options but rather controls the bypass state of the block.
 
mr_fender said:
Don't change the CC# assignment for the pitch block. Leave it at default. Assign the external controller associated with the wildcard to the Bypass Mode parameter (where you normally pick from Mute In, Mute Out, Mute FX In, etc.) of the pitch block instead. It's not obvious, but assigning a modifier to that parameter doesn't select from those options but rather controls the bypass state of the block.
Click to expand...

Ok...but how would pitch know to be at that IA switch then? I get everything else.
 
It doesn't. The external controller toggles it. There is no direct assignment to any block, which is what allows you to have the switch perform different functions per preset.

One of the downsides to using the wildcard trick is, because you have to use a General Use IA, it does not sync switch states with the Axe II like other function specific IAs do. If you change scenes and the block state changes, it may not be in sync with the wildcard switch state anymore. General IA's dumb toggle between on and off states. If a block is already bypassed when the IA sends it's off message, nothing happens and you'll need a second button press to send the needed ON command.
 
mr_fender said:
One of the downsides to using the wildcard trick is, because you have to use a General Use IA, it does not sync switch states with the Axe II like other function specific IAs do. If you change scenes and the block state changes, it may not be in sync with the wildcard switch state anymore.
Click to expand...

This usually won't happen because a bypass modifier prevents scenes or I/O:CTRL bypass CC# from changing block state. The only exception would be if PC RST is enabled, before the modifier takes control, but it probably wouldn't be logical to use PC RST in most scenarios.
 
Bakerman said:
Because the MFC defaults to that. The state can be set & stored per MFC preset.
Click to expand...
How? I'm not seeing how to do this. Also it's odd that I can't bypass the block on or off on the actual face of the Axe Fx II. Any tips on how to set the pitch block to "on" for this wildcard, would receive total consciousness on their deathbed. So you got that going for you.....which is nice.
 
Also...can you have multiple wildcards? Meaning 2-3 set IA that are wildcards. Thanks for all your knowledge and taking the time to share.
 
MFC manual section 5.2.3 covers initial IA state. Any number of wildcards can be configured, up to the point where all 12 Ext Ctrls on the Axe-FX are used.
 
How do I make red off light appear? The switch works and turns green when press, but off state isn't indicated.
 
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