Yeks MFC-101 How-Tos page

Mail suggestions and corrections here

How to read more about controllers and pedals and switches

Visit the Axe-Fx How-Tos page in the Wiki.

How to upgrade the firmware

The Setup page shows the currently loaded firmware version. Download the latest firmware from Fractal Audio's Support page.

• Disconnect the MIDI cable from the MFC-101 MIDI OUT port
• Connect the MIDI OUT port of your computer MIDI interface to the MIDI IN port of the MFC-101
• Power up the MFC-101 while holding down footswitch #1 to enter the Firmware Update mode
• Begin to transmit the firmware file using a MIDI utility such as MIDI-OX or Snoize Sysex Librarian. The MFC-101 will display the percentage complete
• When the update is complete, the MFC-101 display will show a confirmation
• Power up the MFC-101 again

How to find the MFC-101 firmware release notes

The firmware release history is included with each zipped firmware file.

How to backup or restore MFC-101 settings

See page 63 of the manual.

How to get started

Read the Quick Start document to get started. If necessary reset the Axe-Fx to its default settings. This will make sure that controller numbers etc. are set correctly.

How to reset the MFC-101 to its factory default settings

See page 66 of the manual.

How to power the MFC-101

The MFC-101 can be powered by a 9VAC power supply. According to Fractal Audio a 9VDC power supply will also work.

The MFC-101 can also be powered through MIDI "phantom power". Use a 7-pin MIDI cable to connect the MFC-101 to the Axe-Fx. Connect the 9V power supply for the MFC-101 to the Phantom Power input on the rear of the Axe-Fx.

How to program the MFC-101

You program it using its switches and the display. There's no software editor, and Axe-Edit isn't used.

How to connect expression pedals to the MFC-101

Connect your expression pedal(s) to the rear of the MFC-101. Up to 4 separate pedals can be connected using stereo 1/4" TSR cables. Pedal #1 is mapped to CC 11 by default (global Output1 volume). Pedal #2 is mapped to CC 16 by default (External1, often used for a wah). While you can define the range of an expression pedal (globally or per preset), it's probably just as handy to use the Modifier menu of effects blocks on the Axe-Fx for this.

How to calibrate your expression pedal(s)

See chapter 7 of the manual. Use the Beginning Value parameter to define the state of the pedal after switching presets. "PDL" means that the position of the pedal is retained, "Off" means that the pedal is off untill moved, or you can select a value between 0 and 127.

How to act if there's no sound after connecting the MFC-101

If there's no expression pedal connected to the MFC-101, the output volume of the Axe-Fx may be muted. To solve this, disable expression pedal #1 on the MFC-101.

How to connect additional switches to the MFC-101

Connect additional switch(es) to the rear of the MFC-101. There are two inputs. When using a stereo cable up to 4 switches can be operational. Switches can be momentary of toggle (latching). A switch can control a MIDI CC (globally or per preset) using values 0 for off and 127 for on.

How to know which LED color represents what effect state

If the MFC-101 is in Axe-Fx Mode, Green means that the effect block is present in the preset and On, Red that the effect is present in the preset and bypassed, and Off that the preset doesn't contain this specific effect.

How to assign an effect to an IA switch on the MFC-101

In Axe-Fx Mode select the desired effect from the list (manual: page 17). IA switches work globally.

Or select "None" and use MIDI commands to assign a different function to the switch (likewise if not in Axe-Fx Mode); this will disable the three LED colors. Use value 127 to turn effects on, and 0 to turn them off. Each switch (if not assigned to the list of Axe-Fx effects) can send two MIDI CCs plus a MIDI PC plus additional custom MIDI commands (you can control more than two CCs this way). The switch can be toggle/latching (most common) or momentary. The switch can be given a 7-character name.

How to use an IA switch to toggle between two effects

Set up the switch to send a CC to one of the External controllers. Assign the Bypass in two effect blocks to the same External controller. Set the Start value of one block to 100 and the other to 0.

How to create a dedicated Boost or Solo switch on the Axe-Fx

See the Axe-Fx How-Tos for this.

How to maintain delay looper playback when switching presets

This is currently not fully supported.

How to activate or bypass multiple effects in Axe-Fx Mode

Source: Matman. A "DSP-inexpensive" block (one you won't typically use) can serve a surrogate for any number of Axe-Fx blocks.

1. Pick your surrogate. F.e. VOL4 or a FILTER, set to NULL. On the Axe-Fx go to I/O > CONTROL and assign the same MIDI CC to your surrogate and ALL of the effects you want to have assigned across its single footswitch.
2. Place the surrogate effect block (disconnected) in all of the presets which have your target block(s).
3. Set its bypass state and that/those of the MOD effect(s) in the same patch to the same initial states.
4. Assign the surrogate to the Axe-Fx IA in your MFC-101.

Now you have bi-color-LED-enabled control over different multiple blocks across different patches from a single IA switch.

Alternatives: assign the same CC (or an external controller) to all desired effects. Disadvantage is that the multi-color LED will not work.

How to arrange your Axe-Fx presets on the MFC-101 for use in songs

Use the Song and Set Modes. You can use up to 15 presets per song (depending on the Bank Size setting). The MFC supports a maximum of 100 songs.

How to get access to Axe-Fx banks B and C using the MFC-101

By default the MFC-101 selects presets in bank A of the Axe-Fx. Change the Default Bank setting to set this to bank B or C.

How to display the tuner and see the tempo on the MFC-101

To show the Axe-Fx tuner information in the MFC-101 display and let the Tap Tempo LED blink in the correct tempo, the MFC-101 must be in Axe-Fx Mode. A 5-pin or 7-pin MIDI cable (with all pins connected) must be used for bidirectional communication. On the Axe-Fx the parameter Send Realtime Sysex (I/O > MIDI) must be set to All.

How to use MFC-101 presets instead of Axe-Fx presets

In Axe-Fx Mode the selected preset on the MFC-101 always syncs the IA switches with the state of the effects in the Axe-Fx preset. To create variations of an Axe-Fx preset with different effect states than the Axe-Fx preset, disable Axe-Fx Mode, select a preset, enable/bypass the effects on the MFC-101 and store the preset on the MFC-101. MFC-101 preset names are preced by a "P" (instead of "X").

How to change the number of presets per bank on the MFC-101 (Bank Size)

The MFC-101 defaults to 5 presets per bank. Use the menu item Bank Size to change this to 1, 10 or 15 presets per bank, depending on how many IA switches you want per bank. Note that this also influences the layout of the Song and Set modes. When using 1 preset per bank, use the Up and Down switches to switch banks (which will automically load the preset).

How to load a preset automatically when changing banks on the MFC-101 (Bank Style)

Use the menu item Bank Style to instruct the MFC-101 to automatically load the first preset of a bank after switching banks ("First"), or the current selected switch after changing banks ("Current", default), or nothing ("None").

How to retain effect states when switching presets on the MFC-101

If you switch an IA switch on or off, its state will not be carried over when switching presets. Currently it's only possible to retain effects states after switching presets (aka Stomp Box mode or Global IAs) by using external switches.

How to use the Global Preset feature

Turn the Global Preset feature on (off by default) and assign a preset to it. Now this preset can be recalled at any time by pressing a preset switch twice. Only a preset can be selected as Global Preset, not an IA switch / CC.

How to change additional effect settings using the MFC-101

Use the internal CCs to change effect settings when changing presets, without the need for assigned switches on the MFC-101. Internal CCs can be given names.

How to select an effect within a group (Link Group)

The Link Group Select setting lets you define a group of switches. Within that group just one switch can be active, so selecting one switch will automatically bypass the others within the group. In other words: they are mutually exclusive. There's a maximum of two groups and 5 switches per group. It's not possible to select "none" within a group, so one of the grouped effects is always on. This feature is particularly useful for switching amp channels with the use of the MFC-101.

How to connect the MFC-101 and Axe-Edit to the Axe-Fx at the same time

See this Wiki page.

How to adjust the contrast of the MFC-101 display

You can adjust the contrast of the display in Setup.

How to deal with MFC-101 error messages

See page 68 of the manual for a list of MFC-101 error messages and solutions.

How to solve the "Waiting for tuner" issue

If the Axe-Fx Tuner is not on its first page (in the Axe-Fx Edit mode), then activating the Tuner on the MFC-101 may generate a "Waiting for tuner" message.

How to get labels for the MFC-101 switches

There are several label suppliers and solutions to be found on the Fractal Forum.