Midi intro

MIDI Introduction

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a very powerful protocol that allows musical instruments as well as computers to communicate with each other. This MIDI section of Axe-FX Wiki is intended to cover those features and uses as they apply to the Axe-FX Standard and Ultra by Fractal Audio.




MIDI would be primarily used for 6 purposes regarding the Axe-FX.
1. To upgrade firmware (operating system).
2. To have ability to backup and restore Axe-FX presets.
3. To edit Axe-FX presets via computer software editor.
4. To select presets via MIDI footswitch.
5. To control various individual functions via a MIDI controller.
6. To transfer settings and presets from one Axe to another.

Basic Principles: MIDI is laid out in Banks. A Bank would be 128 presets (or patches) which would be numbered either 0 to 127 or 1 to 128.
The Axe-FX utilizes 3 Banks (labeled A/B/C) of 128 preset slots each for a total of 384 configured as follows:
Bank A ~ 000 to 127
Bank B ~ 128 to 255
Bank C ~ 256 to 383

Pre: v5.00 ~ Banks A/B are editable factory presets whereas Bank B is a duplicate of Bank A.
Post: v5.00 ~ Banks A/B have 128 unique presets each for a total of 256 unique editable factory presets.

Bank C has 128 empty preset slots for custom user creations.