Tempo

Tempo menu

When tapping the Tempo button on the processor hardware or Tempo switch, the Tempo menu appears on the hardware GUI. It will disappear after a few seconds. Some devices let you specify how long it stays on-screen (Global menu).

On the Axe-Fx III, the Tempo button is also a shortcut to the Controllers menu.

Tempo: global or per-preset

You can specify in the Tempo menu if you want the set tempo to apply to all presets or per preset.

Tapping tempo

The Global menu lets you specify how Tap Tempo works:

Average — averages the tempo to the last ten taps. Usually a wise choice

Last Two — uses only the most recent two taps to determine the tempo. Acts faster but also less precise

Syncing effects to tempo

You can assign effect parameters such as Time or Rate to a specific tempo, like 1/4 or 1/8 Dotted, instead of specifying the number of milliseconds. That will make the effect depend on the global or preset tempo. Tapping a different tempo will change the rate of the effect.

Important: after assigning a parameter to a tempo, you can no longer adjust the time in the effect manually!

Accuracy of the tempo LED

"The tempo LED is handled by a low-priority thread so it isn't rock solid and the higher the CPU usage the less solid it will be." source

Tempo in firmware Ares

Tempo is part of the internal controllers. The Controllers block in firmware Ares has 4 channels. This means that each preset can have 4 different tempos.

Auto-activating a Delay by tapping Tempo

Read this: Delay block

MIDI Clock

Read this: MIDI Clock

Remote control

Footswitch

Scroll to the Tempo CC in the I/O menu and hit Enter. Click the switch on the footswitch that you want to assign the Tuner to.

Or configure it manually by assigning the Tuner MIDI CC to a switch on a MIDI controller.

MIDI CC

The default MIDI CC for the Tuner is 14 on the Axe-Fx II, AX8 and FX8. Keep it like this to avoid issues.

The Axe-Fx III lets you set the Tuner CC manually in the I/O menu.

FM3: to be added...

MFC-101

The MFC-101 has a dedicated Tuner command for the Axe-Fx II, when it's running in Axe-Fx Mode.

You can also program the MFC-101 to turn on the Tuner by pressing a "preset" switch:

1. In Edit > MIDI, set IntCC00 to CC15.
2. In Edit > Preset, scroll to the designated preset and set IntCC01 to On.

3rd-party MIDI controllers

Certain MIDI foot controllers (i.e. Gordius, RJM, Liquid-Foot) can show a graphical tuner display when used with the Axe-Fx II. This requires the following:

1. Enable real-time MIDI SysEx communication on the Axe-Fx II (I/O > MIDI) by setting it to “Tuner” or "All"
2. Use a suitable cable connection which allows full bi-directional MIDI communication

To work with the Axe-Fx III, these controllers must either implement Fractal Audio's proprietary communications protocol for the Axe-Fx III and act as a client, or use real-time MIDI SysEx communication, documented here.

FC controllers

The FC-6 and FC-12 controllers for the Axe-Fx III have a dedicated Tuner command.

Tempo guide

The Owner's Manuals contain a Tempo Cross Reference guide.

SysEx commands for tempo

Here's a list of all SysEx commands for each tempo setting in the Delay block in the Axe-Fx II XL.

Ticking tempo noise

Audible bleed-through of the tempo signal can occur if the MIDI cable is not properly shielded. Use high-quality, properly shielded MIDI cables.