Presets

Presets, scenes and channels

Presets

A preset is like your traditional pedalboard. Because we can have many different presets stored in the modeler, it is as if we have numerous pedalboards within reach at any moment.

Scenes 

Scenes are like your traditional pedalboard at a particular moment, with effects on or off and set to a specific channel.

Channels 

Channels are like the pedals on that pedalboard with its controls set in a specific way. There are four channels in most blocks, so there are four different sets of settings.

The hardware display and the switch LED on compatible foot controllers show the currently loaded preset.

Read more about presets in the official manuals.

Number of presets

Axe-Fx III

Mark I: 512

Mark II: 1024

Mark II Turbo: 1024

FM9 (all models): 512

FM3 (all models): 512

VP4: 104

Axe-Fx II

Mark I: 384

Mark II: 384

XL

XL+: 768

AX8: 512

FX8: 128

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[1] The progress bar during boot indicates presets being copied from FLASH to RAM. If a preset is empty it is skipped so the more empty presets you have the shorter the boot time.

Factory presets

Read Factory presets for more information.

Loading presets

Switch between presets

Switch between presets in one of the following ways:

• Use the tools on the hardware: the Value wheel, or cursor keys, or Home > Presets menu on the front panel. Use the soft knob to sort/filter.
• Use the editor: click on the Presets button or use the shortcut key P.
• Use a Fractal Audio foot controller.
• Use a third-party MIDI controller.
• Use MIDI software.
• Use a switch that's connected directly to the unit.
• Use FracPad.

The Axe-Fx III, FM9 and FM3 let you map MIDI commands to preset switching.

Load a recently loaded preset again

The editor keeps a list of recently loaded presets under Preset > Recent Presents.

Alternatively, hold Command on macOS and click on the Presets button.

Load a preset from disk

Preset files on disk have a .syx file extension. Bank files, which contain multiple presets, have the same file extension.

These are multiple to load a preset file from disk into the hardware:

• Import the file into the connected editor through Preset > Import.
• Drag and drop the file onto the connected editor.
• Use the editor's Tools > Manage Presets tool.
• Use Fractal-Bot.
• Use a MIDI librarian such as Snoize SysEx Librarian or MIDI-OX.
• Use FracTool.

You can use the editor with your device or Fractal-Bot to transfer entire banks to the hardware. The editor also lets you open a Bank file and import a single preset from that file.

The hardware is always ready to receive presets.

After loading a preset from the disk into the hardware, the preset resides in a temporary buffer. It is not saved in the hardware's memory until you explicitly Save it.

Import a preset from another device

Presets are device-specific, which means that there are limitations to sharing presets across different modelers.

Presets for the Axe-Fx III, FM9 and FM3 are mostly compatible (VP4: not); The most important factor is available CPU power. Other limitations are mentioned on this page: Axe-Fx III, FM9 and FM3. The Preset Translator in the Editors maintains a log file, accessible in the Help menu.

Presets moved between the original hardware and their updates, such as the various Turbo and Mark II series are completely compatible if the block types are supported. The respective Edit applications are able to translate between the other units, however they do not convert the presets to fit. Said differently, an Axe-FX III preset that will exceed the FM3's CPU will not be automatically adjusted to run correctly on the smaller processor. That is the job of the user to do before attempting to import the preset. Failing to do so can lock up the smaller siblings requiring a reboot and possibly using recovery steps to remove the preset.

There are various workarounds for sharing presets between other processors:

• The editor's Library lets you share effect block files between devices.
• The editors let you export a preset as text, which will contain all parameter values.

Songs and setlists

Read Songs and setlists for more information.

Startup preset

You can specify in the Setup menu which preset should be loaded when the device is powered on. This applies to the FM9 and FM3 only, at the time of writing.

Default scene

The processors let you specify which scene should be recalled upon loading a preset. Read Scenes for more information.

Edited LED

Current generation processors and editors (optionally) prompt before changing presets if the current preset has been edited. This makes sure you do not lose edits. Note that the prompt doesn't appear when changing presets via MIDI.

This feature can be turned on/off in the Setup menu.

That menu also let you determine whether switching scenes should be marked as an Edit or not. When both parameters are enabled, you can't switch between presets using the FC controller, because the hardware will ask for confirmation first.

Gapless changes

In current firmware, switching presets can happen gapless.

Read this: "Gapless Changes".

Spillover between presets

Read "Spillover" for more information.

Ignore Redundant PC

Read "Ignore Redundant PC" for more information.

Send MIDI when loading a preset

The Scene MIDI block lets you send MIDI Program Changes and Control Changes upon loading a preset.

Presets from other sources

Besides the factory presets, there are presets and preset collections available from various sources.

The main sources for free presets are:

• Axe-Change
• Fractal Audio Forum

There also are many commercial or donation-based offerings available, such as:

• AustinBuddy
• Edo
• Fremen
• Marco Fanton
• Moke
• Simeon
• Leon Todd

Managing presets

Guidelines for preset creation

• Stick to the same grid layout/routing when possible, to simplify viewing and editing and to increase preset switching speed.
• Re-use effect blocks with preferred settings and levels, through Global blocks or the Editor's Library.
• Assign External controllers in a consistent way. Decide if you want them to reset or not when switching presets, using the PC Reset parameter.
• Effects in front of Amp and Drive blocks should not be set to stereo. Certain effect blocks, such as Amp, Drive and mono Cab, sum the signal to monoaural. Check your system settings and blocks for correct mono and stereo operation to prevent phase cancellation. Read Mono and stereo for more information.
• Make sure that the blocks maintain unity gain in engaged and bypassed states, unless desired otherwise.
• Set Mix, Level, and Bypass parameters correctly when placing effects in parallel rows.
• Make sure that the overall preset level matches that of other presets and does not clip when engaging a volume boost, Wah, etc. Use the Tools | Preset Leveling tool in the editor.
• Let delay and reverb trails spill over between scenes.
• Check the preset’s Noise gate settings. Turn it off when not needed to save CPU.
• Adjust the desired Input impedance in the Input block if needed and supported by the processor.
• Make sure the Cab block points to to the correct IR.
• Use a consistent way to boost the level for leads.
• Make sure that effect blocks are set to the correct channel in each scene.
• If Tempo is set to Preset, set or check the preset's tempo settings.
• When using one Amp block on an Axe-Fx: use AMP 1, not AMP 2.
• Make sure that CPU usage stays below the limit (80%). Note that CPU usage can vary, depending on the channel of effect blocks. Also note that the value is the average and that spikes in CPU usage can be higher.
• Place effects where they should be placed, e.g. Pitch before or after Amp/Cab.
• Some people like to mute scenes that are not being used by disabling all blocks in those scenes. Others prefer to copy a generic scene for the preset to the unused slots and clear the name. The first ensures that ONLY the defined scenes will output sound, the second allows for accidentally scrolling into an undefined scene so sound is still output.
• Verify that in each scene the blocks are set to the correct channel.
• Use a consistent naming scheme for preset titles and scene titles. Choose titles that fit on the hardware displays of the processor and foot controller.
• FC-6 and FC-12 controllers, FM3, FM9: program per-preset switches if needed.
• FRFR: enter the desired low-pass and high-pass settings in the Cab block if desired.
• Configure the Per-Preset Perform page.
• Make sure the preset still works if a pedal or switch isn’t connected.

Note: The number of blocks in a preset does NOT have any impact on latency. Depending on the hardware, the type of blocks can affect latency. Read this: Latency.

Manage Presets tool

The tool Manage Presets in the editor lets you manage presets: copy, paste, delete, clear, import/export, etc.

Preset numbering

Preset numbering starts at 000.

The Display Offset parameter in the Setup menu lets you change this to 001. This offsets the display only, meaning that it does not change which preset is actually loaded by a given footswitch or MIDI message.

Preset title

When renaming a preset in the software editor, make sure to press ENTER in the name field, before saving the preset.

Export a preset to disk

To export a preset (or bank) to disk for archiving or sharing:

• Select Export in the editor.
• Use the editor's Manage Presets tool.
• Use Fractal-Bot.

The preset or bank will have the .syx filename extension.

Do not share IRs which are protected by a EULA, license, copyright, etc.

If the preset has Global blocks (Axe-Fx only), it's recommended to unlink these before exporting a preset. If not, the preset is only usable if you also include your system data file.

Preset-Cab bundle

A Preset-Cab bundle is a single file containing a preset and user IR(s) used by that preset. You can save and load Preset-Cab bundles with the editor. Bundles make it easier to share sounds and are easy to export and import.

Warning: Do not share IRs which are protected by a EULA, license, copyright, and such.

To export a bundle, use the Preset > Export Preset-Cab Bundle menu in the editor, which will display a dialog allowing us to include user IRs which can be saved by checking them.

To import a bundle, use the Presets > Import Preset menu in the editor, or drag-and-drop a bundle file onto the editor's main Preset display. This will display a dialog. This dialog unpacks a Preset-Cab Bundle and saves it ready-for-use to your device. A bundle contains one preset plus all of the IRs it depends on. To proceed, you must select a location to save each of the items within the Bundle. The preset will be updated automatically to refer to the location(s) you selected for the IRs.

Also see "Cab block" for more information.

Swap two presets

The Axe-Fx III, FM9 and FM3 currently don't provide the possibility to swap presets on the hardware itself. Use the editor's Tools > Manage Presets tool.

Clear a preset

The hardware does not provide a Clear or Delete/Erase tool for single presets. You can clear a preset slot by overwriting it with another empty preset.

Use the editor to clear multiple presets in one go.

The Setup menu on the Fx III, FM9 and FM3 allows deleting ALL presets. Be careful!

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[2] This erases the presets from non-volatile memory. The presets are in still in RAM until you reboot. This allows a small bit of safety in case you decide "oh, crap, I didn't want to erase THIS preset".

Create a list of all presets

In the software editor, select Tools > Export as Text.

You can also choose to save a list of all presets including the names of all scenes.

Preset size

In rare cases a preset can get too large, having too many bytes. This is not the same as overloading the CPU. There's no warning or checking mechanism for this. If this happens, certain values won't get stored, or revert to zero upon recall. These are rare cases, which seem to occur mostly when the user uses a VERY large number of modifiers/controllers, or too many Global blocks.

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[3] A preset in the III is four times the size of a preset in the II.

CPU usage

Read "CPU usage" for more information.

Preset level

Level controls

• The Input block has a Level control. It allows sending a lower or higher level into the effects grid which i.e. can be used to compensate for guitars with varying output levels.
• Each preset has a Level control in the Output block. It is saved per scene.
• All effect blocks have Level controls.

There are systemwide level controls too.

• The Global EQ provides gain controls for each output.
• There are OUT knobs on the top/front panel.
• Some processors let you switch the nominal output of the device between +4 and -10 dB in the Setup menu.

If the red “Out Clip” LED blinks, the signal in the digital domain is too hot (loud). Severe clipping will cause digital audio distortion (crackle) which you want to avoid. This kind of clipping is not related to amp distortion.

Read Main output level for more information.

Important:

• The OUT level knobs on the top/front panel have no effect on output clipping, because they control the analog circuitry and are placed after the digital-to-analog converter.
• Clipping always occurs at the digital-to-analog output stage.
• You can't clip an individual block.
• Digital clipping does NOT harm the unit.
• There is NO relationship between Input Level / Input Pad in the Setup menu and output clipping. These parameters control only the signal-to-noise ratio at the input stage and do NOT affect gain in the signal chain.

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[4] It is floating point. A block can't clip (unless it's designed to).

You can reduce the digital signal level in any block by turning down its Level. The Amp block's Level or the Output block's Level controls are recommended for this purpose.

If your unit's output is clipping heavily during a gig, you don't need to adjust the preset. Just enter the Global EQ and turn down Gain to solve this temporarily. Use the OUT knob on the top/front panel to compensate for loss of volume.

The latest generation of processors feature meters in the Layout menu which display the level of each effect block. This is extremely helpful for finding the cause of an interrupted signal.

Set and match levels

You probably want to match the output levels of all your presets. If you want to do this by ear, don't do it at low volume level and don't use headphones. The reason is, you may think that your high-gain preset needs to be turned down compared to your clean preset, but when playing live, that high-gain preset is compressed and has no peaks, while the clean is tone is very dynamic. Really, the only proven way to match levels by ear is to do this at gig level, and preferable with the band playing or using a backing track.

The recommended control to adjust the preset level is Output Level in the Amp block. The current editors provide a Preset Leveling tool for this task using Control+L on Windows or Command+L on macOS.

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[5] The amp block is always the place to set your volume. The Level control is repeated at several places in the amp block menus for convenience so you don't have to keep switching pages. The Level control has no affect on the tone.

That quote above is only valid for non-MV amps (i.e. Fenders). The Master Volume (MV) DOES affect the tone. It sets the level into the power amp simulation. The Level control has no affect on the tone. For non-MV amps the recommended setting for MV is around 9.0. For MV amps, i.e a 5150, adjust the MV until the desired amount of power amp distortion is obtained. Most MV amps rely on preamp distortion and don't produce much power amp distortion. If you turn the MV up too high on them the tone will get muddy and flubby.

Non-MV amps rely primarily on power amp distortion so you need the level into the power amp to be hot enough to push the power amp into distortion.

Another approach is to measure and match the preset levels using the VU meters. These show the relative loudness of the preset. Zoom out from the layout grid, or view the Output blocks.

These readouts can be used to help set preset levels to the same apparent volume. For convenience, the level of the Amp blocks can be set from this page.

Section 7 of the Axe-Fx III Owner's Manual also discusses setting preset levels.

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[6] Don't be afraid to turn up the Amp level. The VU meters are calibrated such that there is 12 dB of headroom at the red line when the Output Level knob is at maximum.

[7] ITU-R is a standard for loudness measurement. Broadcasters use it to monitor the apparent loudness of program material and comply with regulations, i.e., making sure commercials aren't louder than the programming. The measurement includes a simple head model and hearing perception model to give a fairly accurate indication of relative volume.

Be aware that the VU meter is offset by 20 dB, so when the meter reads 0 it’s actually -20 dB. This means that the "0" mark does not indicate clipping. This allows for sufficient headroom. When playing you'll see the meters bounce around. The meters give you a general idea of the loudness of the current preset, to get you in the ballpark. Try strumming the strings in a consistent way. Adjust the Amp level(s), aiming for an average level around 0 dB.

[8] The leveling tool will often result in clean tones not sounding as loud as distorted tones due to the greater dynamic range.

[9] All Fractal Audio products use floating-point processing. In fact the Axe-Fx III uses 64-bit floating-point in many places. It's impossible to clip internally. The AX-8 and Axe-Fx II use 40-bit in many places and are also impossible to clip internally. If you are clipping the output, which is the final fixed-point signal to the converters (all audio converters use fixed-point), then your internal signals are far too high. If you use the VU meters and set your output to 0 dB you are guaranteed 12 dB of headroom at the converters with the output level knob all the way up. I've never witnessed a palm mute that was more than a few dB hotter than nominal.

Go into the Layout menu and press the Zoom hotkey. This will display VU meters for the two main outputs. Adjust the level of the Amp block (using the Block Level knob with the Amp block selected) so that the signal hovers around the 0 dB marker. If you do this it's impossible to clip the outputs.

The factory presets are all adjusted for roughly 0 dB on the VU meters. Even with the output level knob all the way up I never get anywhere even close to clipping.

We could've taken a conservative approach and built in a lot of headroom so that clipping the converters was impossible but then you lose dynamic range. The approach taken optimizes the dynamic range of the converters (so you aren't wasting bits) thereby ensuring maximum fidelity and lowest noise. It does require that the user adjust their presets correctly to avoid overflowing the converters but the VU meters make this task trivially easy.

Another method:

1. Select a preset with a really clean amp. Why? As Jay Mitchell explains: Clean presets have the greatest crest factor (ratio of peak to average energy) and will therefore cause digital clipping at lower average levels (which determine your perception of volume) than gainier presets. For that reason, it is important to reference the levels of all other presets to that of the cleanest one set so that it never causes the (device) to clip with the Level control set to maximum. Once you have set this level you then need to set other presets to match it. Otherwise, your cleaner presets will either clip or be much softer than the others.
2. Disable all effect blocks, especially compressors, except Amp and Cabinet.
3. If you use a boost in the preset, enable it.
4. Select your loudest pickup and hit the strings hard.
5. Turn down Amp Level until the clip LED doesn't light anymore.
6. Turn the level down another 8 dB. This creates sufficient headroom for unforeseen circumstances.
7. This is now your reference level for all presets.
8. If this method causes volume loss, compensate by turning up the overall volume level on the front panel or on your amplifier.

Vol Inc and Vol Dec

Volume Inc(rement) and Volume Dec(rement) present a convenient way to adjust preset levels on the fly (without manual editing). These commands let you adjust the preset level in steps of 1 dB while playing. Adjustments are saved automatically.

To make this work, assign these commands to switches on your foot controller, using their MIDI CCs. The MFC-101 MIDI foot controller (discontinued) and FC-6 and FC-12 foot controllers have dedicated commands for this purpose.

• Make sure that a single press sends just one command, not a double one.
• There are separate Vol Inc/Vol dec commands for Outputs 1 and 2.
• They work per scene.

Note that other unsaved changes to the preset will get saved too when Vol Inc or Vol Dec is triggered.

The FC-6 and FC-12 foot controllers, FM3 and FM9 provide an alternative for Vol Inc and Vol Dec: adjust Amp Level in steps. This also includes a quick way to save a preset in its current state through a footswitch (without increasing or decreasing the level).

Level boost

There are multiple ways to boost the signal level, i.e., for leads:

• Add a Filter block at the end of the signal chain, set to Null with Level at e.g. 3 dB, and its Bypass assigned to a switch.
• Use a PEQ or GEQ block with Level turned up and assign the block's Bypass to a switch.
• Assign a pedal or switch to Level in the Amp block.
• Boost the level at the input of the grid using the Level parameter in the GTE/IN menu.
• Use a scene for increased output level.
• Use a channel of a block with increased level.
• Assign an expression pedal to global IN or OUT level.

Routing

Series and parallel routing

You can put effect blocks in series (in a single row) or parallel.

The Axe-Fx III, FM3 and FM9 have extensive routing possibilities, using the grid.

On the VP4, one or more effects can be placed in parallel with the previous effect.

Parallel routing is a common method in traditional analog rigs to avoid loss of tone. But there's no need to use parallel routing to prevent loss of tone quality when using Fractal Audio gear. Parallel routing is still useful, e.g. for independent delay and reverb paths, or to place effects after a specific effect, not affecting the main signal. Also, it allows you to put more effects in a preset, overcoming the limit of the maximum number of columns.

You don’t want to place 100% wet effects in a parallel path, such as Tremolo or Compressor, because dry signal will still be going through the main path and affect the effect.

If an effect is placed in parallel, bypassing that effect may pass direct signal, which, when merged with the main signal, increases the overall signal level. To prevent this, select a suitable Bypass Mode (not: THRU). MUTE OUT and MUTE FX OUT will kill effect tails, while MUTE IN and MUTE FX IN preserve tails.

Current firmware makes it easy to configure effects for operation in parallel paths. The KILL DRY parameter mutes the dry signal, and lets you keep using the Mix parameter to dial in the desired effects level. It also provides support for the Reverb and Effects Mix parameter in the Global menu. You still need to set the correct Bypass Mode to prevent an undesirable level boost when bypassing the effect, see above.

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Added “Kill Dry” control to Delay, Multitap Delay, Pitch, Plex and Reverb blocks. When set to ON the dry signal is muted. This simplifies routing these blocks in parallel. When using these blocks in parallel the user can turn Kill Dry on and set the wet level using the Mix control, leaving the Level control at 0dB. This also has the advantage that the wet level is controlled by the global Reverb/Effects Mix, if desired.

[10] If using Kill Dry you typically wouldn't use THRU. Use any of the other modes. If you want the tails use Mute Fx In or Mute In.

Before firmware 25.00 for the Axe-Fx III:

When running an effect in series, using its Mix parameter (if available) may affect the level of the dry level too. This is not the case with effects in a parallel row when Mix is set to 100% (fully wet) and using Level or Input Gain to dial in the desired effects level. So, when using effects in parallel, set Mix at 100% and use Level to dial in the desired amount of effect. With effects featuring an Input Gain parameter, you can keep Level at 0 and use Input Gain (which controls the level going into the block) to dial in the desired amount of effect. Also, setting Mix at 100% avoids creating double direct signal paths, which would result in undesirable increase of volume.

See What is the "exact?" db of gain increase on muted parallel effects? in the forum for more information.

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[11] Don't think in terms of dB. Assume you are putting 1V in (for convenience). If you add two rows you get 2V out. That's a 6 dB increase. If you add three rows you get 3V out. That's a 9.5 dB increase. If you add four rows you get 4V. That's 12 dB.

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Forum member Bakerman:

[12]: Decibels use a logarithmic scale. You need to double the voltage (paths of identical signal) to see a ~6 dB increase. 1 to 2 is doubling. 2 to 4 is doubling. 2 to 3 (voltage gain of 1.5) is only a ~3.5 dB increase.

Forum member GM Arts:

Here's a bit of trivia to cover the comments we often see along the lines of: when I combine two blocks in parallel into a single block, it gets louder... The two signals sum, so it's necessary to reduce the output levels of the two blocks so they combine without volume boost. For an equal mix, each block must be set to -6dB. What's not so apparent is what levels to use for unequal mixes, so here they are. This applies to combining two blocks that each have the same level into a single block without volume change.

-6	-6dB
-5.5	-6.6dB
-5	-7.2dB
-4.5	-7.9dB
-4	-8.7dB
-3.5	-9.6dB
-3	-10.7dB
-2.5	-12dB
-2	-13.7dB
-1.5	-16dB
-1	-19.3dB
-0.5	-25dB

Forum member DLC86:

When the mix knob is set at 50%:

Chorus: -3 dB
Compressor: -6 dB
Delay: 0 dB
Drive: -6 dB
Flanger: -3 dB
Formant: -6 dB
Megatap Delay: -6 dB
Multiband Comp: -6 dB
Multitap Delay: -3 dB
Phaser: -3 dB
Pitch: -6 dB
Plex Delay: -6 dB
Reverb: -3 dB
Ring Modulator: -6 dB
Rotary: -3 dB
Synth: -6 dB
Ten-Tap Delay: -3 dB
Vocoder: 0 dB

Pre and post routing

PRE and POST refer to the position of effects before or after the Amp block and/or Cab block.

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FX8 Owner's manual:
Sonically speaking, the main reason to care about PRE vs. POST is that a given effect will sound different when placed BEFORE or AFTER your amp’s preamp—the place where distortion occurs. How does this difference sound? If you’ve ever switched the sequence of traditional DRIVE and WAH pedals, you’ve heard an excellent example. In the case of wah before overdrive, the resonant filter of the wah “excites” the overdrive in a cool way while still retaining a natural overall tone. When the wah follows distortion, you might hear a more dramatic filtered sweep—with heavy distortion it can get almost synth-like—which might be considered less “classic.” It’s not surprising then that Wah would traditionally be a run as a “PRE” effect between guitar and amp. The amp’s distortion follows the wah effect. Many other effects fall in this same category. A different example is found in overdrive with reverb and delay. In the natural world, reverb and echo occur because of open spaces around your guitar amp – like a club or concert hall. These effects would therefore NOT be heard before a distorted amp, but after it. Recording studios often add these kinds of effects at the console—after the mic has picked up the distorted sound from the guitar amp. If you wanted to simulate this natural sounding reverb or delay these effects would likely be run “POST.” This is not to say that delay or reverb before distortion is a “no-no.” Many “legendary” tones came from echo units in front of an amp—but this effect is very different from “POST” delay—not only tonally, but also in terms of dynamics. The good news is that the FX8 allows you to experiment easily and find what combinations of pre- and post-effects work best for you. Creativity begins where tradition ends.

Mono or stereo

Read Mono and stereo for more information.

Routing tools

See these sections for more information:

• Multiplexer block
• Send and Return blocks
• Mixer block
• Volume/Panner block

Editing parameters

Reset a block

Press the Reset soft button. This resets the current channel only.

Use the editor to initialize the entire block or just the channel.

Visit the Amp block page for more information about defaulting the parameters in an Amp block.

Bypass mode

MUTE IN

When the block is bypassed, its inputs are muted, silencing the both wet and dry but allowing effect tails to ring out or spill over. Use this (or MUTE FX IN) for time-based effects in parallel.

MUTE OUT

When the block is bypassed, all audio is totally silenced at the outputs. Effect tails are silenced immediately, but the input is still listening so tails may be heard when you engage the effect.

MUTE FX IN

When the block is bypassed, the inputs of its internal processor are muted, but the dry is unaffected. This allows effect tails to ring. LEVEL and BALANCE and MIX controls continue to operate when the block is bypassed. Use this for time-based effects in series when you want spillover.

MUTE FX OUT

When the block is bypassed, the outputs of its internal processor are pulled, but dry signal is totally unaffected. With this setting, signals can enter a reverb or delay before it is engaged. LEVEL and BALANCE and MIX controls continue to operate when the block is bypassed.

MUTE

When the block is bypassed, both wet and dry are totally silenced.

THRU

When bypassed, the block is completely disengaged. None of its parameters have any effect on the sound; it behaves exactly as if it were never there in the first place.

The settings are explained through diagrams in the Owner's Manual:

To set a block's Bypass state in all scenes of a preset, use the editor.

The engaged/bypass state of an effect block can be different per scene, when not connected to a controller. Read Scenes for more information.

When switching between two Amp blocks in parallel rows, make sure to set their Bypass Mode to Mute, to prevent bleed-through of dry signal from the bypassed Amp block.

Bypassing a block does NOT lower CPU usage. CPU usage only decreases when removing the block from the grid.

In current firmware, the bypass design has been changed for blocks whose mix is hard-coded at 100%, for example, Wah, Filter, EQ, Tremolo. These blocks now bypass and engage with a gentle fade, smoothening the transition.

Bypass state across all presets

The bypass state of a block is saved per preset and scene.

If you want systemwide control of the bypass state of a specific effect block, here's a solution:

• Attach the Bypass parameter of the effect block to an External controller.
• In the I/O menu, switch the external controller's initial value between 0% or 100% to change the effect's Bypass state. Or assign a switch on your foot controller to the MIDI CC of the external Controller to switch the block.
• This works with Global and non-Global Blocks, and across all presets with the same effect block.

Recall Effect

A feature on the Axe-Fx II, FX8 and AX8 only that lets you copy the parameters of an effect block from another preset into the current preset.

Global blocks

Global blocks let you change a parameter value in all presets with the same instance of that Global block.

Read "Global blocks" for more information.

Library

Read "Editors" for more information.

Performance Pages

The Performance Pages on the Axe-Fx III, FM9 and FM3 allow fast access to system parameters and effect block parameters. There's a Global Perform page and a Per-Preset Perform page. You must use the editor to add controls to these screens.

• Each of the Performance sections can be configured with up to 10 user-selected controls from any of the blocks found in the preset (including Controllers and system settings). Configuration of the Perform tabs are done via the editor. Allowable controls include rotary knobs, slider controls (which are displayed as rotary knobs), push-buttons, drop-downs, and toggle controls (e.g., on/off controls).

• The editor's Perform view is accessed via the Perform button or the Tools > Performance menu.

• Performance controls are assigned via drag-and-drop from a block's parameter view to the Perform view. To assign a block's parameter to the Perform view, click on the control's label and drag the control to the desired Perform configuration. (To assign a Perform control from the CONTROLLERS Sequencer, right-click on the Sequencer control and choose the location from the pop-up menu.)

• Assigned controls within the Perform view can be drag-and-dropped to new locations. The Perform view supports the SWAP and MOVE operations similar to the Grid.

• Each Performance control has two labels. To change the text of any Performance Control label, double-click it. To reset the label to its default text use the Reset Label button.

• To remove a Performance control, select the control and press the DELETE key.

• The Per-Preset Performance Controls are stored per-preset. Adding or removing a control from this area will change the EDIT state of the preset.

• The Global Performance Controls are stored in the system settings. Adding or removing a control from this area automatically saves the control, without needing to save the preset.

• The Per-Preset Performance Controls can be saved to and loaded from the Library using the arrow control in the Per-Preset Performance Controls title.

• When the Perform view is visible, the main effect editor's controls are disabled to allow for drag-and-drop assignment to the Perform view.

Firmware for the FM3 includes a short Performance Control Pages manual and tutorial.

Tip: You can copy the Global Performance Controls to the Per-Preset controls in an empty Preset, then save the preset, and restore them at a later moment by switching back to that preset and copying them back to the Global Performance Controls pane. You can also save the Per-Preset Performance Controls to the Library and reload them later using the reveal triangle.

Also read "Editors" for more information.

Tempo

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

Read "Tempo" for more information.

Mix parameter

The Mix parameter determines the amount of wet signal in a block. At 100 the signal is totally wet. This is usually used with effects such as Tremolo and Compressor. At 0, the signal stays completely dry (no effect), with the exception of the Drive block.

Mix at 50% results in both wet and dry being at -6 db in comparison to their maximum output levels (except the Delay block because of the Delay Mix Law). Compensate by adjusting Level.

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When turning up Mix in a block, the dry signal decreases. The table below shows wet/dry dB levels at various settings for blocks like Reverb, Pitch, etc. which do NOT use a constant power algorithm (like DRIVE). The Delay also uses a different method. In a rig where unity gain matters, these numbers are used to know how much to adjust Level for a given Mix setting.

MIX SETTING	WET LEVEL	DRY LEVEL	WET/DRY DIFF
0	-∞	0.00	-∞
5	-26.02	-0.45	25.58
10	-20.00	-0.92	19.08
15	-16.48	-1.41	15.07
20	-13.98	-1.94	12.04
25	-12.04	-2.50	9.54
30	-10.46	-3.10	7.36
35	-9.12	-3.74	5.38
40	-7.96	-4.44	3.52
45	-6.94	-5.19	1.74
50	-6.02	-6.02	0.00
55	-5.19	-6.94	1.74
60	-4.44	-7.96	3.52
65	-3.74	-9.12	5.38
70	-3.10	-10.46	7.36
75	-2.50	-12.04	9.54
80	-1.94	-13.98	12.04
85	-1.41	-16.48	15.07
90	-0.92	-20.00	9.08
95	-0.45	-26.02	25.58
100	0.00	-∞	∞

The formula for an exact calculator is:

• DRY LEVEL = (LOG((100-MIX)/100))*20
• WET LEVEL = (LOG(MIX/100))*20

Forum member DLC86 created this table, which lists the required dry level reduction with Mix at 50%:

Chorus:	-3 dB
Compressor:	-6 dB
Delay:	0 dB
Drive:	-6 dB
Flanger:	-3 dB
Formant:	-6 dB
Megatap Delay:	-6 dB
Multiband Comp:	-6 dB
Multitap Delay:	-3 dB
Phaser:	-3 dB
Pitch:	-6 dB
Plex Delay:	-6 dB
Reverb:	-3 dB
Ring Modulator:	-6 dB
Rotary:	-3 dB
Synth:	-6 dB
Ten-Tap Delay:	-3 dB
Vocoder:	0 dB

Note that on the VP4 the "Mix law" is adjusted.

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[13] The mix law in many blocks is different to suit the "all effects before the amp" crowd better.

[14] The sweetened mix law places a wider range of knob motion in the portion of the curve where the delay is quieter. This replicates the way pedals that are designed for use in front of an amp work because the amp's compression reduces the difference between the quiet echoes and the louder dry signal.

Global Effects Mix

The Effects Mix parameter in the Setup menu lets you control the overall wetness of effect blocks that have a Global Mix parameter. The parameter simply multiplies the Mix value in the presets.

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[15] Global Reverb and Effects Mix are relative. If set to 0% the mix is set by the preset. If set to, say, -10% the mix would be 10% less than the preset mix.

Global Reverb Mix

There's a separate global mix parameter in the Setup menu for reverb: Reverb Mix. Note that reverbs also are effected by the Effects Mix parameter (see above). The parameter simply multiplies the Mix value in the presets.

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[16] Global Reverb and Effects Mix are relative. If set to 0% the mix is set by the preset. If set to, say, -10% the mix would be 10% less than the preset mix.

Internal controllers, External Controllers, Control Switches

Read "Controllers and modifiers" for more information.

Waveforms

For explanations of waveforms and graphs, read the Owner's Manual and and look up "Waveforms in Wikipedia".

Tips and tricks

Zoomed display mode

The FM3 and FM9 provide a zoomed display mode, where the preset title and its scenes are displayed in a large font for easy viewing.

Turn the B knob on the Home screen to switch between display modes.

In zoomed mode, use the cursor keys to switch between scenes. To switch presets: use the Value Wheel, then press the Enter button on the front panel.

FC: automatically display scenes after switching presets

You can configure an FC controller, the FM3 and FM9 to automatically display scenes after switching presets.

In the PRESETS layout, add a layout link from the foot switch for that scene to the SCENES layout.

When you select the preset, the modeler will automatically switch to display the scenes. Repeat as necessary for other preset switches.

Crossfade sounds

There are several ways to crossfade sounds.

Scene scontrollers — Use Scene controllers with a damping value of several hundreds of milliseconds.

Sequencer — Use the Sequencer internal controller. (source: Bakerman)

1. Set it to something like 16 steps, Rate just over 1 Hz, Values increasing in steps of 10% and have it sit at 100% for the last 6 steps.
2. Place a volume block in each signal chain and assign Seq to turn chain B up and chain A down.
3. Use several hundreds of milliseconds of damping.
4. Assign one switch to Sequencer Run control and a second switch to bypass both volume blocks. You'll want them engaged before/during the crossfade.
5. Use Mute Bypass mode for the Vol block in chain A, Thru Bypass mode for the one in chain B.

Now you can be playing sound A, hit switch 1 and get the 8-9 second crossfade, then hit switch 2 within the next 4-5 seconds before the sequencer restarts. If you wait too long you'll hear it fade back quickly to A (then B gradually again) but whenever you hit it you'll hear sound B regardless of what the sequencer's doing. After that you can always stop the sequencer and switch back to sound A; it will just be instant instead of a crossfade.

Pedal — Use a pedal to crossfade between i.e. two AMP blocks:

1. Assign the Level parameter of one AMP block to an external controller.
2. Do the same with the other AMP block, using the opposite curve (or reversed Min/Max values) and using the same external controller.
3. Assign the external controller to a pedal.

FC: storing a preset

To save an edited preset during a performance using foot switch on your FC: assign the function Amp Level + Save with a value of 0 dB to the switch.

Troubleshooting

Create a fully initialised empty preset

1. Power down the unit and wait five seconds.
2. Power on holding HOME until the boot-up progress bar first appears.
3. The unit will boot with an empty initialized preset in location “000”. You can STORE this to any other location.

No sound

If the device or preset doesn't produce any sound, check the following:

• Check your cables! [17]
• Is the latest firmware installed on the unit?
• Is the correct Input block connected to the correct Output block on the grid?
• Verify that Bypass Mode in bypassed blocks is not set to “Mute”.
• Are the blocks set to channels that pass signal?
• Does the Cab block use a cab slot that's not empty?
• There isn't an expression pedal muting the signal?
• Are the OUT level knobs on the hardware turned up?
• Is Return Level in the Feedback Return block turned up?
• Is the Scene Output Level in the Output block correctly set?
• Isn't Gain in the Global EQ turned down?
• Is the monitor or other amplification turned on?

Bypass corrupt preset at startup

A corrupt preset can cause problems at startup.

Axe-Fx III 

If a problematic system parameter prevents the device from booting, hold EDIT on startup to bypass non-default system settings and reset them. Press-and-hold both EDIT and HOME at startup to bypass and reset the system settings AND load a fully initialised empty preset.

FM9, FM3 

If a problematic system parameter prevents the device from booting, hold EDIT on startup to bypass non-default system settings and reset them. Press-and-hold both EDIT and HOME at startup to bypass and reset the system settings AND load a fully initialised empty preset.

Axe-Fx II XL/XL+ 

Hold down Page Left and Page Right while cycling power until the Emergency Utility menu appears. Update the firmware using Fractal-Bot.

If the unit sounds bad after an update, try this: "Reset system parameters".

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[18] There's multiple levels of error checking. First the USB endpoint is a bulk endpoint so it has guaranteed transmission. Then each packet has a checksum. Then the entire image has a checksum. Finally the image written to the FLASH is compared to the downloaded image byte-by-byte. It's virtually impossible to have corrupted firmware image.

[19] It's virtually impossible to brick a Fractal product. All our products feature an "emergency bootloader" that allows booting the unit in the event of a failed firmware update.

Preset appears empty

If a preset unexpectedly shows up empty, it was probably saved with firmware that is more recent than the version that is loaded on your device. Update your unit's Firmware.

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[20] Whenever there is a major revision presets created with that revision are NOT backwards compatible.

Device won't save a preset

If saving a preset to a specific preset slot on the device is unsuccessful, there may be an issue with its FLASH memory.

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[21] If it's always the same preset locations then the FLASH is going bad.