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Volume/Panner block
Contents
Available on which Fractal Audio products
- Axe-Fx III: 4 blocks
- Axe-Fx II: 4 blocks
- AX8: 2 blocks
- FX8: 2 blocks
X/Y and channels
- Axe-Fx III: 4 channels.
- Axe-Fx II: no.
- AX8: no.
- FX8: no.
Purposes
As a volume pedal
Assign an expression pedal to the Volume parameter in the Volume block to create a volume pedal.
For automated volume swells
Guitar players can fade in notes and chords by using their pink finger to operate the volume knob on their guitars. BOSS automated this method in their discontinued Slow Gear pedal.
To get a similar result, attach the Envelope internal controller to the Volume parameter in the Vol/Pan block, Input Gain in a Delay block or another effect block's Level or Input Gain parameter. Fine-tune the effect by adjusting the modifier settings, selecting the Taper in the Volume block and the Envelope settings. The Envelope's Attack parameter and the Volume block's Taper parameter determine the swell rate.
Or simply copy the effect and Envelope settings from a factory preset that incorporates volume swells.
Some Axe-Fx III effect types have a dedicated Envelope controller, allowing swells without the need to use the internal Envelope controller in the Controllers block.
As a noise gate
Read this: Gate/Expander block.
To route signals
The Volume block doesn't require much CPU. This makes it a handy tool for routing. Set its Bypass parameter to Mute and put it at the start of a split signal to enable or disable a certain routing within a preset, depending on the bypass state of the Volume block. You can engage or bypass the block per scene.
As a lead boost
Place the Volume block at the end of the signal chain and increase its Level to turn it into a clean boost, through scenes or an assigned switch.
Parameters
Parameters table
| Parameter | Axe-Fx III | Axe-Fx II | AX8, FX8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume | yes | yes | yes |
| Balance | yes | yes | yes |
| Taper | yes | yes | yes |
| Input Select | yes | yes | yes |
| Pan Left/Right | yes | yes | yes |
| Bypass Mode | yes | yes | yes |
| Output Level | yes | yes | yes |
Taper
The Volume block offers various audio tapers.
"The number is the percentage at the halfway point. I.e. Log 20A means that the resistance is 20% at the halfway point in the travel. So if you put the knob at noon, the volume would be 20% of maximum (about -14 dB)." source
To simulate a Log taper in a Modifier menu, set "Mid" in the modifier menu to the log number, i.e. 20%. Adjust Slope to avoid the dead zone.
Input Select
Like the Amp and Drive blocks, the Input Select parameter in the Volume block determines whether the block processes only the left or right input signal, or both (stereo). It can send the processed signal to either side using Balance, or keep it stereo.
