This is the wiki for products made by Fractal Audio Systems, maintained by members of the community.
Channels
Contents
Channels
Most of the effect blocks of the current generation have 4 channels. Channels can be regarded as mini-presets in a block. Each channel provides a unique set of parameter values.
Switching between channels is instantaneous and seamless and can be done manually (on the hardware or with a foot controller) or automatically when changing scenes. Channels can also be switched via MIDI for applications requiring automation.
Example: set the Amp block so that Channel A is a DELUXE VERB model, Channel B is a PLEXI, Channel C is a RECTO and Channel D is FAS MODERN. Then, change channels (sounds) almost instantly at the touch of a button, while the other blocks are untouched.
Channel-switching is the successor of X/Y switching, a feature of the Axe-Fx II, AX8, FX8 and MFC-101.
The differences between presets, scenes and channels can described in another way:
- Preset
- A preset is like your entire traditional pedalboard
- Scenes
- Scenes are like your entire traditional pedalboard at a particular moment, with effects set on or off and channels set to a specific sounds
- Channels
- Channels are like a pedal 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
See the Owner's manuals for more information.
FRACTAL AUDIO QUOTES
[1] Channels are the cat's sphincter. Many blocks, including the amp block, have four channels. Channels switch instantly.
[2] Channels save all settings for a block. A channel is like a preset within a block.
[3] To recap:
- Channels can be thought of as a preset for an individual block. For example, you can think of the Delay block as being a stand-alone delay pedal (or rackmount processor) with four presets.
- Scenes store the bypass state and channel for each block.
By using scenes and channels you can use a single preset for an entire song, an entire set or even the entire show. Since the routing doesn't need to change things switch fast and smooth. When switching presets the processor has to assume the routing might have changed and therefore has to clear all the buffers, mute the audio, etc. which takes time and interrupts the audio.
[4] The Axe-Fx III was designed so that single preset can be thought of as an entire rack full of processors. Each virtual processor has up to four presets. So if you were trying to do spillover in a rack you would use two reverb processors.
Which blocks have channels
The effect blocks in the FM3, FM9 and VP4 have the same number of channels as on the Axe-Fx III.
There's a single exception: the Multiplexer has 6 channels on the Axe-Fx III and FM9, and 4 channels on the FM3.
The Controllers block in the Axe-Fx III, FM3 and FM9 also has 4 channels. [5] The Controllers block in the VP4 does not have channels.
Read this:
Switch between channels
To switch between the channels of an effect block, use:
- hardware GUI
- software editor
- presets
- scenes
- onboard switches
- FC-6 or FC-12 controller
- external switches
- MIDI: assign a MIDI CC in SETUP (Axe-Fx III, FM3, FM9 only), and specify a value to select a specific channel, where:
- 0 = A
- 1 = B
- 2 = C
- 3 = D
In current firmware, switching channels can happen gapless. Read this: Gapless Changes.
CPU usage
CPU usage is calculated based on the currently selected channel of an effect. When switching channels, CPU usage may change.
Scene Ignore
The Scene Ignore parameter makes sure that the current block channel is carried over to the next scene.
Read this: Scene Ignore
Modifiers
If an internal or external controller is assigned as a source to a parameter, you can choose to apply it to all channels of that block, or just to a single channel.
Read this: Modifiers and controllers
Note that a parameter allows only one modifier, not multiple.
Copy or swap channels
On the hardware, channel settings can be copied-and-pasted within the same block (Layout > Tools), or swapped.
To copy channels between blocks and to/from other presets, use the software editor.
Reset a channel
Resetting a block defaults the parameters of the current channel. It does not change the settings of other channels.
To reset ALL channels of the block, switch to the other channels and repeat the process, or use the software editor to reset the entire block in one go.
Read Reset a block for more information.
Tips, tricks and troubleshooting
Use channels to compare sounds and settings
Channels offer an easy way to compare sounds when tweaking. They also allow you to quickly detect non-default settings by resetting one channel to default settings and then comparing the channels.
This page discusses functionality of legacy products. The contents are frozen and will not be updated.
Available on which products
- Axe-Fx III: n/a (replaced by Channels)
- FM9: n/a (replaced by Channels)
- FM3: n/a (replaced by Channels)
- VP4: n/a (replaced by Channels)
- Axe-Fx II: X/Y
- AX8: X/Y
- FX8: X/Y
X/Y switching
X/Y switching was the predecessor to Channels.
Most effect blocks in the Axe-Fx II, FX8 and AX8 can be switched quickly between two sets of settings: X and Y.
Examples:
- Amp X = clean, Amp Y = high gain
- Phaser X = Script 90, Phaser Y = Vibe
- Rotary X = slow, Rotary Y = fast
- Cab X = mono, Cab Y = stereo
- GEQ X = soft boost, GEQ Y = loud boost
Which effect blocks support X/Y
- Axe-Fx II Mark I and II
- Amp, Cab, Chorus, Delay, Drive, Flanger, Phaser, Pitch, Reverb, Wah, Rotary
- Axe-Fx II XL and XL+
- Amp, Cab, Chorus, Compressor/Dynamics, Delay, Drive, Flanger, GEQ, Gate, Mixer, PEQ, Phaser, Pitch, Rotary, Reverb, Tremolo, Wah
- AX8
- Amp, Cab, Chorus, Compressor/Dynamics, Delay, Drive, Filter, Flanger, Gate, Multi Delay, Phaser, Pitch, Rotary, Reverb, Tremolo, Wah
- FX8
- Chorus, Compressor/Dynamics, Delay, Drive, Filter, Flanger, Gate, MIDI, Multi Delay, Phaser, Pitch, Relay, Rotary, Reverb, Tremolo, Wah
Switching between X and Y
- Axe-Fx II
- In the Edit mode of a block, press the dedicated X/Y buttons on the front panel.
- FX8 and AX8
- Hold a switch (1-8) to alternate between X and Y. If the LED is amber lit, Y is active
- Assign one of the three F-switches to "Single X/Y" or "Sticky X/Y", then press the switch which has been assigned to the effect
- Switch a block between X and Y on the grid using a shortcut key:
- AX8 — SHIFT + 2x EDIT on LAYOUT page, or 2x EDIT in a block's editing mode
- FX8 — 2x EDIT on CFG screen
- Scenes
- The X/Y state of an effect can be set per scene.
- Editors
- Press the "X" key on the keyboard to switch a block between X and Y in the software editor. The X/Y state of each block is shown in the software editor, without needing to select the block first.
- MFC-101 and other MIDI controllers
- Most blocks have a dedicated MIDI CC for X/Y switching. These are listed in the manuals. Assign the CC to a switch to alternate between X and Y. You can configure X/Y effect blocks to engage the effect in either X or Y mode. Example: [6]
- IA Switch 1, ON message: DELAY 1 ON, DELAY 1 X (CC#47:127, CC#106: 127)
- IA Switch 1, OFF message: DELAY 1 OFF, DELAY 1 X (CC#47:0, CC#106: 127)
- IA Switch 2, OFF message: DELAY 1 ON, DELAY 1 Y (CC#47:127, CC#106: 0)
- IA Switch 2, OFF message: DELAY 1 OFF, DELAY 1 Y (CC#47:0, CC#106: 0)
Or use a MIDI controller's "group" or "linked switches" feature.
On the MFC-101 MIDI foot controller X is green, Y is red. If you prefer the default state to be green, use Y as the default state.
Note that not all effect blocks which support X/Y have a specific MIDI CC for that task. The FX8 lets you assign CCs to those, the Axe-Fx II does not. There's a way around this. Use a MIDI Monitor to detect the MIDI sysex command that switches the block between X/Y. Then program a switch on the controller using that data.
Visual indication
- Axe-Fx II and FX8
- The current X/Y state of the selected block is shown in an effect block's EDIT menu (not on the Layout page)
- AX8
- The current X/Y state of the selected block is shown at the bottom of the Layout page
The visual X/Y state of effects blocks is shown in the software editors.
CPU usage
Reported CPU usage is based on the current block state (X or Y). When switching an effect between X and Y, the preset's CPU usage may change.
Copy and paste
The "X" settings can be copied to "Y", and vice versa, on the front panel of the Axe-Fx II by pressing the X or Y button twice quickly. There's no equivalent shortcut on the AX8 and FX8 hardware.
The software editor can be used to copy and paste an entire block or just the X or Y settings within the preset or to another preset.
Swapping
Swapping the X and Y settings of a block requires use of the editor.
Block reset
Resetting block settings on the hardware resets the parameters to their default values. This only applies to the current state: X or Y.
To reset the entire block, switch to the other state and repeat the process, or use the editor to reset the entire block.
Modifiers
If a modifier has been assigned to a parameter, it always applies to both X and Y. It's not possible to have different modifier settings for X and Y, the architecture doesn't allow this. [7]
Recall Effect
The Recall Effect function (which copies block settings from another preset) always imports both X and Y settings. If you want to copy just X or just Y, use the software editor.
X/Y switching can cause an audio gap
When switching an Amp block between X and Y, there will be a short gap in the sound.
Compare sounds and settings
X/Y switching offers an easy way to compare sounds when tweaking.
- Go to a block, state "X"
- Double-click "Y" on the front panel to copy the "X" settings into "Y"
- Select X or Y, and adjust settings
- Now alternate between X and Y to see and hear the differences
You can also do this in the editor.
This also offers an easy method to quickly see non-default settings, by resetting one side to default settings.
Crossfading sounds
Sounds do not crossfade when switching between X and Y. Use Scene controllers instead.
