A very large percentage of the people who own a Mastermind GT also own an Axe-Fx. The two work very well together in a tightly integrated manner - the GT is able to control presets, effects and various parameters, and to receive effect on/off status, preset changes and preset names from the Axe-Fx.
Connections
The Axe-Fx needs a bidirectional connection to the GT. This means that it needs to be the first device in the MIDI chain, connected with either with a single 5 or 7 pin MIDI cable, with all of the pins wired through ("3 wire" MIDI cables exist and will work fine in most MIDI applications, but not this one!).
Alternately, you can use two MIDI cables, one from the GT's MIDI output to the Axe's MIDI input and one from the GT's Remote In to the Axe's MIDI output. With a two cable setup, you can use 3-wire MIDI cables, and in some cases, can get around the requirement that the Axe-Fx be the first device in the MIDI chain. (More on this below.) If you use 2 MIDI cables, be sure to turn off the MIDI Thru parameter on the Axe-Fx.
Don't use two 5-pin or 7-pin cables if you're connecting the GT directly to the Axe-Fx! That will cause the communication between the devices to get messed up. A single cable is fine in this case (again, unless your cable only has 3 wires connected).
Phantom Power
The Axe-Fx II is not able to provide enough current to phantom power the GT. Trying to phantom power the GT will result in a damaged Axe-Fx! You can either power the GT directly with its own adapter, or you can get around the phantom power limitations in two ways:
Option 1: We sell a phantom power adapter box. You plug the Axe-Fx's MIDI input into the phantom power box's 5-pin MIDI jack using a 5-pin MIDI cable, plug the Mastermind's power adapter into the box, then run a 7-pin MIDI or 6-pin XLR cable from the box to the GT.
Option 2: If you are using one of our products like an Effect Gizmo, Rack Gizmo or Amp Gizmo, plug the MIDI Out of the GT into the MIDI In of the Gizmo using a 7-pin MIDI cable (or 6-pin XLR if available). Plug the MIDI Out/Thru of the Gizmo into the MIDI Input of the Axe-Fx. Plug the MIDI Out of the Axe-Fx into the Remote In of the GT using a 5-pin MIDI cable. Make sure that the MIDI Thru parameter of the Axe-Fx is turned off.
Initial setup
To set up the GT to work with the Axe-Fx, you first go into the Edit Devices screen, and add the appropriate Axe-Fx model to the system. Make sure that the Axe-Fx is set to a different MIDI channel than any other MIDI device in your system. This MIDI channel number must be set on the GT and on the Axe-Fx itself.
You can use the Set Default Buttons, Set Default Pages and Get Preset Names options on the GT to set up the instant access buttons, expression pedals and preset names. These are described in detail in the Mastermind GT manual.
On the Axe-Fx, you need to make sure that the MIDI channel matches the one assigned to it in the GT settings. Also, the Send Realtime Sysex parameter needs to be turned on. This parameter can be found in the I/O menu, MIDI page, near the bottom of the list.
Connections
The Axe-Fx needs a bidirectional connection to the GT. This means that it needs to be the first device in the MIDI chain, connected with either with a single 5 or 7 pin MIDI cable, with all of the pins wired through ("3 wire" MIDI cables exist and will work fine in most MIDI applications, but not this one!).
Alternately, you can use two MIDI cables, one from the GT's MIDI output to the Axe's MIDI input and one from the GT's Remote In to the Axe's MIDI output. With a two cable setup, you can use 3-wire MIDI cables, and in some cases, can get around the requirement that the Axe-Fx be the first device in the MIDI chain. (More on this below.) If you use 2 MIDI cables, be sure to turn off the MIDI Thru parameter on the Axe-Fx.
Don't use two 5-pin or 7-pin cables if you're connecting the GT directly to the Axe-Fx! That will cause the communication between the devices to get messed up. A single cable is fine in this case (again, unless your cable only has 3 wires connected).
Phantom Power
The Axe-Fx II is not able to provide enough current to phantom power the GT. Trying to phantom power the GT will result in a damaged Axe-Fx! You can either power the GT directly with its own adapter, or you can get around the phantom power limitations in two ways:
Option 1: We sell a phantom power adapter box. You plug the Axe-Fx's MIDI input into the phantom power box's 5-pin MIDI jack using a 5-pin MIDI cable, plug the Mastermind's power adapter into the box, then run a 7-pin MIDI or 6-pin XLR cable from the box to the GT.
Option 2: If you are using one of our products like an Effect Gizmo, Rack Gizmo or Amp Gizmo, plug the MIDI Out of the GT into the MIDI In of the Gizmo using a 7-pin MIDI cable (or 6-pin XLR if available). Plug the MIDI Out/Thru of the Gizmo into the MIDI Input of the Axe-Fx. Plug the MIDI Out of the Axe-Fx into the Remote In of the GT using a 5-pin MIDI cable. Make sure that the MIDI Thru parameter of the Axe-Fx is turned off.
Initial setup
To set up the GT to work with the Axe-Fx, you first go into the Edit Devices screen, and add the appropriate Axe-Fx model to the system. Make sure that the Axe-Fx is set to a different MIDI channel than any other MIDI device in your system. This MIDI channel number must be set on the GT and on the Axe-Fx itself.
You can use the Set Default Buttons, Set Default Pages and Get Preset Names options on the GT to set up the instant access buttons, expression pedals and preset names. These are described in detail in the Mastermind GT manual.
On the Axe-Fx, you need to make sure that the MIDI channel matches the one assigned to it in the GT settings. Also, the Send Realtime Sysex parameter needs to be turned on. This parameter can be found in the I/O menu, MIDI page, near the bottom of the list.