Axe-FX III Channel Switching for Blocks

[cgscotto]

Hello,
This one has me scratching my head a bit. I saw on a Mastermind GT video by RJM that holding a block activate/bypass button called up four switches, one for each channel in the block so you could step through the channels.

I know I won't be able to duplicate that function on the LT, and I noticed that the cc select menu for the Axe-Fx III on the LT and the GT does not have a channel ABCD function. I know each block will have to have its own channel select switch. Since this is not included in the cc menu, will I have to assign a cc in the Midi/Remote menu on the Axe-Fx to use for this function? Could I use a hold function for this?
Thanks in advance.

Update:
OK, I found this page on the RJM site, which discusses channels in relation to the hold function of a button designated as a bypass switch:

Mastermind GT/LT/PBC and Fractal Audio Axe-Fx III

NOTE: This article contains technical details on how the Mastermind and Axe-Fx III communicate. If you're looking for instructions on how to set up a Mastermind with an Axe-Fx III, the best place to start is your product manual. Axe-Fx III su...

rjmmusic.freshdesk.com

The page also says:

This allows us to use one CC number that can select either effect state or effect channel.

If you look at the default button settings, you can see examples of how all of this works. Each IA button uses the 0 and 127 values to turn an effect block on and off, and the hold function uses values 1-4 to select effect channel.

According to the Axe-Fx III manual, you can assign cc's or switches from a Fractal foot controller to switch channels. This seems to imply that unlike all other functions on the Axe, channel switching does not respond to sysex message. This would mean that channel switching has to be manually assigned. That is, unlike all the other pre-programmed functions in the LT, you will have to go to the midi/remote > Channels and enter cc numbers. Is this correct? How is the GT different in this regard? Are the channel functions called up by holding a block button pre-programmed in the GT? I am thinking of upgrading to a GT 16, so this information would be useful in making my decision.

While we are at it, if I do upgrade to a GT 16, can I import my current LT file into the GT to save some time. I notice that the GT and LT have different editors, so I am assuming it is not possible.

Thanks again.

 

[rjmmusic]

While you could assign CCs per Fractal's recommendation, when using a Mastermind, my recommendation is to do it our way. Use CC values 1-4 for the pre-existing CCs instead of assigning new CCs. Our "special" CCs are translated to the appropriate sysex messages when sent to the Axe-Fx.

By default, the GT assigns a hold function to each button that controls an effect block. Holding the button pops up a menu that allows you to select from the available channels. The attached screenshot shows what that hold function looks like.

You can load an LT file into the GT editor. All the buttons end up in the top 2 rows of the GT, and you'll probably have to do extensive moving around of buttons for them to make sense on a GT. But, devices, presets, songs, setlists, etc. will copy over just fine.

 

[cgscotto]

OK, I think I get what you are doing. I was looking for Drive Channel A, B, C, D in the popup menu when you assign a button. I did exactly what you have in the attached jpg, but I used my own cc that I added to the Axe. You are saying to just use Drv 1 bypass button from the popup menu, which will always start on channel A since it has a value of 0, but will switch channels with values 1, 2, and 3. The Axe manual makes it sound like you need two cc's, one for bypass and one for channel switching. If this is correct, then I can just change the CC# I used in the buttons to the pre-existing Mastermind numbers and go back to the Axe Midi/Remote menu and set the channel CCs back to none.
Thanks.

By the way, will still be a few weeks for builds of the Gas? I am hoping to order one by the end of the week, if some things I have in the works pan out.

UPDATE:
I just changed everything as you suggested and I described, and it works perfectly. Thanks again.

 

[rjmmusic]

By the way, will still be a few weeks for builds of the Gas? I am hoping to order one by the end of the week, if some things I have in the works pan out.

If you mean GTs, we're going to build just a couple of them in the upcoming week, then it'll be a couple more weeks before we can build more.

 

[Neill00]

Is there any way to do this if I’m using songs and setlists and have 3 buttons assigned to song sections (presets) but want to use those buttons in IA mode to control channels of the Vol/Pan block? If I’m reading the above correctly you need to have the button assigned IA on/off controlling an effect block as it’s main function and then you can use the hold function to bring up the channel menu, if that‘s the case it’s unlikely possible but i figure its worth asking. What I am going for is to either use two buttons in IA mode to step up or down through channels or use 3 buttons to just select a channel from the Vol/Pan maybe channel A is -2db, B is 0db and C is +2db.

 

[rjmmusic]

Is there any way to do this if I’m using songs and setlists and have 3 buttons assigned to song sections (presets) but want to use those buttons in IA mode to control channels of the Vol/Pan block? If I’m reading the above correctly you need to have the button assigned IA on/off controlling an effect block as it’s main function and then you can use the hold function to bring up the channel menu, if that‘s the case it’s unlikely possible but i figure its worth asking. What I am going for is to either use two buttons in IA mode to step up or down through channels or use 3 buttons to just select a channel from the Vol/Pan maybe channel A is -2db, B is 0db and C is +2db.

If the 3 buttons are preset buttons, you can just edit their IA parameters (such as the action list) and set those to select channels. The buttons will select presets when IA mode is off and will select channels when IA mode is on.

 

[Neill00]

I managed to get this to work, Thank you!!