Acoustic – Fractal FM3 Preset

FRACTAL FM3 PRESET DESIGNED FOR USE WITH ACOUSTIC GUITARS

IMPORTANT NOTES

1. UPDATE YOUR FIRMWARE: Please upgrade the firmware on your FM3. and make sure to use the latest version of FM3 Edit before installing this preset. If your firmware is not up to date, this preset may not load.
2. FOOT SWITCH/FC MAPPING: This preset includes custom mapping for the foot switches and Fractal FC Controllers. See the ‘FOOT SWITCH/FC MAPPING’ section for more info.

SIGNAL FLOW AND EFFECTS

1. Input 1 (the Input Noise Gate is turned off to save CPU).
2. Vol/Pan 1
   1. NOTE: The ‘Volume’ parameter is NOT MAPPED. You’ll need to map this parameter to an expression pedal if you’d like to use the volume block.
3. Compressor 1
   1. Channel A: JFET Compressor (1176 Style Comp): set to be somewhat transparent, general use comp. This is the compression setting we recommend.
   2. Channel B: Studio FF Compressor 1: set to be somewhat transparent, general use comp.
   3. Channel C: Dynamicomp (Dynacomp): Lots of compression and squish.
   4. Channels D: Optical Compressor (LA-2A style)
4. Paremetric EQ 1
   1. Always on EQ. This is a general use EQ setting that should work well for most acoustics. It rolls off low end and adds brightness.
   2. Only channel A is set up.
5. PanTrm 1
   1. Channel A : Tremolo – fixed tempo
   2. Channel B: Tremolo (1/4 Trip note sync)
   3. Channel C: Bias Trem – Bradford’s ramping trem settings (based on LFO1a)
   4. Channel D: Tremolo (1/16 note sync – set for a choppy trem sound)
6. Chorus 1
   1. Channel A : Dimension  1
   2. Channel B: Japan CE-2
   3. Channel C: Analog Stereo
   4. Channel D: Dimension 1 (more pronounced chorus effect)
7. Graphic EQ 1: ‘Brighter’
   1. This EQ will add highs and take away lows. It’s mapped to a button labeled ‘Brighter’. Use this with darker acoustics. Off by default
   2. Only channel A is set up.
8. Graphic EQ 2: ‘Darker’
   1. This EQ will add lows and take away highs. It’s mapped to a button labeled ‘Darker’. Use this with bright/thin sounding acoustics. Off by default
   2. Only channel A is set up.
9. Delay 1:  Four different delay options
   1. Channel A: Lo-Fi Tape (1/4 delay with a wide stereo field)
   2. Channel B: Stereo Mind Guy (1/8d delay)
   3. Channel C: Stereo Mind Guy (Dual stereo delay – 1/8 and Dotted 8th in stereo)
   4. Channel D: Stereo Tape (ambient stereo delay for swells)
10. Reverb 1: Four different reverb options
    1. Channel A: Recording Studio C
    2. Channel B: London Plate
    3. Channel C: Stratocumulus – ambient cloud type verb
    4. Channel D: Stratocumulus – bigger cloud verb for swells
11. Plex Delay 1: (Plex verb for huge swells and ambient reverb)
    1. Channel A: Plex Verb (big ambient reverb for swells)
    2. Channel B: Plex Verb (ambient reverb – not quite a huge as channel A)
    3. Channel C: Shimmer Verb (shimmer)
    4. Channel D: Plex Shimmer (shimmer – not as smooth as Channel C)
12. Parametric EQ 2: Notch Filters
    1. This EQ acts as a notch filter – use it if you are experiencing feedback in a live environment.
    2. Channel A: Notch filter for the Low E string
    3. Channel B: Notch filter for the A string
    4. Channel C: Notch filter for the D string
    5. Channel D: Notch filter for the G string
13. OUT

SCENES

The following scenes are set up for instant access to various tones:

• Scene 1: DRY. Only compression and the main EQ
• Scene 2: BASIC PLATE. Plate reverb (subtle)
• Scene 3: BASIC SPRING. Spring reverb (subtle)
• Scene 4: AMBI. Lots of delay and ambient reverb
• Scene 5: RHYTHMIC DLY. Dotted 8th delay
• Scene 6: AMBI TREM. Ambient reverb + tremolo
• Scene 7: AMBI CHORUS Ambient reverb + chorus
• Scene 8: SWELLS. Big ambient swells

USAGE NOTES

ACOUSTIC IR’s (not included, but you can use them with FM3)

Acoustic Impulse Responses can make a massive difference in your direct acoustic tone. The FM3 does not have an IR player block, but you can load IR’s into the ‘Cab’ block. We’ve left an open block after the compressor in the signal chain where you can insert the cab block.

To use an acoustic IR with this preset, insert the cab block after the compressor and then load an acoustic IR into one of the cab slots. With acoustic IR’s, you may need to turn the output up to +9-12dB.

The reason we did not include the cab block in the preset by default is because it will mute the output of the preset unless there is a cab or IR loaded, even if it is bypassed.

EQ: PARAMETRIC EQ 1: This is meant to be an always-on EQ. It does basic tone shaping for acoustic guitar.

EQ: GRAPHIC EQ’s: These EQ block can make your overall sound brighter or darker. If your guitar sounds too dull or dark, engage the ‘Brighter’ EQ. If your tone is too bright or thin, engage the ‘Darker’ EQ.

EQ: PARAMETRIC EQ 2 (NOTCH FILTERS): This parametric EQ block on the bottom row is meant to serve as notch filters to eliminate feedback. These four EQ’s notch out frequencies on the lower four strings on acoustic. If you are experiencing feedback on the low E string, engage channel A. If you are experiencing feedback on the A string, engage channel B. If you are experiencing feedback on the D string, engage channel C. If you are experiencing feedback on the G string, engage channel D.

STEREO

This preset is in stereo. If you are running mono, you’ll want to set up FM3 to sum the preset to mono.

The easiest way to make this adjustment is in the ‘Setup’ menu:

• Choose ‘Setup’, and select ‘I/O’
• In OUTPUT 1 CONFIGURATION (choose the physical output you are using), change the ‘Mode’. Select ‘STEREO’ if you are running in stereo. Select ‘’SUM L+R’ if you are running mono. This will convert your output to mono and sum the stereo image. This will also cause all your presets to output in mono, as it is a global setting.

PER-PRESET MAPPING AND OVERRIDES

FC-6 // OMG9 Custom Layout

This preset is optimized for the OMG9 custom layout for the Fractal FC-6 controller. The OMG9 Layout is available here from Fractal: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm3-fc-6-omg9.160180/

The ‘Effects’ layout has been modified with custom overrides (see below) so you will see the effects that are relevant to this preset.

Per-Preset Overrides

If you would like to use custom overrides, we have set up Per-Preset overrides for both effects and scenes.

HERE ARE THE PER-PRESET MAPPINGS

PP1: Scene 1: Layout 7 Button 2

PP2: Scene 2: Layout 7 Button 3

PP3: Scene 3: Layout 7 Button 4

PP4: Scene 4: Layout 7 Button 5

PP5: Scene 5: Layout 7 Button  8

PP6: Scene 6: Layout 7 Button 9

PP7: Scene 7: Layout 7 Button 10

PP8: Scene 8: Layout 7, Button 11

PP9: Comp 1 – Not assigned

PP10: Not assigned

PP11: Reverb 1A – Plate Verb

PP12: Reverb 1B – Spring Verb

PP13: Reverb 2 – Cloud Verb

PP14: PlexDly1 – NOT ASSIGNED

PP15: Delay 1 – 1/4 DLY

PP16: Delay 2 – 1/8d DLY

PP17: Delay 3

PP18: Delay 4

PP19: TremPan 1

PP20: Chorus 1

PP21: NOT ASSIGNED

PP22: Graphic EQ 1 – Brighter

PP23: Graphic EQ 2 – Darker

MAKING CHANGES TO THESE ASSIGNMENTS

If you’d like to change any of these assignments (either the Per-Preset Assignments or the Overrides), you can do so in the ‘CONTROLLERS’ menu on the Axe FX III. Press ‘CONTROLLERS’ from the Home screen, then select ‘Per-Preset FC Settings’ and make changes.

If you would like to go back to your default settings for Layouts 7 and 8, you can reset the Overrides from the ‘Overrides’ menu in the ‘Per-Preset-FC Settings’ section.

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS FOR YOUR SETUP

SETTING THE PRESET UP FOR YOUR GUITAR

All guitars are different, so you may want to make changes to suite your playing style and guitar. To adjust the preset for your guitars, the primary controls to adjust would be:

• EQ settings (PARAMETRIC EQ1). The parametric EQ can do most of the work necessary to shape the overall tone of the preset. If your guitar sounds to bright/thin, remove highs and add low end. If it is too boomy or dark, remove low end and add highs. You can also engage the ‘Darker/Brighter’ Graphic EQ’s.
• Volume/Output level. Acoustic guitars can vary quite a bit regarding the output level of the pickup systems installed in them. Most guitars have a volume control on the preamp. You want the output of the guitar to engage the compressor but not by a large amount. Axe-FX III will show you the level of gain reduction on the compressor. You want to see between 3 and 5db of gain reduction. If you are seeing more than that, try to lower the level coming from the guitar. You can also adjust the threshold control on the compressor. From there, you can adjust the overall volume of the preset by using the output level of the compressor block, or the output level of the ‘Out’ block.