AxeFX "Boost" switch in Amp Block

[mtmartin71]

Do you guys use this for leads? Seems like it's boosting the drive like a clean boost from a TS808 or the like. So it would fatten up a gained amp and then I could use a filter block on the end to up the volume and save a space to not have to use a drive pedal. Clearly I can't adjust the tone like on a pedal but it seems simpler just to kick in the amp boost function to fatten up if I want. Am I missing something?

[randombastage]

I set up parallel amp blocks with identical settings except one with boost and the other without then set up a single footswitch to bring one in and the other out...and hit it again to go back...
That way I can still have a drive block or two in the front of the amp blocks for when I want to change the timbre and still have the boost available to punch it up or back it off. I have a lot of presets with a fuzz box drive block for raunchy fuzz-goodness and a tape drive block for subtle drive but still am able to hit a boost (by way of switching the parallel amp blocks) that doesn't change the characteristic of those pedals so the leads get boosted and yet retain the character of how ever I was running things in front of the amp blocks at that time. gives a lot of versatility to a single preset.

[RayRay]

I use a 4db Filter block at the end of the chain for solo boost. I use the drive block on one patch (Plexiglas amp with BB Pre for boost)

[mtmartin71]

Thanks guys. I found out after reading that the amp boost feature is not available via CC and the way I'm using things so I probably will use a drive block up front...but...that idea of switching from one amp block to the other is kind of intriguing. I may try playing with that.

[OutterLimits]

I use the filter after my amp blocks, I like keeping the tone close to the way it is without the boost .... just louder. The filter jacks the volume up a lot if you need it. OD before the amp works like a real OD ... not necessarilly boosting volume as mcuh as slamming the preamp for more distortion.

[mtmartin71]

I use the filter after my amp blocks, I like keeping the tone close to the way it is without the boost .... just louder. The filter jacks the volume up a lot if you need it. OD before the amp works like a real OD ... not necessarilly boosting volume as mcuh as slamming the preamp for more distortion.

I'm back to this...OD before amp to add some fullness and a filter at end to increase volume. What tools we have with the AxeFX. In the past, I could put a drive in front and it wouldn't allow me to cut through...just get a nice liquid tone that was buried amongst all the other band instruments. With the filter at the end, I can bring up the volume while getting a little liquid as well...and I didn't have to buy a bunch of pedals and try them in different positions with a cabling mess. Awesome!

[rhequiem]

Scott has a great IMO approach to this that he shared on the Fractal forums that I am personally using now. I used a filter block at the end of the chain, and set it between 4-6db, depending on how much of a boost I want. I think Scott has a 4db filter block before the amp, too. Great ideas, and it works great. Also, the filter blocks consume very little cpu, and there are 4 of them available in the Ultra, so that's an added bonus

[Scott Peterson]

The "Boost" parameter in the amp block is a +12db boost before the preamp. I've found that stacking filters as boosts and/or parametric EQ's and/or graphic EQ's and/or Drive blocks to be better - in most cases (I use the Drive parameter "Boost" on a few amps, namely 'Euro Blue") - to be more flexible and usable in general than the "Boost" section in the amp block.

For solo boost, I have my MFC-101 set up as Matman set it up as described below, but I use a 115 value instead of the 111 value he uses/prefers:

Matman wrote:
Hi guys. I set up a GLOBAL boost which works for all presets. Here's how:

Set an IA SWITCH to "NONE"
Set its CC# to that of OUT1 VOLUME
Set the OFF value to "111" (the unboosted level)
Set the OFF value to "127" (the boosted level)

Voila. Instant global boost.

You can in fact set up more than one pedal in this way by using SWITCH LINKS, which gives you two boost levels. Just set the 2nd IA to, say, 111 and 119.

I haven't measured the correlation between the 0-127 values and dB, but this would be easy enough to do I think.

PS: ONLY WORKS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN EXPRESSION PEDAL ON OUTPUT1 VOLUME! I happen to like using mine on INPUT VOLUME, which gives varying gain as the pedal is pushed (like an analog volume pedal would do in front of an amp).

[Elektroniks]

What a great trick- thanks for sharing scott!

[deeger5]

Did you mean Set the ON value to 127 in the second line? Was that a typo? On the MFC I only see and Off value which I have set to "111" and an ON value to "127.

Set the OFF value to "111" (the unboosted level)
Set the OFF value to "127" (the boosted level)

Thanks,

Deeg

[Scott Peterson]

Did you mean Set the ON value to 127 in the second line? Was that a typo? On the MFC I only see and Off value which I have set to "111" and an ON value to "127.

Set the OFF value to "111" (the unboosted level)
Set the OFF value to "127" (the boosted level)

Thanks,

Deeg

Yea that's a typo in the original post. You have it right. ON = 127. OFF = 111.

Note that I use 115 as the OFF value personally. Works better for me. YMMV.

[rcl]

I use this as well(from a previous Scott post and the same quote), you can tweak that OFF value to your needs, I think I am at 116 now. Depends on who you are playing with and how loud "out front" needs to be. The only downside I have heard is that there is no led lit when off. I actually like it that way, since every other LED is red or green and I only have one that is off.

[ejecta]

What's the advantage of doing the parallel amp thing in one and or global boost for leads vs just having seperate patches that have more gain and are louder in the output?

[deeger5]

I'm still having trouble getting this to work: Scott you have any ideas? Here's what I have set:

Set an IA SWITCH to "NONE" - IA01 Axe-Fx NONE
(12.4.6 - pg 48 MFC manual)
Set its CC# to that of OUT1 VOLUME - IA01 c1 CC#011 Ch01
(12.4.7 - pg 49 MFC manual) and verified CC# is 011 for OUT1 in the I/O mapping on the axe
Set the OFF value to "111" (the unboosted level)
Set the ON value to "127" (the boosted level)
IA01 c1Off111On127
(12.4.8 - pg 49 MFC manual)

I know the switch works, as I was able to program it as an external on/off switch on the axe.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Deeg

[Scott Peterson]

I'm still having trouble getting this to work: Scott you have any ideas? Here's what I have set:

Set an IA SWITCH to "NONE" - IA01 Axe-Fx NONE
(12.4.6 - pg 48 MFC manual)
Set its CC# to that of OUT1 VOLUME - IA01 c1 CC#011 Ch01
(12.4.7 - pg 49 MFC manual) and verified CC# is 011 for OUT1 in the I/O mapping on the axe
Set the OFF value to "111" (the unboosted level)
Set the ON value to "127" (the boosted level)
IA01 c1Off111On127
(12.4.8 - pg 49 MFC manual)

I know the switch works, as I was able to program it as an external on/off switch on the axe.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Deeg

Can't program this on the Axe-FX. You have to program this on your controller.

[deeger5]

Hey Scott...sorry if I wasn't clear, I am programming this from the MFC. Is it possible I am missing some other setting? Maybe a global setting or something I can't find?

[acbarros]

Hey Scott...sorry if I wasn't clear, I am programming this from the MFC. Is it possible I am missing some other setting? Maybe a global setting or something I can't find?

I´m at work now and can´t verify on my MFC but I think you need one more step:

IA01 c2 cc#OFF Ch01

[Scott Peterson]

I´m at work now and can´t verify on my MFC but I think you need one more step:

IA01 c2 cc#OFF Ch01

Pretty sure that's it.

Note you cannot have a volume pedal at the Output 1 or this won't work. I think that's in Matt's original post.

[deeger5]

Thanks for all the responses. I was missing two things. The XS1 setting below and I had the expression pedal set to OUT1 CC#111 as well. If you are using both, you will want to change the expression pedal to INPUT CC#112. It actually works better there anyway as you get the volume sweep range of the pedal as opposed to an off or on sound.

So the total solution for the Global Boost for me was:

Set an IA SWITCH to "NONE" (12.4.6 - pg 48 MFC manual)
IA01 Axe-Fx NONE

Set its CC# to that of OUT1 VOLUME (12.4.7 - pg 49 MFC manual)
IA01 c1 CC#111 Ch01

Set the OFF value to "111" (the unboosted level) and the ON value (the boosted level) to "127" (12.4.8 - pg 49 MFC manual)
IA01 c1Off 111 On 127

XS1 #011 Ch01 Typ TOG (12.4.13 - pg 53 MFC manual)

Hope this helps other who are new to this like me.

Deeg

[mwc2112]

The "Boost" parameter in the amp block is a +12db boost before the preamp.

Yup. It's the exact same effect as adding a Filter block set to 'Null' with an output level of +12dB immediately before the amp.

[ejecta]

I set up parallel amp blocks with identical settings except one with boost and the other without then set up a single footswitch to bring one in and the other out...and hit it again to go back...
That way I can still have a drive block or two in the front of the amp blocks for when I want to change the timbre and still have the boost available to punch it up or back it off. I have a lot of presets with a fuzz box drive block for raunchy fuzz-goodness and a tape drive block for subtle drive but still am able to hit a boost (by way of switching the parallel amp blocks) that doesn't change the characteristic of those pedals so the leads get boosted and yet retain the character of how ever I was running things in front of the amp blocks at that time. gives a lot of versatility to a single preset.

What advantages do find doing it this way over setting up another patch to switch to?