Archive for the ‘Fractal Audio AxeFX’ Category

AxeFX Quantum Firmware

October 2, 2015 by John No Comments »

Axe-fx-ii-xlI recently updated the firmware in my Fractal Audio AxeFX to the latest version, called “Quantum”. New firmware releases are a regular occurrence with this system. When I first received my AxeFX, it came with version 13, and there were steady releases of new firmware every couple of months. We were up to fw19 this summer when the owner of Fractal Audio announced he’d made a huge breakthrough in the modeling technology, and would be releasing something called “Quantum fw v1” as the next big step for the system. I waited until I’d finished doing some shows before taking the plunge. I can say that without question, every one of the amp models is more realistic, livelier, and more responsive than ever before. I love my AxeFX. It’s easily the best equipment purchase I have ever made.

 

Preparing for the 7/25 and 7/31 BowieVision Shows

July 21, 2015 by John No Comments »

Axe-fx-ii-xlIn preparation for the next two weekends of BowieVision shows, I performed a full system update on my AxeFX. Firmware version 19 was released recently, and with each of the major firmware updates, all the amp models within presets need to be reinitialized to their factory default settings. This is necessary in order to pick up the latest changes to the amp models. As with most major firmware updates, these changes significantly improve the amp sounds. Starting with firmware version 18, many of the amp models and effect pedals have been recreated as “G3” (third generation) models. When I upgraded to FW18, I merely reinitialized the amp models, but with FW19, there were so many improvements across the board that I decided to recreate all of my individual presets from scratch.

I purchased my AxeFX last April, and since that time I’ve gotten very familiar with it. I’m much better at creating individual presets, and have learned how to create fairly complex signal routing to replicate dense studio tones from Bowie’s guitarists. The most complex presets in my setup are for those parts recorded by Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, and Reeves Gabrels. In these cases, I’m running multiple amp / cabinet combinations, with parallel effect chains, multiple sub-mixed busses, and a final multi-channel stereo mix at the end.

The latest amp model revisions have led me to explore some specific amps that I’ve never encountered as physical objects : amps by Suhr, Carol Anne, Two-Rock, and so on. I have certainly spun through all of the models at some point in the past, just to get a sense of what they sounded like. But with the G3 updates, some of these previously unused models have sprung to the forefront of my patches. The Suhr Badger turns out to be a pretty useful amp model, especially when stacked with the Boogie Lonestar clean channel for a little sparkle. I’ve also learned a few handy tricks like adding high-pass chorusing on just the clean channel, then layering that sound with the straight distortion tone. The resultant tone doesn’t sound obviously chorused, but it does have a nice dimensionality that helps open up the sound. Chorus has a tendency to smear that note attack, and to thin out the sound of the guitar. By adding a high-pass filter, I can control the portion of the signal that will be treated with the effect.

The next big adventure in my rig evolution will be experimenting with in-ear monitoring. I’ve have the capability to do this for some time, but haven’t used it regularly. It’s definitely a big advantage to have my guitar sound directly routed to my ears; it helps attenuate some of the other stage noise, and it gives me a very clear representation of what I’m sounding like. I’ve noticed it also causes me to play with a lighter touch because I’m not trying to overcome stage dynamics. Once we get past these two shows, I’ll start working on an in-ear mix strategy.

 

Thoughts on the 5/30 BowieVision Performances

June 2, 2015 by John No Comments »

bandOn Saturday, May 30, BowieVision performed two shows at The Triple Door in Seattle. We initially had planned to perform just one show that evening, but within a few days of putting tickets on sale, it was clear there was enough demand to justify adding a second show. We wound up with full houses for both shows, which was fantastic.

In advance of the show, I upgraded the firmware of my AxeFX to v 18.12, which definitely breathed some new dimensionality and life into the amp models. Part of this firmware update is a new generation of amp modeling, and it’s significantly bigger / better than ever. I really love my AxeFX, and BowieVision is a perfect application for this kind of flexibility and power. Another great upgrade before this show was the MFC-101 firmware v 3.08, which allowed me to move my preset controls to the second row of switches, and reassign the bottom row to scenes 1-5. It’s the most flexible configuration for this band, and lets me get around within / between songs much more easily. john2 john

These shows also marked the performance debut of three new songs: All The Young Dudes, Hang On To Yourself, and I’m Afraid Of Americans. These are all great songs. “All The Young Dudes” is a classic rock anthem, and it was fun to have the audience sing along in the big out-tro chorus. “Hang On To Yourself” is a rocker, and gives us a chance to really blow off some energy. I could see that one becoming a great show opener. “I’m Afraid Of Americans” is one that I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and we finally put it together for this show. It’s a huge, menacing song. I prefer the version from Bowie’s live performance in Paris from 2002, so that was the basis of my transcription and arrangement for the band. Part of the challenge on this song is that Bowie had multiple guitarists and keyboard players on that tour, and we have to recreate that massive sound with only one guitarist and one keyboardist. I wrote out a line for our sax player Brian, which helped beef up the guitar part when I’m summoning the Banshee. Our keyboardist Chris also helps by reinforcing the distorted guitar part on the chorus. I’m pretty satisfied with the initial performances of this song, and we’ll continue to refine it as we go forward.

Logistics
Logistically, a double-header gig introduces some challenges for the musicians in the band.

  • We arrived for load-in at 3:00 PM. It takes about 15 minutes to get our equipment from the alley, through the side door, into the freight elevator, down two floors to the main showroom, snaking our way through the booths down to the floor in front of the stage, and finally up onto the stage.
  • It takes another 30 minutes to get everything set up and ready for microphones.
  • Line check and sound at The Triple Door are pretty simple, because they have a full-recall board. We usually have the basic levels established within a few minutes, then we run 3-4 songs to fine-tune everything.
  • Then we have about 60 minutes before the doors open for the first show. This gives us just enough time to eat dinner, and return to the dressing room to get changed for the performance. There are eight people in the dressing room (six men and two women), so it’s crowded and fairly chaotic, with everyone putting on clothes / makeup / doing hair, etc.
  • We hit the stage for the first show, power through the entire set plus an encore (or two), then run back up to the dressing room to change for the second show. Most of us wear different costumes for early / late shows, so once again there is a frenzy of clothing / makeup / hair.
  • After the first show, we did some quick meet / greet visits with the audience to say hello, and to thank friends who attended. Then we all have to get back to the green room. We have just enough time to eat a quick bite, then we need to be ready to return to the stage.
  • Each of our performances is 2+ hours in length, so the total performance time for the evening was close to 5 hours. This is not a factor for me as a guitarist – I often practice five hours a day in preparation for shows – but it takes a toll on our vocalists. We try to give the singers breaks whenever possible, and everyone on the band takes care not to wear perfume / cologne (throat irritant), use aerosol hairspray (also a throat irritant), smoke anywhere near the band, etc. Most vocalists also take the time between shows to give their voices a rest, so we minimize chatter with them. One of our backup vocalists has a big suitcase full of costumes and accessories. She decided against wearing a pair of black furry / sparkly leggings with her costume. She asked if anyone else wanted to wear them, and no one answered, so I said “give them to me”. I put them on over my jeans, and wore them for the whole show. It turned out to be a bold fashion choice, and a warm one.
  • Hitting the stage for the second show it deja vu for us, but as far as the second audience is concerned it’s their first show. There are always some people who attend both shows. At the Triple Door, we offered a “double header” price for anyone wanting to attend both performances that night, and we sold a number of those packages. In addition, a number of people from the first show decided to purchase tickets for the second show. We made a point of mixing up the set lists a bit to give those people some different material.
  • The second show ended around midnight. First order of business is the post-show backstage huddle with the band, usually accompanied by a toast. We then have some time to go out into the room for meet / greet purposes, saying hello and thanking friends. At that point I try to get backstage to change into comfortable clothes for packing up and loading out.
  • The pack up / load out process is the reverse of loading. From the time I start, to the time when the gear is in the car, is usually around 45 minutes.
  • By the time I left the venue at 1:15 AM, I had been on site for over 10 hours, and had changed clothes three times. I had moved my gear (around 200 pounds total) into my car at home, then out of my car in the alley, onto the cart for in-building transport, into the venue, off the cart, up several stairs onto the stage, back down the stairs off the stage, onto the cart, back off of the cart in the alley, into my car, and back out of my car at home.

That’s the glamorous aspects of being in a band. 🙂

As far as the performance… wow! We had a really great time. The first show was very good. I thought we hit the ground running and delivered a great high-energy performance. The audience at the first show was all-ages, so we had to slightly modify the lyrics of a few songs to make them PG-13. The first show was absolutely sold out, and the audience gave us a lot of energy. We had a number of people join us onstage at the end of the show for some singing and dancing. Always a blast!

Once we were reset for the second show, the audience had grown. We initially were told that only about 120 tickets had sold for the second performance. When we hit the stage, the room was full. Apparently there had been a large number of walk-up sales, plus those people who had attended the first show and decided to purchase tickets to stay for the second. I would say the second show was easily the band’s best performance to date. It was very high energy, and the performance level was superb. I was very satisfied with our whole night.

First Show Set List

  • Heroes
  • China Girl
  • Rebel Rebel
  • The Man Who Sold The World
  • Changes
  • Hang On To Yourself
  • Ashes To Ashes
  • Fashion
  • Absolute Beginners
  • Golden Years
  • Life On Mars?
  • Space Oddity
  • Under Pressure
  • I’m Afraid Of Americans
  • Young Americans
  • Suffragette City
  • Fame
  • Let’s Dance
  • Ziggy Stardust
  • All The Young Dudes

Second Show Set List

  • Space Oddity
  • Jean Genie
  • Beauty And The Beast
  • Starman
  • Blue Jean
  • Hang On To Yourself
  • Fashion
  • Life On Mars?
  • The Man Who Sold The World
  • Changes
  • Ziggy Stardust
  • Absolute Beginners
  • Golden Years
  • Ashes To Ashes
  • Under Pressure
  • All The Young Dudes
  • Suffragette City
  • I’m Afraid Of Americans
  • Young Americans
  • Let’s Dance
  • Fame
  • Heroes
 

Fractal Audio EV-1 Expression Pedals

January 26, 2015 by John 1 Comment »

dimensions-smallToday I received two Fractal Audio EV-1 Expression Pedals. They will be added to my pedalboard, and will replace my current controller pedals. These expression pedals are beautifully built, and have a special planetary gear system. Like all Fractal Audio products, the EV-1 is engineered as a work of art, and the care that was taken in packing / shipping them should give you some idea of how thoroughly they design their equipment.
From the Fractal Audio web site :

The EV-1 is an all new EXPRESSION PEDAL, perfect for use with all Fractal Audio Systems products (and many 3rd party devices). Unlike most expression pedals it has a true linear response with planetary gearing and a long, smooth pedal throw. The EV-1 doubles as an analog volume pedal, with separate IN and OUT jacks connected to an audio-taper pot. It features a sturdy cast metal housing, comfortable non-slip rubber tread, and is available in either Silver or Black.

Naturally, I bought two black ones 🙂 I really can’t wait to mount them on my pedalboard.

IMG_1286 IMG_1287 IMG_1288 IMG_1289 IMG_1290 IMG_1291 IMG_1292 IMG_1293

 

MFC-101 Expansion Module

January 14, 2015 by John No Comments »

MFC101 LabelsA few months ago I added an expansion module to my MFC-101 controller. It sits on the left side of the pedal, and adds four switches and has allowed me to include scene up / down commands in a hand placement. I’m hoping Fractal Audio will eventually update the MFC-101 software to provide scene display in the readout so I know which setting I’m currently using. But for the moment, this is a big step in making my stage setup more flexible.

 

AxeFX Rig : Speaker Options

October 5, 2014 by John No Comments »

xitone 1x12I’m pretty pleased with my AxeFX rig, and it continues to perform beautifully at shows of all sizes. My current setup involves a pair of Euphonic Audio VL110 cabinets. They’re great sounding and deliver a lot of punch. However, I’ve also been considering the possibility of using a monitor wedge for my listening position. I have been looking at the Xitone 1×12 passive monitor as a possibility. The advantage of a dedicated monitor would be putting the sound right at my performance position, and being able to carry a smaller rig.

Xitone cabinets get very good reviews from other AxeFX users, and I have been exchanging email with the owner of the company. It’s likely I’ll be adding this cabinet to my system in the near future.

 

Thoughts on the 9/20 Dudley Manlove Quartet / BowieVision Performance

September 25, 2014 by John No Comments »

dmq-oktoberfest2014On Saturday 9/30, two of my bands performed as a double bill at the Fremont Oktoberfest. We have performed at this event many times in the past, and it was great to continue our annual tradition of being a part of this great outdoor party. We arrived to find the usual crowd: huge, enthusiastic, and ready to party! The Dudley Manlove Quartet performed first, running some of our favorite pop and rock hits. The crowd really responded nicely to the 60 and 70s pop, and when we launched into the 80s material and rock classics, it was over the top.

We had just a few moments between bands to do some resetting, and to change clothes. BowieVision was a big hit, with the audience joining us to sing backup vocals on a number of songs.

For this pair of performances, I brought the full AxeFX system, which was very satisfying. When I started to set up, the stage tech manager came over with a mic stand, ready to put it in front of my speaker cabinets. I told him “thank you, but I don’t need a microphone, just the XLR cable please. I’ll give you a full-range output from my system”. He wasn’t thrilled about it and said something to the effect of “direct out for guitar never works”. That statement may be true for some processors, but with the AxeFX, direct is really the optimum connection method for the board. The AxeFX handles the effects, amp, speaker cabinet, microphone and room response modeling. At any rate, I checked in with him between bands to see if the FOH operator needed any adjustments. He didn’t ask for anything to be changed so I just carried on. The response and tone of the AxeFX is fantastic, and I’m really enjoying the system.

Looking forward to the next big public shows for both bands. BowieVision will be performing at the Crocodile on Saturday 10/25, and the Dudley Manlove Quartet will be performing at the Sunset Tavern on Friday 10/31. See you there!

 

Thoughts On The 8/2 BowieVision Performance

August 4, 2014 by John No Comments »

Bowievision 2014-08-02On Saturday August 2, BowieVision performed at the Nectar Lounge in Fremont. This show continues our run of 100% sold out shows since the band’s first performance. Opening the show was local tribute band “Purple Main”, performing the hits of the man in purple himself. It was fun to hear that music. I’ve always loved Prince’s music and been moved by his incredible guitar playing.

We hit the stage ready to rock, starting the show with “Fame”. This show also marked the debut of “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)”, which we had only introduced at rehearsal the previous Tuesday. It went very well during soundcheck so we decided to include it in the show. I was delighted at how well it was received. I had spent quite a bit of time working up the transcription for this song. The studio version of this song appears on “Scary Monsters” and the entire album includes some fantastic guitar work from Robert Fripp. Recreating his sound and phrasing is pretty challenging for me, and it requires close attention to detail. The song has three solos (1) guitar synth solo of ten bars (yes, I know… it’s Fripp… you just let him do ten bars if that’s what he feels) (2) a 16 bar solo in the middle of the song which alternates between D and B (a deliberate tribute to David Bowie himself) and finally (3) a 16 bar solo during the refrain / outtro. For our rendition of this song, I take the first solo on guitar synth, then perform the second solo using a Fripp patch I built on the AxeFX. The third solo is performed by our saxophone player Brian Bermudez, which gives him a nice opportunity to deliver a good sax freakout.

This show was also the first performance at the Nectar where I had my AxeFX system. The house engineer was intrigued when I set it up, and after sound check he was very pleased with its sound. During load-out he approached me and said that the tone of my rig was incredible and made the mix super easy to manage. That is kind of feedback that you want to hear! I have noticed that my EA speakers are not terribly efficient. This was noted when I bought them from their previous owner, but I decided it was probably going to be enough volume for most stages. I’m starting to wonder if I should add a powered 12″ monitor wedge to the front of the stage. For smaller stages and rehearsals, this would also give me the option to go with just the monitor for quick setup. Decisions decisions…

I’m already working on new songs for the next shows. The band is sounding amazingly good, and I’m really enjoying the challenge of performing this music.

Set list for 8/2/2014

  • Fame
  • Ziggy Stardust
  • Changes
  • China Girl
  • Jean Genie
  • Starman
  • The Man Who Sold The World
  • Life On Mars?
  • Rebel Rebel
  • Suffragette City
  • Fashion
  • Absolute Beginners
  • Space Oddity
  • Golden Years
  • Ashes To Ashes
  • Blue Jean
  • Scary Monsters
  • Young Americans
  • Let’s Dance
  • Under Pressure
  • Heroes
 

Thoughts On The 5/24 BowieVision Performance

May 26, 2014 by John No Comments »

Bowievision 2014-05-24On Saturday 5/24, BowieVision performed at the Triple Door in Seattle. This was our first run of new shows at this venue, and it was a great opportunity to show off our full production.

This was also my first big stage performance with my Fractal Audio AxeFX II XL system. About a month before this show I purchased the AxeFX unit along with its dedicated MFC-101 Mk III controller. It took me about a week to program my tones for the BowieVision show, and I was glad to have a few opportunities to make tweaks at rehearsals before we embarked on this performance. The AxeFX does a beautiful job of delivering the tones from a myriad of amps / cabinets, plus has very deep effect chain management. I was able to dial in very accurate recreations of the classic guitar sounds in Bowie’s catalog, which left me with the equally daunting task of playing those great parts accurately!

Managing my guitar rig during this performance was amazingly simple, which is a big change from the complexity of my previous system. I was able to move easily between the sections of the songs, recalling appropriate tones for each part. It was also much simpler switching presets than ever before. I’m very pleased with the Fractal Audio system and already looking ahead at programming bigger / deeper patches.

The show was very satisfying on many levels. It was a sold-out house, with some familiar faces present. The Triple Door has perhaps the best light and sound system in the state, which let us show off both the sonic and visual quality of the band. Overall,I thought it was one of our best performances to date. The band was very prepared and delivered a polished show.

Here is the set list that we performed for the Triple Door show:

  • Changes
  • China Girl
  • Suffragette City
  • Starman
  • The Man Who Sold The World
  • Life On Mars?
  • Jean Genie
  • Ashes To Ashes
  • Space Oddity
  • Absolute Beginners
  • Blue Jean
  • Rebel Rebel
  • Fashion
  • Golden Years
  • Ziggy Stardust
  • Fame
  • Young Americans
  • Let’s Dance
  • Under Pressure
  • Heroes
 

Fractal Audio AxeFX Rig : Introduction

May 7, 2014 by John 1 Comment »

Over the past few weeks I’ve radically changed my guitar rig, replacing my pedals / pedalboard and amplifier with a Fractal Audio AxeFX system. The preamp / processor is the new AxeFX II XL, which handles all of the amp and cabinet modeling, along with signal routing and effects. I’m using the dedicated Fractal Audio MFC-101 Mk III control pedal, which connects to the AxeFX using a standard XLR cable. The AxeFX also has an editing software system called Axe-Edit, which makes the creation and management of patches quite easy. The system is powerful enough to recreate a myriad of amp and effect models, and in the process of creating my patches for BowieVision and the Dudley Manlove Quartet, I am already sold on how powerful it is.
Axe-fx-ii-xl mfc-101-midi-foot-controllerFor the power amp section I am using a Carvin DCM2000LX. This is a Class D amp, weighing 10 pounds, and provides 350 watts into 8 ohms. That’s plenty of oomph for my multi-instrument rig. It also has its own software-based management tool called X-Drive, allowing management of EQ response curves, crossover points, and delay tuning.

carvin_dcm2000lxca

 

 

 

 

For speakers I am using a pair of Euphonic VL110 full-range cabinets. This allows me to run my rig in stereo onstage, and send my signal to front of house via the connections on the back of the AxeFX. This means there are no microphones involved in my rig anymore; in fact, the AxeFX models the mic and its placement as part of the overall patch, so that variable is removed from the stage. It’s also interesting to be using a FRFR (Full Range Flat Response) speaker system; essentially this is my on-stage guitar monitor, and it differs substantially from conventional guitar amps, which have a limited frequency response plus a “personality” in terms of tonal signature. The Euphonic cabs are designed to be high-fidelity neutral monitors.

vl110

My new setup is amazing. The clarity and transparency is akin to a studio recording experience. I’m really looking forward to our first shows with this system, especially the upcoming BowieVision performance at the Triple Door. That will be a great opportunity to fully exercise the capabilities of the full rig.

In upcoming posts I’ll show the full physical setup of the system, along with the rack and flight cases. It’s compact and very powerful.