- $120
The Complete Axe-Fx III Master Class with Cooper Carter
Over 13 hours of instruction, taking you deep into Fractal's flagship unit!
Overview
With the Axe-Fx III, Fractal Audio Systems has once again redefined the guitar landscape, giving you more power and a greater range of vintage, modern, and all-new tones than ever before.
In this 13+ hour course, Cooper Carter takes you deep into the mind of the machine, teaching you how to recreate classic sounds, sculpt your own tones, build presets, and dial in effects quickly and with confidence. Along the way he shares tips and tricks developed over years of working in the studio and onstage with bands like Metallica, Journey, Maroon 5, Dream Theater, and more.
From first steps for beginners, through intermediate topics, to advanced techniques, you will learn to build and control your own custom virtual rigs, including complete coverage of the new FC Foot Controllers, DAW Integration, Tone Matching, Modifiers, and more.
Whether you're a guitarist, bassist, or another instrumentalist looking to expand your sonic toolkit, Cooper's Axe-Fx III Master Class is your definitive road-map to the present and future of your tone with the world's most powerful guitar processor, the Axe-Fx III.
Contents
Introduction & Philosophy
We discuss my philosophy on using the Axe-Fx III as the ultimate tool for creating music and briefly discuss the scope of the class.
The Axe-Fx III in 2023 - Welcome to v3.0
Introduction & Philosophy
Setup & Global Settings
We go through the Axe-Fx III's Setup menus one-by-one, with a special emphasis on the most useful features and their impact on your use of the unit.
Initial Setup & Gear Considerations
The Input Screen
Audio & USB/AES Settings
FC Controller Settings
Global Settings
The Pedal Page
MIDI/Remote Settings
Utilities
The Tuner
The IR Capture Screen
Basics of the Grid & Dialing in a Clean Tone
A brief introduction to the basics of Axe-Edit and The Grid leads into a deep dive into dialing in a beautiful clean tone preset.
Routing Best Practices & Templates
Dialing in a Clean Tone
Adding in Reverb
Dialing in Compression
The Basics of Delay
Dialing in Chorus & Further Refinements
The Perform Tabs
449_Clean Tone.syx
Dialing in an Edge of Breakup Tone
The Elusive Edge of Breakup Tone! Learn how to dial in a perfect pedal platform amplifier that sits right on the edge of breaking up, bringing out all the nuances in your playing or tipping over into thick overdrive with the addition of the right pedal.
Dialing in an Edge of Breakup Tone Pt. I
Dialing in an Edge of Breakup Tone Pt. II
Organic Reverb Techniques
Exploring Compression
Exploring Edge of Breakup Drive
Creating an Ambient Space
Tremolo
The Rotary Speaker
The Perform Tab
450_Elusive EoB.syx
Dialing in a Classic Rock Tone
It's time to crank up the speakers. In this section, we go over dialing in the perfect classic arena rock stack preset.
Introduction to Dialing in a Classic Rock Tone
Dialing in a Classic Rock Tone
Exploring Drives & Reverbs
Delays
Exploring Thickening Effects
The Perform Tab
451_Classic Rock Tone.syx
Dialing in a High Gain Tone
Tight, chunky, brutal, shredding, epic---whatever you call your favorite high gain tone, we'll learn how to dial it in, loading on heaps of gain while keeping your palm mutes tight and your leads soaring.
Dialing in a High Gain Tone
The Noise Gate
Dialing in Delay & Reverb
Making It Sound Huge
Exploring the Enhancer
Flangers
Exploring the Plex Delay
Dialing in a Wah Pedal
The Perform Tab
452_High Gainer.syx
Introduction to Scenes & Channels
Settle in, because we're about to consolidate four very different presets into one giant Rig of Powah!
Introduction to Scenes and Channels
The Block Library & Global Blocks
Consolidating Four Presets into One Rig of Power
Special Considerations with Scenes & Parallel Routing
Exploring Wah Channels
Best Practices for Presets with Scenes
Thoughts on Consolidating Presets
Managing CPU.mp4
Level-Mix-Calculator.xlsx
453_The Rig of Powah.syx
Building a Live Preset with Scenes
Go from an empty grip to a stage-ready preset in no time with some simply routing and the power scenes.
Dialing in a Live Tone
Refining a Live Tone
Exploring the Compressor
Sculpting a Lead
Adding More Effects
Exploring the Rotary
Even More Effects
Building Gig Scenes
The Virtual Capo & Pitch Block
High & Low Cutting the Cabinet Block for Live Performance
Live Performance Controls
454_AC-20 Live Rig.syx
Recreating the "Amp in the Room" Sound
We'll go through a number of tips and tricks for helping a Full-Range, Flat-Response speaker sound more like a standard guitar cab, giving you the amp response every guitarist lives for.
Introduction to Recreating the "Amp in the Room" Sound
Recreating the Amp in the Room Sound Pt. II - EQ Methods
Recreating the Amp in the Room Sound Pt. I - Dialing in the Tone
Recreating the Amp in the Room Sound Pt. III - Cabinet Block Methods
455_Amp in the Room.syx
Exploring Amp Parameters
We've touched on some advanced amp parameters in previous sections, but here we'll really get into some of the detailed ways you can tweak out your amplifier's preamp and power section.
Exploring Advanced Amp Parameters
Exploring Supply Sag
Exploring the Variac
Using Multiple Amps
The Axe-Fx III gives you two amp blocks, each with four separate channels, for a total of eight amps per preset. Let's explore how we can mix and match them!
Introduction to Using Multiple Amps
Setting Up Eight Amps in One Preset
Live Mixing Between Amps
394_Amp Fading.syx
393_Eight Amp Rig MUX.syx
392_Two Amp Rig Scenes.syx
Creating a "Sound on Sound"
We'll explore how two amplifier blocks, a reverb, and some sneaky modifier settings can create an addictive Sound on Sound rig.
Creating a Sound on Sound Pt. I - Dialing Two Parallel Tones
PreviewCreating a Sound on Sound Pt. II - Implementing Modifier Curves
395_Sound on Sound.syx
Using Multiple Inputs for Multiple Instruments
Got a guitar with two outputs? Two guitarists? Three? And a bass, too? No problem. Let's hook 'em up.
Introduction to Multiple Inputs & Running Two Guitars into the Axe-Fx III
Running an Acoustic & an Electric Guitar into the Axe-Fx III
Running Two Guitarists into the Axe-Fx III
Running a Guitar & a Bass into the Axe-Fx III
Running a Full Band on One Axe-Fx III
396_Electric Piezo.syx
397_Electric and Acoustic Rig.syx
398_Two Guitarists One Axe-Fx III.syx
399_A Guitarist and a Bassist.syx
400_A Full Band with One Axe-Fx.syx
Building Different Physical Rigs
The Axe-Fx III isn't just designed to run straight into a PA system. We'll explore all the various ways you can run out of the unit into full range rigs, power amps, standard guitar cabinets, and more.
Introduction to Multiple Outputs & Utilizing Multiple FRFR Outputs
Using the Axe-Fx III with a Solid State Power Amp and Cab
Using the Axe-Fx III with a Tube Power Amp & Cab or a Head/Combo
Using the Axe-Fx III with an FRFR System & an Onstage, Solid State Power Amp & Cab
Using the Axe-Fx III with an FRFR System & an Onstage, Tube Power Amp & Cab
465_AC-20 Live Rig.syx
467_AC-20 Live Rig SS PWR Amp.syx
466_AC-20 Live Rig wEarsWedge.syx
468_Friedman Live Rig Tube PWR Amp.syx
469_AC-20 Live Rig PA + SS CAB.syx
470_AC-20 Live Rig PA + Tube DryCAB.syx
471_AC-20 Live Rig PA + Tube WetCAB.syx
Using the Axe-Fx III as an Effects-Only Unit
Amp modeling not your thing? The Axe-Fx III is still the greatest guitar processor on the planet. Let's put its incredible array of effects to use, whether in the FX Loop, in front of the amp, or both!
Using the Axe-Fx III as the Ultimate Effects Processor with the Four-Cable Method (4CM)
Using the Axe-Fx III as an FX Loop Only Processor
Using the Axe-Fx III in Front of an Amp
474_Front of Amp Pedalboard Rig.syx
473_In da Loop FX Rig.syx
472_4CM FX Rig.syx
External Control with Pedals
Start putting your feet to work. We'll explore wahs, volume pedals, whammies, delay control, and more....
Introduction to External Control with Pedals - Wah & Volume
Creating a Whammy Pedal
Creating a 'Talkbox' Formant Pedal
Controlling Amp Gain with a Pedal
Controlling Delays with a Pedal
475_Pedals.syx
476_Pedal 1 Controls.syx
Using the FC Foot Controllers
Introduction to the FC Controllers
FC Layouts 1-5 - The Presets, Scenes, Effects, Channels & Looper Layouts
FC Layout 6 - The Per-Preset Layout
FC Layouts 7 & 8 - The Perform Layouts
Customizing Multiple Live Layouts - Advanced Layout Linking
Stand-In Switches, Pedals & Further Refinement
The JP IIC+ Preset
FC-6 vs. FC-12 Considerations
Using Multiple FC Pedals Pt. I
Using Multiple FC Controllers Pt. II
MAIN LIVE FC Layout 1 File
SONGLIST FC Layout 4 File
LOOPER FC Layout 5 File
MAIN LIVE 12-6 COMBO.fclayout
TOC.fclayout
TOC 2.fclayout
Cooper's Petrucci IIC+.syx
The Internal Controllers Suite
The Axe-Fx III offers a vast number of ways to modify your sounds and rigs. We'll explore each internal controller in depth. This section covers the Tempo, LFOs, Envelope Follower, ADSRs, Sequencer, and Pitch Follower controllers.
Exploring Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) Pt. II
Exploring Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) Pt. I
Exploring the Envelope Follower Pt. I
Exploring the Envelope Follower Pt. II
Exploring the ADSR
The 'Auto Koto' - Advanced Controller Usage
Exploring the Sequencer
Exploring the Pitch Follower
Creating a Dynamic Lead with the Pitch Follower
Creating a Synth Lead with the Pitch Follower
Exploring Scene Controllers
Automating Tone with Scene Controllers
Applying Scene Controllers to the Sound on Sound Preset
Exploring Control Switches Pt. I
Exploring Control Switches Pt. II
413_LFO Synched Tremolo.syx
414_LFO Trem Ramping.syx
415_Electric Miss.syx
416_Organic Chorus.syx
417_Banded Reverb.syx
418_Alien Delay.syx
419_Gated Reverb.syx
420_Envelope Trem.syx
421_Auto Wah.syx
422_Enveloped in Crystals.syx
423_Env vs. ADSR.syx
424_ADSR Flanger.syx
425_Auto Koto Effect.syx
426_Seeking a Wah.syx
427_Pitches Running Wild.syx
428_Synth Lead - Pitch Activated.syx
429_Amp Gain Scene Controller.syx
430_Effects Mix Scene Controllers.syx
431_Sound on SoundScene Controlled.syx
432_Control Switched Amp Scenes.syx
Tone Matching
Matching your favorite stems, recapturing studio tones, improving acoustic tones; so much is possible with Tone Matching.
Introduction to Tone Matching
Tone Matching a Recorded Electric Tone
Tone Matching High Gain Tones
Tone Matching an Acoustic Guitar
Turning an Electric Guitar into an Acoustic
433_Tone Matching.syx
434_Tone Matching II.syx
435_Acoustic Tone Match.syx
436_Turn This Electric Acoustic!.syx
U1.0002_Imperial March TM.syx
U1.0003_Acoustic Tone Match.syx
U1.0004_EBMM Demo Deluxe.syx
Reamping
One of the most powerful tools for studio recording, and one that is too often confusing for too many, is simple to use and quick to set up in the Axe-Fx III.
Introduction to Reamping
Setting Up for Reamping
Reamping with the Axe-Fx
Live Reamping via USB
437_AC-20 Reamping Rig.syx
438_AC-20 Live Rig II.syx
Controlling the Axe-Fx with a DAW
Unlock the most powerful way to switch your rig for seamless changes during live shows and practice sessions. Feet are yesterday's tech. Midi control via computer is the future.
Setting Up to Control the Axe-Fx with a DAW
Creating a Preset to Control with a DAW
Automating Scene Changes with a DAW
Automating a Wah (Or Anything Else!) with a DAW
Creating Live Harmony Lines with the Pitch Block & a DAW
Managing Presets & Cabs, Wrapping Up & Further Exploration
We've covered a lot of ground, but there's still more to explore. We'll export all the presets and IRs we've made. Then we'll combine an assortment of controllers and blocks to create a wild ambient synth preset.
Managing Presets
Managing Cabs
Wrapping Up & Further Exploration
One Final Experiment - Wandering Through Modifiers, Synths, and Leads
508_Synth Jam in Am.syx
The Complete Fractal Audio Master Class Series
As a leading authority on Fractal Audio products, Cooper Carter has worked with Metallica, Dream Theater, Journey, P!nk, Maroon 5, Avenged Sevenfold, TS, DMB, ZBB, and more
to create guitar tones heard on countless albums & stages across the globe.
--
In The Complete Fractal Audio Master Class Series, he shares the tricks of the trade to help any user, from beginner to advanced, to harness the full power of these game changing musical power tools!
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