Man, those are fantastic sounds - I just got an FM9T, and am just starting to set up my own patches (after a couple weeks of just playing with stock presets), and I love seeing people get such great sounds; it inspires me to come up with great sounds of my own. That Gretsch is awesome, too!
Good video man! One thing I love to do is run the cloud verbs post amps and the smaller plate/hall verbs in front of the amps to get a nice balance of dirty and clarity.
Sounds great. The Fractal Stereo "Ultra-Res" reverbs are next level. Less is more with most effects or they can quickly overpower your playing. The FM9 allows you to run higher resolution effects and not run out of DSP (for a long time.) Far more powerful, and more footswitches than the FM3. There are several additional benefits of the FM9 as well. I once read a long technical list that compared the two units. The FM9 was the clear winner. It is the best value. If you had to add a FC-6 to the FM3 they are about the same price but you still miss out on various things the FM9 offers. The editor in the FM9 is also bigger and better- sames as in the Axe-FX. The FM9 Turbo is very close to the Axe-FX III in a pedalboard format. It is NOT exactly the same or technically as powerful, but for all practical purposes, it's right up there. You cannot say that when comparing the FM3 to the Axe-FXIII except for very simple presets.
I absolutely love my FM9. I tried out a Line 6 and sonically it isn't even in the same ballpark as the Fractal. Sure the other pedalboards have all of the FX and are good for beginner to intermediate players but the Fractal just has a magical brilliance sprinkled on top to take your sound pro...plus all the amp modelling. FM9 is worth every penny. Do yourself a favour and get one! (btw, I am in no affiliation with Fractal, just love it lol).
Great video and great to set up the unit. I have the FM9 and like it very much. I use almost only scenes in stead of presets. Maybe you can make video's / tutorials on how you use it in live situations. It may help your channel grow.
I am still trying to figure this out. So by Scenes, you mean different AMPS? It is a little confusing- it says scences but the buttons then control 9 presets in that larger scene. When it says Preset, the buttons control SCENES. Seems strange. What is the benefit of only using SCENES? I use a RC500 Looper Pedal with the FM9. It's easier and I get drums and can save my loops. Far better. Thanks.
I’m still learning this as well. If I’m correct scenes are like snapshots on helix. Set all your effects how you like it and then it saves that entire setup as a “scene” so maybe scene 1 has your drive pedal turned down and your delay set shorter. Then you click scene 2 and it cranks your reverb and boosts your drive. I have not messed with them yet but I think that’s how they work.
@@MOAB-UT Scenes is like snapshots in Line 6 and not different amps. You can have different amps (2) in one preset, one clean and one drive. You can create (save) scene 1 called "Clean" and choose to use only the clean amp . Scene to can be called "Wet Drive" and you can choose to bypass amp 1 and activate amp 2 + verb + delay, etc. So you don't have to do "step dancing" in order to turn several fx on and off. You have a total of 8 or 9 layouts in the FM9. If you choose the scene layout, you will see all the scenes within the specific preset. Click on "more" to see scene 5-8. Try to use it first with the FM9 Edit software, it is easier than using the unit itself. Also check out this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kc4PsSN71KM.html
@@lightfootfx Correct. You can even go deeper and create song and set list within the FM9. Watch this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-f55KLl3T4AQ.html
I run some inexpensive JBL 306P MkII's- around $200 and they sound great. One trip is to MIC one of them to an amp, or vice versa. Turn the bass up a big on the larger speaker to get more bass. My Fishman mini has a dedicated XLR Mic input which makes it easy. If you try to go right into the instrument in on an amp, you will want a pre-amp like a small mixer to boost the gain a bit. Locate the speakers about 10 feet apart from each other and you- like a triangle. This will give you ideal sound separation.
I think your input is to high, the red led only is supposed to light up once in a while. You can set the input in the in/out menu. Nice sounds btw, i wish i could run dual amps in the fm3.
Thanks for the info I’ll check that out I just left that setting stock from the factory thinking they probably got it set right. Yeah that would be awesome if the fm3 could do dual amps! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for putting this together, very helpful. I’m a long time Helix user waiting for my FM9 now. Question: with your expression pedal it appears you are using a standard TS (not TRS) instrument cable to connect for volume and swells? I ask because I was hoping to use the expression pedal I bought for my Helix on the FM9, which only has one out.
Nice tone, did it take a lot of time to come up with all the sounds you wanted or did you buy these in and tweak to taste? Your guitar face btw looks like you want to start a fight 😂😂😂 (jokes 🙃)
Ha 😆 that’s something I need to work on, especially when playing with other people. I made this entire thing from scratch, I just use other people’s patches for ideas on routing and signal path tricks, I see what pedals they might use and then if I like them I’ll use that pedal but start blank with it.
My FM9 is coming this Wednesday after a month and a half on the wait list. bye! bye! helix! on the side note, do you have your boost before the amp or after the amps?
Your video was so impressive. I'm a college student who is preparing to play the electric guitar of the praise team in South Korea, and I got an FM9T a few days ago. I really want to use your preset in South Korea, would it be rude to share it or teach me? I really want to learn ^-^
Great video. I had a Fractal board, but sold it. Way too complicated for me. On a side note, I watched a great documentary about the history of Christian music. It's call Jesus Music. As a P&W servant, it's a good history lesson to understand how P&W got to where it's at now. Take care and God bless.
You are not wrong. It is overly complex. Cooper Carter therefor offers a 15 hour course just to teach how to use the thing. After paying $1845 delivered, Fractal should offer that course gratis. The FM9 has great tones but the on unit editing experience is horrid IMHO. It is not at all intuitive. That part is both annoying and dissapointing. It is fun to edit on the unit. If Cliff ever gets around to updating the UI, it will be unbeatable.
I wouldn't say it's the AXEIII in a pedalboard formfactor. FM9 does have almost all the features of AXEIII, almost, but not all. But it's not so limited as FM3.
@@ryanbaker81 Not true at all. Per the man (Cliff) himself... "No. The III uses (1) dual-core Texas Instruments DSP. The FM3 uses (1) dual-core Analog Devices DSP. The FM9 uses (2) dual-core Analog Devices DSPs. The TI DSPs are much more powerful than the Analog Devices DSPs per clock and run at around twice the clock speed as well. So one TI DSP core is about four times more powerful than one Analog Devices DSP core. If we normalize processing power to the III it would be: Axe-Fx III: 100% FM9: 50% FM3: 25% So why not use the TI DSPs in everything? Power. The TI DSPs use more power and generate more heat requiring active cooling. They are also more complicated to use requiring dedicated clock generation units, multiple power supplies with specific sequencing requirements, etc., etc."
Just found your channel and like the content you are putting out here! But I do think you need to do something about the creepy look into the camera. I feel like you're staring into my soul. I think it's just a byproduct of looking down at your board and then back up, but maybe set up something off to the side of the camera where your eyes can go instead of into the camera. Just pause a video when you're in the middle of playing guitar and look up, you'll see what I mean.
It is not that simple on a FM9. More like you save presets and stomp between those. It's a little cumbersome in that regard. Editing on the unit is a nightmare. FM9-Edit works well but requires a PC connection.
LOL- not in the same league. Save up and at least get yourself into a FM3 MKII Turbo. $1,099.99. For $500 the FM9 is far better than both. You will not need another modeler for many years to come. Fractal updates their firmware often.
Can you explain please? I get confused about that point. On my FM9, it says Scenes when I am in Preset and Preset when in Scenes. It gets confusing. Outstanding modeler but definitely more tricky than it needs to be. Really top tech just works. The FM9 is simply not intuitive- at all says everyone. My cheap NUX MG30 and Ampero II were super intuitive. Not just because they are more basic units. Everything is well thought out and where you would expect various settings to be. I did not even need the manual on those units and could change most parameters in 1-2 clicks. On the FM9, there is far too much deep menu diving. It is outrageous that we have to pay $99 for a necessary 15 hour Cooper Carter class just to get a good comfort level with it. Cliff really needs to update his dated UI. He focused clearly on the tones and he nailed that but these days even Helix and QC beat the UI on the FM9. FM9-Edit is nice but I am not firing up my PC everytime I want to make some simple on the fly changes. That was a dissapointment. It is fun editing on the unit. Not practical on the FM9.
@@MOAB-UT Sorry my reply didn’t meet your expectations. I’m just some random guy on the interweb trying to be useful to the guitar community in general. So my apologies, I’ll try to be better in future. I have used Fractal Audio equipment Since 2015, and regularly play live gigs in many scenarios. I’ve never done Cooper’s course and get by just fine. If I could gently push back on your reply; have you read the manual? It’s not as scary as it looks. If you don’t want to read the manual, I’d suggest sticking with equipment that is intuitive for you. Yes, the Fractal gear sounds amazing; but I’d say 99% of those listening won’t hear the difference. And there’s nothing more frustrating than ‘fighting’ with the gear when you’re playing in a band. Most of all, enjoy playing your guitar.
@@ahall3823Apology accepted. You see, we are not all gigging experts. You likely already had a strong foundation with effects or you are just a very bright guy and this stuff comes easy to you- good for you. By anyone's standard, the FM9 is overly complex to use and especially hard to edit on unit making it less fun as a coffee table unit. I do not wish to fire up my laptop everytime I turn it on. I like editing on the fly. I am not exactly a dummy either. My major was Electrical Engineering and I studied Data Science at an Ivy. I graduated with high honors and I have been playing longer than you. Not necessarily better- just longer. Regardless, I don't like to waste time using tech that is overly and unecessarily complex. Yes, I have read the manual to a fair degree. My painfully simple point is that the FM9 should be more intuitive. If I can gently push back- have you played a Helix or Ampero II or Nux MG30? FAR more intuitive. Even "Lightfoot FX" says as much. There is no ambiguity on this point. I get it. It is easy for you. You are a N of 1 as they say. You do not represent the majority of non-pro's who would like to be able to use the FM9 without extensive mental gymnastics. Yes, I took Calculus and Physics. Yes, I COULD figure it out but I don't want to have to. The UI needs to be brought up to date. It needs to be smoother, work better. Fractal could learn from Helix and the QC in that department. I do agree that in a mix, almost no one will be able to tell the difference. SRV goes down as one of the best players with the best tone of all. He mostly used a Fender amp and a Tubescreemer pedal. He certainly did not read manuals and/or sit through a 15 hour training program. I agree- enjoy the guitar. I do just that- including unplugged acoustic. I do like to mix it up though and I appreciate tech. I just wish Fractal would make their units a bit more user friendly. Cheers!
Currently running a pedalboard into a Ruby/Dream pair. But I'm really considering getting an FM9. I think I will keep my analog overdrives that I love (Kilt V1 and Superbolt) and run them as loops into the FM9, so I can control them through the FM9 itself. What do you think?
Get on the list. You will love your FM9. You won't really need pedals but you can always use a AB/Y and essentially run two rigs in stereo. Get fancy, buy a Godin xTSA and seemlessly go from driven tones to acoustic on one side- it has both a piezo and regular pick-up, so two output jacks- really three with the synth out but I never use that. bottom line, the FM9 will up your game. It took me a year to get mine but I tyhink these days, you will likely have it in a few months. I heard that they are finally about caught up on their waitlist. $1845 delievered- then buy the expression pedal. It is not cheap, but considering what you actually get, it is a bargain.
The only thing that keeps me from selling all of my tube amps is I can't find a good frfr system that keeps up with a loud drummer at practice. The top end on all of the frfr solutions I've tried gets very harsh when I turn it up loud. Anyone fine a good frfr solution for amp modelers?
Your FRFR is probably just reproducing whatever you’re putting into it. Try some gentle hi cut EQ in the cab block and work from there. Even when I run into a tube power amp + cab I noticed some unwanted high end so killing it in the cab block solved that for me.
@@ryanbaker81 I tried putting my high cut at 3k which seems pretty extreme. It still sounded really harsh when turned up loud. I'm thinking finding a high quality frfr speaker may be the answer. I'm just not sure what a good frfr solution for band practice would be
Then use your normal cab and a flat solid state PA. That said you can use any PA and you could use a custom passive FRFR cab (depending on where you are someone like zilla do that to spec) if thats what you want. There is literally no combination of configuration that you can't do. Ergo. Its a non issue.
I have one drive block and each channel is set to a different drive. Then in FC edit I have each foot switch assigned to category of effect and the function set to Chan select. Then each one is set to the channel letter. I am currently making a 4 part video series on how to set this all up.
@@lightfootfx thank you my Brutha! Which layout are you using ? Can’t wait for your 4part video to come out hopefully very soon😰 I’m scheduled to play next coming Sunday.