Fractal MFC-101 Programming Manual

Fractalaudio MFC-101 Programming for the Fractalaudio Axe-Fx III

The MFC-101 as generic MIDI controller for controlling with the Axe-Fx III.

A DEMONSTRATION VIDEO CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://www.cabir.eu/content/13-mfc101-for-axefx3

References to menu item Entries in the MFC-101 operating instructions refer to the English-language MFC-101 MIDI Foot Controller Owner’s Manual Version 2.01

(V. 1.02 © 2018 Markus Hohmann | www.cabIR.eu - fine impulse responses)

Introduction:

THE GOOD: WHAT'S POSSIBLE

Anyone who thinks that the MFC-101 can no longer be used to control the Axe-Fx
III in a practical way is mistaken. Besides the MFC-101 `Axe-Fx Mode` for
bidirectional communication, the MFC-101 is also an extremely powerful generic
MIDI controller. And we take advantage of this:

In this tutorial you will find step-by-step instructions in 5 steps on how to
configure the MFC-101 so that you can control the following functions of the Axe­Fx III and always keep track of current switching states.

• Call up any 48 Axe-Fx III Presets

• 8 Axe-Fx III scenes Switches

• 17 IA Axe-Fx III FX bypass, FX channel or Tempo TAP switches

All functions `IN SYNC` with the Axe-Fx III: MFC-101 IA switch LEDs always display
the current bypass or channel status of assigned Axe-Fx III FX blocks.

The physical connection is via a One-Way MIDI connection:

MFC-101 MIDI OUT -> AXE-FX III MIDI IN.

On the last page you will find for download:

MFC-101 Original/MKII default configuration.syx and matching Axe-Fx III
Systemdaten.syx in a ZIP file. You can install both on your devices with Axe-fx

Fractal-Bot and you are ready to go.

THE BAD: WHAT DOESN'T WORK

Fractalaudio's MFC-101 does not support `Axe-Fx mode` for the latest Axe-Fx III,
eliminating the possibility of bi-directional data communication, which means that
the following functions of the MFC-101 are not supported in conjunction with the
Axe-Fx III:

No MFC-101 support for the Axe-Fx III for the following settings:

12.4 The MIDI Menu

12.5 The Setup Menu

12.4.0 MFC-101 Port [Expansion, Fasli nk]

12.5.0 Axe-Fx Mode [Standard, Ultra, II, XL, XL+]

12.4.2 Axe-Fx TotalSync

12.5.2 Axe-Fx Display Offset

12.4.7 IA Switch Axe-Fx Functions

12.5.20 Hold Axe-Fx Tempo for Tuner

12.4.3 Axe-Fx Preset Transmit Map

12.5.21 Axe-Fx Instant Access Switch LED Off State

12.5.24 Looper Control

Reference: MFC-101 MIDI Foot Controller Owner’s Manual Version 2.01

https://www.fractalaudio.com/downloads/manuals/mfc-101/MFC-101-Owners­Manual.pdf

Axe-Fx III SETUP: MIDI/Remote

To remotely control the Axe-Fx III via MIDI commands of the MFC-101, the MIDI
channel on which the MIDI communication takes place must be defined. Likewise,
all control units you want to address must be assigned corresponding (unique)
Control Change Numbers (CC#). Up to 127 unique CC`s# can be assigned. By
default, they are all off (NONE), because there are many more entries in the Axe­Fx III than the 127 that can be assigned. Here is my suggestion for a default CC#
assignment and further settings, which should normally be sufficient to control the
Axe-Fx III without conflicts with the MFC-101. All 127 possible uniquen CC# were

assigned. If you need CC# for other entries, you can of course adapt the CC#
assignment to your individual needs.

Under SETUP -> Global Settings -> Config -> I recommend
to set default Scene to 1.

STEP 1: Axe-Fx III: SETUP -> MIDI/Remote Menu [Axe-Fx III Manual: 12 Setup Menu | THE MIDI/REMOTE MENU

]:

General

General

External

CC# Looper

CC# Other

CC#

GENERAL

INITIAL VALUE

External Control 1

1 Record

123 Tempo Tap

13

MIDI Channel

1 External Control 1

100% External Control 2

2 Play

124 Tuner

120

Display Offset

1 External Control 2

0% External Control 3

3 Undo

125

Scene Revert

ON External Control 3

0% External Control 4

4 Once

126 SCENE

Eff. Bypass Mode

VALUE

External Control 4

0% External Control 5

5 Reverse

127 Scene Select

15

External Control 5

0% External Control 6

6

Scene Increment

NONE

PC CONFIGURATION

External Control 6

0% External Control 7

7

Scene Decrement

NONE

Program Change

ON External Control 7

0% External Control 8

8

Ignore Redundant PC

ON External Control 8

0% External Control 9

9

I/O Send MIDI PC

OFF External Control 9

0% External Control 10

10

Input 1 Volume

NONE

MIDI PC Offset

0 External Control 10

0% External Control 11

11

Input 2 Volume

NONE

PC Mapping

OFF External Control 11

0% External Control 12

NONE

Input 3 Volume

NONE

External Control 12

0% External Control 13

NONE

Input 4 Volume

NONE

External Control 13

0% External Control 14

NONE

Output 1 Volume

121

External Control 14

0% External Control 15

NONE

Output 2 Volume

NONE

External Control 15

0% External Control 16

NONE

Output 3 Volume

NONE

External Control 16

0%

Output 4 Volume

NONE

Initial Value 100% for External Control 1: External Control 1 I use for the expression pedal, which controls the volume of the VOLUME 1 block. This Block is always placed
between amp block and post amp effects such as delay and reverb and is always active. My "Master Volume" pedal. That's why I didn't give a CC# entry for VOLUME1 BYPASS,
because it is always active and is not switched on or off.

Bypass

even CC#

Channel

uneven CC#

Bypass

even CC#

Channel

uneven CC#

Amp 1

16 Amp 1

17 Mixer 3

NONE Mixer 3

NONE

Amp 2

18 Amp 2

19 Mixer 4

NONE Mixer 4

NONE

Cabinet 1

20 Cabinet 1

21 Multiband Compressor 1

72 Multiband Compressor 1

73

Cabinet 2

NONE Cabinet 2

NONE Multiband Compressor 2

NONE Multiband Compressor 2

NONE

Chorus 1

22 Chorus 1

23 Multiplexer 1

74 Multiplexer 1

75

Chorus 2

24 Chorus 2

25 Multiplexer 2

NONE Multiplexer 2

NONE

Compressor 1

26 Compressor 1

27 Multitap Delay 1

76 Multitap Delay 1

77

Compressor 2

28 Compressor 2

29 Multitap Delay 2

NONE Multitap Delay 2

NONE

Compressor 3

NONE Compressor 3

NONE Output 1

NONE Output 1

NONE

Compressor 4

NONE Compressor 4

NONE Output 2

NONE Output 2

NONE

Crossover 1

30 Crossover 1

31 Output 3

NONE Output 3

NONE

Crossover 2

NONE Crossover 2

NONE Output 4

NONE Output 4

NONE

Delay 1

32 Delay 1

33 Parametric EQ 1

78 Parametric EQ 1

79

Delay 2

34 Delay 2

35 Parametric EQ 2

80 Parametric EQ 2

81

Delay 3

NONE Delay 3

NONE Parametric EQ 3

82 Parametric EQ 3

83

Delay 4

NONE Delay 4

NONE Parametric EQ 4

84 Parametric EQ 4

85

Drive 1

36 Drive 1

37 Phaser 1

86 Phaser 1

87

Drive 2

38 Drive 2

39 Phaser 2

88 Phaser 2

89

Drive 3

NONE Drive 3

NONE Pitch 1

90 Pitch 1

91

Drive 4

NONE Drive 4

NONE Pitch 2

92 Pitch 2

93

Enhancer 1

40 Enhancer 1

41 Plex Delay 1

94 Plex Delay 1

95

Enhancer 2

NONE Enhancer 2

NONE Plex Delay 2

NONE Plex Delay 2

NONE

Filter 1

42 Filter 1

43 Realtime Analyzer 1

NONE

Filter 2

44 Filter 2

45 Resonator 1

96 Resonator 1

97

Filter 3

46 Filter 3

47 Resonator 2

NONE Resonator 2

NONE

Filter 4

48 Filter 4

49 Return 1

NONE

Flanger 1

50 Flanger 1

51 Return 2

NONE

Flanger 2

NONE Flanger 2

NONE Reverb 1

98 Reverb 1

99

Formant 1

52 Formant 1

53 Reverb 2

100 Reverb 2

101

Formant 2

NONE Formant 2

NONE Ring Modulator 1

102 Ring Modulator 1

103

Gate 1

54 Gate 1

55 Rotary 1

104 Rotary 1

105

Gate 2

NONE Gate 2

NONE Rotary 2

NONE Rotary 2

NONE

Gate 3

NONE Gate 3

NONE Scene MIDI

NONE

Gate 4

NONE Gate 4

NONE Send 1

NONE

Graphic EQ 1

56 Graphic EQ 1

57 Send 2

NONE

Graphic EQ 2

58 Graphic EQ 2

59 Synthesizer 1

106 Synthesizer 1

107

Graphic EQ 3

60 Graphic EQ 3

61 Synthesizer 2

NONE Synthesizer 2

NONE

Graphic EQ 4

62 Graphic EQ 4

63 Ten-Tap Delay 1

108 Ten-Tap Delay 1

109

Bypass

even CC#

Channel

uneven CC#

Bypass

even CC#

Channel

uneven CC#

Input 1

64 Input 1

65 Ten-Tap Delay 2

NONE Ten-Tap Delay 2

NONE

Input 2

66 Input 2

67 Tone Match

12

Input 3

NONE Input 3

NONE Tremolo/Panner 1

110 Tremolo/Panner 1

111

Input 4

NONE Input 4

NONE Tremolo/Panner 2

NONE Tremolo/Panner 2

NONE

Input USB

NONE Input USB

NONE Vocoder 1

14

Looper 1

122

Volume 1

NONE Volume 1

NONE

Megatap 1

68 Megatap 1

69 Volume 2

112 Volume 2

113

Megatap 2

NONE Megatap 2

NONE Volume 3

114 Volume 3

115

Mixer 1

70 Mixer 1

71 Volume 4

116 Volume 4

117

Mixer 2

NONE Mixer 2

NONE WahWah 1

118 WahWah 1

119

WahWah 2

NONE WahWah 2

NONE

Now the Axe-Fx III is ready and the basis is set to prepare the MFC-101 in the next step and program it to match the CC# values set above!

MFC-101: Preparations

STEP 2: MFC-101: EDIT->SETUP

We make the following settings in the MFC-101 SETUP Menu:

EDIT -> SETUP

EDIT -> SETUP

12.5.0 Axe--Fx Mode

NONE

12.5.11 Global IA Switch Setup

NO

12.5.1 Performance Mode

PRESET

12.5.12 IA Switch Send w/ Preset

YES

12.5.2 Axe--Fx Display Offset

1 12.5.13 IA Switch Names

as wanted, if
needed

12.5.3 MFC--101 Display Offset

1 12.5.14 IA Switch Link Settings

not in use

12.5.4 MIDI Channel Display Offsets

1

12.5.15 Send IA Switch Link OFF
Messages

Yes

12.5.5 MIDI Channel Names

as wanted, if needed

12.5.16 Internal CC Names

as wanted, if
needed

12.5.6 Bank Size

8 12.5.22 Save Edits Switch

ON

12.5.7 Bank Style

FIRST

12.5.8 Bank/Song Limit

48

12.5.9 Bank/Song Wrap

OFF

12.5.10 IA Switch Types

TOGGLE [for FX BYPASS/CHANNEL &
TUNER]

MOMENTARY [for TAP Tempo]