Fractal AXE-FX III, Руководство пользователя

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7 LEVELING PRESETS
7 LEVELING PRESETS
This section is about balancing levels across Presets, Scenes and Channels. It is not about correctly setting
overall input and output levels.
Balancing levels requires both knowledge and tools. The challenge of getting levels “right” is not unique to the
Axe-Fx III. Guitar players and audio technicians face the same obstacles when using traditional equipment: our
hearing, speakers, and surroundings are all variable. On a platform as powerful and flexible as the Axe-Fx III, the
number of options that affect volume can be daunting, but fortunately there are some good rules of thumb, all
backed by a number of precision controls and meters. This section aims to provide a method you can rely on to
normalize the levels of Presets, Scenes and Channels.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Our ears deceive us. The “equal-loudness contour” or “Fletcher Munsen” effect causes
us to hear tonal balance differently as volume levels change. At lower volumes, low
and high frequencies seem to be relatively quieter. Check your sounds at various levels,
especially “gig” volume, and strive to learn more about this phenomenon.
Different speaker systems have different frequency response, which affects our
perceptions of tone and volume. Set levels on the same system you will perform through
— ideally, the best and most accurate speakers you can attain. Be prepared to make
adjustments on other systems, and this goes for your tone as well as your levels.
Context, including other sounds and the environment itself, also change perceptions of loudness.
Two different guitar sounds may seem to be equal in level when you audition them alone, but
might then sound totally different when they are “competing” in a mix against other instruments
such as bass and drums, or when played in a problematic performance space. Don’t be
surprised if you work alone to level sounds and then find things sound different on stage.
THE RULE OF THUMB
Challenges aside, it’s important that you know how to adjust levels on the Axe-Fx III.
There are a lot of different ways to adjust level on the Axe-Fx III. A good rule of
thumb is to use the Level parameter of the Amp block. See “The Method” on the next
page for an a process that works across Presets, Scenes and Channels.
Above all, use common sense. Rely on meters, but don’t set levels solely on how they look. USE YOUR EARS!
EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE
When following the Amp block(s) with any level-dependent dynamic effects, such as a compressor
or gate, you will need to re-adjust those blocks after changing amp levels. A better option may
be to “bend” the rule of thumb and adjust the output of the last dynamics block instead.
This is also the case for any nonlinear effects such as drive which may in rare cases (such as Tape
Saturation or Bitcrusher effects) be placed after the amp. Adjust Level for these blocks instead of the amp.
If you have prominent Drive/Saturation in the Preamp simulation of the
Cab block, adjust the Level of the Cab block instead.