Preset useage

I'm used to programming patches for a cover band. I may switch between 1 or 2 patches and sometimes up to 3 patches in one song on a Fender Mustang III.

This may not work on a Grandmeister and the MKIII Midi pedal because it uses banks for storing presets.

1) I may use several patches for 1 song (1 for Rhythm, maybe 1 for a special modulation for one lead run, and maybe 1 for a lead with more volume). So lets say I program the 1st three patches on the Grandmeister for the first song. If I program the next 2 patches for the next song to easily change between these 2 patches it would be between banks. This would not work well... If I keep 1 song per bank that would only allow for 32 songs which would not be enough. I'm not sure how I'm going to work around this. I may have to change the way I think about using patches.
Any Suggestions? How do you use your presets?


Any suggestions would be great....

Thx SMS

I had the same problem but I really found that there was no need to have a completely new set of patches for every song.  I have a small set of standard voices I rely on for most basic numbers then for anything specialist I put it into its own bank.  I always maintain there is a difference between a covers band and a tribute band.  I play covers so there is no need to be exactly the same as the original, just reasonably close to it unless it is really your own version you are looking for, then it doesn't matter at all.  With a tribute band it is important to recreate the original as close as it is possible to get.  Of course your own situation may be different.

As you suggest, why not just put most songs in their own bank of 4 patches, then fill in some of the lost patches with those for songs which only require one.  Two songs with a pair of patches each can fit side by side.  It is also perfectly workable to use the free tablet/laptop control apps to upload a different complete set of patches between sets too if you need more than the 32 banks can give you.

You can also use the FSM432 Direct Mode setting.  For example, this would allow you to set up 2 songs with 3 voices each in a different bank, say Banks 1 and 2, leaving say patch D free in both.  Then you could set up a third song requiring only two patches in Bank 1D and Bank 2D.  Direct mode on the footswitch allows you to immediately swap between 1D and 2D with one stomp on the Up and Down switches.  You could even extend this to 1D+2D+3D.

I do understand your problem, it is one many of us have come across, but I don't know of any other amps which would be better structured to handle this than the GM36.  You just need careful cataloguing of your patches so you keep up with where you are going.

I agree with BB.

My strategy is to use Bank 1 as my "go to" set of presets. My default Clean on preset 1, Crunch on preset 2, Lead on preset 3, and a semi common "one off" on preset 4, perhaps a special effect type of patch. This is the bank that I use most of the time.

However, certain songs require specific parameters, IE a delay setting, and so I have additional banks for those songs, based on Bank 1, but with the special parameters. We are capable of performing a 3-4 hour show (thankfully it's usually 1-2 hrs HA) and I can do it all with about a half dozen banks total. It's very manageable.

In a live scenario I have learned over the years (decades) that I don't need to go overboard with having too many specialized patches.

Thank you for the valuable input from both of you...

This will help me figure out my strategy. I should have this all figured out by our next gig in January. This really has helped me and also too that I see others have struggled with this at one time or another.

Thx SMS

Your more than welcome SMS. I promise you we all struggle to know what's the best way to deal with this when we first get into it. It may seem complex but it is so much better than just a linear string of voices which you have to step up through one at a time to go from one to the other. And you may actually come up with a better strategy of your own. If you do, do make sure to let us know what you decide on, we can all benefit that way. Just because we do things a certain way for the present doesn't mean it is perfect and can't be bettered.