Should you buy a Fractal Audio FM3?

[@LeonTodd]

JC - "Befriend a Fractal nerd" *This is my time to shine* Those frozen verbs are unreal!

[@ZacBarnesMusic]

Love your videos and channel Leon! Keep up the good work!

[@danielpirone8028]

I would vote for LT to be my Fractal learning journey buddy!

[@mitcholz6302]

Hahahahahah 👌👌

[@ZacharyRyanMusic89]

You’re the fractal nerd that’s helped me with building patches 😂

[@luisxgonzalez]

So I got my FM3 3 months ago and honestly have played more guitar in that time than the past 3 years combined. The learning curve took a few weeks to get over, yes, but having the editing software and tutorial videos make it easier. Every time I play through a different amp in the pedal I’m just blown away at the quality and catch myself saying “wow” just about every time, and that’s just off the stock presets! The reason why I went the FM3 route as opposed to the Line 6/Kemper stage/quad cortex route was the ability to mix in the piezo acoustic pickups i put into a couple of my guitars and after some fine tuning I have them damn close to a real acoustic! I bought a couple of the mini fractal expression pedals when I was on the waitlist and mounted them to a pedaltrain Jr when it all arrived and the portability makes it all the more exciting to travel because there’s amazing sounds anywhere I go. Packing a pair of headphones and any random guitar, piezo equipped or not, I know I’ll have a blast for hours. Hands down the greatest guitar related investment I’ve ever made and absolutely worth the 7 month wait.

[@ALIASZARDOZ]

Dear Jonathan, I love your kind of playing... it's very beautiful and very great feelings... Bravo ! Phil from Dunkirk

[@johnnathancordy]

Thankyou Phil!!

[@ambientriffs9689]

Those opening 2 minutes were just beautiful!!! Tone

[@PaulDatta]

The outro as well. John, did you run two reverbs?

[@ral8031]

The intro was absolutely beautiful!

[@dver4624]

Love the t-shirt. Excited for the new film? Great demo.

[@johnnathancordy]

WAIT WHAT? New film?

[@minisurfbanana]

Movie was bloody as hell like the game!

[@minxlabrada]

Great review of this thing. Love the spacey sounds you are getting out of it. I love heavy reverb associated with surf and Ennio Morriconne. Getting a Surfy Bear for the analog reverb tank sound. But this this will let me explore beyond for that kind of western music from the year 3000 kind of sound.

[@BJPriceMusic]

Ok I will def buy you some coffee. Ive had this for a month now and its absolutely amazing. Great playing man.

[@Andreorsel]

Great sound and playing! Nice, at 1:11 the stacked sixth intervals from “Above and Below” by the late great Allan Holdsworth.

[@Crabfather]

Wow that verb is absolutely beautiful

[@user-xl3cq7ln3u]

I just sold my Kemper Stage to change to either the QC or the FM3 (The kemper sounded great but was too big and heavy for me). I’m leaning towards the FM3 except there seems to be one problem: there isn’t a case for it. I’ve been looking all around but could’t find the right one. What do you normally use to carry it around?

[@briane.paulson]

Always a great demo. 👏👏👏👏👍. Btw, I am a full time professional bedroom player. I plan on touring and performing in Bedrooms around the world. The Old Wives tour provides clean sheets, new strings and Freshly ground coffee. I plan on releasing an album and a video documentary of my best performances. The working title, “If the walls could talk.”

[@johnnathancordy]

yEEEEEES

[@DannyBeardsley]

A wonderful review again. Great insight and always a pleasure to listen to your guitar playing 🙏

[@r.llynch4124]

I have an FM3 and I love Fractal stuff BUT I'm going to give the Quad Cortex a go. It looks very promising with modeling, captures, and the plug-ins coming soon after release. It seems to check all the boxes for me.

[@godsreclamation2539]

I was on the fence about the quad cortex as well but I bought the fm3 and it arrives today. I really have no use of the captures or having 2 guitarist able to play from on unit. The modeling didnt really wow me tbh. I play metal fwiw. If I was able to use the vst nerual dsp provided right out of the box I would of no brainer bought one. Fm3 was just right up my alley. Still yet to try it but today I will mess with it and I'm sure I won't regret it.

[@r.llynch4124]

​@@godsreclamation2539 great box only issues i have are 3 footswitches no capture and only 1 amp per. i found on my fm3 the 3 footswitches a pita to scroll thru scenes. yea i know you can buy a fc-6 but that defeats the whole ideal of just 1 compact unit and adds 500 bucks to the fm3 .

[@pastilance1]

@@r.llynch4124 Seeing your comment 2 years later, how have the QC been?

[@r.llynch4124]

@Boyko Dimov I didn't keep it very long. Got a FM9. Pretty disappointed in the cortex actually.

[@pastilance1]

@@r.llynch4124 Yeah, I was kind of expect something like this. When the QC first was announced there was huge hype around it but it looks like it didn't managed to live up to the expectations. 2 years later their plugins are still not available on the hardware unit.

[@RawadAMassih]

where did u get that tshirt from?🐉🌺🗡🎶

[@johnnathancordy]

Asda! I got a mortal Kombat 2 t-shirt from there too but that one is about 17 sizes too big

[@RawadAMassih]

🤘🏼🎸🎸🔥

[@pangloss9]

And I just bought one. :-) Even though I record guitars many different ways, for the price (in the US), the FM3 as a stand alone effects unit is easily worth the money.

[@blazersaint144]

Having used an Ultra for years I can tell you that the modeling in the Axe FXIII , which this unit pulls from, it very attractive in a way other upgrades from Axe FX have not been. I'm just wondering what the differences are between the FM3 and Axe FXIII to compare.

[@canyondepths]

Very nice jams. Another software option coming too, Karzog just announced AmpCraft will be released soon as a follow-up to Thermionik.

[@AndrewReynolds1]

I was wondering what type of speaker you use to listen to your modellers? Are you playing through the amp behind you or do you have some kind of FRFR setup , etc? I play my Helix through a Line 6 Power Cab +.

[@johnnathancordy]

Almost always you hear me direct, but I use JBL lsr305s in the room which are my studio monitors

[@Wond3rland___]

I’ve got Yamaha HS7’s and a QSC k2 10”. These modelers and processors shine through FRFR speakers

[@jeeeeev]

I have the hx stomp but looking for a more 'powerful' multi fx. I am torn between this and the ax8. Ax8 is cheaper since it is in the used market.

[@johnnathancordy]

The AX8 still gets used by a bunch of folks I think having all the footswitches is essential for some people. The FM3 is great though, and the user interface has made a big leap forward from the AX8 days

[@JJDPROMEDIAPRODUCTION]

I love the sound, but I want it with more buttons,,,,Without having to purchase an additional foot controller.

[@surfrby8876]

I’m from the the future and there will be an FM 9

[@michaelflorentino4920]

I wish I can play like that! How were you able to get that lingering tone in the background? It's almost like an infinite delay...

[@Dandelion-32]

I just subscribed. You have a lot of videos with products that are not "my thing", but your playing definitely is 🙂

[@johnnathancordy]

I think there's probably lots more videos that are just about playing so hopefully there'll be some stuff for you? There's a playlist called "I'm driving here, will you stop talking" which is only music!

[@Dandelion-32]

@@johnnathancordy Nice :-) I'm quite enjoying your "Not having a quad live video" too :-)

[@nigelroman6867]

Hey man just got my fm3!! Wanted to know what your favorite amps are. Looking for your go to amps/cabs for clean playing

[@johnnathancordy]

The Trainwrecks, the carol Ann tucanas, the vibrolux, umm quite a few

[@TLMuse]

I don't have any opinion about the FM3 (never tried it), though you sure make it sound great! Just another option perhaps worth considering depending on needs/constraints: For the same price, you can get an HX Stomp and an HX Effects. You'll have the MIDI access for the effects, twice as many scribble strips and footswitches, and a separate effects unit you could use for acoustic gigs (with IRs for pickup processing), or with another modeler or amp sim (e.g., Iridium). This lets you focus the HX Stomp's DSP on the amp modeling-or swap it for an Iridium or whatever. -Tom

[@JJDPROMEDIAPRODUCTION]

However, that setup would not come close to the sound of the FM3.. Not even in the same ballpark..

[@imandan1966]

But the Fractal sounds are simple superior to Line 6

[@mikegibsonincognito4580]

How good are the standard onboard patches, do they need a lot tweaking to be useable?

[@sebastianardoncamacho3722]

hola bro, me encanto tu sonido, una pregunta tienes el fractal conectado a la interfaz de audio directamente? Suena realmente bien, yo uso el hx Stomp y estoy pensando en cambiarme para este equipo. Gracias por tu ayuda y bendiciones.

[@FabrizioRodulfo]

Amigo, él no habla español! Pero creo que sí está conectado directamente al DAW ya que el FM3 funciona como interfaz también! Saludos!!

[@mastermachetier5594]

How does it compare to the helix ? I have the hxstomp and want more power and was though about going to a helix floor but this is looking interesting to me

[@johnnathancordy]

In terms of over all power if you already like the Hx stomp but think "I want more of this" then I'd say Helix can do a bit more than the Fm3. The fm3 is sort of analogous to the Hx stomp in a way - still really good but not the full axe FX power if that makes sense

[@mastermachetier5594]

@@johnnathancordy thanks ya one thing also the helix does is it is a decent audio interface .

[@johnnathancordy]

@@mastermachetier5594 I think people have had mixed experiences with the FM3 as an interface, not sure if they've sorted that yet or not tbh?

[@Brandontsmith85]

@@johnnathancordy I believe they got that sorted out in the latest firmware update. I tried it for a few minutes on my Windows 10 machine and had no problems at all; however, I also didn't use it very long since I prefer to use my dedicated MOTU interface.

[@johnnathancordy]

@@Brandontsmith85 good to know - same here!

[@zool84]

My only indecision is between this and the Axe Fx3...

[@phillipsouthard8285]

Hey! I bought you coffee so I can get some of your FM3 patches, but wasn’t sure how to message you.

[@johnnathancordy]

Ooh let me email you!

[@phillipsouthard8285]

@@johnnathancordy all good! I found your website and bought the fm3 patches! Enjoy the coffee!

[@Cactustone]

Great video! Do you use the UltraRes Its in your FM3? If so, what are your thoughts on the truncated IR vs the standard length Its in the AXE II or AXE III?

[@jato1956]

Beautiful playing. I have the OMG-9 rig. How do I get that frozen verb preset????

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

The thing is that you really need a good power amp or powered cab to use with this or any modeler or it will feel and sound like garbage. Expensive and if you already know what you need then better to get a real amp. If you play lot of types of music like a cover band it can be worthwhile.

[@sherzar]

hi where is it made in ? usa /UK or ..

[@hanshol5399]

yes

[@eliasramirezcroman]

Sounds wonderful, your playing is great, but the small screen and lack of an amp capture feature turned me off. I ordered a Quad Cortex instead

[@jonathonvargas3476]

Man your playing and that tone, heavenly.

[@alexzaytsevguitar]

There are of plenty offers of AXE FX II for $1150 on Ebay now and from time to time one can buy 2nd AXE FX for ~$1000. Buy the way FM3 has basically the same CPU power as AX8, this means it is two times slower than AXE FX II. By the way, Cliff from fractal audio recently hinted on fractal forum that a new floor device more powerful than Quad Cortex may appear soon.

[@MOAB-UT]

Can you share the thread or title of the post?

[@johnnathancordy]

I was looking for specs on the FM3 compared to the Axe models but couldn't find anything definitive so thanks for that!

[@alexzaytsevguitar]

@@johnnathancordy FM3 uses Sharc DSP, I think there are two Sharc DSPs inside of it - same thing with AX8. Iridium in all theirs products also use Sharc. AXE FX III uses completely different Keystone DSP from Texas Instruments if I'm not mistaken, it is much more powerful than Sharc. Most likely, Quad Cortex uses similar DSP to AXE FX III.

[@johnnathancordy]

@@alexzaytsevguitar I believe the quad cortex is 4 500mhz processors right?

[@alexzaytsevguitar]

@@johnnathancordy I've just looked on Neural DSP site, they say "2GHz of dedicated DSP from its Quad-Core SHARC". So it is still SHARC. Probably, yes - something like that - 4 DSPs 500mhz, or maybe four 500mhz cores on one chip.

[@blessonnaikofficial83]

Heavenly feeling

[@tossedpenny]

"You weren't there man."

[@SixStringHarmonies]

Fractal products can be intimidating. They can produce infinite rabbit holes. However, it's worth it for the tone and feel. There is always help available on the Fractal Audio forum. Answers usually come within 10 minutes. There's a great community behind the FAS ecosphere. Any way you slice it, FAS products produce modeling algorithms with component-level detail. Something no competitors have even yet dreamt. There is no way a new floor unit is coming for some time. It will be probably 2 years before the AF4 pops up. The FM3 successor is likely also some time away. The recent FW updates on the AF3 (15.01) and FM3 (3.0) have greatly improved the tones and feel over the past 4 weeks. The price of the units is effectively the price of never having to buy another amp or effect pedal ever again. I stopped buying gear once I went to the AF3. The only criticism is that there should be a more affordable floor switching unit. The FC6 is $500. Quite steep.

[@azzazelo]

Yeah I have the axf3 but I'm addicted so also have a bunch of amps etc. Buddy has the fm3. One thing I keep seeing is that people want to make a direct comparison fm3 vs axe3 and to me they are very different things. True on the controllers being expensive but compared to what an rjm or something would have cost back in the day for a similar rig it really isn't so bad, and this is more powerful. You can always go midi control route for much cheaper.

[@tuhinbhattacharya6588]

Which amp would best sound with the FM3?

[@thomasyoung1978]

I would like to see a Fractal FM6 minimal or FM8/10 switches

[@Simeon_Harris]

lovely playing john, as usual. i think one thing that can help shorten the learning curve is real world experience with traditional setups (if you have it). the fractal units really do strive to get as close as possible to the real world counterparts, so if you know anything about amps, effects and speakers, all that knowledge will be useful. also don't forget about the fractal wiki, which is an amazing resource, as are Yek's guides to the amps, effects and drives and the forum is full of very experienced and knowledgeable people who are willing to help. your advice to get a fractal buddy is also excellent. your query about the amp modelling in the new units and how it relates to the gen 1 and 2 units - it's a big step up - and the fx have had some serious updates as well. the gen 1 and 2 units still hold their own, but the axe fx 3 and the fm 3 really are a long way ahead now.

[@francocutroneo6978]

Amazing, why these thumbs down? What's wrong with wrongers?

[@гугляндексович-л5г]

So, should I buy it?

[@johnnathancordy]

When I was making this video, I was thinking with NAMM coming up, there might be something else on the horizon. This ended up being the FM9. If you need dual amps, more power and more switches, now the FM9 looks like a more suitable option.

[@w.Izzy.]

What about the hat?

[@johnnathancordy]

Forgot the hat, I just washed my hair and I want to show it off

[@AudioAtmos]

YESSSSSSS!!

[@BurntMcgurnt]

Funny thing is man the axe 2s are actually cheaper right now and the axe 8s are the same price its ridiculous people really need to get real with their prices

[@danielbertola7868]

I'd say wait. In the age of great sounding guitar modelers, the best units will come down to power and user interface. There are better units in this regard on the horizon.

[@brettshawver2983]

Kicking around the Fractal or the Neural Quad Cortex. The Fractal is cheaper and sounds fantastic, but new-gear hype has me still waiting on the Neural.

[@jato1956]

Never mind. I bought you a coffee!

[@dmytrok3656]

Fm3 is superior buy it now. Amps, drives sound amazing compared to axe fx2xl+

[@WarzoneVictoryWins]

Quad Cortex

[@johnnathancordy]

not available yet chap

[@lukather1]

As everyone can hear the reverbs and delays are Stella and better in quality depth character and balance than the helix I really miss them in my rack but use Valhalla plugins Amps and cabs can be similar if you tweak the helix The lack of pedals / switches and difficult interface and poor midi integration are what moved me a way I would go back if they had better midi Improved or made the workflow easier and form factor of helix floor scribble stips hated the FM Obviously price is critical I would have gone to Axefx rack but 2300 plus pedal board 3000 is ridiculous 😎❤️👍🥖

[@tonepilot]

Yes, you should buy an FM3. No sense waiting to get great tone.

[@JohnnyGuitar1]

I would never go from 11 switches on the AX8 down to 3 switches because I am mostly on stage, not a bedroom part timer. And no I am not gonna buy extra switches because it defeats the purpose of compact, portable, and fast to connect.

[@johnnathancordy]

Ok

[@adamhaze8477]

“...not a bedroom part timer..” judgemental much?

[@JohnnyGuitar1]

@@adamhaze8477 just facts, and you just judged also.

[@TheSpiritOfLight]

why do you play that K Line knockoff and not some real vintage american made strat from the early/mid of the 70s ???

[@johnnathancordy]

Because I don't have infinite money and in any case I'm sure it's a better guitar than the majority of those that might still be in playable condition. It's also the finest guitar I've ever played, so there's that.

[@tomh4244]

Why don't you drive a lamborghini instead of your shitty car??

[@justinTime077]

I will have to write a letter to KZbin and ask them to delete you if you continue cutting off my education to play atmospheric soundscapes on your guitar.

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

With the Quad Cortex coming out? Hell no 😆

[@johnnathancordy]

Track record?

[@goodgodpluckme1]

Nope...Its very good but you get way more bang for buck with Helix....And most of us don't get free tryouts...Just sayin'

[@johnnathancordy]

I don't get free try outs either good sir

[@goodgodpluckme1]

@@johnnathancordy I stand corrected in public...Thanks for the vids...

[@tonykennedy8483]

Had a HX Stomp, wasn't anywhere near as good as my trusty old AX8 and my FM3 is just a step up YMMV, but the Helix always left me cold whereas I can spend hours playing thorough my Fractal gear and it's sooo much better

[@ericaguitarbebe]

I own one too, I love don’t think too hard about just get one. I enjoy playing everyday with it. Hey great video! I love your playing!