Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
So the moment I dreaded finally happened, of course it wasn't during rehearsals/sound check/at home, but in front of 100 people at a live gig
write up here in case:
forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm3-had-my-first-crash-at-a-gig-the-fix.211559
The worst part is I kinda knew what might have caused it... here's a video on my troubleshooting and hopefully the fix to what turned out to be CPU Overload at it's finest, with the Fractal FM3 freezing up and crashing during the actual gig
I have to properly test this again during practice and also double check and tweak the midi switching from the laptop at that point in the set, what i did do in the preset is:
-turn all the Control switches to off, apart from the one I still use for the compressor block
-take off the amp block channel switch on that scene (which wasn't absolutely needed) , this is a minor thing i think, but it might play a part
-- -- --
while aggravating, i'd still rather a unit crashing , quickly turn off and on, which i can troubleshoot, than a complete failure of say a tube amp (which i've had before) the Fractal FM3 has been flawless since i've gotten it, I didn't think i'd experience a crash especially during a live gig, but hey things can always happen
follow me on IG : instagram.com/paulbradshawguitar
-- -- --
Support me by using any of these links here:
►►► Thomann Affiliate🔊: thomann.de/intl/thlpg_fi5qa1i74l.html
-- -- --
►►► All my Fractal audio presets 🎸: ko-fi.com/s/5a6542f393
-- -- --
►►► Buy me a coffee ☕: ko-fi.com/paulbradshawguitar
-- -- --
►►► All my links 🎧: https://linktr.ee/paulbradshawguitar
-- -- --
✨Lights
GVM : bit.ly/3OP5BYI
GVM SD200b/softbox - bit.ly/4gbw9zK
Enter the code "Paulgvm" to get 10% off your order there.
Quntis - Monitor light : amzn.to/3Zn62i7
Ambitful A1 : amzn.to/4dHqn6B
Raleno Video Light: amzn.to/4dJ5V5n
Phillips Hue: amzn.to/4f3NCcd
📸 Cameras
Sony ZV-1 : amzn.to/4dHqn6B
DJI Osmo Pocket 3 : amzn.to/4eI856G
💡Accessories:
Table camera stand : amzn.to/3BFDwjg
Camera Table mount: amzn.to/3NlWpdQ
-- -- --
TIME STAMPS
00:00 What are we looking at today?
01:07 Our setup
02:00 The Crash
04:25 Failure can happen at any point
04:53 Troubleshooting the cause
06:18 Firmware - CPU usage
07:02 excess Control switches
07:58 Why all those control switches?
09:38 Updated preset
10:41 Double checking the laptop midi switches
11:55 Minor rant
12:28 Final thoughts
#fractalaudio
So the moment I dreaded finally happened, of course it wasn't during rehearsals/sound check/at home, but in front of 100 people at a live gig
write up here in case:
forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm3-had-my-first-crash-at-a-gig-the-fix.211559
The worst part is I kinda knew what might have caused it... here's a video on my troubleshooting and hopefully the fix to what turned out to be CPU Overload at it's finest, with the Fractal FM3 freezing up and crashing during the actual gig
I have to properly test this again during practice and also double check and tweak the midi switching from the laptop at that point in the set, what i did do in the preset is:
-turn all the Control switches to off, apart from the one I still use for the compressor block
-take off the amp block channel switch on that scene (which wasn't absolutely needed) , this is a minor thing i think, but it might play a part
-- -- --
while aggravating, i'd still rather a unit crashing , quickly turn off and on, which i can troubleshoot, than a complete failure of say a tube amp (which i've had before) the Fractal FM3 has been flawless since i've gotten it, I didn't think i'd experience a crash especially during a live gig, but hey things can always happen
follow me on IG : instagram.com/paulbradshawguitar
-- -- --
Support me by using any of these links here:
►►► Thomann Affiliate🔊: thomann.de/intl/thlpg_fi5qa1i74l.html
-- -- --
►►► All my Fractal audio presets 🎸: ko-fi.com/s/5a6542f393
-- -- --
►►► Buy me a coffee ☕: ko-fi.com/paulbradshawguitar
-- -- --
►►► All my links 🎧: https://linktr.ee/paulbradshawguitar
-- -- --
✨Lights
GVM : bit.ly/3OP5BYI
GVM SD200b/softbox - bit.ly/4gbw9zK
Enter the code "Paulgvm" to get 10% off your order there.
Quntis - Monitor light : amzn.to/3Zn62i7
Ambitful A1 : amzn.to/4dHqn6B
Raleno Video Light: amzn.to/4dJ5V5n
Phillips Hue: amzn.to/4f3NCcd
📸 Cameras
Sony ZV-1 : amzn.to/4dHqn6B
DJI Osmo Pocket 3 : amzn.to/4eI856G
💡Accessories:
Table camera stand : amzn.to/3BFDwjg
Camera Table mount: amzn.to/3NlWpdQ
-- -- --
TIME STAMPS
00:00 What are we looking at today?
01:07 Our setup
02:00 The Crash
04:25 Failure can happen at any point
04:53 Troubleshooting the cause
06:18 Firmware - CPU usage
07:02 excess Control switches
07:58 Why all those control switches?
09:38 Updated preset
10:41 Double checking the laptop midi switches
11:55 Minor rant
12:28 Final thoughts
#fractalaudio
