FM3/FM9/AXE-FX III Patch based on Andy Summers tones

FM3/FM9/AXE-FX III Patch based on Andy Summers tones

Andy Summers, best known as the guitarist of The Police, developed a guitar voice that blended clarity, harmonic richness, and rhythmic precision. Rather than relying on heavy distortion, he emphasized clean and semi-clean tones, sculpted with careful EQ and enhanced by chorus, flanger, and short rhythmic delays. His approach demanded tonal transparency to highlight his use of unconventional chord voicings, often rooted in jazz, while still cutting through a full band mix. The result was a sound that balanced atmosphere with precision—bright, articulate, and instantly recognizable.

This FM3 preset captures the essential elements of Summers’ tonal palette, with two flexible performance scenes:

• Scene 1: Summers Clean
  A dynamic clean tone with strong note definition, built on a bright, slightly compressed amp model. The signal chain integrates a subtle chorus for spatial depth, combined with a short, low-feedback delay to create shimmer without masking articulation. EQ is carefully tuned for chime and balance, supporting wide voicings and percussive right-hand technique.

• Scene 2: Next To You
  A driven variation that introduces more gain while retaining clarity. The amp block is pushed harder, with tight low-end control to prevent muddiness. Modulation is reduced for a drier response, while delay settings are tweaked for added punch and projection. This scene delivers rhythmic grit and presence, ideal for cutting through dense arrangements.

Optimized for dynamic response and expressive playability, this patch leverages the FM3’s advanced modeling to recreate the shimmering textures, rhythmic authority, and harmonic richness that define Andy Summers’ signature guitar sound.

Scene 1: Summers Clean
Scene 2: Next to you

Effects : Volume, Compressor, Flanger, Phaser, Delay, Reverb