Fender G-DEC 3 Thirty question?

[upnorthdoug]

I'm just beginning to learn what my G-DEC amp can do. I'm working my way through the BGU courses and can't figure out if I can play the backing tracks from the lesson CD's through the amp itself. Can anyone answer this question. I'm not very tech savvy. I bought an SD card reader, and appears I have the first CD loaded on to a SD card, but I can't get the amp to play from the card. Any help? I'm spending more time trying to figure this out than I am spending time practicing.

 

[LynnLaFrance]

Your amp will prepare your SD card for you (with correct folders and such) - so if you didn't do this first you may have a problem.  Maybe erase the SD card and then try again by putting it in the amp first. I think the format function is in the utility menu on the amp.

This is what I've found in the owner's manual.

"SD CARD SLOT — You can use an SD flash memory card to have
additional Band tracks available to the G-DEC 3. You can use MP3
or WAV files (stereo/mono 16 bit, 44.1k) or MIDI files (type 0 or
type 1 ). You can also import and export presets to the SD card.
Insert an empty SD card in the G-DEC 3 and the G-DEC will
automatically create the appropriate folders for you. Then you
can load MP3 or WAV files from your computer onto the SD card
"Audio" folder to use as Band tracks. Presets, phrase and MIDI
tracks go in their respective folders."

Make sure your BGU files are MP3 or WAV files (you may have to convert them - I don't remember what format they are in).

Also, to play them you use the "Band Menus".  This info is from the Advance Owner's manual.


Band menus
Use the Band menus to select a new band track for the current preset and adjust all band track settings, or to import the band track (will all settings) from another preset.
Band Track Selection
To select a new band track:
1. Press the BAND soft-key.
2. The first menu is Band Type. Here you can select either
MP3/WAV –or– MIDI as the band track file type.
[ch9835] Select MP3/WAV as the Band Type for the best results in
most instances. MIDI is more useful for specialized purposes
such as generating metronome clicks.
3. Press the FILE soft-key to access the band track File selection
menu.
4. Turn the big knob to select a new band track.
[ch9835] Turning the big knob will scroll through all the band tracks on the G-DEC 3 hard drive (HD) in alphanumerical order and then continue with all the band tracks on the SD card (SD).
5. Press EXIT.
[ch9835] The SAVE button will turn red to indicate a change to the current preset. To reset the band track, simply turn the big knob to a different preset and then back again.

Here's the link to the Owner's Manuals in PDF form.
http://www.fender.com/support/articles/fender-g-dec-3-owners-manuals/

Hope this helps.

 

[upnorthdoug]

"Make sure your BGU files are MP3 or WAV files (you may have to convert them - I don't remember what format they are in)."

I guess this is where I'm stuck. I did format the SD card and dropped the CD files into the Audio folder on the SD card. I have no clue how to know what format the CD is in or how to convert them if I had to. This is giving me a headache.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Oh, my achy breaky head.  ;D
douglaslee, here's your prescription:

Windows Media Player will do just fine.
Just insert a disc in your disc drive.
Run Windows Media Player.
In the far left column, towards the bottom, you will see a small icon that looks like a disc with the disc title by it.  Click on that.  You will then see a list of the tracks on the disc on your screen.
In the top bar on the screen you will see "Rip Settings"; click on the pull-down and choose "Format", then choose "WAV".
Now, in the top bar, just click on "Rip CD" ... and wait patiently until all the files have been ripped (Rip means "Convert to WAV format").
Once they have all been Ripped to find them in a folder, go to C:/Users/Owner/My Music  ... and voila, there are your WAV files.

Take two bottles of aspirin and call me in the morning.
Dr. Rancid

P.S. 
I just now did this for Griff's 29 Jam Tracks CDs.  It took about 20 minutes.  Including copying them all from
C:/USERS/OWNER/MY MUSIC/GRIFF HAMLIN/29 JAM TRACKS DISC 1 and 29 JAM TRACKS DISC 2
to
C:/JIMSTUFF/WAV FILES/GRIFF HAMLIN/29 JAM TRACKS/29 JAM TRACKS DISC 1
C:/JIMSTUFF/WAV FILES/GRIFF HAMLIN/29 JAM TRACKS/29 JAM TRACKS DISC 2

It works slicker'n snot on a greased Teflon cookie sheet.  ;D

 

[Elio]

I'm just beginning to learn what my G-DEC amp can do. I'm working my way through the BGU courses and can't figure out if I can play the backing tracks from the lesson CD's through the amp itself. Can anyone answer this question. I'm not very tech savvy. I bought an SD card reader, and appears I have the first CD loaded on to a SD card, but I can't get the amp to play from the card. Any help? I'm spending more time trying to figure this out than I am spending time practicing.

The answer is 'yes it can' and it works great. I have all of the BGU MP3's and backing tracks loaded on my G-Dec 3 Thirty's SD card and makes getting through the course way easier.  If you don't already have it, make sure to get the Advanced Manual for the G-Dec 3 at http://support.fender.com/manuals/guitar_amplifiers/G-DEC3_advanced_manual_English.pdf

 

[upnorthdoug]

Thanks everyone. I'll give it another shot when I get home from work tonight. I did have the advanced manual downloaded, but that only confused me more. It doesn't spell everything out for a non-techie like me.

 

[upnorthdoug]

Oh, my achy breaky head.  ;D
douglaslee, here's your prescription:

Windows Media Player will do just fine.
Just insert a disc in your disc drive.
Run Windows Media Player.
In the far left column, towards the bottom, you will see a small icon that looks like a disc with the disc title by it.  Click on that.  You will then see a list of the tracks on the disc on your screen.
In the top bar on the screen you will see "Rip Settings"; click on the pull-down and choose "Format", then choose "WAV".
Now, in the top bar, just click on "Rip CD" ... and wait patiently until all the files have been ripped (Rip means "Convert to WAV format").
Once they have all been Ripped to find them in a folder, go to C:/Users/Owner/My Music  ... and voila, there are your WAV files.

Take two bottles of aspirin and call me in the morning.
Dr. Rancid

P.S. 
I just now did this for Griff's 29 Jam Tracks CDs.  It took about 20 minutes.  Including copying them all from
C:/USERS/OWNER/MY MUSIC/GRIFF HAMLIN/29 JAM TRACKS DISC 1 and 29 JAM TRACKS DISC 2
to
C:/JIMSTUFF/WAV FILES/GRIFF HAMLIN/29 JAM TRACKS/29 JAM TRACKS DISC 1
C:/JIMSTUFF/WAV FILES/GRIFF HAMLIN/29 JAM TRACKS/29 JAM TRACKS DISC 2

It works slicker'n snot on a greased Teflon cookie sheet.  ;D

Dr. Rancid,

This was tremendous help, but my headache persists. I'm stuck again. I successfully converted the cd to wav files and loaded it onto a formatted SD card. But now I can't seem to figure out how to get it the amp to play the tracks. Neither on the import setting or on the quick access setting. Any more help you can offer?

Thanks,
Hopelessly "Old Liver Jefferson" aka Douglas Lee Robertson

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Not from me ... I know nothing about Gdecs.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Not from me ... I know nothing about Gdecs.  I took a look at the advanced owners manual posted above, and it is absolutely no help ... it doesn't tell you HOW to load WAV files from your computer to your formatted SD card ... or once loaded there, HOW to play them.  IMHO that user's manual belongs hung on the roller by your commode.

 

[ghack]

All you should have to do if your tracks are on your sd card is to insert it into the slot on the amp while its on and it will say refreshing list then hit the quick access, then scroll with the knob. It will say just below the preset either HD or SD then type of file. then just hit start to play.

 

[LynnLaFrance]

Once again.....

And as ghack has stated.

This info is from the Advance Owner's manual. To play them you use the "Band Menus". 

Band menus
Use the Band menus to select a new band track for the current preset and adjust all band track settings, or to import the band track (will all settings) from another preset.
Band Track Selection
To select a new band track:
1. Press the BAND soft-key.
2. The first menu is Band Type. Here you can select either
MP3/WAV –or– MIDI as the band track file type.
[ch9835] Select MP3/WAV as the Band Type for the best results in
most instances. MIDI is more useful for specialized purposes
such as generating metronome clicks.
3. Press the FILE soft-key to access the band track File selection
menu.
4. Turn the big knob to select a new band track.
[ch9835] Turning the big knob will scroll through all the band tracks on the G-DEC 3 hard drive (HD) in alphanumerical order and then continue with all the band tracks on the SD card (SD).
5. Press EXIT.
[ch9835] The SAVE button will turn red to indicate a change to the current preset. To reset the band track, simply turn the big knob to a different preset and then back again.