Hi Greenhorn,
from the Great Lakes State of Michigan.
Let's talk DFX.
It sounds like the machine is new to you, so I'll start from that assumption. It's a fantastic machine that provides the flexibility to handle just about any situation, once you really understand it. Learning the ins and outs of the machine and its' programs takes time. Jeff Foster's book
Digging Deeper with the DFX will probably help you.
To start with, stay with the factory programs and settings. To many users start out trying to make many changes. This unbalances the machine, makes it either chatty, or the opposite, almost non responsive. The machine doesn't work the way they think it should, and they can't find anything but clad and junk - mostly junk. Therefore, the machine either gets sold, bad mouthed, or just put away and not used. The moral is to stay with the factory programs, until you start to understand how the adjustments work and compliment each other.
All the "old timers" are telling you to listen to the tones. Well, sure, that nice smooth metal coin sound gets your attention, now it's time to to check the most important tool you have - the SignaGraph! Don't know what the old timers are using, but it doesn't sound like a DFX. After a good tone, the SignaGraph is the first thing to check, and you have to look at the screen to see it.
Over time, the DFX is going to become a best friend. You will ultimately find the changes that work for you with the items you hunt. Surprisingly, you'll find that your modifications, are tweaks to the standard programs, not wild, radical departures.
If you have questions about your machine, you should feel free to pm me, or just post them on the forum. There are a goodly number of smart, experienced DFX users on this forum that would be glad to help you out.
HH