FX III effects for vocals

[MrGroovy]

Newbie here with probably too many questions prior purchase.
1) If I use the FX III as an audio interface for recording, it seems that I can record vocals by using the following chain: microphone > preamp > xlr input in back of FXIII. I then simply choose the FXIII as my interface in my DAW (Pro Tools) and record a vocal track. Correct?
Some more questions.
2) While recording a vocal track, is it possible to select the FXIII effects like delay, reverb compression, which is then committed to the recorded track?
3) is it possible to record a vocal track in the same way as I just described but also simultaneously record dry vocal track with no processing. The purpose of that is to process them at a later date without committing.
4) is it possible to create aux tracks in ProTools and input a delay/reverb/compression effect from FX III in each aux track, which the could be bussed to any other track where I would like to use them.
I’m trying to understand whether I can use the FXIII in addition to the amp sims, to process vocals and use the FXIII CPU power to do so. In addition, with the FX’s CPU capabilities, would I be able to process the bussed track effects in order to save the processing by my computer?
I apologize for the length and am grateful for your comments in advanc

 

[discondition]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Might be difficult to setup, but I believe this can be done.

 

[Sturla]

Q1-3: There’s at least two ways to record a microphone via the Axe3 and usb. You can build a preset starting with input2, your desired block chain, ending with your normal main output. In your daw this would be pretty much like recording a guitar track. Or you can choose another input channel in your daw that taps the dry signal directly from the physical input2 on the Axe3. And yes, you can do both at the same time and record both a dry and a wet vocal track.

Q4: You might be able to do something like this by routing your daw signal into the usb input block in a axe3 preset, and try to match the output choice in the preset with your daw-settings.

 

[Sturla]

To question no4. Maybe you can do something more specific with the setup of usb audio routing, to avoid using the input USB block. If I understand your intention correct, you would not want all computer audio into your axe3 preset, only the audio that is routed into the bus in the daw. Maybe it takes a little bit of creativity to achieve that.

A snippet from the manual:

 

[Diego]

1) Yes, I do it and also Dave Pensado does as he told me last NAMM
2) Yes, and you can create very complex routing
3) Yes
4) not plug & play but you can do it as described by other users.

 

[MrGroovy]

1) Yes, I do it and also Dave Pensado does as he told me last NAMM
2) Yes, and you can create very complex routing
3) Yes
4) not plug & play but you can do it as described by other users.

Thank you all!
Diego, how do you and Dave Pensado set ep the vocal chain for my question 1?
Doug Gordon

 

[MrGroovy]

To question no4. Maybe you can do something more specific with the setup of usb audio routing, to avoid using the input USB block. If I understand your intention correct, you would not want all computer audio into your axe3 preset, only the audio that is routed into the bus in the daw.

That is correct, I would not be routing any audio to the FX.

by the way, I would assume that the effects in the FX threeR really very good in as sonics. Pretty much as good as in the plug-in as I might use normally?

 

[Sturla]

The effects in the Axe3 is outstanding. For vocals especially the reverbs would be great. There's some really nice plate reverbs that I believe would be good for vocals. Also Eqs and compressors. The question I think is if you would like to print the effects to the track, or keep the flexibility plugins give you.

 

[Moondog Wily]

I have been using the Axe FXIII Mk2 Turbo to play and record vocals, guitar and cajon for the past 10 months or so and it works pretty well. The one thing that I do not like is the fact that I can't use the USB 5 and 6 channels for anything but direct signal from input 1 (at least as far as I understand it based on the manual and experience). Details of my signal chain and more are in this post.

Long and short is, you will be fine! The only thing some might overlook is needing a mic preamp to get the mic signal to a level the Axe can comfortably play with, but you understand this so you should have no problems. Best wishes and let me know if you want a sample preset and/or sample stems from recordings to compare them.

 

[fadercreep]

Newbie here with probably too many questions prior purchase.
1) If I use the FX III as an audio interface for recording, it seems that I can record vocals by using the following chain: microphone > preamp > xlr input in back of FXIII. I then simply choose the FXIII as my interface in my DAW (Pro Tools) and record a vocal track. Correct?
Some more questions.
2) While recording a vocal track, is it possible to select the FXIII effects like delay, reverb compression, which is then committed to the recorded track?
3) is it possible to record a vocal track in the same way as I just described but also simultaneously record dry vocal track with no processing. The purpose of that is to process them at a later date without committing.
4) is it possible to create aux tracks in ProTools and input a delay/reverb/compression effect from FX III in each aux track, which the could be bussed to any other track where I would like to use them.
I’m trying to understand whether I can use the FXIII in addition to the amp sims, to process vocals and use the FXIII CPU power to do so. In addition, with the FX’s CPU capabilities, would I be able to process the bussed track effects in order to save the processing by my computer?
I apologize for the length and am grateful for your comments in advanc

I regularly use the AFIII as a mixing tool the way you describe in question 4. The bummer is that if you want to use all of the AFIII i/o, you either have to 1) use it as your main interface in your DAW, or 2) slave the AFIII i/o to another interface using a round-trip a/d conversion cycle (which is what I do). This allows me 4 stereo aux sends/inserts through the AFIII. Yes, the effects are great, and as good or better than most plugins, especially for time-based stuff. It would be a huge value-add to have lightpipe i/o available for the AFIII, as it would solve the routing issue described above. Some users have mentioned using asio4all as a workaround, but I do not recommend this from my own experience.

 

[Diego]

Thank you all!
Diego, how do you and Dave Pensado set ep the vocal chain for my question 1?
Doug Gordon

Hi Dough, TUBE PRE->parallel chain with DLY, REV (it's possibile to send DLY to REV and blend it - and REVs in FAS unit are simply amazing), CHO/FLA/PHA. As I wrote the Axe-FX III routing is very flexible and you can do almost everything with physical I/O on the unit or DIGITAL.

 

[Zedhed]

One thing to bare in mind is, the AxeFxIII does not provide phantom power. So if you're using a Mic that needs it you'll need to acquire a pre-amp that does, or a third-party supply.

 

[Johnkenn]

Wonder how these effects compare to some of the nicer plugs? Are they oversampled to reduce aliasing? Those springs are better than any spring plugins I can think of…be interesting to see how the plates compare to something like the UAD EMT 140. The delays would be killer. But it’s a lot of recall (in the future) and a real time bounce if you’re otherwise ITB. They would have to be dramatically better than most offerings out there…and while I’m a huge Axe fan, I’m not sure they’re “better” than the top plugs available. Love to be wrong, though.

 

[Johnkenn]

I’d do it without usb, though so you you’re not limited to 48khz.

 

[aziz]

Chandler REDD is a good choice for mic into Axe because it doesnt require a preamp.

 

[siin82]

Sharing a preset I use for vocals (Scene 3). Looks like this:



For question 4 from OP, seems way too complicated for my taste - I just use plugins in Pro Tools. Would love to see a preset of how someone does this - probably worth a try.

 

[orb451]

@MrGroovy with regard to Question/Option 4, here's what I found:

Yes, it can be done with ProTools. Using the gear I have on hand as a test bed I was able to Create an Aux track in ProTools with ins/outs configured to my FM9, receive audio back and use that as a "send" from a dry guitar track. I used it for a proof-of-concept since I'd been thinking of offloading FX in ProTools to the FM9 or my H90 during the times when I prefer one or the others' effects versus plugins.

Admittedly, plugins are waaaay easier but regardless, it can be done. I'm attaching a screencap from FM9 Edit along with relevant sections of ProTools. This worked for me in my PoC trial but I did not try recording the track to capture or print the wet sound. I would imagine bussing the wet or effected track to yet another to get dry track + separate dry w/ effects track would be possible.

Hopefully that helps a bit.