2 Amps to 1 Cab to 2 Mixer channels?

D

Dr. Dipwad

Experienced
Hi,

I have an Axe FX II program in which I want to do crossfading between 2 amp/cab combinations using a Mixer block (which is also mixing some other things in).

The program has a lot of effects after the Mixer block and it's running pretty close to maximum CPU.

So rather than trying to add a second Cab block (which won't fit), my plan is to use 1 Cab block, and send Amp 1 to the left-hand side Cab model (2x12), and then Amp 2 to the right-hand-side Cab model (4x12).

First question: How do I do that? I'm unclear how to get the two amps to feed into separate sides of the Cab block that way.

Second question: Once I get the amps running to different sides of the Cab block, the next trick is that I want to be able to balance the two amp/cab sounds separately in the Mixer block; i.e., put Amp 1 (running through one side of the Cab) on Channel 1 of the Mixer, and then put Amp 2 (running through the other side) on Channel 2.

So, is this possible? What's the secret? (These virtual patch cables are confusing!)
 
Put your two amp blocks in parallel, panned hard left and hard right and feed them both directly into a cab block in stereo mode with input select set to stereo. That will send each amp to a separate IR in the stereo cab block. You can pan each IR's output wherever you want in the cab block. Use the output level in each amp block to balance their levels relative to each other. To crossfade between them, assign a controller or expression pedal to both the Left and Right cab levels in the cab block, but on one of the modifiers, reverse the start and end values. That will turn one up and the other down when you sweep the pedal. In the middle will be a 50/50 blend of the two. You can tweak the modifier curve shape to adjust the fade taper if you need. No mixer block needed.
 
Mr. Fender,

Thanks for the very clear and helpful instructions on sending each amp to a different IR, that was perfect.

Re: the mixer block: Actually, there are other things (a piezo coming in from Input 1 right, and a Digitech GSP-1101 through the FX loop returns) that I wanted to mix in, as well.

That's why a mixer block has to be there; I'm not just blending the 2 amp/cab sounds.

Now, I could always use the levels of the 2 amps to blend them against each other, and then use 3 channels on the mixer to blend the piezo and the 1101 against the 2 amps. That would look like this:

- Mixer Channel 1: empty
- Mixer Channel 2: a blend of the 2 amp/cab sounds, with their relative levels controlled by their amp levels
- Mixer Channel 3: FX loop return from the GSP-1101
- Mixer Channel 4: the piezo from Input 1 right

To me, it seems a bit of a hassle to be controlling the 2 amp/cab sounds in one place, and then having to blend them against the GSP-1101 and the piezo in a different place.

That's why I was hoping to somehow divide the output "cables" from the Cab block, and send one of them to Mixer Channel 1, and the other to Mixer Channel 2.

Any ideas?
 
You can split them, but you'll need a block that has an Input Select parameter, like the Vol/Pan block. For that you'd need to hard pan both cabs in the cab block to maintain full separation. Feed the cab block into two parallel Vol/Pan blocks and set each one's Input Select to either Left or Right so it passes only that cab. Then you can feed each Vol/Pan block into a separate channel of the Mixer.

You can use the mixer to separate the two channels as well, feeding the cab block directly into two mixer channels and panning the inputs there, but the mixer output would then only have each amp on just one side of the stereo mix. The Vol/Pan block doubles the chosen left or right input to both output channels for more options downstream.
 
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