Axe 3 with LiveLoop

Z

ZenX

Member
I'm trying to use the Axe 3 with an app called LiveLoop which is live looping software. It runs as a standalone on Mac so I am thinking I would take the audio from the Axe 3 and send it to the Mac laptop via SPDIF via a simple USB audio device; then take the output from LiveLoop and route it back into the Axe 3 using USB / "USB in block". I was wondering if anyone could assess this routing and perhaps recommend a simple, but high quality USB audio interface with SPDIF (that is not too expensive). If anyone has done anything similar and could offer some insight it would be really appreciated as I’m new to Axe 3 and want to make sure I have this together before I purchase additional hardware.

(One bonus is that when I get the Mac successfully integrated with the Axe 3 then I can use Pro Tools to playback backing tracks through USB into the Axe 3. Extra bonus points if anyone can tell me how to Start / Stop playback in Pro Tools using the FC-12, which I also just got). ;). Thanks.
 
1: Mac USB out to Axe 3
2: Setup the Axe 3 looper on your FC-12
3: Set-up the Axe 3 as the primary interface in protools
Nothing else is needed.
 
Thanks, but look more closely at the routing I described; and I will not be using the Axe 3 Looper.
 
Okay. Using an external usb interface isnt needed at all. i Use a MacBook Pro USB direct to the Axe 3. The USB is two way communication. I play and record with backing tracks simultaneously with Logic Pro X. It’s all about how you set-up internal routing on the axe 3. Study the routing and you’ll see just how flexible and powerful it is. As far as starting and stopping Protools from the FC-12, you could do it using midi commands. I don’t see the point unless it’s for a live setting. Good old space bar works for me, and doesn’t use up footswitch real estate
 
PincoTech said:
Okay. Using an external usb interface isnt needed at all. i Use a MacBook Pro USB direct to the Axe 3. The USB is two way communication. I play and record with backing tracks simultaneously with Logic Pro X. It’s all about how you set-up internal routing on the axe 3. Study the routing and you’ll see just how flexible and powerful it is. As far as starting and stopping Protools from the FC-12, you could do it using midi commands. I don’t see the point unless it’s for a live setting. Good old space bar works for me, and doesn’t use up footswitch real estate
Click to expand...
You can really do all that your asking with one single usb cable and the mighty AXE!
 
If you know the MIDI commands for stop / starting playback in PT, please send them along (!), and yes, its for live use. If you are saying that I can take a signal out of the Axe 3 after its been processed with multiple stereo effecs, into the laptop via USB, loop 16 stereo tracks and bring it round trip back into the Axe 3 via the same USB cable, with no roundtrip latency, then by all means I will give that a try. I'd like a second opinion on that and hope you are right.
 
USB 3 right?
if you’re doing this live, are the 16 stereo tracks a stack of loops? I would print them in the same session, and run them as a stereo pair. Your DAW will be the source of latency, otherwise.
 
PincoTech said:
USB 3 right?
if you’re doing this live, are the 16 stereo tracks a stack of loops? I would print them in the same session, and run them as a stereo pair. Your DAW will be the source of latency, otherwise.
Click to expand...
It’s not a patch you need, just the right Mac audio config settings, and same with routing in the axe fx
 
PincoTech: LiveLoop software, as I said, is a standalone software and does not require a DAW. I appreciate your responses: please take a look at LiveLoop if you are to understand the point of the thread.
 
Are you using live loop for guitar, or keys? If for keys, are you using internal soft synths or external synths?
 
Electric bass is going into the Axe 3, processed with the lovely Fractal effects, then sent out (via SPDIF? USB?) into a Mac laptop (where the standalone LiveLoop app is running), then routed back into the Fractal to be sent to speakers, FOH, etc. Thats the idea.
 
If I may step in.. in your setup do you process or record the bass signal at all in your laptop? If not I don’t get why you would need to to send it to the laptop at all?

Simply route your LiveLoop audio via USB (or SPDIF or audio cables) into the Axe III - if you look in the manual for USB routing options, you can direct the USB audio input directly to Output 1, so it does not flow through the grid.

I do that all the time to have backing tracks play along my own guitar or bass playing through the Axe.

Hope this helps!
Joce
 
ZenX said:
If you know the MIDI commands for stop / starting playback in PT, please send them along (!), and yes, its for live use. If you are saying that I can take a signal out of the Axe 3 after its been processed with multiple stereo effecs, into the laptop via USB, loop 16 stereo tracks and bring it round trip back into the Axe 3 via the same USB cable, with no roundtrip latency, then by all means I will give that a try. I'd like a second opinion on that and hope you are right.
Click to expand...

Just a suggestion, for all you are doing(i do a lot of live looping, loop even other instruments/players on stage beside my self(guitar&vst instruments) industry standard is Ableton Live. It’s made for these type of things on stage. Looping, playing - start/stop backing tracks via midi, manupilating fx via midi or automating them. You dont need 2 different software (protools+liveloop) for it...

And no matter what you do, what hardware you use there will be a roundtrip latency. The software/daw will add the buffer you set. And also if your fx/vst’s are in series(not send fx) most probably those will add also their own latency.
 
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Semih, I like LibeLoop so the point of the thread is to.. figure out how to use LiveLioop
Joce, in your config... I would not be having the effects in Axe 3 treat the bass and then go into LiveLoop. As I said:?Electric bass is going into the Axe 3, processed with the lovely Fractal effects, then sent out (via SPDIF? USB?) into a Mac laptop (where the standalone LiveLoop app is running), then routed back into the Fractal to be sent to speakers, FOH, etc. Thats the idea.
 
That's what I'm saying - I don't think you need to worry about having the base go through your laptop. Just run the bass as you would through the Axe and out to the speakers. Then in your laptop you setup your Liveloop software to use Axe 3 as the audio interface and you output to Output 1+2. This is going to go out through USB and merge directly to you Axe Output 1 (where your processed Bass signal is also going I whould guess?).

See copy/paste from manual p. 19 below:

COMPUTER OUTPUTS 1+2
Destination: The Output 1 D/A converter which feeds all Output 1 jacks, Headphones, and possibly SPDIF/AES. USB audio is added to the signal from the OUT 1 grid block (if any) and this mix is passed to the output converters.
Applications: Play stereo audio from the computer through the Axe-Fx III.
 
and btw, I agree with Semih that Ableton Live is the best for this type of things - definitely what I'm using as well. But to each their own! I've never tried LiveLoop.
 
Joce, thanks but In the routing you describe, how do the axe effects processed bass signal get into LiveLioop? LiveLoop needs an audio signal that has first passed through the axe and been processed with stereo effects etc. Your solution would not allow a bass to be treated with say an Axe chorus and then go into LiveLoop
 
I thought you were using LiveLoop to playback other tracks? Like drum or keyboard or other.. you want to use LiveLoop as an actual looper for your bass then? Why not simply use the looper within the Axe if that's the case?

In any case, you can still do it with the following setup: set Axe 3 as you Audio Interface on your laptop. In LiveLoop chose Input 1 (or 1+2 if you want stereo) - this will be your bass processed signal after going through the Axe 3 effects. Then in LiveLoop if you chose for output 1+2, this will be routed as described above, directly to Axe 3 Output 1 (this time without passing through the grid.

But if you look in the manual p.19 you will see that using Axe 3 as an Audio Inteface via USB actually gives you many routing options.
 
Lets try that routing from the beginning. How does the bass get from the axe into the Mac laptop? I need to use a digital signal path as I want the signal path to be as pristine as possible,and the hardware certainly is there to do this as the laptop and axe have USB (and I can also get an interface to bring in SPDIF). How does the bass from the axe get into the laptop? USB? SPDIF? Please start at the bass and let me know the signal path all the way, round trip, and again, I am looking to keep the signal digital all the way from the axe to the laptop and back again to preserve the highest sound quality. Appreciated!
 
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