Axe-FX For The Recording Musician

strabes said:
On my interface the gain at 0 on the instrument input gives the same level as the FM9's input in terms of the gain staging of my preset, so I never experimented with the levels because I didn't think I needed to. Will try messing with the levels and report back. Where would you recommend the dry guitar input meter in my DAW? Should the FM9 SPDIF input level setting roughly be the inverse of the DI level difference before/after adding gain from the interface? i.e. if I add 15dB of gain from the interface, should I set the FM9 SPDIF input to -15dB?
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If you don't do any boost (and no corresponding cut) described in the guide, the level will be correct, but the input at the FM9 will be noisy. I aim to get the DI around -10dB at the DAW input. This is basically the same boost/cut process that the A/D sensitivity does on the FM9 to reduce noise.
 
Fotukito said:
In the Axe III manual regarding re-amping steps it states:

What is behind the recommendation for -6dB?

I could imagine a rationale something like: because the DI was originally recorded mono, but now it is fed back in stereo, and is perhaps summed in the Axe, and thus 0.5x voltage = -6dB
However, experimentally I find that a re-amped wet track is the same volume / tone as the original wet track (recorded during DI capture) if the DI track is left at 0dB during re-amping (and quieter if the DI track is reduced to -6dB during re-amping).
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GlennO said:
Yeah, the Axe-FX manual is not right. I should do a re-amping tutorial video.
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I noticed that the -6db recommendation for reamping is still in the manual towards the bottom of page 22 -- should this be fixed? @Admin M@
 
Thanks Glenn! I used to be quite savoy at such things but sometimes with all the options out there nowadays I just need a "take tab A and put it into slot b" instruction to get my head around it...again thanks!
 
I've been trying the different configurations over the last year. Previously I had always used analogue outs from my Axe Fx to an audio interface. I then started using USB and found I liked bypassing all the A/D conversions. I then tried config 5 to incorporate spdif to my Apollo X6 which i quite like using. @GlennO in Config #5 it indicates connecting your guitar inst cable into audio interface instead of the Axe Fx Input. How I understood using this method and what I've done with expected results. Lately i've been playing without really using my interface. Just my Outs direct to my FRFR so plugged guitar cable back into the Axe Fx front input. I was listening to some music to jam along with. Had my Apollo turned on. My spdif settings were still on (and spdif cables connecting Axe > Apollo of course) and was able to get spdif signal coming from Axe fx even though my GTR cable was plugged into front of Axe fx. Long winded way of saying, 'is that too be expected?" I'm not saying there's a problem at all , just wasnt sure if that is expected behavior.
 
Yes, that’s expected and it will work fine as long as you don’t want to do reamping, but if you want to do re-amping, you’ll be better off using the instructions in the guide.
 
First, thanks again for this fantastic tutorial! I've been wanting to set this up to record and reamp since I bought the III, needed s/pdif, so I dumped my Steinberg interface and got the Focusrite 18i8 Gen 3 with s/pdif.

I use Windows 10 with Cubase Pro 12, so I'm setup with #5 in the manual and so far so good. I've managed to get through the assigning of ports, etc, both on Focusrite and in Cubase, and I can record a track from the AxeFx just fine, sounds fantastic. My setup looks exactly like the diagram for #5.

Because I've also used the AxeFX as my interface with Cubase prior to this setup, I have previously followed your Re-Amp tutorial video, worked a treat when I used the AxeFx and all inputs were pairs of USB, 5&6 being the DI.

I am currently recording the DI track using setup #5 by recording a track directly from Input 1 (Mono) (Input defined in Cubase), which represents hardware Input 1 on the Focusrite. Makes sense, makes a great DI to record alongside the S/PDIF Axe track, and it works fine.

All seems just fine until I get to page 10, where it says:

When it is time to re-amp, simply
change the source of the spdif
output in your audio interface to the
usb channel you’re sending the DI to
in your DAW.

- When I go to Focusrite Control, I don't understand what I'm to change the S/PDIF output source to. It's currently set to "Analogue 1", which represents hardware input 1, which my guitar is plugged into. What USB channel am I to change this to? I'm not sending the DI track to any USB channel currently, and I don't see any USB sources, just "Playback DAW" and "Hardware".

This allows you to use a single audio
device, the audio interface, from your
DAW. That single device will have
inputs for the Axe-FX DI and the Axe-
FX processed audio, plus anything
you have plugged into the audio
interface, like a microphone. That
means this will allow you record
multiple inputs into your DAW

The bolded part seems to indicate I have a DI signal AND a processed signal both coming from the AxeFx when using Configuration #5? I know my processed signal is the result of the Focusrite taking my Input 1, sending it to the AxeFx via S/PDIF, signal is processed and returns on the corresponding S/PDIF connection. That said, where is the DI signal from the AxeFx coming in also?

I'm sorry for the novel, I wanted to try to be clear on the issues. It seems maybe I'm not supposed to be taking the DI from the Focusrite Hardware Input 1 (my guitar), but if not from there, from where then? It also seems that I have no USB output to route the DI to?

The re-amp video tutorial seems to be based on using the AxeFx as the interface as it speaks of taking the DI off the AxeFX USB connection to the PC via USB 5&6, but that's not what's going on in setup #5.

Honestly I'm very lost at this point, like 90%+ there, hit a damn brick wall, and now I feel retarded. I apologize if I've missed something stupid or am overlooking something obvious. I swear I've exhausted everything before posting here for the answers. I suspect this all stems from the Focusrite being very new and not being versed in the Control app.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
hfam
 
hfam said:
- When I go to Focusrite Control, I don't understand what I'm to change the S/PDIF output source to. It's currently set to "Analogue 1", which represents hardware input 1, which my guitar is plugged into. What USB channel am I to change this to? I'm not sending the DI track to any USB channel currently, and I don't see any USB sources, just "Playback DAW" and "Hardware".
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In Focusrite Control, change the SPDIF output source to the USB channels you are sending the DI output to in Cubase. If you're following the tutorial video, that should be Playback DAW 5/6. That's literally all you have to do.

When using Cubase, pay attention to the note in video description. I'll repeat it here:

One note about an option to consider when using this method: Instead of enabling a return from the I/O plugin back to the DI track as is shown at 3:22, leave the input unassigned. Instead, turn on input monitoring for (and unmute) the wet track. That can be useful in some cases if you have effects applied to the wet track and you want to audition presets through those effects. This option is also useful in Cubase where you might be prevented from using the same input channel for the return that is already in use on a track.
 
GlennO said:
In Focusrite Control, change the SPDIF output source to the USB channels you are sending the DI output to in Cubase. If you're following the tutorial video, that should be Playback DAW 5/6. That's literally all you have to do.

When using Cubase, pay attention to the note in video description. I'll repeat it here:

One note about an option to consider when using this method: Instead of enabling a return from the I/O plugin back to the DI track as is shown at 3:22, leave the input unassigned. Instead, turn on input monitoring for (and unmute) the wet track. That can be useful in some cases if you have effects applied to the wet track and you want to audition presets through those effects. This option is also useful in Cubase where you might be prevented from using the same input channel for the return that is already in use on a track.
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AH-HA! The light comes on!! @GlennO thanks SO much for the quick reply (and Happy New Year to you!) and issue resolved! For those this may help in the future, I'll share what happened.

Turns out the issue was me (which I figured all along!): As indicated, I had previously followed your reamp video tutorial when using the AxeFx as an interface along with Cubase and it was rock solid, I understood it 100% and it worked perfectly. For that tut, I'd setup the External Effect in Cubase for the first time, and of course I'd configured it for Cubase using the AxeFx ASIO busses.

When now using the Focusrite 18i8 for the interface instead, I'd neglected to re-configure the External Effect in Cubase to reflect the In and Out busses for the Focusrite!! D'OH!! Because the AxeFx is no longer the interface and replaced by the Focusrite, the External Effect depopulates the fields, of course, and needs to be reconfigured to the Focusrite.

The solution was to simply go back into the External Effect and select the Focusrite ASIO for In and Out and repopulate the busses with Focusrite USB channels! Turns out for the Focusrite the output busses in External Effect are also 5&6, so you were dead-on point!

Thanks again @GlennO for both your quick reply here, and a broader thanks for all you do regarding the recording community! There is absolutely no way I would have sorted all this out and have this AMAZING setup (#5) which indeed does it all! Couldn't have done it without your recording guide and responses/assistance in the forum to reference! I did grab a copy of Axe Capture which appears to be brilliant, what a great solution for recalling presets in a DAW!

I hope everyone here appreciates the selfless work you provide here regarding recording and setup as much as I do. If you have a PayPal to take donations I'm very happy to send a few bucks your way for all you do, it's certainly deserved.

Be well brother, and thanks again!

hfam
 
Glad you got it working. It's probably common to first use the Axe-FX as the audio device before using configuration #5, so I'll see if I can add something to the instructions for configuration #5 to help others avoid confusion on that point in the future.

If anyone would like to express your thanks financially, here's a worthwhile charitable organization that would put a donation to good use. They do great work in promoting the use of music in education:

https://www.guitarsintheclassroom.org/

Some more followers on my facebook page would be appreciated though :)

https://www.facebook.com/rodrigospacecraft
 
GlennO said:
Configuring an Axe-FX and a computer for recording is a frequent topic of questions on the forum, so I thought I'd write a guide to help out with answering some of these questions. The miscellaneous section at the end may be of interest even to Axe-FX veterans. (Note: this guide is for the Axe-FX III, the FM9, and the FM3. I'm using "Axe-FX" as a general term to refer to all three. There are a couple of places where there are exceptions for the FM3, but those exceptions are specifically noted.)

I've recorded a tutorial video for re-amping here: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-re-amping-tutorial.190686/. Be sure to check that out for details on re-amping.

Axe-Capture is a handy plugin to use when recording an Axe-FX. You'll find details here: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...ve-axe-fx-presets-in-your-daw-project.195049/

Note: The latency compensation issue described below has been fixed on the Axe-FX and FM-9, so be sure your DSP and USB firmware are up to date. For details on this compensation issue, including workaround instructions if you're not using the latest firmware or if you're on an FM3, see this thread: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...rding-due-to-usb-latency-compensation.181686/

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Hi Glenn and thanks for the very useful guide. Now, I have a question whose answer I probably know after reading your guide, but just need a confirmation.
I have an FM9 connected via USB to my Mac mini, and then I have an Audient id14 interface also connected to the Mac via USB.
The speakers are connected to the Audient, I don't want to have them connected to the FM9 because I move it quite frequently so I prefer the monitors to be permanently connected to the interface, that doesn't move from my desk.
I want to be able to play guitar on the FM9 and listen to it through the monitors. The most obvious way would be to connect the FM9 to the Audient via two XLR cables but that would take all the inputs on my interface, since it only has two in, and I wouldn't be comfortable with that.
The other way would be connecting the FM9 to the Audient via SPDIF (essentially your diagram #4 but with a digital Fm9->interface connection instead of analog), but the Audient has a Toslink in while the FM9 out is coaxial, so I would need a coaxial->Toslink adapter: Amazon is selling Chinese ones for cheap, I only wonder if a cheap converter would degrade the signal coming from my FM9 to the interface, any info on this? (keep in mind I'm a contemporary history researcher and my knowledge of electronics is extremely limited to say the least :))
I don't know if there's any way to listen to my guitar through the monitors creating an aggregate device on the Mac: I've tried this but without results.
Since I've bought the Audient for Christmas and I'm still in the free return window, I could just send the interface back and either buy one with a SPDIF in or one with more analog inputs.
What would be your suggestion?
 
GlennO said:
That's right. Using spdif output is a useful variation on configuration #4. You just need a toslink adapter. Something like this should work fine:

Amazon product ASIN B07VHPJ1DD
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Thanks Glen, that solved the problem, and I can attest that even with a 20€ cheap Chinese converter I cannot hear any sound degradation between what I hear in my headphones and what I listen through the monitors.
For others who might try the same way: after you plug your FM9 into the sound card using SPDIF remember to set the sample rate on your interface at 48khz from the default 44kHz. The FM9 works at 48kHz and the mismatch would cause it to sound ugly through the interface.
 
Hi! Thank you, GlennO, for this important guide. I hope to finally acquire my Axe FX 3 within the next 3-6 months.

Alas, as y'all know, you can't just make an aggregate audio device on Windows. But you can do s.th. similar (or even the same?) using 3rd party software! And, of course, there is no affiliation; I'm just a happy user.

VB-Audio are primarily known for their useful "Voicemeeter" audio routing app. But a while ago, they introduced "VB-Audio Matrix". I'd link to it, but my post count is not high enough yet. Just google VB-Audio & Voicemeeter, you'll find their site no problem. On the website, you'll find it under "Audio Apps -> Matrix".

With this app, you can route several ASIO, WDM, WASAPI, MME & DX devices (internal or USB) into one or more virtual ASIO device(s) and/or virtual audio cables or network streams, sync it with a master devices clock (hard- or software), route the signal between different apps, and so on and so forth. Every in- and output is conveniently mappable in a matrix.

I currently route my Axe I/O's and Fantom-8's direct USB audio to a single virtual ASIO device and set that as in-/output in Live 11, routing the VASIO's (and therefore Live's) output back to my Axe I/O's monitor out. Additionally, I route WACUP's (Winamp Community Update Project) audio to the same monitor out, but not via the mentioned VASIO, but via a virtual audio cable, so Live won't record it - but I could easily map it to the VASIO so that Live could.

Oh, and all the while, my internal sound card is set as primary audio device, handling all my other media/browser/system sound needs through my 5.1 speakers without getting in the way.

Once I get my AFX3, I'll just connect it via USB and route it into my VASIO as well. :) I hope this helps and gives GlennO (and everybody else) something more to explore.
 
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So I'm using "Option 2. More Versatile Configuration" right now, but am having some trouble with audio loudness in my DAW. My FM9 is connected via USB to my PC (to use FM9 Edit) and I have an XLR cable going from "Out 1" to Input 1 of my Focusrite Scarlett 18i20. And I have a fair of FRFR speakers connected to my Scarlett.

My Scarlett is set as my soundcard/output device on my Windows PC and its also set as my ASIO Driver in Reaper . Whenever I go to record in Reaper though, the volume is very low for my FM9 compared to my other VST instruments or my Roland Fantom 06 hardware synth. If the FM9 as the ASIO Driver in Reaper, it gets much louder and the wave bar is much bigger, but obviously I need to swap back and forth to get sounds from anything going through my Scarlett. The only other thing I've found to do is to turn up the volume really loud on the Scarlett or FM9, but that's not realistic if I need to record quietly.

Anyone know how I can fix this?

1706472702706.png
 
For configuration 2, you should be using your fm9 as your audio device in your DAW. Only use the 18i20 as the audio device for system audio. If you need more inputs than just your fm9, you should use 4 or 5.
 
GlennO said:
For configuration 2, you should be using your fm9 as your audio device in your DAW. Only use the 18i20 as the audio device for system audio.
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What if I need to record other instruments that are through my 18i20, like a hardware synth or other guitar amps connected to it via their DIs? Do I just need to manually switch it every time in my DAW between FM9 and Scarlett, or is there a way to set both?
 
JJDon said:
What if I need to record other instruments that are through my 18i20, like a hardware synth or other guitars connected to it via their DIs? Do I just need to manually switch it everytime in my DAW between FM9 and Scarlett, or is there a way to set both?
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Configuration 2 is suitable for recording your fm9. Keep reading the guide past #2 :) . Numbers 3, 4 or 5 are suitable for cases where you need more inputs.


Edit: Also, I’d recommend using spdif to connect your fm9 to your 18i20. If you’re not interested in reamping, you can set your DAW audio device to the 18i20 and that way you’ll have access to the 18i20 inputs.
 
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