Axe-FX Re-Amping Tutorial

[Budda]

My busy self finally watching this. @GlennO thanks again, I will probably start recording DI for all my demos. Quick question - how does one set up the takes view in the track? I meant to learn more about Logic, except I bought this machine just before my first was born hahaha.

 

[GlennO]

My busy self finally watching this. @GlennO thanks again, I will probably start recording DI for all my demos. Quick question - how does one set up the takes view in the track? I meant to learn more about Logic, except I bought this machine just before my first was born hahaha.

To reveal the takes in Logic, click on the flippy arrow in the upper left corner of the region.

 

[Warrior]

9/10 for the output is correct. When I set up an aggregate just like yours, re-amping works fine. It’s hard to think of a reason why it wouldn’t work. If you send output to AxeFX usb channels from any source on your computer, you should see input on the AxeFX usb meters. So that’s the thing you need to troubleshoot. I'm pretty sure your problem doesn't have anything to do with the use of an aggregate. It’s almost certainly something simple like the usb input level on the AxeFX turned down.

Here's a brief video showing re-amping with an aggregate just like yours. As you can see in the meter activity, re-amping the DI track works fine:

Yeah, I'm baffled. Everything seems to be the same as what you have and I can't locate what would be causing it.

Not sure if this is a clue but I notice that when I have the I/O plugin on, I get no signal showing in the track in Logic. When it's off, I do and I can hear audio via 9-10.

 

[GlennO]

You need to figure out why sending signal to usb channels 5/6 on the Axe-FX isn't registering on the Axe-FX USB In meters. Barring hardware failure, I've never heard of such a thing, but it sounds like the trouble is unrelated to aggregates. Just to check: you restarted Logic after editing the aggregate in the Audio/MIDI Setup app, right?

 

[Budda]

Hey @GlennO trying to re-amp a bass DI and I think the DI output may be too low. In your video the levels are -1 for wet -10 for dry, mine is -1 and -33. I tried adding gain via logic but even adding 24dB it didn't boost the signal enough.

Edit: I think the culprit was USB input levels, ch5/6 was set to -40dB.

Edit 2: if you have your preset on mute, you wont hear the IO plugin

I do get level change if I change presets, but hoping to confirm poor DI level. Does this also mean that for my bass setup, I need to make a DI boost part of my preset?

Thanks!

 

[GlennO]

Hey @GlennO trying to re-amp a bass DI and I think the DI output may be too low. In your video the levels are -1 for wet -10 for dry, mine is -1 and -33. I tried adding gain via logic but even adding 24dB it didn't boost the signal enough.

Edit: I think the culprit was USB input levels, ch5/6 was set to -40dB.

That's right, the USB Input level should be at the default, 0 dB, level. As a general rule, you should avoid altering the DI level, either when recording or re-amping. That way it'll sound just like a guitar plugged into the Axe-FX when re-amping.

Edit 2: if you have your preset on mute, you wont hear the IO plugin

Are you referring to setting the output mode to "mute" as shown in the video? That will have no effect on the i/o plugin. You should set that mode to mute when re-amping to avoid a redundant signal on the monitor signal path.

 

[Budda]

That's right, the USB Input level should be at the default, 0 dB, level. As a general rule, you should avoid altering the DI level, either when recording or re-amping. That way it'll sound just like a guitar plugged into the Axe-FX when re-amping.

Are you referring to setting the output mode to "mute" as shown in the video? That will have no effect on the i/o plugin. You should set that mode to mute when re-amping to avoid a redundant signal on the monitor signal path.

I think mine came set to -40 across all USB inputs for whatever reason. It's set back to 0 now, and a quick test confirmed it works as expected.

Re tuner mute, I muted on the unit prior to using the IO plugin and thus no sound came out. Unmute and there's the audio, as expected.

Thanks again for the video

 

[MDS]

Re-amping is one of the most under-appreciated aspects of the Axe-FX. I suspect that's at least partially because it seems like it might be a complicated process. In this tutorial I show that, in spite of being a powerful technique, it's actually quite simple.

One note about an option to consider when using this method: Instead of using an I/O plugin as is shown at 3:22, set the output for the DI track to usb channels 5/6 and 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.

I am absolutely lost when it comes to this. I am trying to record and re-amp through USB. I have an Axe FX II XL+ with a USB plugged into my Mac Studio computer. I use an Apogee Quartet interface plugged directly into my Mac Studio USB. My speakers are connected to the Quartet. I use Pro Tools Studio 2024.3.1. I need a step-by-step I/O set-up guide for Pro Tools. I DO NOT want to use the Axe FX as an interface. I want to keep my Quartet as the interface. Please help.

 

[GlennO]

I am absolutely lost when it comes to this. I am trying to record and re-amp through USB. I have an Axe FX II XL+ with a USB plugged into my Mac Studio computer. I use an Apogee Quartet interface plugged directly into my Mac Studio USB. My speakers are connected to the Quartet. I use Pro Tools Studio 2024.3.1. I need a step-by-step I/O set-up guide for Pro Tools. I DO NOT want to use the Axe FX as an interface. I want to keep my Quartet as the interface. Please help.

That will work fine. Recording over USB directly from your AxeFX does not mean you need to give up using your Apogee. See configuration #4 in the recording guide for instructions on how to set up an aggregate so you can use both. Then follow the reamping instructions from the tutorial at the top of this thread. (The instructions for the FM3 apply to the AxeFX II).

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/

 

[MDS]

Thank you Glenn. This seemed to work. I was able to record the wet and DI signal in Pro Tools from the AxeFX front input jack. I was also able to reamp from Pro Tools. The only other question I have is when I try to reamp by switching the AxeFX unit to USB input, I have to close and reopen the Pro Tools session to get the recorded DI track and the AxeFX to sync together. Is this normal for Pro Tools or should the switch from the front input to USB be more seamless? Is there a setting I am overlooking for this? The clock source is set to the AxeFX and the drift correction is set to the Apogee Quartet. The reamping works great once I close and reopen the Pro Tools session.

 

[Thenewexhibit]

Question I’ve been meaning to ask! I’m using Input block 1 as the main in for reamping, and I noticed that with my guitar plugged straight in, the input meter is consistently in the yellow with the very occasional red peak on the LED (not clipping).

That being said, when I send the DI back to reamp, I do the method that you talk about bypassing everything except the Input and Output blocks to see what the level of the DI is at the Output block. When I match them according to plugging in straight and reamping, the directly plugged in guitar always stays consitently in the yellow on the Input LED with the occasional red LED whereas the reamped signal, even though it’s around the same on the output block with just the Input and Output block will not be consistently in the yellow as much as plugged in directly. If I were to send more of the DI to the axe fx to make the front panel Input LED match, then the output block is much hotter than plugging directly in. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong?

I hope all of tat made sense.

 

[GlennO]

As I mention in the recording guide, the most reliable way to measure the input level is to attach an unused output 3 or output 4 block to the input block and check the meter in that output block for both the guitar and the DI. If those match then you’re doing it right.

 

[GlennO]

Thank you Glenn. This seemed to work. I was able to record the wet and DI signal in Pro Tools from the AxeFX front input jack. I was also able to reamp from Pro Tools. The only other question I have is when I try to reamp by switching the AxeFX unit to USB input, I have to close and reopen the Pro Tools session to get the recorded DI track and the AxeFX to sync together. Is this normal for Pro Tools or should the switch from the front input to USB be more seamless?

Hmmm, I would say that’s not normal. As you can see in the video, changing that setting on the AxeFX shouldn’t have any effect on the DAW.

 

[Thenewexhibit]

As I mention in the recording guide, the most reliable way to measure the input level is to attach an unused output 3 or output 4 block to the input block and check the meter in that output block for both the guitar and the DI. If those match then you’re doing it right.

For sure! I should’ve done that with another output block, but I just did it with Out 1 by bypassing the amp and cab blocks. And after matching it from plugged in to reamp DI, they were both living in the same area in output 1, yet the input LED’s on the front of the axe fx were not the same, with the DI reamp looking less powerful while directly plugged in kept the yellow light on longer and more consistently. I would’ve thought that they should be the same. That’s why I was asking.