Here goes.... and note, I don't have any of the kit in this solution apart from the Mac and Logic..
my set up is very different to yours so I'll try as best I can....
The Audio Interface [AI] is simply a device that enables you to get audio into and out of your computer. You have two of them, one is your Duet and the other resides within the AxeII. Both of them use USB to connect to the Mac and 1/4" jack cables to connect to other audio sources [guitars, mics, keys, fx-units] and destinations [monitors, fx-units, headphones etc].
Reamping is a two stage processes:
1 - you record the dry performance
2 - you use the recorded dry performance to play through an amp / fx-unit and record the 'wet' audio generated by the amp / fx-unit
whilst you are recording the dry performance you will want to:
- not actually hear the dry signal
- hear the wet signal [just like playing through your AxeII normally]
- hear the music you are playing along with
whilst you are reamping you will want to:
- not actually hear the dry signal
- hear the wet signal
- hear the music that the wet signal is playing along with [so you can mess with / improve it before committing to a recording]
Recording the dry signal USB channel requirements:
1 USB channel into the Mac to record the dry guitar
2 USB channels into the Mac or AI to allow the wet signal to sound within or along side the mix
2 USB channels out of the Mac to monitor the entire mix
with respect to the AI devices, you need a total of 2 in [from the Mac] and 3 out [to the Mac]
Recording the reamped signal USB channel requirements:
1 USB channel out of the Mac to get to the AxeII [to be the source audio as if it were a guitar playing through it]
2 USB channels from the AxeII into the Mac to record the AxeII's wet signal
2 USB channels out of the Mac to send the entire mix to the monitors
with respect to the AI devices, you need a total of 3 in [from the Mac - dry and entire mix] and 2 out [to the Mac - AxeII]
this is why most folks opt for a 4x4 external AI. It gives you enough channels in and out of the Mac.
Your audio interfaces [AI's]:
Deut:
2 in [cables] and therefore 2 out USB
4 out [cables] and therefore 4 in USB
AxeII:
2 in USB from Mac
4 out USB to Mac
with respect to cables there are multiple connections and selectable input and output options.
As you can see, neither of the individual AI's has enough in's and out's to handle reamping.
But if you use them together they do. Combining multiple AI's to create one big one is called creating an 'aggregate interface'.
Creating an Aggregate Interface:
open the Audio MIDI settings app [applications->utilities->audio MIDI Setup.app]
at the top of the window select Audio Devices. In here you can see the currently selected AI that is used as the Default Input and Default Output.
To create the Agg AI click on 'Audio' in the bar at the top of the screen and select 'open aggregate device editor'
this opens another window with a list of all recognised AI's.
click the '+' button to create a new one - you can double click on it to rename it to something more meaningful [ie: DuetAxe].
This next part is important - the order that the individual AI's are selected effects the input and output numbers in Logic.
You will be monitoring via the Duet USB channels 1-2 so tick 'use' on the Duet first, then tick 'use' for the AxeII.
Click 'done'.
Open Logic, and select this Agg AI [go to the bar at the top of the screen and click Logic Pro - then->Preferences->Audio]
This opens a new window where you can click on 'Device' and see all of your AI's including your Agg AI 'DuetAxe'.
Select 'DuetAxe' and then click 'apply changes'. Logic will go off and think about this for a a little less then a minute or so and then you're done.
Logic's channel strip inputs and outputs with an Agg AI:
As the Duet is your first AI, the numbering starts from here.
Inputs 1 and 2 are the Duet USB outs 1 and 2
Inputs 3 and 4 are the AxeII USB outs 0 and 1
Outputs 1 through 4 are the Duet's USB ins 1 through 4
Outputs 5 through 8 are the AxeII's USB ins 0 through 3
By default, the Logic channel strip called Out 1-2 is the master stereo out of the entire mix
this therefore uses out 1-2 which is USB in 1-2 on the Duet [and goes to your monitors]
Recording the dry:
create a mono audio channel strip and set the input to 7 [USB 2 out from the AxeII - your dry signal]
set this channel strip's output to 'no output' so you can't hear it in the mix.
I don't know enough about the AxeII yet to walk you through the settings to assign the dry to AxeII USB out2 - take a look at the manual.
create a stereo channel strip to playback the wet signal from the AxeII
set it's input to 5-6 [the USB outs 0-1 of the AxeII]
set it's output to Out 1-2 [so it plays to the master output with the rest of the mix.
I don't know enough about the AxeII yet to walk you through the settings to assign the stereo wet AxeII USB out 0-1 - take a look at the manual.
Arm recording on your 'dry' channel strip, play and record.
You are now recording just the dry signal and hearing the wet in the mix but not recording it.
after recording, disarm the dry channel strip to prevent recording over your performance.
Reamping:
set the output of your 'dry' channel strip to output 5 [AxeII USB in 0]
this sends the dry out to the AxeII.
I don't know enough about the AxeII yet to walk you through the settings to assign the AxeII USB in 0 to by the dry input - take a look at the manual.
set the input of your 'wet' channel strip to input 5-6 [the AxeII USB out 0-1]
I don't know enough about the AxeII yet to walk you through the settings to assign the AxeII Out1 L+R to USB out 0-1 - take a look at the manual.
arm the 'wet' channel strip and record.
the signal flow should be something like this:
- dry from Logic out 5 -> AxeII in 0 [this is 'playing the AxeII]
- wet Out 1 L+R from the AxeII USB 0-1 -> Logic input 5-6 [wet is being recorded]
- wet channel strip output 1-2 joins the rest of the mix at the master channel strip
- Logic master out 1-2 to the Duet -> monitors
Latency: I reckon there may be some here...
so long as there is no latency when you record the original dry track you'll be fine.
if there is latency when you record the reamped wet signal we can deal with it after it's been recorded.
you can cut a little space out of the recorded audio's region with the scissor tool [less than one beat is more than enough]
so maybe cut out beat 2 to beat 3 of the first bar [where this is no music, just the count in - cos you should never start the music bar 1 beat 1, always leave an empty bar at the front].
Then:
- zoom the arrange window width ways
- set the 'snap' to 'ticks'
- drag the region back a little, listen, if still out, drag a little more etc until you've corrected / compensated for the delay.
Note: my reamping process is much simpler and has no latency because I use a bigger AI that is fully routable internally.
erm... and I hope I've not made too many mistakes writing out all this...
it's really easily done.. so if anyone spots something shout... I doubt all that crap up above is 100% perfect..
but it should be reasonably close...
