I Can't Get No.....Serious Output

A

Alex Kerezy

Inspired
Hi,
I run a fiddle with a LR Baggs violin pickup that has what I was told was high impedance output. [that's what I was told, I don't know the exact ].......well, I can't get decent OUTPUT from my Axe, no matter what I try.

I've attached my latest Preset attempt. I record it from the Axe directly into Audacity on my PC where I'm running Axe Edit. It's sooooOOOOOOOOOooo LAME.

and by the way......I absolutely CAN NOT sacrifice tone to get output volume. Don't have me put some amp that distorts my warm, sweet, lush, flowing, enchanting violin sound. No way bro, not gonna happen.

I have a link to my preset below.

H E L P!!

Churned in CBus

NoOutput-01.png

NoOutput-02.png


NoOutput-03.png


NoOutput-04.png

** HERE's THE LINK *** to my Preset
http://irisicom.net/gotAxe/Z-Fid-IV-2020-11-09.syx
 
Alex Kerezy said:
I record it from the Axe directly into Audacity on my PC where I'm running Axe Edit. It's sooooOOOOOOOOOooo LAME.
Click to expand...
if you're using USB to record, the physical Out knob doesn't affect the USB signal to your DAW.

when played with an electric guitar, this preset clips, so the preset itself is definitely loud. here's what i get when recording it:
Screen Shot 2020-11-09 at 3.24.42 PM.png

so either your instrument has a low output signal - which could easily be turned up with various blocks - or there's an issue with Audacity.

have you tried turning up the Amp block more? i see healthy signal in all blocks, so it's not some sort of imbalance. there's just not enough signal when you play for some reason.

your Input block also is -1.5 dB for some reason. you could just turn up there too.

what is your Mixer block doing? it's turned down all rows but 4:
Screen Shot 2020-11-09 at 3.28.15 PM.png
 
Are you using an interface or USB from the Axe Fx.

If USB are you sure you're using the correct inputs? Not the DI?
 
Did you set the input so you are just tickling the red? Have you played another instrument through this preset and get decent output? Any chance the pickup isn’t working properly or have you played into another unit and get decent volume out? Hope one might help.
 
chris said:
if you're using USB to record, the physical Out knob doesn't affect the USB signal to your DAW.

when played with an electric guitar, this preset clips, so the preset itself is definitely loud. here's what i get when recording it:
View attachment 74856

so either your instrument has a low output signal - which could easily be turned up with various blocks - or there's an issue with Audacity.

have you tried turning up the Amp block more? i see healthy signal in all blocks, so it's not some sort of imbalance. there's just not enough signal when you play for some reason.

your Input block also is -1.5 dB for some reason. you could just turn up there too.

what is your Mixer block doing? it's turned down all rows but 4:
View attachment 74857
Click to expand...

That's because - I have (OK will have) other rows in the matrix going through the chain - and I only want Row 4 to come through
 
chris said:
if you're using USB to record, the physical Out knob doesn't affect the USB signal to your DAW.

when played with an electric guitar, this preset clips, so the preset itself is definitely loud. here's what i get when recording it:
View attachment 74856

so either your instrument has a low output signal - which could easily be turned up with various blocks - or there's an issue with Audacity.

have you tried turning up the Amp block more? i see healthy signal in all blocks, so it's not some sort of imbalance. there's just not enough signal when you play for some reason.

your Input block also is -1.5 dB for some reason. you could just turn up there too.

what is your Mixer block doing? it's turned down all rows but 4:
View attachment 74857
Click to expand...


To be honest --- I'm not trying to get a strong output signal with your guitar. It's really great it works with your guitar and all..........but I want a nice output signal with my violin with LR Baggs piezo pickup

YES - My pickup works fine. If I plug my violin in directly to my little Bose speaker - I can hear it fine.
 
What does your instrument input level look like on the Home screen Meters page? If it's really low on the meter while you play loudly, you need to adjust the Input 1 level on the I/O menu Input page.
 
Alex Kerezy said:
To be honest --- I'm not trying to get a strong output signal with your guitar. It's really great it works with your guitar and all..........but I want a nice output signal with my violin with LR Baggs piezo pickup

YES - My pickup works fine. If I plug my violin in directly to my little Bose speaker - I can hear it fine.
Click to expand...
:rolleyes: I need to provide some sort of reference though. I can’t try it with your violin. Using my instrument lets me see if there is a problem with the preset and there is not.

I’ll remember not to try the preset you upload with a guitar next time. You tend to be confrontational when asking for help.

“Hearing it fine” on something else may not be an indicator that it’s sending the right level into the Axe.

Hope you find the solution. I’m out.
 
Last edited:
Alex Kerezy said:
Hi,
I run a fiddle with a LR Baggs violin pickup that has what I was told was high impedance output. [that's what I was told, I don't know the exact ].......well, I can't get decent OUTPUT from my Axe, no matter what I try.

I've attached my latest Preset attempt. I record it from the Axe directly into Audacity on my PC where I'm running Axe Edit. It's sooooOOOOOOOOOooo LAME.

and by the way......I absolutely CAN NOT sacrifice tone to get output volume. Don't have me put some amp that distorts my warm, sweet, lush, flowing, enchanting violin sound. No way bro, not gonna happen.

I have a link to my preset below.

H E L P!!

Churned in CBus

View attachment 74850

View attachment 74851


View attachment 74852


View attachment 74854

** HERE's THE LINK *** to my Preset
http://irisicom.net/gotAxe/Z-Fid-IV-2020-11-09.syx
Click to expand...
When you pull up the preset in the unit, page right on the unit until you get to the Meters tab

Please let us know what your average and peak dBFS levels are when playing.

You may have to go to the Setup screen, then I/O page.

Select the Input tab and increase in the Input 1 level until the violin tickles the yellow and red on the front panel input meters.

Then you should have no issues with your preset. In fact you may need to turn down some level in the preset.
 
I installed K&K Big Twin piezo pickups on a Chinese instrument called the guqin … their output was very low going into the Axe-FX III.

So I picked up this preamp, and now I get great results. You just need to give the Axe-FX a solid signal level.

1600-Acoustimax_detail5.jpgrecording-guqin.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I have worked with LR Baggs for nearly 35 years as I have an uncle who is one of the designers on the piezoelectric pick ups and the use of them on Godin guitars.

I currently have an LR Baggs pick up in my PRS 24 artist.

They have all required a preamp and battery.

Lastly, it is very rare to see Chris bail on trying to help someone. You’ve reached a new level of discourtesy when you turn off someone as generous as Chris.

My two pesos.
 
Last edited:
∞Fractals said:
I have worked with LR Baggs for nearly 35 years as I have an uncle who is one of the designers on the piezoelectric pick ups and the use of them on Godin guitars.

I currently have an LR Baggs pick up in my PRS 24 artist.

They have all required a preamp and battery.

Lastly, it is very rare to see Chris bail on trying to help someone. You’ve reached a new level of discourtesy when you turn off someone as generous as Chris.

My two pesos.
Click to expand...
From https://www.stewmac.com/electronics/pickups/all-pickups/violin-pickups/l-r-baggs-violin-pickup.html

preamp.JPG

Which is probably why it works fine with the Bose speaker of the OPs (which I am assuming is a powered one)

And this pretty much states you need a preamp

https://www.electricviolinshop.com/blog/buying_guides/selecting-a-preamp/

Since the Piezo's seem to be High Z, I wonder if the OP needs to adjust the impedence on the Input 1?
 
yeah, piezo pickups have incredibly low outout. they need to be run into a preamp. you'll get better signal to noise ratio as well. something like this, i expect....
 

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