Question about using an external tuner with the Axe-FX

M

Matt_B

Inspired
I'm considering adding rack tuners to my rigs but I have a question I hope someone can answer.

When the Axe-FX's tuner mute is set to ON (so it mutes the output when the tuner is engaged) , can a signal still be sent from the Axe-FX's FX Send if it's placed at the beginning of the chain like this:

axe_tuner_route01.jpg


I ask this question because I'm not sure how the internal routing works for the Axe-FX's tuner, specifically when it's muted. I assume that the tuner receives the signal from the input (pre-processing) but after that I don't know.

What I want to be able to do is use the Axe-FX effects send to feed a tuner and mute the Axe-FX's output when its internal tuner is engaged.

BTW, I have not decided whether or not to get an external tuner so there's no need to attempt to dissuade me from doing so. ;)
 
not sure about that, but i use an axess BS-2 to split before it hits the axe. i go into the rack panel on the back straight to the bs2, then to the patchmate.. the split goes to the tuner, so it can always have a signal.
 
I understand how your method works but I don't want to add another piece of gear to the equation or budget.

I figured out another way I can do it by adding a volume block at the end of the chain. I can either lower the chain's output to zero or bypass it (with bypass mode set to mute). This method also requires the FX send as well.
 
Another way that I think might work would be setting the FX loop first in the chain instead of parallel to the signal chain, and leave it bypassed by default. Have the button you want to be the "tuner" switch toggle the FX loop on and off. This should both reroute the audio to the tuner and mute the whole signal chain, since there will be nothing going into the effects return.
 
Tom said:
Another way that I think might work would be setting the FX loop first in the chain instead of parallel to the signal chain, and leave it bypassed by default. Have the button you want to be the "tuner" switch toggle the FX loop on and off. This should both reroute the audio to the tuner and mute the whole signal chain, since there will be nothing going into the effects return.
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Actually, that won't work because if nothing is plugged into the FX Return, the FX Send is just an Aux Send. Bypassing the loop won't do anything.
 
I have no idea how to pull that off but IMO Boss TU-2 or something similar is way more useful, probably cheaper as well...
 
Ill give this a try and let you know.

I use a Stroborack tuner. At present I have it hard wired first in my chain (ie, from guitar into the tuner, out into the Axe). I dont mute it on stage - though I do when tuning up before I play and in breaks.

Ive never thought of putting it in a loop. It doesnt seem to take anything away from my tones so why bother? AND I want to ue the loop at larger gigs (where we mic up) so my cab can be fed from it without cab sims.

However, Ill try rouiting it into the Axe's loop and seeing what works from a muteing point of view.
 
Muris_Varajic said:
but IMO Boss TU-2 or something similar is way more useful, probably cheaper as well...
Click to expand...

Except if I don't want a pedal (which I don't) or if I want a tuner that far more accurate than the Boss Tu-2.

I appreciate your reply but I'm not looking for opinions on tuners.
 
paulmapp8306 said:
Ill give this a try and let you know. I use a Stroborack tuner. At present I have it hard wired first in my chain (ie, from guitar into the tuner, out into the Axe). I dont mute it on stage - though I do when tuning up before I play and in breaks. Ive never thought of putting it in a loop. It doesnt seem to take anything away from my tones so why bother? AND I want to ue the loop at larger gigs (where we mic up) so my cab can be fed from it without cab sims. However, Ill try rouiting it into the Axe's loop and seeing what works from a muteing point of view.
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Thank you Paul. I don't use the loop for anything so using it for a tuner will work for me. I'd rather keep the cable routing as clean simple as possible while using the Axe-FX's front input.
 
Matt_B said:
I understand how your method works but I don't want to add another piece of gear to the equation or budget.

I figured out another way I can do it by adding a volume block at the end of the chain. I can either lower the chain's output to zero or bypass it (with bypass mode set to mute). This method also requires the FX send as well.
Click to expand...

i also dont want to have to add that to every patch. thats why i still have a few pedals as well, to keep from adding to every patch.
 
dpeterson said:
i also dont want to have to add that to every patch. thats why i still have a few pedals as well, to keep from adding to every patch.
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Eh, I'm not concerned about that. I only have 30 patches.
 
Well Ive tried it.

the Loop block appears to operate as an Aux send if you only connect one cable (ie send and no return), which is good - however, the bypass modes available are mute out and mute through. The Mute through disables the loop - so you get a guitar tone but no tuner feed. The mute out I hoped would do just that, however it not only mutes the guitar tone but also the loop send - so no signal to the tuner.

Ther is a way however (at least one). If you set up as per the diagram on the first post, and jkust connect a send cable to the external tuner, you tuner is always on. To mute your guitar tone, you can either use a continuous controller for master volume - with heal down at off, toe down at full - and mute you guitar tone that way, OR you can put a vol block (or null filter) in the first (or last, or anywhere really) of your chain. set the bypass mode to mute out. Assign an IA to this block. Here you get a guitar tone AND your external tuner when the block is on, and when bypassed you get no guitar tone but still get the tuner.

My only problem is If I want to mute my tone for on stage tuning, i need another IA button as my 10 are already used. I may re-configure my board (i have IAs for Drive 1, Drive 2 and two drive values in the amp block - who needs all of those on one patch) so i can mute the out, I might not bother.

I will however keep the tuner this way. There is a slight improvement in tone (as the tuners AD and DA converters are now not in line) so its worth keeping. If I need to use both outputs (1 to FOH, 1 to Power amp and cab - which is not that often) I can put the tuner before the last before it goes to my Power amp. Ill still get guitar sounds when tuning BUT only on stage. The FOH sound will be muted. I have a mute button on the Rack unit so I fI DO need silent tuning I can either press it manually (not hard really on the size of stages I generally play) OR get a latch switch to toggle it on/off remotely. Ill need some more floorboard real estate for that option though.
 
Thank you very much for trying that Paul. I sincerely appreciate it and I'm glad you have found that it might work for you too.
 
Why not just get a really good quality 1/4" Female to (2) 1/4" Male splitter and send the same signal to both the tuner and the axe at the same time. The chance that it would actually change or degrade your input signal from your guitar is slim to none.

Me being new to the Axe and haven't gotten one in the rack just yet; isn't the tuner on the Axe good enough??
 
Its not that it isnt very good - in fact it is good. Its that:

a. I had the Stroborack already.
b. I can see the strob from accross the stage. The Axes tuner is too small for that IMO.

As for the splitter- theres no need. Setting up the loop as per the original diagram is, for all intense and purpose, the same. The tuner "circuit" (or not quite as theres no return) is totally isolated from the actual guitar tone generation circuit. OK if you need the loop for something else regularly the splitter is a decent idea - otherwise not. The rack is neater this way.

Inmcidentally, the Stroborack didnt affect the tone tht much. ther is an improvement with it in the xes loop but its very marginal. Having set it up in the loop to try I just dont find it necessary to change it back - the slight improvement is a bonus rather than necessarey.
 
paulmapp8306 said:
Its not that it isnt very good - in fact it is good. Its that:

a. I had the Stroborack already.
b. I can see the strob from accross the stage. The Axes tuner is too small for that IMO.

As for the splitter- theres no need. Setting up the loop as per the original diagram is, for all intense and purpose, the same. The tuner "circuit" (or not quite as theres no return) is totally isolated from the actual guitar tone generation circuit. OK if you need the loop for something else regularly the splitter is a decent idea - otherwise not. The rack is neater this way.

Inmcidentally, the Stroborack didnt affect the tone tht much. ther is an improvement with it in the xes loop but its very marginal. Having set it up in the loop to try I just dont find it necessary to change it back - the slight improvement is a bonus rather than necessarey.
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Thanks for doing this...I followed your lead yesterday and did this for my rack too. I've been using the Strobo and recently switched to the Turbo Tuner. The AXE tuner isnt as accurate as either of these IME. I've struggled to figure out how to mute volume while tuning and the FX loop is the answer for me. I don't want anything in my chain between my guitar and the AXE input...now by using the FX loop block, I can tune silently with my accurate strobe tuner and for my tone I go straight my git to AXE...perfect...thanks.
 
archangel said:
Thanks for doing this...I followed your lead yesterday and did this for my rack too. I've been using the Strobo and recently switched to the Turbo Tuner. The AXE tuner isnt as accurate as either of these IME. I've struggled to figure out how to mute volume while tuning and the FX loop is the answer for me. I don't want anything in my chain between my guitar and the AXE input...now by using the FX loop block, I can tune silently with my accurate strobe tuner and for my tone I go straight my git to AXE...perfect...thanks.
Click to expand...

I don't mean to derail the thread, but how do you like the Turbo Tuber compared to the Peterson? I've been kind of thinking of trying a Turbo Tuner since the tracking on my Peterson has left me a little disappointed, but it just seems kind of pricey given that I already have a Strobo Flip.
 
Matt_B said:
[quote="Muris_Varajic":28zx6812]but IMO Boss TU-2 or something similar is way more useful, probably cheaper as well...
Click to expand...

Except if I don't want a pedal (which I don't) or if I want a tuner that far more accurate than the Boss Tu-2.

I appreciate your reply but I'm not looking for opinions on tuners.[/quote:28zx6812]


I never had any accuracy issues with TU-2 but nonetheless,
sorry for hijacking and I hope you'll find solution soon enough. :)
 
Muris_Varajic said:
I never had any accuracy issues with TU-2
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For live use, it's probably fine but it's accuracy is +/- 3 cents which doesn't work for me since I don't play live any more. I also like to used sweetened tuning when I can that requires accuracy of at least 1 cent. I'm addicted to strobe tuners now.

but nonetheless, sorry for hijacking and I hope you'll find solution soon enough. :)
Click to expand...
No worries. :)
 
Tom said:
I don't mean to derail the thread, but how do you like the Turbo Tuber compared to the Peterson? I've been kind of thinking of trying a Turbo Tuner since the tracking on my Peterson has left me a little disappointed, but it just seems kind of pricey given that I already have a Strobo Flip.
Click to expand...

For me, its 6 of one, half a dozen of the other...both great tuners, but my other guitar player and my bass player both use the Turbo Tuner so that's why I switched...we want all 3 guitars to use the same model tuner for our live shows.
 
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