Roland GR-55 + Axe Fx = Stereo Out

F

franktheman

Member
Hi,..
I am pretty much new to the Axe Fx and the Roland..
I'd like to use the Axe Fx as my central switching/mixing unit.. The Roland will stay hidden in the rack and I'll just recall the patches from within the FCB1010.
I am not sure on how advanced the routing options within the Axe Fx are..
The way I'd hook up the gear:
GR3-Pickup to GR-55
GR-55 Guitar out to Axe FX Front input
GR-55 Stereo out to Axe FX Rear input 2
Axe FX output 1 to FOH

With a standard guitar I'd just plug it directly into the front input (maybe by using an A/B switch in the future)

Now is that a resonable approach, and what modules/mixers/.. within the Axe Fx should/can I use ?
I think there's no problem as long as I "bypass" the Axe.. using an empty Patch with send/return-modules (that how I got the rear input "2" to work).
When mixing the Synthsounds with AxeFx sounds.. how would you do that ?

Hope that makes sense..
thx
Frank
 
franktheman said:
Hi,..
I am pretty much new to the Axe Fx and the Roland..
I'd like to use the Axe Fx as my central switching/mixing unit.. The Roland will stay hidden in the rack and I'll just recall the patches from within the FCB1010.
I am not sure on how advanced the routing options within the Axe Fx are..
The way I'd hook up the gear:
GR3-Pickup to GR-55
GR-55 Guitar out to Axe FX Front input
GR-55 Stereo out to Axe FX Rear input 2
Axe FX output 1 to FOH

With a standard guitar I'd just plug it directly into the front input (maybe by using an A/B switch in the future)

Now is that a resonable approach, and what modules/mixers/.. within the Axe Fx should/can I use ?
I think there's no problem as long as I "bypass" the Axe.. using an empty Patch with send/return-modules (that how I got the rear input "2" to work).
When mixing the Synthsounds with AxeFx sounds.. how would you do that ?

Hope that makes sense..
thx
Frank
Click to expand...

You use the fx loop not send/return block to get rear input 2 to work. Be sure input 2 is set to stereo. If you don't want the front input to pass through to the axe-fx output (only want the gr-55 sound). Either make a patch that doesn't have any thing connected to the first row or put a volume block of filter in the path of the input 1 signal, be sure the bypass mode is set to mute, assign a button to to vol or filter block. you can then cut the guitar signal on or off. You can blend the sounds with the knob or your 13 pin controller. There is a knob that mixes synth and guitar sound. There are also a myriad way of blending them on the Axe-fx depending on what you want to do.

Here is an example. You can either use the mixer block gain 2 and 3 or 13 pin controller mix knob to blend the sounds. In this case you would set the fx loop and vol bypass mode to mute. When you bypass the vol, it would stop the input 1 signal. When you bypass the effects loop, it would silence input 2.
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Dunno what I'm doing wrong. I made a preset with the layout posted and when insert the FXL block no more sound. Input 2 is set to stereo and I see the meters moving so its getting signal form the GR55 but the effects loop isn't working. Any ideas? If someone can share their FXL patch so I can try it? Thanks!
 
Ok I figured out my issue. I had OUTPUT 2 hooked up to my computer and had OUTPUT 1 going to my FBTs. I guess you can't use both outputs when input 2 is in use. Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
elchampion said:
Ok I figured out my issue. I had OUTPUT 2 hooked up to my computer and had OUTPUT 1 going to my FBTs. I guess you can't use both outputs when input 2 is in use. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

You cant use copy 1 to 2 when you are using the effect loop but you can use output 2. You need to put a send after the last effect in the output 1 chain and return it to the fx loop. remember to turn the ix up on the return block.
 
What would be the easy way to use both units?I want to use the axe for rhythm and lead but the gr-55 for synths and other sounds with out the axe ll. But I really want it in stereo for recording.Any idea's?
 
I run my MIDI equipped guitar into the GR-55 via the 13 pin cable, run a guitar cable from the guitar out of the GR-55 into the front of the Axe Fx, then have the stereo outputs from the GR-55 on two tracks on my mixer and the stereo outputs of the Axe Fx on two tracks on the mixer. This doesn't allow you to use the Axe Fx effects on your GR-55 synth sounds, but does allow you to single out individual sounds from either the Axe Fx or GR-55 or to blend the multiple sounds together in stereo. It makes for a huge sound, but does take up 4 tracks on the mixer the way I do it.
 
I think one issue is that you can't route from front and rear inputs at the same time, nor can you switch them on a per patch basis. I think the switching has to be global. It would be a huge help for people running more complex rigs to be able to switch inputs on a per patch basis.

Here's the wiki on rear inputs Connecting a guitar - Axe-Fx II Wiki

Noting though that using FX return is a totally functional way to accomplish the same thing. It would be cool to be able both to switch inputs and use FX return in case you really do want to use a loop AND switch inputs on the fly.

Can't have everything except when you can.
 
Well, the biggest issue that I have struggled with and spent time and money on is the amount of noise/hiss I get when using input 2 via fx loop. The only way I could avoid it was to just use rear input 1 as my main input source. A shame really. I tried all the suggest including padding outputs. Impossible to get rid of the noise. I tried balanced 1/4" to XLR into my VG-99 as well as unbalanced to my GR-55. no difference.
 
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