USB re-amping with Pro Tools 10

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Woahdude89

New Member
Hello fellow Fractals. As the title suggests I am attempting to re-amp using my Axe Fx 2 Mark 2 in PT10 via USB. I have heard that USB re-amping is possible... but I'm having a tough go of it. More often than not I'm simply getting a feedback loop in PT.

I blew out my I/O for the Axe and that's fine. I get playback with no issues. But in terms of ins and outs on my tracks my only options are:
Input:
Front Left/Front Right (Stereo)
Front Center/Low Frequency Effects (Stereo)

Output:

Front Left/Front Right


So how the heck does one go about sending a DI to the axe and have it return? Is this actually possible? I don't own a reamp box and my interface doesn't even have line outs anyway. Should I just go buy some SPDIF cables?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
I am using SONAR, not PT - but from memory this is how it's done:

+ record 2 tracks - in SONAR the "amped" signal is INPUT1 og and the re-amp signal is INPUT3
+ when re-amping record a new track and SOLO your re-amp track in PT
+ in Axe I/O menu choose USB input instead of ANALOG
+ record in PT
 
In ProTools with the Axe as the interface, you'll have four input options for recording: 1/2, which is the main out of the Axe, and 3/4, which is the bypassed dry signal direct from the guitar.

If you already have a dry track to record:
1) Set up a new audio track with inputs set to 1/2 (or 1 or 2 if mono).
2) MUTE this track! Otherwise you'll get a feedback loop
3) In the I/O settings on the Axe, set input to USB
4) Solo the dry audio track in ProTools, along with the new track you're going to record to
5) Record!
6) Afterwards, remember to set the Axe I/O back to "Anolog" in order to listen to the mix without running your whole mix through the patch.


If you don't have a dry track already, just set up an audio track with inputs 3/4 (or 3 or 4 for mono) while tracking and it'll make a copy of your guitar signal for later reamping. You can do this while also recording the processed outs 1/2 to another track.
 
Hello! thank you for your suggestions I just found in the forum.

I just have to understand last steps:

1. created 2 tracks: input1 and input3 (mono config)
2. recorded the audio
3. set usb in the I/O
4. changed the sound from the axe fx

? now I don't understand how to create a new track and record the final sound. Which input I have to select for the new track, I'm using Logic.
I also hear feedbacks in the playback, which track I have to mute?

thank you!
 
Just create a new track and set it to Input 1. The only difference from recording the first time is that instead of the signal coming from your guitar, it'll come from the dry track you recorded earlier from Input 3. Make sure you solo that track and don't send any other audio from the session through the Axe, otherwise that will get reamped, too.
 
This is another way that I like to do it. I don't like to monkey with the output cables on the axe to go to the inputs on my scarlett.

With Pro Tools 11 (my daw) and Windows you are stuck with one Audio Source. So this is my Reamp Process with a key ingredient of Asio4All driver.

* Software
ProTools 11
Asio4All (they released a new one this year for Windows 8.x!!!).
Scarlett Drivers and Mixer Tool
AXEFXII USB Driver

DAW (protools)
1) Audio Setup - make the Asio4all the main source (or just AXE USB)
2) Config the IO. So you setup all the scalett I/O and the AXE I/O (4 input 1-2 are the WET and 3-4 are the Dry). Output (from DAW to AXE USB IN will be 2 channels.

Reamp:
1) Record on dry axe. (Channel 3 on Axe) I like to record in parallel so one on axe channel 1-2 and the other Dry 3-4.
2) ON the AXE set the input to usb for main input in the io menu
3) In DAW set the dry track to output on the axefx
4) In DAW Make a new track to hold the reamp. Set the input to the axe wet (channels 1-2). Set the out to daw to the main out so you can hear the reamp
5) record it!! This is done by simply doing the normal record on the new ramp track you made, but you can change the setting on the AXe to change amps/reverb etc.
6) When done don't forget to change the AXE input in IO menu back to Inst IN.

******NOTE: The ASIO is only needed if you want to use/keep an audio interface configured in protools. So in my PT setup I can track with any of the 4 AXE USB or the Inputs from the Scarell Interface. You could just as easily just do the AXE USB as the only source and then not use the ASIO.
 
Ok I successfully done all steps except one.

When I play the dry track (input3) after changed source in USB, I also hear other tracks I played during the recording of the guitar.

I muted all except the dry track during the playback, it seems that also other tracks were processed during recording.

What do you think?
 
For those of you reamping, what are the differences in sound (if any) between analog vs digital? I've been reamping via analog setting the Axe up as an insert in PT (just like I would an outboard compressor or EQ) - Is this the best way for analog reamping with the Axe? I guess I need to explore the digital option as well and do a shootout.
Thanks!
 
Here are my notes on how I got it going. Hope this helps!!
______________________________________________
I have my first from the top 888/24 Interface (which is called “B”) in my Hardware setup set to have Inputs and Outputs for "B 5-6” set to digital AES in PT hardware setup.
---------------------------------
Setup 1 mono audio track to track rough wet tone coming from Input OH R, out to 2 track mix bus

Set up mono audio track (for DRY GTR) input B 5 (set to digital in hardware setup), output B 5-6 set to digital as well.

Add another stereo track (For WET GTR) input set to A 5-6 (OH L&R), out put to 2 track mix

In AE2, for tracking, go to i/o page and set main into source to ANALOG (In 1)

USB/Digi OUT SOURCE to INPUT

For ReAmping, set MAIN INPUT SOURCE TO SPDIF/AES
 
sbalzano said:
Ok I successfully done all steps except one.

When I play the dry track (input3) after changed source in USB, I also hear other tracks I played during the recording of the guitar.

I muted all except the dry track during the playback, it seems that also other tracks were processed during recording.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

When you're reamping, you must mute all other tracks other than the one you're reamping. Otherwise you'll reamp everything. The quickest way is to solo the track you want (and make sure you don't have any tracks with solo-safe enabled - which means they'll play even if you solo another track).
 
rcd said:
For those of you reamping, what are the differences in sound (if any) between analog vs digital? I've been reamping via analog setting the Axe up as an insert in PT (just like I would an outboard compressor or EQ) - Is this the best way for analog reamping with the Axe? I guess I need to explore the digital option as well and do a shootout.
Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'm sure there's a difference, but I don't really hear it, in regards to USB vs analog. The big thing for me that keeps me using USB is that I can trust that I'm reamping at the same volume level as I initially played my guitar into the Axe at. That way I don't have to spend a lot of time matching levels and worrying if my gain going into the amps, compressors, drives, etc, in my patches is off from what I'm expecting.
 
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