Using Axe Fx to play backing track live

alcyppa

alcyppa

Inspired
Hi guys I have a question for you.
Can I use the mighty Axe (acting as a souncard) to simultaneusly play a stereo backing track (sent to the PA), play the same backing plus click (sent to the drummer) and process my guitar?

Sadly I suspect the answer will be "No you can't, fool" but I really hope it won't.
 
Thanks for your answer but I'm not searching for any other gear.
I'm interested in the possibility to use a laptop+axe fx as tools to play backing tracks live.
 
The easy part of this would be to use the laptop via USB to Axefx. This would certainly play the backing track and process your guitar at the same time. The click track only going to drummer? I have no idea. You're all set if your drummer can survive without a click track. Hopefully someone else will chime in for a solution to that.
 
As far as I know I don't think it's possible to send stereo tracks to PA + stereo tracks with click to the drummer. If someone does know a way I'd love to know :)

You could send mono to both the PA and your drummer however.
Routing would be something like this:

- Axe FX hooked up to laptop via USB.
- Running your DAW of choice (with the Axe FX selected as your audio interface) you could pan your backing track hard right (or left if you prefer), I'll use right in this example.
- Pan a click track hard left (or right if you prefer), I'll use left in this example.
- Configure your presets so your guitar is sent to the FX Loop (Output 2).
- Send Output 1 Right to PA, and Output 2 Left and/or Right (depending if your're stereo) will be your processed guitar. And your drummer would get the headphone jack.

I believe this would work, but wouldn't allow for stereo backing tracks. Your drummer would also receive a click in one ear, and the backing in another. Hope this makes sense.
 
Last edited:
alcyppa said:
Hi guys I have a question for you.
Can I use the mighty Axe (acting as a souncard) to simultaneusly play a stereo backing track (sent to the PA), play the same backing plus click (sent to the drummer) and process my guitar?
Click to expand...

So to answer the ultimate question, no, I do not think the Axe FX would have enough CPU power to push all of what you are requesting. Even though that would be super awesome for gigging musicians for possibly the AFX III a block that allows sends from peripherals. I digress...

My church uses Logic Pro X to record loops and send the click track BPM to the drummer in stereo. You need a cable that can split the sends to a dedicated channel for click(in this case your drummer) and the loop to the mixer/FOH. Then the Axe FX is independent of the actual music and click track you are looking for. You can also get a USB 2 MIDI trigger to change your preset in Logic Pro to switch your preset for you on-stage.

Just some ideas, check it out:
Apple - Logic Pro X
 
Even playing a backing track through the Axe Fx (via USB) while playing guitar can cause problems if your preset CPU level is fairly high.
 
Here is how my band deals with this. I use an iPod. Going into 2 chans on my behringer x32. When I make the track I mix all the music going to the left and the click panned all the way to the right. This lets me bring up the track FoH on chan 2 and let's me kill chan 1 in FoH. But let's me send the click on chan 1 to my drummer in his In Ear. I use a 1/8 cable to dual XLR.
 
Thanks guys;)

My english is not That good so excuse me if I can't explain myself properly.

I know the L/R pannig trick to get a mono backing and the click to the drummer but mono ambience synths or orchestrations are not that good....
I would have used an interface with separate outputs to send different audio backing to them but I currently have a Zoom R16 which has only one stereo output.

The Axe Fx has two different output but I haven't been able to get the second one working in a DAW.
This is probably because it couldn't be used that way but since I don't know everything about the Axe I could have missed some features (maybe about the drivers)
If the Axe has that option (and, as I said initially, I think it hasn't) I could avoid getting another interface just for live playback.
 
I wouldn't do this. I would not try playing live with AXE hooked to USB. There is a draw on CPU that can cause issues. It can also cause some delay and from time to time even weirdness in changing patches or scenes. Also, when you put audio through the AXE you eat up some of the headroom, and can overdrive the AXE pretty easily into digital clipping. When I use the AXE as a soundcard for itunes (all the time when practicing) I get a lot of red clipping light coming on that I don't normally get, so you have to dial the track back pretty far. This might not be a problem if you have plenty of headroom in your tracks.

I know you said you are not interested in other gear... but for what you want I don't see a good professional way around it. This is what I use...
Behringer Ultralink PRO MX882 | Sweetwater.com

Look.. for $99 you can't go wrong. Run you laptop into it and send tracks and click where you want, without using any of your AxE's resources.
 
I have been thinking about this and tested. The poster who said you can go mono is right. Reason being is that I don't believe USB audio routes to output 2. And in MANY cases PAs are mono anyway.
I run my acoustic PA in stereo but when I'm ready for playing tracks I'll probably switch to running it mono.
 
Pinkycramps said:
I wouldn't do this. I would not try playing live with AXE hooked to USB. There is a draw on CPU that can cause issues. It can also cause some delay and from time to time even weirdness in changing patches or scenes. Also, when you put audio through the AXE you eat up some of the headroom, and can overdrive the AXE pretty easily into digital clipping. When I use the AXE as a soundcard for itunes (all the time when practicing) I get a lot of red clipping light coming on that I don't normally get, so you have to dial the track back pretty far. This might not be a problem if you have plenty of headroom in your tracks.

I know you said you are not interested in other gear... but for what you want I don't see a good professional way around it. This is what I use...
Behringer Ultralink PRO MX882 | Sweetwater.com

Look.. for $99 you can't go wrong. Run you laptop into it and send tracks and click where you want, without using any of your AxE's resources.
Click to expand...


I know that eventually (and probably) I have to buy another interface but I decided to ask here if live playback could be decently achievable.
Maybe someone could have faced a similar problem before and figured out a way, but this is not the case.
Looks like I'm gonna need some new gear after all. Well, it's the right period to give myself a little present.


Thanks guys for all your replies ;), this forum is always full of kind and willing to help people...
 
yes. when you create your backing tracks, put the music on the left channel and the click on the right. connect axe to laptop via usb, connect axe left out to playback system (PA, monitors etc), axe right out goes to the drummer (however you care to do it; monitor mix or directly to the drummer).

at this point you have tracks and guitar on the left channel- click and guitar on the right. if the drummer doesn't want guitar, only click, then in the axe pan guitar fully left. done.

the laptop is handling the tracks and click so it doesn't put anymore strain on the axe cpu. i would however keep my presets to what i need instead of the swiss army approach.
 
The above could work fine so long as your presets are light on CPU use. But... one thing the above post is missing is that whenever your AXE is hooked up to USB there is a draw on your CPU. If that audio is flowing through the AXE it DOES affect your CPU use, and your dynamic headroom. It's not dramatic though - like 3 or 4% I think... but it's there. I just find the AXE to behave better when NOT hooked to a laptop. I use it for solo practice at home hooked to my laptop everyday. I would not personally do a gig with it like that though. That's just me. YMMV.
 
ChrisCG said:
Here is how my band deals with this. I use an iPod. Going into 2 chans on my behringer x32. When I make the track I mix all the music going to the left and the click panned all the way to the right. This lets me bring up the track FoH on chan 2 and let's me kill chan 1 in FoH. But let's me send the click on chan 1 to my drummer in his In Ear. I use a 1/8 cable to dual XLR.
Click to expand...

This. One of the problems I have run into running anything else through the Axe is clipping (I use Apple primarily so Logic, Garage Band and iTunes). You can fool around with lowering the output level of the audio source but this can hinder your overall mix. My solution has been incorporating a mixer as well and it works great. We will use either an iPad, iPod or even laptop running into the mixer.
 
Just plug your pc/laptop via usb to axe fx and set the audio output on pc/laptop to axe fx and to control the volume of the audio go to I/O->usb return level it’s defaulted to -60.0 dB so just dial it to your liking it took me a min to figure it out
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom