hoss
Inspired
Hi,
I am pretty new to the world of Axe-FX but have used hardware (and software) modellers and computer audio interfaces for about 8 years. My other background are classic tube amps, though.
My main interface now is the Digidesign Eleven Rack which I got in November 2009. It's price is very competitive considering it's coming with Pro Tools 8 LE and many routing features.
Eleven Rack also offers very good sounding guitar modeling (the True-Z input is amazing) but lacks features and flexibility in the effects chain (no stereo effects except reverb, no custom IRs, no rigs for Bass guitar,...)
I was looking at the Axe FX for some time but was held back by it's limits (no audio computer interface and no headphone jack). The raves about Axe FX and the great sounding audio files finally made me buy one two weeks ago.
I don't need to tell you how good it sounds, I just want to talk about setting it up with the Digidesign interface for recording and re-amping on a Digital Audio Workstation (a Mac or PC with DAW software like Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic,...).
Here is a mini how-to for a great setup using Eleven Rack (as the Interface) and Axe FX (as the modeling unit):
Plug your guitar into Eleven Rack and make sure the digital clock on Eleven Rack is set to the standard 48kHz (Axe FX only works at 48kHz).
On Eleven Rack I have a "neutral" rig that has every effect and amp bypassed but you can also hit the tuner button for the same effect. You can even leave the 11R tuner active all the time to check on your guitar while playing. All the modeling is done in the Axe FX alone.
This is a also a great way to compare the two racks. Select a rig on your Eleven Rack and press the BYPASS button on the Axe FX to listen to the sound from the Eleven Rack rig, select the TUNER mode on Eleven Rack and press BYPASS again on the Axe FX to listen to the sound from the Fractal unit.
Sounds cool?
Setting things up:
Two S/PDIF cables connect the Axe to 11R. I am also running two MIDI cables between the two racks and use the "External Midi" ports on the 11R to have Axe Edit control the Axe-FX through the Digidesign unit - no extra MIDI interface necessary.
On the Axe FX press I/O and set the "Input Source" to "DIGITAL".
To be able to listen to the modeled return signal from the Axe FX through the 11R (I have my studio monitors and headphones connected to 11R) you need to start a DAW (Pro Tools or Cubase in my case), create a stereo track that has it's input bus set to "Digital Input L/R" and either arm it for recording (Pro Tools, and make sure "Track->Input Only Monitoring" is selected) or press it's monitoring button (Cubase).
Re-amping is done the same way as with Eleven Rack alone. Just set your "Input" on Eleven Rack from Guitar to Re-Amp and play back a dry track in your DAW (output bus set to Re-Amp). Your "wet" track with it's input bus set to "Digital In" will receive the modeled Axe signal.
Works great!
I am pretty new to the world of Axe-FX but have used hardware (and software) modellers and computer audio interfaces for about 8 years. My other background are classic tube amps, though.
My main interface now is the Digidesign Eleven Rack which I got in November 2009. It's price is very competitive considering it's coming with Pro Tools 8 LE and many routing features.
Eleven Rack also offers very good sounding guitar modeling (the True-Z input is amazing) but lacks features and flexibility in the effects chain (no stereo effects except reverb, no custom IRs, no rigs for Bass guitar,...)
I was looking at the Axe FX for some time but was held back by it's limits (no audio computer interface and no headphone jack). The raves about Axe FX and the great sounding audio files finally made me buy one two weeks ago.
I don't need to tell you how good it sounds, I just want to talk about setting it up with the Digidesign interface for recording and re-amping on a Digital Audio Workstation (a Mac or PC with DAW software like Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic,...).
Here is a mini how-to for a great setup using Eleven Rack (as the Interface) and Axe FX (as the modeling unit):
Plug your guitar into Eleven Rack and make sure the digital clock on Eleven Rack is set to the standard 48kHz (Axe FX only works at 48kHz).
On Eleven Rack I have a "neutral" rig that has every effect and amp bypassed but you can also hit the tuner button for the same effect. You can even leave the 11R tuner active all the time to check on your guitar while playing. All the modeling is done in the Axe FX alone.
This is a also a great way to compare the two racks. Select a rig on your Eleven Rack and press the BYPASS button on the Axe FX to listen to the sound from the Eleven Rack rig, select the TUNER mode on Eleven Rack and press BYPASS again on the Axe FX to listen to the sound from the Fractal unit.
Sounds cool?
Setting things up:
Two S/PDIF cables connect the Axe to 11R. I am also running two MIDI cables between the two racks and use the "External Midi" ports on the 11R to have Axe Edit control the Axe-FX through the Digidesign unit - no extra MIDI interface necessary.
On the Axe FX press I/O and set the "Input Source" to "DIGITAL".
To be able to listen to the modeled return signal from the Axe FX through the 11R (I have my studio monitors and headphones connected to 11R) you need to start a DAW (Pro Tools or Cubase in my case), create a stereo track that has it's input bus set to "Digital Input L/R" and either arm it for recording (Pro Tools, and make sure "Track->Input Only Monitoring" is selected) or press it's monitoring button (Cubase).
Re-amping is done the same way as with Eleven Rack alone. Just set your "Input" on Eleven Rack from Guitar to Re-Amp and play back a dry track in your DAW (output bus set to Re-Amp). Your "wet" track with it's input bus set to "Digital In" will receive the modeled Axe signal.
Works great!