There seems to be some confusion over whether the Axe-Fx II's USB input and output will work with GarageBand. I'm here to say that, without a shadow of a doubt, it is possible to use GarageBand 10.2.0 with the Axe-Fx II (MkI, MkII, XL and XL+) to track and monitor your GarageBand projects. Works flawlessly for me on my ancient mid-2007 iMac and has for many years now.
Here is a quick run down on how I have everything set up so you can cop my settings to get to a happy, working place fast.
First, I have the USB drivers installed. You can get them here. You should restart your Mac after installed them and then the Axe-Fx II after the computer has rebooted. Once done, you'll see the Axe-Fx II in the Audio/Midi Setup application. You should have it setup to to be a 48 kHz device like so:
This is where GarageBand derives its sample rate settings from for any device you choose so if things sound all Mr Roboto in your projects it's because of the settings for the Axe-Fx II in the Audio MIDI Setup application.
In GarageBand itself you merely choose the Axe-Fx II as the input and output device. In the GarageBand app's preferences that looks like this:
But when you create a new project in GarageBand it looks like this for the project-level settings:
When you add a new track you need to remember that inputs 1 and 2 are the left and right outputs from Output 1 (or whatever you have echo'ed to the main USB outputs in the hardware settings). And that inputs 3 and 4 are the re-amp signal if you want to capture that signal as well as the fully-processed signal. So you'll want an Audio track type with the Axe-Fx II as the input and output. Here's how I setup the stereo wet capture track:
Note that I have input monitoring disabled because I don't want to incur the trip into GarageBand and back out. I'm monitoring via SPDIF out on my Axe-Fx II input the SPDIF in on my Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 -- no need to do a trip into the DAW and back with this setup and it's ultra-low latency.
For the re-amp track it's the same expect I'm using inputs 3 and 4. Technically you only need input 3 here, but meh...whatever, right? So it looks like this:
So, now here's the real secret: in order to be able to record the wet and re-amp signals at the same time you have to tell GarageBand to show the arm (record) button on every track header because, be default, it doesn't show this (and I've been unable to find a way to have GarageBand save a preferences that says I'd like this shown by default for all my new projects). Right click on a track header and select "Configure Track Header...":
And in the configuration screen make certain "Record Enable" is selected in the list:
See how it put the red dot in the track header in that second image? That's the arm button for a track. When you want to record both the wet and re-amp signal you need to make sure you arm BOTH tracks. And be careful! Selecting tracks can sometimes change the state of the arm feature on the track. Check before you hit record. I've lost a few really good takes on the re-amp track because I forgot to arm the darn re-amp track before I pressed go on the transport bar. Doh.
I keep the re-amp track muted when tracking. If I want to re-amp I mute ALL the other tracks in the project EXCEPT for the re-amp track that is the source material I want to re-amp. I create a NEW track set to record inputs 1 & 2 and then I arm AND MUTE that track (the muting isn't strictly necessary since I'm not monitoring through the DAW but it prevents accidental feedback loops). Then, on the Axe-Fx II I press the I/O button, page over to the AUDIO page and set the AUDIO INPUT SOURCE setting to USB.
Then I press record which plays back the re-amp track into the Axe-Fx while capturing the wet output, processed through the Axe-Fx II into the new input 1&2 track I just made (and armed but also muted...).
As soon as I've re-amped I set the input source on the Axe-Fx II back to ANALOG (IN 1). I've started a handful of rehearsals thinking my Axe-Fx II was busted because I was getting no signal in to the box and it took me a few minutes to remember I'd left it in USB input mode. Oops.
That's it! You're all set to track in GarageBand now. I've been tracking most of the silly little clips on my SoundCloud page with GarageBand for years. It's fast and efficient. No frills. Nothing gets in the way. I dig that. When I need to do Real Serious Work(tm) I'll fire up Logic X but that doesn't seem to be something I do too often these days.
Enjoy!
Here is a quick run down on how I have everything set up so you can cop my settings to get to a happy, working place fast.
First, I have the USB drivers installed. You can get them here. You should restart your Mac after installed them and then the Axe-Fx II after the computer has rebooted. Once done, you'll see the Axe-Fx II in the Audio/Midi Setup application. You should have it setup to to be a 48 kHz device like so:
This is where GarageBand derives its sample rate settings from for any device you choose so if things sound all Mr Roboto in your projects it's because of the settings for the Axe-Fx II in the Audio MIDI Setup application.
In GarageBand itself you merely choose the Axe-Fx II as the input and output device. In the GarageBand app's preferences that looks like this:
But when you create a new project in GarageBand it looks like this for the project-level settings:
When you add a new track you need to remember that inputs 1 and 2 are the left and right outputs from Output 1 (or whatever you have echo'ed to the main USB outputs in the hardware settings). And that inputs 3 and 4 are the re-amp signal if you want to capture that signal as well as the fully-processed signal. So you'll want an Audio track type with the Axe-Fx II as the input and output. Here's how I setup the stereo wet capture track:
Note that I have input monitoring disabled because I don't want to incur the trip into GarageBand and back out. I'm monitoring via SPDIF out on my Axe-Fx II input the SPDIF in on my Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 -- no need to do a trip into the DAW and back with this setup and it's ultra-low latency.
For the re-amp track it's the same expect I'm using inputs 3 and 4. Technically you only need input 3 here, but meh...whatever, right? So it looks like this:
So, now here's the real secret: in order to be able to record the wet and re-amp signals at the same time you have to tell GarageBand to show the arm (record) button on every track header because, be default, it doesn't show this (and I've been unable to find a way to have GarageBand save a preferences that says I'd like this shown by default for all my new projects). Right click on a track header and select "Configure Track Header...":
And in the configuration screen make certain "Record Enable" is selected in the list:
See how it put the red dot in the track header in that second image? That's the arm button for a track. When you want to record both the wet and re-amp signal you need to make sure you arm BOTH tracks. And be careful! Selecting tracks can sometimes change the state of the arm feature on the track. Check before you hit record. I've lost a few really good takes on the re-amp track because I forgot to arm the darn re-amp track before I pressed go on the transport bar. Doh.
I keep the re-amp track muted when tracking. If I want to re-amp I mute ALL the other tracks in the project EXCEPT for the re-amp track that is the source material I want to re-amp. I create a NEW track set to record inputs 1 & 2 and then I arm AND MUTE that track (the muting isn't strictly necessary since I'm not monitoring through the DAW but it prevents accidental feedback loops). Then, on the Axe-Fx II I press the I/O button, page over to the AUDIO page and set the AUDIO INPUT SOURCE setting to USB.
Then I press record which plays back the re-amp track into the Axe-Fx while capturing the wet output, processed through the Axe-Fx II into the new input 1&2 track I just made (and armed but also muted...).
As soon as I've re-amped I set the input source on the Axe-Fx II back to ANALOG (IN 1). I've started a handful of rehearsals thinking my Axe-Fx II was busted because I was getting no signal in to the box and it took me a few minutes to remember I'd left it in USB input mode. Oops.
That's it! You're all set to track in GarageBand now. I've been tracking most of the silly little clips on my SoundCloud page with GarageBand for years. It's fast and efficient. No frills. Nothing gets in the way. I dig that. When I need to do Real Serious Work(tm) I'll fire up Logic X but that doesn't seem to be something I do too often these days.
Enjoy!