Using Amp Sims Live?

[Mortal_Dezire]

Hey,
I've searched and read up that people have done this before and I think its a really flexible way of using modeled amps in a live situation without sucking the tit of line 6 or axe-fx.

The setup I'm using right now is
Guitar>wah>DI>Alesis interface>laptop>Reaper>TSE>LeCto>various fx>Headphone jack of the alesis>SS Power Amp>Cab

It sounds pretty fuckin good for leads and cleans, but iffy for rhythm. My real question though is how do I set this up to switch between different patches? I could maybe use an a/b, but that only covers me for 2 sounds. I like to have at least 3 or 4.

I've read about people automating the fx or using midi controllers. I could probably understand the midi switching, but how the hell would you automate?

Any tips are appreciated.

 

[006]

You could only automate if your whole set was being played to a click in Reaper, your band needs to be really tight to do this.

 

[Mortal_Dezire]

Gotcha. I figured that would be the crux of the whole thing. Any suggestions for switching patches? What's the best way to set up both Reaper and my computer to make sure that things are running as efficiently as possible and as easy as possible with switching back and forth with different amp models?

 

[006]

The MIDI footswitch way would only work if LeCto, etc. supported MIDI input, which I don't think it does. Maybe have someone off to the side of the stage that can switch stuff for you on the laptop, not sure what you can do really with the setup you are wanting to use. Otherwise you need an ampsim that can read MIDI input, I believe ReValver does, off the top of my head anyway, I'm sure others can as well like maybe Amplitube or GuitarRig. In fact, I think there is a setup for GuitarRig that has a floorboard foot controller that would handle exactly what you want... but any of those options means spending money.

 

[Trevoire520]

Personally I would never feel like I could rely on a laptop rig for live stuff. It seems that at least 50% of the time that I see local bands with laptops for backing tracks etc it crashes and totally fucks up their set. I don't think the stage vibration is great for laptops really.

My vote would be to get a second hand pod xt live and run it through the fx return of a cheap valve head (valveking, windsor etc) you get the flexibility of the pedal and the valve poweramp really helps to tame the fizzy stuff and give it a bit more grunt imo.

Also:
Pedal dies: Just go guitar>amp
Amp dies: Just get a DI and go from the pedal to the PA

So you've got a double backup, so long as you're not reliant on masses of effects.

 

[Audiosprite]

http://www.museresearch.com/musebox.php

 

[006]

Yeah and that thing is like $2k man. I would actually 2nd the idea of using an XT Live going into your power amp. I had one for years for live shows it did me well.

 

[Brian @ IK Multimedia]

Using a standalone program like AmpliTube 3 with a controller, StealthPedal or the like, would be a lot safer and more stable in a live situation than a host and VST plugin.

 

[chrisdodge]

This piece of software is a host and a VST. This is the only one able to disable used VSTs when the patch in which they are involved is not selected. So you can make your own chain with many VSTs (lepou, TSE, TH2, revalver, amplitube, Guitar rig, Wave GTR, and many more ... but BTW, i you can buy all of these, take a look to axe FX )

 

[arv_foh]

Personally I would never feel like I could rely on a laptop rig for live stuff. It seems that at least 50% of the time that I see local bands with laptops for backing tracks etc it crashes and totally fucks up their set. I don't think the stage vibration is great for laptops really.

My vote would be to get a second hand pod xt live and run it through the fx return of a cheap valve head (valveking, windsor etc) you get the flexibility of the pedal and the valve poweramp really helps to tame the fizzy stuff and give it a bit more grunt imo.

Also:
Pedal dies: Just go guitar>amp
Amp dies: Just get a DI and go from the pedal to the PA

So you've got a double backup, so long as you're not reliant on masses of effects.

Avenged Sevenfold uses a laptop for playback, pretty sure if it can withstand being in arena monitor world next to about a million subs, local bands on small stages shouldn't have a problem with it... the few bands I work with on a regular basis that use Macs for playback have (knock on wood) never had a problem with them at any shows that I've mixed.

 

[Nectar-and-Fuel]

RE: stage vibration damaging laptops... put it in a box with an open top and some padding on the bottom.

As for switching patches... map the 'fx bypass' controls for a few tracks in Reaper to be affected by the MIDI being sent by your switching device.

 

[AndrewPGlover]

We had a ton of problems when running backing tracks out of Logic on a MacBook. I've heard running an SSD solves problems. We had our buffer really low but in the end just started using an iPhone for everything.

I'd love to start running off a laptop again with multiple outputs for our front of house guy to be able to mix a lot of stuff separately, but having the mono stem/click off of an ipod. Small and relatively fool proof.

In the end it is going to be your drummers responsibility most likely, so you need to make sure he is somewhat tech savvy or he's going to be asking you for help a lot... A LOT!

 

[Behind]

If you have a MIDI foot controller you can do something similar I did some time ago.

For example, if you need 20 different sounds, prepare 20 different tracks. They'll contain the FX chain you need for each sound. What I did was to program REAPER to move around these tracks via MIDI. Since it's dificult for the computer to manage all the CPU process needed for the plug-ins, you need that reaper off-line the FX of the tracks you're not using.

The problem I had was that I was just able to move in a linear way through the tracks. This means that If I wanted to switch from the sound on track 1 to the one on the track 4, I had to go through tracks 2 and 3... So it wasn't that good for live situations but it's ok to play at home in this way.

If you just need 2 sounds, there would be no problem anyway.

 

[Mattayus]

Take a look at that man, might help in some way but I'm not sure.

 

[pikachu69]

I used guitar rig with the pedal for a couple of years in a band and it worked great. Stereo out to the board and in ear monitors = the tits!

I enjoyed the flexability of doing this and it never let me down.