It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:35 pm




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
 USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig 
Author Message
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:06 pm
Posts: 69
Location: Portland, OR
Post USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
(First of all, I'm extremely new to the Stick... so new that I don't yet own one (just placed my order for a Railboard). I play the guitar, so the whole "stereo instrument" thing is quite new to me. Now, to the question...)

Does anyone have any advice/experience with stereo USB audio interfaces and processing software such as Guitar Rig? I'm interested in knowing if an audio interface such as the "focusrite scarlett 2i2" (which has two XLR inputs, with phantom power) would work with something such as Guitar Rig for emulating amps and running some effects. Guitar Rig supports stereo input, and you can use a "software splitter" which will split L/R signal for you to run separate chains.

_________________
Black Railboard #6760, black and gold tuners, aqua inlays


Sun Jun 28, 2015 7:47 pm
Profile
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm
Posts: 2486
Location: Virginia, USA
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
I use my Railboard with a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24, a Firewire-based cousin of the interface you mentioned. I run my Railboard into my XLR inputs, using phantom power to put my Stick in active mode: in addition to sounding great, this avoids the problem of my interface's input impedance being too low for the Railboard's passive output. Having said that, I would rather start a discussion of audio interfaces with a discussion of your budget and goals.

Before I forget, the Railboard's R-Block pickup supports five output modes:
Robstafarian wrote:
  1. Dual Mono (often called "stereo"), Passive: This provides one output per side via either 1/4" mono (i.e. "TS," for Tip Sleeve) connectors or XLR connectors.
  2. Dual Mono, Active: This provides one output per side via XLR connectors which receive phantom power.
  3. Summed Mono, Passive: This provides one output carrying signals from both sides via a 1/4" mono (i.e. "TS," for Tip and Sleeve) connector or an XLR connector.
  4. Summed Mono, Active: This provides one output carrying signals from both sides via an XLR connector which receives phantom power.
  5. Stereo, Passive: This provides one output per side via a 1/4" stereo (i.e. "TRS," for Tip Ring Sleeve) connector. In this mode, each side's volume control acts as a panning control. The "stereo/mono" switch must be in the mono position for this to work, as explained on SE's R Block product page.

(To be thorough, I copied that list from one of my posts.)

I do not use Guitar Rig or any other amp emulation software. I use my DAW (PreSonus Studio One 2.6 Producer) for parametric EQ, limiting, and reverb. The limiting is critical, as the Stick has a tremendous dynamic range and the power amp driving my computer speakers does not provide very much headroom (if you do not understand what that means, then read the first eight post of this thread and consider watching Episode 44 of Free Hands Friday [make sure to follow the link in the comment posted by Free Hands Academy]). My philosophy is that I would rather succeed at hearing the Stick's own sound than fail at trying to make the Stick sound like an electric guitar (I went into considerable detail about why the latter is difficult in Episode 40 of Free Hands Friday).


Sun Jun 28, 2015 8:29 pm
Profile
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:06 pm
Posts: 69
Location: Portland, OR
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
Hi Rob, thanks for your quick response! This helps a lot... I don't need to spend a lot of money on an interface right now, and I think the 2i2 will get the job done (and the USB interface is also nice for using either my Mac or a PC). I already own a GT-100, which is an impressive piece of hardware (for the price...) that can also act as an audio interface... the problem is that it's mono input only.

Thanks for the reference on the different output modes, I was sort of familiar with the concept (from the free hands academy videos, from where I was also familiar with your name, you sort of inspired me to get the Railboard :-) ), but it never hurts having such a great reference!

I understand the need for limiting. In fact, Guitar Rig is flexible enough to allow you to run signals without amp modeling (the different components/plugins are just like lego blocks, basically), including parametric EQs and limiting. My goal is not to try and make the stick sound as a guitar... so you are basically saying that I wouldn't need to model, say, a guitar amp (for the melody strings) and bass amp (for the bass strings)? I'll definitely give PreSonus a try, since I see on their webpage they have a free trial.

_________________
Black Railboard #6760, black and gold tuners, aqua inlays


Sun Jun 28, 2015 8:54 pm
Profile
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm
Posts: 2486
Location: Virginia, USA
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
Thanks very much for your kind words. My Free Hands Friday appearances have certainly impacted my PM Inbox. :lol:

I forgot to mention two things:
  1. Get an interface with more than two XLR inputs so you can still use a microphone (for online lessons and/or Free Hands Friday).
  2. Watch for PreSonus to release Studio One 3 Prime.

I am hanging on to Studio One 2.6 because it will run under WINE, and I plan to move all of my audio work to Linux. If Studio One 3 Prime runs under WINE, then I will upgrade to Studio One 3 Professional.


Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:31 pm
Profile
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:06 pm
Posts: 69
Location: Portland, OR
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
And again... That's an excellent point. I was just wondering... "since I don't sing, why would I need the extra inputs" [WHITE SMILING FACE]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

_________________
Black Railboard #6760, black and gold tuners, aqua inlays


Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:35 pm
Profile
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:06 pm
Posts: 69
Location: Portland, OR
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
Btw, I'll try and join you guys this Friday

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

_________________
Black Railboard #6760, black and gold tuners, aqua inlays


Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:38 pm
Profile
Elite Contributor
Elite Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:19 pm
Posts: 1719
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
I have Guitar Rig. I use http://www.reaper.fm/ as my DAW.
Your USB interface should work fine. I've used a Zoom R8 with some success.
jmdacruz wrote:
(First of all, I'm extremely new to the Stick... so new that I don't yet own one (just placed my order for a Railboard). I play the guitar, so the whole "stereo instrument" thing is quite new to me. Now, to the question...)

Does anyone have any advice/experience with stereo USB audio interfaces and processing software such as Guitar Rig? I'm interested in knowing if an audio interface such as the "focusrite scarlett 2i2" (which has two XLR inputs, with phantom power) would work with something such as Guitar Rig for emulating amps and running some effects. Guitar Rig supports stereo input, and you can use a "software splitter" which will split L/R signal for you to run separate chains.

_________________
#404 Stick - (1978) Angico hard wood.
#6460 Railboard - Black with glow inlays.


Sun Jun 28, 2015 10:08 pm
Profile
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:06 pm
Posts: 69
Location: Portland, OR
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
WerkSpace wrote:
I have Guitar Rig. I use http://www.reaper.fm/ as my DAW.
Your USB interface should work fine. I've used a Zoom R8 with some success.
jmdacruz wrote:
(First of all, I'm extremely new to the Stick... so new that I don't yet own one (just placed my order for a Railboard). I play the guitar, so the whole "stereo instrument" thing is quite new to me. Now, to the question...)

Does anyone have any advice/experience with stereo USB audio interfaces and processing software such as Guitar Rig? I'm interested in knowing if an audio interface such as the "focusrite scarlett 2i2" (which has two XLR inputs, with phantom power) would work with something such as Guitar Rig for emulating amps and running some effects. Guitar Rig supports stereo input, and you can use a "software splitter" which will split L/R signal for you to run separate chains.

Thanks!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

_________________
Black Railboard #6760, black and gold tuners, aqua inlays


Sun Jun 28, 2015 10:13 pm
Profile
Site Donor
Site Donor
User avatar

Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:38 pm
Posts: 818
Location: SW Washington (state)
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
I see you're in Portland...greetings from across the Columbia!

Any idea on an ETA for your order? I'd look forward to a post in the Introductions area of the site.

Cheers!

_________________
Victor Bruhn
SW Washington state
Bamboo Grand #7363 MR ACTV2, Tarara Grand #5677 MR PASV4
Tap In Time Podcast: tapintime.podbean.com/


Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:24 pm
Profile
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:06 pm
Posts: 69
Location: Portland, OR
Post Re: USB stereo audio interface for Guitar Rig
Gusset wrote:
I see you're in Portland...greetings from across the Columbia!

Any idea on an ETA for your order? I'd look forward to a post in the Introductions area of the site.

Cheers!

Hi there! I don't have a concrete ETA yet, since I'm just getting started with the process.

Sent from my Nokia 1100 using Tapatalk

_________________
Black Railboard #6760, black and gold tuners, aqua inlays


Mon Jun 29, 2015 9:09 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  

board3 Portal - based on phpBB3 Portal Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group. Designed by Vjacheslav Trushkin for Free Forums/DivisionCore.
Heavily modified by Stickist.com. Stickist.com is an authorized Chapman Stick® site. The Chapman Stick® and NS/Stick™ and their marks are federally registered trademarks exclusively licensed to Stick Enterprises, Inc., and are used on Stickist.com and NSstickist.com with SEI's permission.
Click here for more information.