Hi guys! I'll try to explain this the best I can. Also sorry if this is the wrong topic for this thread, but I wasn't sure where it should go exactly so I'll start here.

I'm using Reaper.

Okay so I want to be able take a software synth, like from Kontakt or Omnisphere (or any software synth) and run that instrument's signal going from the output of my Audient ID44 into a guitar pedal... and then I want the guitar pedal signal to go back into my ID44 through the Send and Return.

Will I be able to play my software synth while tweaking the guitar pedal in a live situation? I know I could record the synth track first and then re-amp it through the guitar pedal. But I want to be able to play the synth live and have it running through the guitar pedal and back into a track so that I can record. So basically I want to use my guitar pedals as outboard effect for the software synth.

Am I going to run into problems with latency or other issues I'm not thinking about?

Hopefully this makes some sort of sense! LOL Thanks for any advice or info!

 

I think that yes you can do this.
I can't see what would be the problem.
But depending of the number of outputs of your Audient, if there are only 2 outputs, you'll have to play in mono.
Use one output to go to the pedal, and the other output to go to the external mixer.

 

If you want to send the synth out through the insert send, then to the pedal, and then to the insert return then no. The insert send and return are part of the input channel, so while you can connect someting external to the insert return, the send can only output what's coming through the preamp of that channel directly.

If you want to send the synth through one of the line outputs, to the pedal, and back through an insert return then yes, although guitar pedals are not ment for line level signals and they may beheave strangely. It's probably best to just return through one of the instrument inputs since it's made to work with that kind of signals, Audient says it adds a nice colour too because of jfets or some other marketing bullshit, idk, worth trying though.

 

Last edited: Jul 5, 2023

We often refer to this a Print Loop, where you are using external hardware effects and bouncing through them in Realtime and recording them back. It can also turn into a Feedback loop though, so be careful with levels until you know what is going to be the results.

For live use it probably does not matter, but in your DAW there should be a way to do a Round Trip Ping measurement, so that any Hardware Latency Compensation your DAW features will work correctly to avoid bpm drift/sync issues you will have to fix later in the recorded new audio track.

In Logic, it is done using the I/O plugin. Your DAW probably has an equivalent. A video like this will cover most of it in Reaper; the guy is using an Audient 22 so it should be close.

 

Last edited: Jul 5, 2023

@mk_96 is right : effect loops are for tracking only
So your only option is using one of the 4 line outputs (if you don't use them all for dual stereo) and return to an input/return.

Most pedals will work right with line input, apart germanium fuzz, wah wah and some others.
If it doesn't work right with line, you can convert line to guitar level with a reamp box.

The cheapest : a reversed passive DI box (line ouput into DI output (lol) and DI input into pedal)
You can get one for for 30 bucks OR even less.

 

Last edited: Jul 6, 2023

I just wanted to thank everyone for their quick and very helpful responses! I have connected a pedal like mk_96 and ItsFine suggested and it seems to be working... almost. I think I may need a reamp box. I'm getting some strange and unusable sounds, but I can hear the software synth's original signal. It may be a line out to guitar pedal issue?

Now I'm trying to figure which reamp box will do reversed passive signal? Any more specific suggestions? There seems to be a lot of DI box options out there and I can't seem to figure out which ones are reversed. I'm going line out from Audient ID44 --> guitar pedal --> Instrument level IN on the ID44. Would something like the Walrus Audio Canvas work for me?

Time for more experimenting! Thanks again all!

 

Last edited: Jul 10, 2023

Possibly. Try sending it with less level, impedance shouldn't be too much of an issue in most cases but level .

They are called reamp boxes. In short:
DI box: unbalanced to balanced
Reamp box: balanced to unbalanced

Radial pro RMP is probably the easiest to find around the world, but depending on where you live there might be plenty of options

If you want to try what itsfine mentioned, just grab any passive DI. They are not reversed, you do the reversing.

 

Last edited: Jul 10, 2023

As "crash test", a simple Millenium will do :
https://www.thomann.de/fr/millenium_die_dibox_passiv.htm

Just plug it "reversed" like i said in previous post : input as output, output as input

 

Oh got it! I thought there was a "reversed" version. Thank you both for clarifying! I'll give the Millennium a shot ($11.00 here in the US) LOL and move up to something more pricey if I can get it all to work. Thanks again!

 

I uses a cheapo passive DI for this. It works well but remember the DI output (that you will use as an input!) is usually an XLR socket so you need a suitable cable.

 

ReaInsert

Edit: just realised it's all covered in the vid that clone linked.