Using Ableton Before Amp in Guitar Signal Chain?

[penguinpajamas]

Hey guys, so I've been playing around with running an electric guitar straight into Ableton and, while I love the capabilities of all the effects, I really don't feel as though any amp simulations cut it for me. On the other hand I love being able to use Ableton to have complete access to loads of effects and processing that I'd need to be paying for pedals for normally. I was wondering then if it would be a bad idea to feed my guitar directly into Ableton, Add any effects I want to in Ableton, and then output the audio into a real amp.

Would this be a bad idea?

Thanks,
Charlie

[Whizzercone]

Unless you have a reamp box, it won't really work. well, unless your amp has a line level input or I guess you could bypass the preamp.

[misa]

The impedance mismatch will be the main issue to get the type of amp interaction you would normally expect plugging guitar straight into amp. You can get a reamping device as Whizzercone stated to convert the low impedance of your audio interface output to Hi-Z. That being said, if you use any effects or buffers between your guitar and amp, you're likely already used to a low impedance signal going to your amp.

The volume difference between instrument and line level can be handled by tweaking either the master output of Ableton or the volume on your audio interface. You won't hurt anything trying it out. I would just advice to start with your volume low and turn up.

[Samuel L. Jizzle]

I think this would work, but generally special effects should come after the amp, so I must enquire about what you intend to achieve. What do you attend to achieve?

[Mister Natural]

Penguin - it depends on your interface, of course. Many have an "instrument" input which accepts the high impedence output of a standard guitar.
Mine doesn't so my direct path looks like :
GTR > preamp(M-Audio DMP3) > EQ > line input of my soundcard & then into LIVE

best of luck !

[hivemind]

Use an amp-sim stomp box (e.g. Tech 21 stuff) and then use Live's effects. Send to headphone/mix out. I've tried a bunch of combinations, and when I'm not in a position to mic my amp first and then go into Live, this is what I default to. Although, in my case, I tend to have quite a few guitar tracks going at once so I prefer a somewhat neutral sound before any FX madness.

[booksofbokonon]

I send my guitar line out my effects send of the amp to ableton and back into my effects return. There is a bit of volume matching required and the tone isn't exactly the same as it goes in, but I still like it. I love it. Been doing it for years!