Ableton Forum

I can see Live being a Great production and performance tool for Guitarist / Composers. The effects that come with Live are good but can be better. With that said external sound hardware is still needed for great sounds like guitar PreAmp / Amp modeling, reverb and others.

For now, I have to set up 3 to 4 audio tracks so I can route audio in and out of my audio/computer interface to integrate my hardware sound modules with Live's FX for One guitar. It would be nice to have ONE audio track and in that track to be able to INSERT and ROUTE external hardware audio (FX Loops) into the audio tracks software rack system.

Example:
1. Set up one audio track to receive my guitar direct into audio/computer interface.

2. Insert FX rack into the audio track.

3. Insert Live's compressor and EQ for front end signal processing.

4. Insert External Hardware Device (SansAmp Guitar PreAmp) after the Compressor and EQ. Be able to set up Midi control and change presets from Live's rack.

5. Insert Live's Noise Gate after External Hardware Device insert.

6. Insert External Hardware Reverb Device after Live's Noise Gate. Be able to set up Midi control and change presets from Live's rack.

7. Insert other Live effects ( and/or External Hardware FX) in series or parallel as needed.

8. Save rack set up and save external device set up as an FX.

9. Update and add more quality FX for guitar and vocals. For now I think PreAmps and Reverbs are hardware based for quality.

This will give us ONE audio track with Internal and External FX I/O routing options in the audio tracks Rack and to be able to automate and change presets of the external gear from one audio track view.

To add to my original post.

1. In the device block in the racks effects chain for the external processor, you can choose the audio input/output (stereo and mono) for doing the FX loop and you can choose MIDI device and channel. Just like we do in an Audio and MIDI track.

2. When you do preset changes in Live's FX rack you will be able to send preset changes to the external FX gear.

3. The external device block displayed in the Rack will have assignable knobs and switches for sending MIDI CC data to the external FX devices. It's like designing your own device plug-in.

4. In the audio tracks Clip Envelope View, you will be able to automate the external devices MIDI CC parameters.

Doing this we will only need 1 audio track instead of needing 3 to 4 and we will not need to have a MIDI track for each external FX device for preset changes and MIDI automation. We will also be able to save the external FX devices as presets in Live's FX folder and save the Rack's with the external FX devices in Live's Racks folder.

Oh it's just soooo goood

Thanks

Anybody have any input?

I think it would be great to be able to insert external hardware (like FX loops) into Live's FX Racks / Device Chains. And also to be able to midi control and automate the devices from within one audio tracks Rack Zone and the Audio clip envelope view.

Great for guitar players wanting to integrate their gear with Live's FX and controls.

Great for recording and controls so you don't have to have multiple audio/midi tracks for one instrument.

What do you think?

Did some research and found TC Electronic has a plug-in called Integrator that is close to what I'm looking for. The plug-in comes with there PowerCore and Konnekt products.

Still need something that will allow a user to insert external devices INTO Live's FX device chains and Racks. Also need to be able to do MIDI CC of the device within the FX chain like how you can control Live's devices with MIDI and automation. All this within ONE audio track instead multiple audio tracks and midi track per device.

Is there a way to do this that I'm not aware of?

I think the multiple track approach would be fine if at least there was a way to group tracks and then collapse them somehow (a little + / - button).

And I think you should consider simplifying your guitar rig Have you tried Vox Tonelab? I'm ditching my sansamp... The only effect I add is sometimes EQ, reverb and delay. I agree those effects in live are pretty basic, but there's good plugins to get a more professional sound.