problems with GR5 and overloud

[darthyahya]

hi all. im having a problem. i run my guitar thru m-audio fast track guitar and load up gr5 or overloud or any program and create a signal chain, distorted. but when i play the sound coming out my speaker is always clean. not a hint of any signal processing. wat am i doing wrong? thanx in advance

[riff ie]

Your naught, doin't wrong? Have ya tried turning it on or perhaps off w/ the other hand? Talk to it in a brewtal decent tone, and then try pettle. I'll consult w/ muse & get back @cha momentarily. tyia.....

[cryptosonic]

Disable input monitoring on your interface.

[t_e_l_e]

Disable input monitoring on your interface.

 

^what he said. a lot of interfaces have the monitoring feature on by default, so the signal goes straight from the input to your speakers. most of the time it is much louder than the processed signal from stuff like gr5 so you mostly hear the clean signal.

 

also how do you run gr5? as standalone program or as plugin in a DAW like cubase?

if the later have you checked if the inputs a routed correctly so that the input is running through the track where you setup the plugin?

 

if the first, have you checked the audio and midi settings in the file menu? there you need to select m-audio interface as input/output device... could be that your onboard sound device is here selected and gr does not get any input from your m-audio interface

 

i don't know overloud but it has for sure also some audio settings where you can select your audio device

[WRGKMC]

It could be your latency set too low and you're getting buffer distortion attempting to run the plugins in real time. Computers need to buffer the data and put it into memory. Think of it as a gas tank. As the CPU engine pulls the memory from that tank (memory). You want that tank to fill up with data faster then its drained by the CPU processing that data. If the engine sucks the data from the memory quicker than its being filled its like an engine sucking a gas tank dry and it begins to sputter.

 

With audio if there's no data to be pulled from the temp memory, then the CPU will apply "gaps" in the data stream. When the file is played back its sounds distorted. Real nasty distortion too. It sounds like a blown speaker driver. It may sound like an occasional pop is its just on the edge or it may get really nasty depending on how strong the CPU is pulling data from the memory.

 

You need to balance the data flow to the Hardware, CPU and Software. You have to adjust the latency and buffers up a little at a time till the feed from your interface is keeping the buffers full and the CPU doesn't run out of data and starts filling in gaps.

 

In other words you give the CPU a bigger gas tank and fill that tank faster by throttling how fast the CPU can draw data from that memory so you aren't sucking the tank dry. No DAW will give you real time effects. If you have a really hot computer you may get it low enough to not be too noticeable. Some Amp Emulation software draws a huge amount of resources and does allot of calculations to get the desired sounds. You may run fine with the stock settings the Program sets up to run one single effect. As you add more effects to the chain it requires more horsepower and you have to tweak your buffer and latency to allow enough time to process those effects. The more effects you run the moare CPU demand, and the larger the buffers have to be to get all the numbers crunched. If you don't tweak them, it can even freeze or crash the program.

 

The only options you have are to use a really fast interface, fast computer, extra memory optimized to run as efficient as possible.

 

Here's a little program you can run to test your current computers latency. http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml The average that shows up in the window is the lowest you should set your latency for. Most computers come out at around 50~150us. If you get any red spikes its an indication you have something that spiking the CPU and causing digital noise. Common items may be Network or other cards that are running. Software like antivirus and internet can draw allot of CPU too especially running a USB interface which is a master/slave communication port which can be throttled or even shut down for periods when the CPU gets busy. This is why Multi core processors are recommended for recording.

 

Also having a second internal drive is best for your recording wave files so you have two sets of heads running. One for your C drive operating system. and one set of heads for your wave files being read and written. External drives can work but you are passing data through a port instead of being connected to the main buss so this can add to how much latency you need to get the ones and zeros over that line intact.

 

Theres plenty of other factors but these suggestions should get you going. If none apply, try Gogglingg "Optimizing a computer for recording"

[darthyahya]

thank you all so much for the help. i dont know how to disable input monitoring on either gr5 or th2 overloud but for some reason i fiddled with the knob on my interface and at least th2 started giving me processed sounds. gr4 continues to output only clean sound. the sound i get from th2 is horrible. im usin a soundbar as my monitor. im going to try that latency program. i have a very fast pc. i build them. core2duo e8400 @ 3.00ghz, 8 gigs of the fastest ddr2 ram, two sata 2 drives, one for os and programs one for temp files n docs. i run all my games on maximum. could be the interface is just on its way out. please keep posting and im going to try those suggestions right now.

[cryptosonic]

That PC should be more than enough for real time guitar processing. I'll bet that knob you fiddled with mixes between input monitor and software output.

 

Describe the ugliness of the sound. Snap crackle pop indicates latency while a fizzy robot type sound point to mismatched levels between your interface and speaker.

[t_e_l_e]

the monitoring signal has nothing todo with application you want to "record" or run through (e.g gtr5 or any DAW etc.) its a thing of your maudio interface.

 

i just had a look into the manual of maudio fast track pro interface. there is one know (nr 9) for the mix, if completely on the left it just plays the unprocessed input signal, completely to the right it comes from the DAW/app only in between a mix of it. so be sure to turn it completely to the right

 

also the mic/instrument inputs can be switched between line level and instrument. make sure yours is on instrument.

if thats down, just make a check, turn monitoring knob completely to the left (input signal only)

now you should hear a clean signal, it might be somewhat sterile sounding, but there should not be any distortion, clipping or any nastiness...

if there is a bad sound turn the input gain/volume on your interface for the input your are using down, until the nastiness is gone.

-> you need to get here a good clean signal without anything, if this is already bad, gt5 or anything else will make it just worse

 

now you should be set, turn the monitoring knob full right and now you should get good results from gtr5 etc.

if the ampsim is still not sounding good it needs to be fixed inside the computer, e.g. select a better preset on gtr5....

[cryptosonic]

We're dangerously close to helping somebody here, I better go troll reddit to get the taste out.

[darthyahya]

thank you. after all it was the wet/dry knob on the interface. trhe other amp sim programs i had just needed the right button to be pressed. i now have full functionality with gr5, th2, amplitube etc. gr5 has a lil too much gain but im working on it. thank you all so much. yall the best. amen

[WRGKMC]

Don't assume because you have a fast computer, all your latency issues are resolved. I haven't owned a DAW yet that doesn't need tweaking to get optimal results. I started recording in 95 so making old single core half gig processors work optimally for recording was quite a challenge.

Many of those items of the past may not apply today but you still have to go through them all and optimize them if the interface drivers and DAW software don't do it for you.

 

Most people who run something like Guitar righ would have a host DAW program setup already which means they have ASIO drivers loaded and functioning properly. If you went straight to running Guitar Rig without installing a DAW program chances are you may be trying to run windows drivers or a windows card for playback/monitoring.

 

If you have an interface, your playback speakers should be connected to it and not your windows card. You should even disable your windows card through your Win Hardware manager to confirm that card isn't connected to your signal path. USB drivers alone may not set up ASIO drivers and can be the cause of the noise if Guitar Rig was setup when the Windows card was still running.

 

 

You can try installing ASIO 4 all if you have exhausted all other options. Its supposed to work wit many windows drivers but usually requires higher latency settings.

 

You should realize much of the latency is due to the communication port and interface type and may have nothing to do with your actual computer. Setting the computer to handle the interface's hardware and driver is a big item and M-Audio gear isn't the fastest out there.

 

 

Here's some important reading material for your issue. I'd also go the M-Audio site and read up on the issues you can have. I had problems with my M-Audio 1010LT cards and the guy on the forum gave me some great help.

 

http://m-audio.com/kb/article/1620#Managing Latency

 

http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Troubleshooting/en401135

 

http://forums.m-audio.com/showthread.php?4-Delta-Series-FAQ-s-Answers-to-frequently-asked-questions

[darthyahya]

thanx WRGKMC. i run 48hz @ 128 layency and have no issues. the problems i was having was due to poor adjustment. my output is thru the interface and into a soundbar which works flawlessly. what im looking for now is an inexpensive interface like rig kontrol so i can add distortion etc while playing and recording. i was told that the behringer fcb1010 with uno chip would work with all my amp sims. thanx again

[cryptosonic]

You could automate patch switches in reaper at no cost but if you'd like to switch on the fly in software you'll want a midi foot switch.

 

Have you patched your pedalboard into the chain? Ampsims are pretty good these days and respond well to analog effects out front. Also check out reamping, it has changed the way I record.

[darthyahya]

i have no way to route the guitar signal out of m-audio into a pedalboard.

[t_e_l_e]

^the other way around: guitar->pedalboard->m-audio->gr5

[darthyahya]

thanx t_e_l_e

[WRGKMC]

thanx WRGKMC. i run 48hz @ 128 layency and have no issues. the problems i was having was due to poor adjustment. my output is thru the interface and into a soundbar which works flawlessly. what im looking for now is an inexpensive interface like rig kontrol so i can add distortion etc while playing and recording. i was told that the behringer fcb1010 with uno chip would work with all my amp sims. thanx again

 

Not sure what you mean what you're saying here.

 

The Rig Kontrol (2) is a midi connected controller that interfaces with Guitar Rig to adjust and switch the programs parameters and assign variables to the pedals effects. Its also got a built in interface which lets you track the guitar at the same time.

 

 

The FCB1010 is a midi foot controller and has no interfacing. It may connect to guitar rig to switch effects but you don't plug a guitar into it like you do the Kontrol unit.

 

The Behringer does have some unorthodox channel coding that's not adaptable to all midi gear. I researched it a while back when looking for a Midi controller for my ART SGX2000 preamp effect unit and found some tech info which explained the issues. It works fine with Behringer gear but can have problems with other types of midi gear. Cant remember if the chip mod fixes that particular issue either, but I suggest you research the unit thoroughly.

 

Look at the specs on each and it gives you the story.

 

The Rig Knotrol: These are audio specs and the drivers at the bottom are for high speed tracking. Input:

Sampling Rate AD: 44.1; 48; 96 KHz

Input Impedance: 1 MOhm

Maximum Input Level: 5Vpp, +10 dBu

##Maximum Gain: +16 dB (Input-to-Output, digital gain: 0 dB)

THD: 0.008 % (at 1 kHz, O dB Gain, +2 dBu)

SNR: -96,5 dB (A-weighted)

Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz ±0.5 dB

 

Output:

Sampling Rate DA: 44.1; 48; 96 KHz

Output Impedance: 200 Ohm (balanced); 100 Ohm (unbalanced)

Maximum Output Level: 5Vpp, +10 dBu

THD: 0.007 % (at 1 KHz, -3 dBu)

SNR: -97 dBu (A-weighted)

Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz ±0.5 dB

Optional Attenuation: -14 dB

 

Compatibility:

ASIO 2.0

Core Audio

WDM

 

 

The Behringer

 

MIDI FOOT CONTROLLER FCB1010 has no recording interface its strictly midi

Ultra-Flexible MIDI Foot Controller with 2 Expression Pedals and MIDI Merge Function

 

•Professional and ultra-flexible MIDI foot controller

•10 banks of presets, each with 10 fully user-editable presets

•2 expression pedals with freely assignable MIDI channel, controller number and range

•Simultaneous transmission of 5 MIDI program change commands and 2 MIDI controllers per preset

•MIDI note commands for trigger and tap-tempo applications

•2 programmable and relay-controlled switch jacks, e.g. to select channels on any guitar amp

 

 

 

[darthyahya]

thanx for the reply. the interface im using is a m-audio fast track guitar. works perfect. i want to use it to interface with the PC and i would like a rig kontrol or midi interface so i can switch between patches or turn pedals on or off.