Protools - not hearing guitar (PT 10, Axe-Fx II, Windows 7)

[augustaga]

Hi community:

Total newb. What I'd like: I'd like to hear and ultimately record the guitar via an armed track. I cannot hear the guitar in Protools. I have no idea how to properly set up the AxeFx to work with Protools, nor what settings in Protools to set to work with the AxeFX. I do have a recorded track in Protools I have saved that I recorded a few years ago (last time I used this setup, but I moved, disassembled, and nothing is set right anymore) and I can hit play in Protools, hear the track through the monitors, but it's distorted..as if I'm hearing the recording through the AxeFX. This is when the AXEFX is set for MAIN INPUT SOURCE USB. When I set AXEFX for MAIN INPUT SOURCE ANALOG (IN 1) I hear the prerecorded track just fine. I'm guessing it's that I don't have anything set right. Total newb. Sorry. Would greatly appreciate some assistance in getting everything to just work. It's going to be quite a learning curve when everything is set up. Can't seem to even get things set properly. For what it's worth, I do have a Digi 002 at my disposal. It's sitting next to these units, not hooked up. Also note, when I exit Protools, change the AxeFX setting I/O, Audio, MAIN INPUT SOURCE back to ANALOG (IN 1) my guitar/AxeFx work just fine through the AxeFX and studio monitors.

My hardware/software:

Protools 10.0.0
Windows 7 Enterprise SP1
Axe-Fx II Firmware: 17.04 Jan 12, 2015
Mackie HR824 Studio monitors

How I'm currently set up, roughly:

Axefx connected to PC via USB. Same PC running PT 10. Guitar plugged in to front of AxeFx II.



********************** WINDOWS *********************
Under Windows OS sound menu, I have the following options under the "Playback" tab:
Speakers (2-Axe FX II)

Digital Audio (HDMI) 2 - High definition audio device not plugged in

Speakers High definition audio device not plugged in

Headphones High Definition audio device not plugged in

Digital Audio (S/PDIF) High definition audio device Ready

Speakers USB Audio Device Default device

Under the "Recording" tab:

Line, 2 - Axe-Fx II Default Communications Device, Ready

Microphone, High Definition Audio Device, Not plugged in

Line In, High definition audio device, not plugged in

Microphone, USB Audio device, Default Device

***************** Protools 10 ***********************
Setup -> Hardware Setup:
FAS USB Audio ASIO Driver

When I launch setup app I have:
"Status" tab:
Usb Audio Device: AXE-FX II

Current Sample Rate: 48000 Hz

"Buffer Settings" tab:
USB Streaming Mode: Safe

Asio Buffer Size: 2048 samples

"Info" tab:
Manufacturer: Fractal Audio Systems
Product: AXE-FX II
VID/PID: 0x2466/0x8003
Revision: v0.00
Serial No:
Driver info
Version 2.23.0
Release Build

Setup -> Playback Engine, gives following message:
"Your audio device is configured with an unsupported audio buffer size. Please select one of the following supported buffer sizes in the device control panel: 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, or 2048." OK. When I click OK I get the following window:

FAS USB Audio ASIO Driver
Settings
H/W buffer size:
Host processors 2 processors
CPU Usage Limmit: 85%
Host Engine (is checked) Ignore errors during playback/record (may cause clicks and pops)
(not checked) Minimize Additional I/O Latency
Delay Compensation Engire: None
OK

******************** Axe-Fx II ***************************
At the back of the Axe-Fx II: OUTPUT 1 L/R --> going to the Mackies.

Under I/O, Audio:
Main Input Source USB
INPUT 1 LEFT SELECT FRONT
.
.
.

[augustaga]

Remainder screen shots. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Darryl Ramm]

Have you installed the drivers as described in the Axe-FX documentation? Those drivers claim to be supported on your OS? (looks like you did).

Does any playback of pre-recorded content in Pro Tools work?

Windows audio crap should gave nothing to do with anything here. Make sure Windows audio is *not* trying to use the Axe-FX as an interface.

Your IO labeling is all screwed up (it reflects your 002 not the Axe-FX). In the IO>Input, Output and Bus pages clock on each item there and click delete. Then click the default button.

Then you should find Inputs to Pro Tools that look right for being the Axe-FX outputs.

What monitors/speakers do you have and where are tehy connected? Hopefully to the Axe-FX outptus... and the Axe-FX works fine stand alone with those?

Try toggling between Input>Auto Input and Input>Input Only monitoring in Pro Tools. Read the Pro Tools reference guide to understand what this does.

Remember the Axe-FX only works at 48kHz, you must create your Pro Tools session at that sample rate.

That all assumes you want the Axe-FX to be the interface, if you want the 002 to be the interface then you can hang the Axe-FX as an outboard processor off the 002 via S/PDIF or line-level connections.

[augustaga]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Have you installed the drivers as described in the Axe-FX documentation? Those drivers claim to be supported on your OS? (looks like you did).

I believe so. Shows in picture 4 from post 1.

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Does any playback of pre-recorded content in Pro Tools work?

Yes. One track I recorded a few years ago is saved in Protools. That track plays just fine, except for when I have the Axe-Fx II set for IO, MAIN INPUT SOURCE - USB. If IO, MAIN INPUT SOURCE - ANALOG (IN 1) then the track plays fine, otherwise it appears as though the sound is going out through the Axe-Fx II, and being filtered by the Axe-Fx II, then to the monitors.

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Windows audio crap should gave nothing to do with anything here. Make sure Windows audio is *not* trying to use the Axe-FX as an interface.

Yes, but how to make sure Windows audio is not trying to use the Axe-Fx II as an interface?

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Your IO labeling is all screwed up (it reflects your 002 not the Axe-FX). In the IO>Input, Output and Bus pages clock on each item there and click delete. Then click the default button.


Then you should find Inputs to Pro Tools that look right for being the Axe-FX outputs.

Before I do that, let me know if the answers above will lead to a different solution. I can hear the guitar as Protools is set from screen shots in posts 1 and 2 with Axe-Fx II in I/O, AUDIO, MAIN INPUT SOURCE ANALOG (IN 1). It appears the Axe-Fx II needs to stay at the setting in the previous sentence.

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

What monitors/speakers do you have and where are tehy connected? Hopefully to the Axe-FX outptus... and the Axe-FX works fine stand alone with those?

Mackie HR824 Studio monitors. Connected to OUTPUT 1 L/R on the back of the Axe-Fx II. I can hear the guitar now, but I still can't record even though Protools is showing a response by its audio volume indicator lights.

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Try toggling between Input>Auto Input and Input>Input Only monitoring in Pro Tools. Read the Pro Tools reference guide to understand what this does.

Let me know if the responses above mean that I should skip this suggestion.

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Remember the Axe-FX only works at 48kHz, you must create your Pro Tools session at that sample rate.

I believe that's what the session is set for = 48kHz.

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

That all assumes you want the Axe-FX to be the interface, if you want the 002 to be the interface then you can hang the Axe-FX as an outboard processor off the 002 via S/PDIF or line-level connections.

Honestly, I don't know the difference. What I'd like is to record tracks coming from guitar into the Axe-Fx II. Let me know if I need to delete anything since it seems I can hear what I believe I'm supposed to hear. I just can't record a track at this point, and I don't know if Protools won't record because I'm not recording right (just press the record button when track is armed and I can see/hear a signal?)

I'd be willing to do a paid skype session to get it going. Let me know if anyone is up for that. Thanks again for any help.

[augustaga]

Any takers on a paid skype session to get things going? Please let me know. I've not had anyone respond yet. Thank you in advance.

[Darryl Ramm]

I can't easily do skype, but I gave you a bunch of important things to do before like defaulting the IO that was obviously messed up and you did not do that? So this time how about trying to do all the following....

For right now we need to get you going, so don't think, just do. And you'll likely find what was wrong by just doing this. If you don't understand how to do something I am happy to help explain, but I can't debate/discuss each step.

The guitar is connected to the Axe FX II and works OK out the Axe FX II in stand alone mode.

The Axe FX II needs to be connected to the USB port on your PC and to the guitar, nothign else. No other interface is connected to the computer.

Make sure the FAS device is selected as the playback engine (as your previosu screen show showed, but even better hold down the 'N' key while starting up pro Tools and make sure it is selected).

Create a new session in Pro Tools. An empty session not from a template, not a copy of an existing session. It has to be a 48 kHz session (don't think, make sure to select 48kHz in the dialog box when you create it).

Create a new audio track. Make sure it is a **stereo audio** track *NOT* an instrument track. Create just that single track, nothign else.

Select the output of the Axe FX II guitar rig as the input to that track, basically you are after whatever the the Input 0/1 stereo pair is called. Select that as the input to that stereo audio track. (Post a screenshot o the IO>Setup Input and Output pages if this is not clear).

In the Axe FX II setup menus you need to set the output to that input 0/1 pair to be whatever of the two outputs from the Axe FX II rig processing you want. e.g. Out 1 or Out 2. See the Axe FX II docuentation.

Set that stereo audio track output to Output 1/2 (or whatever that ends up being called once you reset the IO).

Now record arm that track (red record indicator lit). Do *NOT* press play, or record on the Pro Tools transport. Leave the track fader at 0dB.

Play the guitar.

Do you hear anything out the monitors?
LED meters on the Axe FX II move?
The track meter in Pro Tools move?

If you don't hear anything report back. Include screen shots of the Pro Tools mix windows showing clearly the track IO assignment buttons.

If you did hear the guitar playing, then press the transport record and then play button and play the guitar for a while then press the transport stop button.

Did you hear the guitar while you were recording? Is a waveform recorded on the track? if does not look like it are you zoomed in vertically enough?

If you did not hear anything while recording, Try hitting CTRL-K once and repeating the same recording steps. That work?

----

If things like getting a track into record mode or zooming in on a track are not obvious, open up the Pro Tools Reference Guide PDF that will already be installed on your PC and search for those terms. And if that does not help then ask back here. That documentation can be a bit intimidating, but is really good to know you way around.