This guide will explain how to correctly Re-amp a DI Guitar or Bass signal avoiding feedback and achieving a good signal to noise ratio.
Preparation: 1. The re-amping process requires a DI signal from a Guitar or Bass depending on what instrument is required. To record a DI signal plug the guitar or bass directly into a DI box, this will only record the sound of the instrument and the performance allowing drastic alteration of tone later on.
Pro Tools:
1. Within Pro Tools either select or create a track with the DI signal and set the output to an empty channel of the desk. Ensure that the output selected is not being used by any other sound source.
2. It is also worth activating ‘Solo Safe’ for the DI channel in ProTools by using the combination of command (⌘) and clicking on the solo button for the respective channel.
Desk Routing:
1. The signal needs to be sent out of the desk via an Auxiliary output. Within this guide Aux 1 will be used however other Aux sends can be used.
On the corresponding desk channel to the output that was selected, turn the Aux 1 send to maximum (full turn clockwise).
2. In the master send section in the top right hand side of the desk make sure that the Aux 1 Master level dial is at it’s central +/-0dB position and the ‘PRE’ button located below the dial is pressed.
3. To check the routing press the ‘AFL’ button below the Aux 1 Master Dial.
If the AFL level is up (located above the Monitor control) and the routing is correct the DI signal should be audible from the monitors.
If this is not the case ensure that the routing from Pro Tools and the desk is correct.
Once the DI signal routing has been confirmed as correct, deselect the AFL as hearing the DI signal is no longer necessary.
Patching:
1. If you are using the amp head in the control room, use a Bantam to TRS cable to connect the ‘Aux 1′ output to the ‘Balanced +4 Input’ on the reamp box.
2. Before connecting to the re-amp box, make sure the ‘TRIM’ dial is at 0.
3. When using the amp head in the control room, Connect the Hi Z Output to the amp head you would like to use.
4. Similar to using a combo amp, make sure the power and standby switches are off and also make sure that all volume and gain dials are set to 0 (fully rotated anti-clockwise).
5. Before you turn on any amp, connect the amp to the cab in the live room, using the speakon to jack cable, under the power condition strip.
6. You also need to connect the cab to the stagebox, using the jack to jack lead in the live room.
Once this is done, you can turn on the power condition strip, and the amp you want to use.
REMEMBER, ONLY TURN ON ONE AMP AT A TIME.
Volume and Tone: 1. To begin with bring up the trim dial on the re-amp box to around a quarter (the 9 o’clock position).
Then adjust the guitar amplifier volume dial or dials slowly to achieve a good level and tone.
Troubleshooting Noise:
Due to the unbalanced high gain nature of guitar amplifiers they can often have quite high noise floors. Here are a few ways noise can be reduced and a good signal to noise ratio can be achieved:
1. Hum or Buzz– If the guitar amplifier is humming or buzzing try flipping the ‘OPEN/GND’ switch on the re-amp box, then try turning off any additional unused amplifiers that may be in the room. If these steps do no resolve the issue contact the studio technicians.
2. Low Signal or Extreme Hissing – if the guitar amplifier has a poor signal to noise ratio often characterised by loud hissing with little guitar signal try boosting the signal at these points:
–Channel Strip Line Trim Dial (Black Dial located near the top of the channel strip)
–Channel Strip Aux 1 send (above the fader of the channel being used for the DI)
–Aux 1 Master Dial (in the top right hand corner of the desk)
–Re-Amp Box trim dial
–Guitar Amplifier gain dial or volume dial
Recording:
1. Once the amplifier is setup, recording can begin.
Make sure to record the amplifier onto a different track within protools and not the DI track.
Recording onto the DI track will cause a feedback loop, as the signal from the microphone will be instantly sent back to the amplifier and re-recorded into Pro Tools.
In order to listen to the sound of the amplifier in Pro Tools without recording hit the green ‘L’ or ‘Listen’ button on the channel in Pro Tools.
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