Recording & performance setup with a Line6 Pod (or other external effects hardware)

[Kanthos]

I'm considering getting a Line6 Pod (probably the XT model) to add effects to my keyboards and sax without taking up CPU. In a live situation, no problem: run my MIDI controllers through VSTs to create the sounds, run that into the Line6 for effects, and then out into an amp or DI.

Ideally, I'd also like to use this for recording and mixing. There are two scenarios that I'm considering.

1) Using MIDI controllers. I'd play the keyboards, have Cubase record the MIDI, send the resulting audio through the soundcard to the POD. I'd route the POD's output back through the soundcard to Cubase and record the processed audio. Basically, Cubase would record processed audio and MIDI. Besides being the only way to do this, the benefit would be that I could swap the effects and rerecord, much like studios that re-amp guitar parts (record both a clean and processed signal).

2) Using my sax: I'd play into a mic which would run through my soundcard into Cubase. The output audio from the soundcard would go to the POD, which would go back into the computer to be recorded.

Would I be introducing any weird loops doing that? It seems like a bad idea since I'd be using the soundcard output for both the unprocessed and processed signals. Is there any other way that I could do this, given that I'd have a sound card and effects box, short of getting a second soundcard or other fairly expensive piece of hardware?

[tgfoo]

What soundcard are you using? I have a Presonus FireBox and I've done something like that with no problems. I had a guitar going into the FireBox's instrument in, had the output going out of output 3 into my Pod XT Live, and then brought the out put of the XT back into my FireBox, so I could get a clean and distorted signal. I had no problems doing so. If you have a decent interface I wouldn't think you'd have a problem.

[Kanthos]

My soundcard is an Edirol UA-25, and I've been happy with it so far. I guess all I'd want to do is make sure that the signal going back into Cubase isn't sent out a second time to avoid a loop where the audio out became the audio in.

Would multiple outputs be important or necessary here? I only have one on the UA-25.

EDIT: Well, I'm stupid. The Pod models I'm looking at have USB output and act as a second input source, so I can record off the device directly.

[tgfoo]

EDIT: Well, I'm stupid. The Pod models I'm looking at have USB output and act as a second input source, so I can record off the device directly.

Well, that certainly does simplify things quite a bit. And you can go into it digitally too, so no need for any audio cables what so ever. Nice.

[Kanthos]

Yeah, it should be. Thanks for the help

[Kanthos]

Double-posting just to bump this since the new question I have is related.

I'm getting Native Instruments Kore set up right now for live performance. I've got a performance with a bunch of presets where different VSTs are enabled/disabled and I use different sounds. I want to automatically trigger a sound change on the PodXT whenever I do a preset change. This should be relatively easy: the PodXT responds to MIDI input, and a MIDI program change on the MIDI channel the PodXT is listening on will change the effects and amp/cabinet used.

So far though, I've only used MIDI to go from hardware to software. Is there any reason why going the other direction wouldn't work? In other words, can I somehow create a PC message in a plugin that gets sent to my soundcard's MIDI out and then to the Pod (which will be connected via MIDI to the soundcard)? Assuming I have a plugin that will create and send a PC on a given channel (I've found one that should work), do I need to do anything else, or should it just send directly?

[analoq]

MIDI protocol works the same way regardless of what you're plugging in and where, so you're thinking correctly. Just make the right connection, send the right messages and you'll get what you want providing the MIDI implementation of the device allows it.

Is the USB on the Pod for audio only? If it provides a software MIDI-out port as well then you won't even need a MIDI cable.

cheers.

[Kanthos]

The USB is for bi-directional audio and MIDI. I'll use the MIDI cable, however, so that I don't have to bring a USB hub along when I'm playing live, since I'm out of free USB ports with other gear and keyboards and such.