PODxt clips what I have 4 layers or more in riffworks!

[rowbi]

Hi

I've just bought the full version of riffworks (after trialing for a few days) to use with my POD xt. The problem I have is that I can record a few layers with no clipping, but when I get to about 4 or 5 layers, and I'm trying to record another, my POD clips. now usually when this happens to my POD (when I'm not using riffworks) it's because I've got the gain or channel volume up to high on a patch, but with riffworks, I need to reduce the volume on all the layers or the main volume in riffworks to stop this clipping, but of course I've turned the layers right down!

Anyone got any ideas? as the only one I could come up with was to use the ASIO4ALL driver to push the output audio from riffworks to my PC sound card instead of through the POD!

Regards

Rowbi

[GuitarSlinger]

Wow no response yet. Rowbi it seems that clipping is from the monitoring signal coming back through the pod. Before I suggested to turn down the master gain in riffworks, but another thing you can try is opening the line6 audio/midi device tab and under advanced bring the monitor level down.

Really you want your layers to record in at about -6DB on the layers and as long as the signal doesnt clip from Pod to Riffworks the recording will be fine.

It's also of note that riffworks adds a mild compression instead of hard clipping when the top meter enters the red, thats why I always back that knob off a bit. The sound of the Pod clipping from the monitor signal wont be so forgiving.

[randy]

Rowbi, a few more questions.

If you record three layers in a riff, can you tell if layer 2 is louder than layer 1 and if layer 3 is louder than layer 2? It would also be helpful to know your computer's processor speed/type and the amount of system RAM it has.

Thanks!

[rowbi]

No it doesn't get louder layer after layer.

I've got an AMD Athlon x64 3500+ (2.2GHz) with 1GB RAM and a raptor HDD (10k RPM) I do run Vista 32bit Ultimate but as this problem goes away when I turn th volume down a lot, I think it's really just my lack of recording knowledge. the volume in the line6 control panel is at full, so I've just turned that down a bit, recorded a few layers, then duplicated tham (a total of 8 recorded layers, and recording a 9th, and it clipped. I tweaked the riff volume down a touch and it's fine. so I just need to lean to turn the volume down a bit.

Unfortunately I have another problem, I can't get the different re-amping options of my POD to work with other programs (reaper for example works). I wanted to record clean guitar and reamp the playback, so that I could play around with what amp settings sound best, but what I get back is the layer I recorded in an extremly distorted way. Not distorted because it seems too loud, but perhaps a latency mismatch (I'm just trying to describe what it sounds like).

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

[GuitarSlinger]

I don't think anyone has tried reamping a new layer with riffworks using the Pod re-amp feature. I can give it a try later tonight when I'm playing.

[GuitarSlinger]

Ok I did try this and it works but I'm not crazy about it. Initially I recorded a dry signal. Then I muted the drums so I could re-record it into riffworks again by setting the Pod driver to "re-amp playback"

I immediatly noticed the latency. I had my driver setting at 512 and 16 bit. The latency went away when I brought it down to 128 and 16 bit and the audio was fine.

The whole method is not convenient though I don't like it at all. If I was to reamp I would want to hear it in the mix or else its gonna be hit and miss.

[rowbi]

Guitar Slinger, you da man!

I was being a dum ass. the distortion I was hearing was because I'd got my pod set to reamp the playback, so riffworks was playing back a recording of my guitar with all the pod effects on it lready, then the POD was trying to put more effects and gani on it again. But your point about it being not convenient is correct. i had to set the pod in its control panel to record clean guitar, then record my guitar. then set it to reamp and feed the signal back to the PC, then set riffworks to turn off the drums and then press record (the metronome clicks at the start of the record went through the POD and distorted though, so that's a bit rubbish) then after the 2nd layer had recorded, I had to change the pod setting to just output without reamping, then put the drums back on again! I know it's a lot easier then physically reamping, but I think I'd much rather have a guitar to USB convertor box so that I can use amplitude for anything except just recording a guitar sound that's come out of my POD.
Anyone know of a good (but not too expensive) guitar to USB? I see that behringer have one, but obviously I'd want latency to be really low to work with amplitude.

[GuitarSlinger]

Does the Pod let you monitor a wet signal while recording a dry one? I used my Toneport to do this this part.

You might want to use Riffworks as a sketch pad and export everything but guitar and re-record your clean guitar in Reaper. You could then use Amplitube2Live VST to reamp and still hear it in the mix.

This is one of those instances where the VSTs make sense.

[rowbi]

Yeah I can record dry but I hear wet. what I'd like to be able to do (even if it means buying more kit) is play my guitar and hear what's coming out of amplitude. I suppose I could just get an adapter (from 1/4" to 1/8") and plug my guitar into the line in on my sound card, although at the moment I can't seem to get the demo of amplitude working on my Vista PC, so I doubt I'll actually be buying it. back to the PODxt I go!

Regards

Rowbi

[GuitarSlinger]

Didn't you get Riffworks Standard? You do get a free Amplitube2Live download from the Sonoma store. It should be there under your downloads. It's not tied to Riffworks, you can use it in Reaper.

[epauley]

Rowbi, we gotta stop meeting in these forum sites. Let me see...Line 6, Atomic Amps, and now here! Perhaps I should consult with you before I buy my next piece of gear.

Welcome to the enlightened side but watch out for the gators.

[rowbi]

hi epauley

I think it must be that we both pick the best products!

guitarSlinger, I have the version of amplitude with riffworks and that works, but it's slightly limited because it's not got all the amp models, and like I said, I want to play my axe live, and hear what amplitude is doing! with the PODxt I cannot.

does anyone else plug their guitar direct into the line in or mic input to record a dry signal? or can anyone tell me if the stealthplug is any good with riffworks/amplitude and vista?

Regards

Rowbi