Returns As Inputs

[flabergaster]

I am using my HD500 as an input device recording to Reaper.

 

I have a Roland GR55 that I want to integrate into this set up for additional guitar and synth tones.

 

When playing live I route the headphone out from the GR55 to the CD in of the HD500 which works great.

 

I have found that the CD input does not route to the driver for recording to my DAW. I know that I could just use the guitar and aux ins and build patches expressly to pass through the GR55 tones, but of course I want it all, which means playing my JTV, dual amped, with the GR55 sounds overlayed in stereo and recorded to a stereo track in my DAW.

 

I have read in the manual that by using the mix control in the effects loop I can have pre loop sound mixed with the loop return sound. I understand this as a wet/dry mix control for the effects loop. Could be wrong though.

 

Question: If I patch the L/R 1/4" out of my GR55 to the L/R return of my HD500 with no cord (or cord to nowhere) plugged into the effects send jack of the HD500. Will I be able to record/mix in the synth sounds and have it go through the interface to Reaper for recording?

 

Has anyone tried this, and what were the results, positive or negative. I plan to try it this weekend, but I figured I'd throw it out there to see if anyone has already traveled this road.  If I don't get any responses, I'll post my results later.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Mark

[bjnette]

I haven't done it but I did read a post where you route out TRS back in on one return. The other return from your device. And blend.

I think this is what your asking and should work mixing the 500 thru with the synth. Oh, You can feed the synth by splitting the TRS send into two. One goes back to the return the other via your device. If I understood you correct

[flabergaster]

Well I am so pleased that it works just as I thought it would.  All I did was route the L/R outputs of my GR55 to the L/R effects returns. I then put the FX Loop(which I have never used until now) as the last effect in the signal chain. As soon as I backed the Mix down from 100%, BAM! there was the sound from my GR55 in full stereo with nothing plugged into the HD500 send. I'm leaving the mix set at 50% which seems to work, and I modified my most used patches to add the FX Loop at the end of the chain.  I have the volume pedal in the block just prior which lets me isolate either source by just working the two volume pedals.

 

I tested a quick recording and the sound from the GR55 now makes it through to the driver and records into my DAW just fine.

 

What a tool! Now I can get just about any sound imaginable from my guitar to recording.

 

I'm very impressed with the HD as a recording interface. I've had no pops or gliches, and the sound quality in and out is top notch.

 

It's like my "Dream Rig" for recording and playing live.

 

Thanks Line 6! .................. and Roland!

[bjnette]

Not sure I got your set up. Guitar into the GR55, stereo outs to HD returns, Loop, into Reaper? Not using anything from the HD except the Pedals?

Please post the sequence of your chain as am interested how it all works!

[flabergaster]

I have two Variaxes, both outfitted with GK-Kit-GT3 Internal synth driver pickups. My 3rd guitar is an Explorer Kit that I built with it's standard Mag Humbuckers and also a Roland internal kit on it as well.
 
I have a Line6 Pod HD500 & a Roland GR55.  The GR55 has two 1/4 inch outs designated as left and right, and then a 1/4 mono output for the output of whatever guitar's magnetic p/u feed that travels down the 13 pin cable from the guitar. I'm using both the Pod and GR for guitar tones, and can mix and match any combination. The PCM or Synth sounds and guitar tones are mixed with the GR guitar tones at the outputs of the GR and sent through to the FX Loop L/R Returns. The Magnetic P/Us from the Explorer travel down the 13 pin GK cable and are sent out the "Guitar Out" of the GR and sent to the "Guitar In" of the POD. When run this way I can record any or all of the above to my Laptop running Reaper through the USB to the Line6 driver for the HD500. I use two cords on my Variaxes (VDI and 13 Pin Roland), and just the 13 pin on the Explorer.

 

I prefer the Pods Guitar sounds for the most part, but there are some things the GR does well, like a modeled classical guitar.

 

Here's a link to a diagram for those that are more visually stimulated. ;-)

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18573291/PodGRDiagram.jpg

[bjnette]

Thanks man, Interesting, be interested in hearing what you you've created and it sound like you could be getting original tone like no other Cheers

[lipbeats]

thanks so much for posting this...it has solved an issue i was working on.

 

I have a graphtech ghost piezo system on two custom guitars.

I was able to use the guitar in for the mags and then AUX in for the piezo side, both coming out of a ernie ball pan pedal, so that i would pan/blend between the piezo and mag sounds.

 

This worked fine, but i was only able to run one amp sim...not two. Do dual mag tones, since the piezo was using up one path.

By having the piezo going into the FX Loop, i can now run a dual amp setup for the mag side, and still pan to the piezo.

 

Set up like this:

Guitar out with TRS cable, Y split at the end.

Mag side to guitar in.

Piezo side into a Fishman Aura Spectrum pedal, then out to POD HD500 FX loop return.

Expression pedal set to control MIX level of FX Loop, which then acts as a pan between my dual amp mag setup , and my piezo sound.

 

Next im going to setup some reverb and delay effects after the FX loop at the end of the chain, and then set their mix levels to follow the mix level of the FX Loop.

This way I can still add effects to the piezo sound, but when i pan back to the mag sound, those effects for the acoustic side are cut off, so they dont effect my mag side.

 

Awesome to have FX set up for both my mag and piezo sound all in the same unit, and still be able to pan/blend the two.

[flabergaster]

Good work! I've been thinking of ways such as yours to use this live, but I'm mostly recording at the momemt.

 

I love it when a piece of gear is flexible enough to let you fool around outside of the box like the HD500 does.

 

Have fun!