Virtual sound FX on laptop for live 2-piece

Posted on May 08, 2008 09:01 am
soundman
Member Since: Apr 24, 2007

Sounds crazy but it works..some member left the band and took the mixer including vocal fx.Already had to pay him for 1/2 the sound system. Don't want to spend more cash right now.Have a spare mixer but no FX.Looked for software to use as a fx unit.Found GuitarFXBox. Works when using laptop mic in (aux out on mixer) and line out back to the mixer (low CPU usage also).Using MIDI tracks in Cakewalk to play hardware sound module. Now, I wondered if I could somehow automate the FX patches in the FX app, as it's running on the same PC,would be nice.Anyone know of FX software that can be controled from another app or MIDI? Suggestions?
Tanx.
Eben

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Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

May 08, 2008 09:57 pm

Most VST and DX effects can be automated to a certain extent. But it requires the DAW be running to do it.

How exactly are you running the FX now?

soundman
Member
Since: Apr 24, 2007

May 09, 2008 02:57 am

I'm using Cakewalk Music Creator 3.Actually, played around a bit last night:in my MIDI project, I added a track for audio recording and set audio echo/monitoring on. Then I added an FX plugin (say CFX Reverb for instance) on that track. I save the song like that and when I play it back in Cakewalk from a play list, VOILA! - it still has monitoring switched on and process the input (mic jack) audio. Got some latency but since I used delay and reverb it does not matter much anyway. This way I can store FX for vocals per song and let the PC do all the work..nice.
Eben

Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

May 09, 2008 05:41 pm

Sweet. Realtime effects with a PC can be fun if it is up to the task. Sounds like you got a handle on it though for sure.

soundman
Member
Since: Apr 24, 2007

May 14, 2008 09:21 am

Had band practice last night and glad to say the setup works quite well. We have over 80 songs (cover versions) and need to use books for some of the lyrics. Got MSWord Viewer and an app called Power Launcher and made a sample RTF file containing chords and lyrics. I now have one shortcut in Power Launcher that starts up the song in Cakewalk and then switches to the lyrics in MSWord Viewer. Another shortcut closes everything again. The plan is to have this for each song, similar to a play list. Need to get a flat LCD for the other guy now to connect to the laptop VGA so he sees the lyrics & chords as well.
Maybe I went over the top with my automation idea..
Eben

soundman
Member
Since: Apr 24, 2007

Jul 14, 2008 04:09 am

And finally: sometimes I need an extra harmony backing vocal since we're just a 2-piece..no problem, I just recorded the audio track beforehand and play it back with the MIDI tracks in Cakewalk. Presto!