Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

Post Reply
Diamat
audio school
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2018 7:35 am

Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Post by Diamat » Tue Oct 02, 2018 8:57 am

Hello all,
I really like Eventide's iconic reverb, chorus, delay, modulation, pitch-shifting effects... I have their bundle plug-ins and I am thinking how to incorporate them to my live guitar rig. The obvious thing to do would be to buy these H9 boxes but I think, why on earth on 2018 not to use the laptop to replace the digital stompboxes? –and then reamped and straight to the amplifier.

I am not concerned at using a laptop because: it's introducing a lot of complexity that can go wrong, , foot controller to control the presets on the laptop, switching from one effect to another, activation key for vst's, looks ugly, whatsoever...

I am concerned with the fact that even with maximum computer horsepower, latency would still be a serious issue. I am concerned as well with the fact that the output of my soundcard (Motu Ultralite) even reamped with a proper box, could entail serious impedance/sound problems when entering the guitar amp (let's say an amp with a big clean headroom), I guess it could be even further problematic if I put a fuzz box between my guitar and the Hi-Imput of the audio interface.

Is this a serious feasible route? Any experiences?
Thanks!

kslight
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2968
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Post by kslight » Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:22 am

I mean why stop there, why not use amp sims too? I’ve seen it done. Seems like the way to go if you’re gonna go that route, especially to make it all stereo and relatively simple... :alien:

But it is more shit to go wrong on stage, and some plugins introduce a fair amount of latency themselves. That’s probably why you don’t see more people doing it.

Diamat
audio school
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2018 7:35 am

Re: Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Post by Diamat » Tue Oct 02, 2018 10:11 am

kslight wrote:
Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:22 am
I mean why stop there, why not use amp sims too? I’ve seen it done. Seems like the way to go if you’re gonna go that route, especially to make it all stereo and relatively simple... :alien:

But it is more shit to go wrong on stage, and some plugins introduce a fair amount of latency themselves. That’s probably why you don’t see more people doing it.
Yes, why not. The thing is that I was thinking about small guerrilla situations were it is better to rely on an amp rather than the house P.A.

btw, I've just discovered this and looks awesome: https://orangeamps.com/news/orange-ampl ... -teleport/

User avatar
Nick Sevilla
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5555
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:34 pm
Location: Lake Arrowhead California USA
Contact:

Re: Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Post by Nick Sevilla » Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:52 pm

Hi, and welcome to the late 20th century.

Most computers to-day have enough "horsepower (what is a horse?)" to do what you need them to.

If your computer is less than 2 years old, most certainly. If it has GB ethernet or Thunderbolt ports,
you can use a high quality, low latency hardware interface so that you get less than 3 mS of latency
throughput (all the way in and out).

Note: Do NOT use USB interfaces. This protocol is extremely not suitable for your purposes.

As in that Orange teleport: It is good to SEND sound to other things, but not both ways.
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

User avatar
vvv
zen recordist
Posts: 10139
Joined: Tue May 13, 2003 8:08 am
Location: Chi
Contact:

Re: Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Post by vvv » Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:57 pm

Ain't stuff like the Kemper basically dedicated computers?
bandcamp;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

User avatar
Nick Sevilla
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5555
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:34 pm
Location: Lake Arrowhead California USA
Contact:

Re: Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Post by Nick Sevilla » Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:21 pm

vvv wrote:
Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:57 pm
Ain't stuff like the Kemper basically dedicated computers?
Yep.
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

Diamat
audio school
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2018 7:35 am

Re: Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Post by Diamat » Tue Oct 02, 2018 11:26 pm

Nick Sevilla wrote:
Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:21 pm
vvv wrote:
Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:57 pm
Ain't stuff like the Kemper basically dedicated computers?
Yep.
True, but you cannot run your own plugins

User avatar
Nick Sevilla
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5555
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:34 pm
Location: Lake Arrowhead California USA
Contact:

Re: Using a laptop computer in place of digital stompboxes

Post by Nick Sevilla » Wed Oct 03, 2018 4:39 pm

My system:

Guitars (several)

Mac laptop late 2011, running 10.13.16 High Sierra (very high indeed).

Waves DI box.

Focusrite RedNet2 audio interface, through ethernet.

Amplitube 4 4.6
and
Waves GTR 3.5 (version 10.0.0.16)

It works great.
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 56 guests