Pod w/ Impulses Live?

[HattersGonnaHat]

Lately I've been interested in trying out a new rig, but I'm still a little confused on exactly how it would all be set up. My plan is to use a Pod HD Pro, but with a laptop running a DAW, running a click track for the drummer and automatic MIDI patch changes at the correct point in the song. I'm also not satisfied with the Pod's stock cab sims, and I want to use the laptop to run other IR cabs (Guitarhack, Redwirez, etc.). I want to send the resulting signal to the FOH as well as a personal powered monitor.

I understand I need an interface to pull this off, what would you recommend for my situation? Is this even feasible?

[AlexWadeWC]

Originally Posted by HattersGonnaHat

Lately I've been interested in trying out a new rig, but I'm still a little confused on exactly how it would all be set up. My plan is to use a Pod HD Pro, but with a laptop running a DAW, running a click track for the drummer and automatic MIDI patch changes at the correct point in the song. I'm also not satisfied with the Pod's stock cab sims, and I want to use the laptop to run other IR cabs (Guitarhack, Redwirez, etc.). I want to send the resulting signal to the FOH as well as a personal powered monitor.

I understand I need an interface to pull this off, what would you recommend for my situation? Is this even feasible?

Of course it's feasible!

You'd need an interface with at least 2 or 3 routable outs. You could do 2 outs, 1 for your click track to go to the drummer, and 1 for your guitar tone. Or you could do 3 if you wanted to incorporate backing tracks in your live set as well (tons of bands do this, various effects and what not from album sessions so your songs live sound like they do on CD). But you would route your POD signal to an input on your interface (with the cab turned off), and then apply whatever impulse you would like on the channel strip for the POD. Then you would set that channel strip to let's say Output 2 on the interface. Make sure the channel strip is Stereo but panned to the center and then you would run Output 2 into a Stereo DI box. Now you have your left and right outputs out of the DI box that are outputing the exact same signal, your POD tone with the new impulse. Send one side to FOH and the other side to your powered monitor. Wah-lah!

And obviously your interface needs Midi IN/OUT if you want to send patch changes to the POD via Midi Events in the DAW.

[xeonblade]

I would rather go midi controller > interface > all VST setup > interface out.

[HattersGonnaHat]

Originally Posted by AlexWadeWC

Of course it's feasible!

You'd need an interface with at least 2 or 3 routable outs. You could do 2 outs, 1 for your click track to go to the drummer, and 1 for your guitar tone. Or you could do 3 if you wanted to incorporate backing tracks in your live set as well (tons of bands do this, various effects and what not from album sessions so your songs live sound like they do on CD). But you would route your POD signal to an input on your interface (with the cab turned off), and then apply whatever impulse you would like on the channel strip for the POD. Then you would set that channel strip to let's say Output 2 on the interface. Make sure the channel strip is Stereo but panned to the center and then you would run Output 2 into a Stereo DI box. Now you have your left and right outputs out of the DI box that are outputing the exact same signal, your POD tone with the new impulse. Send one side to FOH and the other side to your powered monitor. Wah-lah!

And obviously your interface needs Midi IN/OUT if you want to send patch changes to the POD via Midi Events in the DAW.

Wow, thanks for the detailed response, dude! Couldn't have asked for any better really. Big fan as well

[KingAenarion]

You're going to need a really reliable computer, and a really reliable low latency interface.

Which is going to cost you.

RME and MOTU are the only brands I can think of that are both physically tough and have good enough drivers to be able to do this well other than specific guitar interfaces.

[HattersGonnaHat]

Hmm...
That RME Babyface looks perfect for my situation. And it would probably be wise to invest in a quality interface anyway, for studio use. As for the computer, well I suppose that's another issue in itself.

[KingAenarion]

Originally Posted by HattersGonnaHat

Hmm...
That RME Babyface looks perfect for my situation. And it would probably be wise to invest in a quality interface anyway, for studio use. As for the computer, well I suppose that's another issue in itself.

MacBook Pro... if you can afford it.

The Babyface is a beautiful interface.