Can't get guitarix in the chain

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Lemen
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Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by Lemen »

With my former soundinterface (E-MU 1616) I could simply put my guitar in, make some connections in Qjackctl putting Guitarix*) in the chain and I had the guitarsound with effects at my PA-speakers or headphone.

Now I've just get a Behringer UMC404HD, but I don't get it done.
Whatever I try the sound at the PA-speakers and headphone is clear guitarsound.

So the simple question is: Is it possible to get the guitarsound with the effects of Guitarix at the PA-speakers with the UMC404HD?
(To me it sounds like a stupid question because I think it should be possible, but because i don't get it done I get my doubts.)

*) I use guitarix as example, but the same counts for Rakarrack etc.
asbak
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by asbak »

Yes it works fine, you just need to check your audio routing.

Ensure that your Capture *L input is NOT being routed directly to the Soundcard Audio Outputs (Playback).
*L Input refers to Left in, or whatever number input you are using on your soundcard.

Signalpath Needs to be:
Your audio interface L input ----> GTRX Head AMP ----> GTRX Head FX ----> Soundcard Audio Outputs (Playback)

Check your Guitarix "Jack Port" Audio Tab settings that you have the Input & Outputs correctly defined.
Also check the Insert Tab that you have "GX Head FX" (Output) and "GX Head Amp" (Input) ticked.



The Behringer also has some internal mixers, I forgot the settings but you may need to adjust some of the mixer knobs on the front panel to get the "wet" FX output from the computer. Pay attention to the "Mix" pot and the Monitor switch.

Image
Some Focal / 20.04 audio packages and resources https://midistudio.groups.io/g/linuxaudio
Lemen
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by Lemen »

Thanks for help.

Still clean guitar sound.

Everything you say is ticked, as far as I understand.
If I klick on 'engine--> jack ports', I get a popup screen. If I tick more options I get lines in patchbay that I don't want. Directly from capture 1 to playback 1 etc.

Ensure that your Capture *L input is NOT being routed directly to a mixer or to the Soundcard Audio Outputs (Playback).
Yes but how?
The Behringer also has some internal mixers, I forgot the settings but you may need to adjust some of the mixer knobs on the front panel to get the "wet" FX output from the computer. Pay attention to the "Mix" pot and the Monitor switch.
Tried different settings, nothing helps.
The mixer is working like a volume-pot. And that is what I guessed from the beginning that if it is zero, the effects will come in for full.

Besides: I've tried debian, AVlinux-mxe and sparky. All the same result.
To make things easier I've blacklisted my HDMI sound now. On board sound is always switched off in the BIOS.
asbak
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by asbak »

1) Be completely certain that pulseaudio is completely stopped. Work only with jack.
2) Check the guitarix settings and signalpath as mentioned.
3) Make a note of what applications are running which manage audio and midi connections and configure them correctly or disable them so they don't create a spaghetti mess of unwanted audio / midi connections that go all over the place.
4) This can be verified by checking the jack audio signal routings.
5) How? One way is with qjackctl which displays what audio & midi connections are going where. Another way is with jack_lsp. Another way is with Carla. There are yet more other applications which will also show this.

It needs to look similarish to this, in my case it first runs into jack_mixer but that can be ignored, meaning it could just go straight from gx_head_fx to the system outputs (playback) instead.

Image


Another thing that can be tried is to work systematically starting from basics in jack.
Start jack, start a plugin host (Carla or whatever), load a synth plugin, generate sound from it. It should be coming out of the UMC404's outputs & headphone socket. If the expected sound is not coming out there are more fundamental basic problems with how the sound card and audio system has been set up.

Check your jackaudio setup. Is the correct audio interface selected etc. Read Ted's guide.
http://www.tedfelix.com/linux/linux-midi.html

I can't remember what alsa mixer options are available for the UMC404 but check those as well.
Some Focal / 20.04 audio packages and resources https://midistudio.groups.io/g/linuxaudio
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bluzee
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by bluzee »

I have a 404HD and guitarix generally justs connects itself or at least it remembers how you connected it before some how.

I go Capture 1 ---> gx_head_amp ---> gx_head_fx ---> stereo connection to playback 1 and 2.

Guitarix processed audio in in Main Outs and Playback outputs pair A.

Make sure Guitarix is not in engine bypass.

I use qjackctl version 9.6 to have a graphic display of the connections. I think any version 9 has this. Old version 5 had a connection manager that was much harder to see what was connected sometimes.

alsamixer shows output channels front pair, rear pair and output 1 stereo. Capture is Mic front pair, Mic rear pair and Mic stereo. The paired ones can have L and R channel levels set separately. I just leave all levels set to 100.

In pulse audio volume control configuration I just set UMC404 profile to off and only use jack.

Edit: One more thing. 404HD has a MIX control knob on the front. Blends between direct monitor of inputs and processed play back from computer. I think it only affects headphone output not mains. I leave it cranked all the way to play back "PB". Direct monitor is to support windows users who have latency problems.
Lemen
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by Lemen »

Thank you both!

I have to study those posts again, in a few days. I'm getting busy with other problem stuff....taxes :evil:

What was most important for now was that the 404 could do what I hoped and wanted.

What asbak said: be sure to stop pulse. pulseaudio --kill did not work.
So I did it the simple way. Took a live-DVD with AVlinux 5.0.2 :mrgreen:
That was the time there was no pulse at all. And yes this worked OOTB! I'm happy for now.
Don't have to send it back.

As i wrote: I come back on this in a few days. Thanks again for helping.

edit: typo
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bluzee
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by bluzee »

With Pulse audio profile set to OFF for UMC404HD it should probably be enough, however what I've always done is use pasuspender to start jack.

In qjackctl setup click on Misc tab and uncheck Enable Jack D-Bus interface. Go back to settings tab, select Advanced sub tab and in the Server Prefix command enter pasuspender -- /usr/bin/jackd This will stop pulse while jack is running. Probably not necessary but totally gets pulse out of your way.
asbak
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by asbak »

How to kill pulseaudio (the sound system of satan) depends on the OS. Annoyingly they keep changing things and as we all know the state of Linux audio is a confused mess which will hopefully be resolved in future with pipewire.

Anyway, keep in mind that pulseaudio will typically respawn automatically when you kill it. You'll have to edit the configs to prevent this from happening. Just killing it doesn't work, it will respawn unless you edit the config file.

On later OS's like Ubuntu 20 you probably need to stop it (at least that's what I do) with systemctl for example

systemctl --user stop pulseaudio.socket
systemctl --user stop pulseaudio.service

and to start again

systemctl --user start pulseaudio.socket
systemctl --user start pulseaudio.service
Some Focal / 20.04 audio packages and resources https://midistudio.groups.io/g/linuxaudio
WforWoollyMammoth
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by WforWoollyMammoth »

Lemen wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 1:13 pm Thanks for help.

Still clean guitar sound.

Everything you say is ticked, as far as I understand.
If I klick on 'engine--> jack ports', I get a popup screen. If I tick more options I get lines in patchbay that I don't want. Directly from capture 1 to playback 1 etc.
Well, if you have capture 1 connected to playback 1, the dry signal of the guitar is going to be audible. You don't want that in your use case.

First select the port with a mouse by left clicking on it (the colourful square with round corners). The colour should change and that indicates it's selected. Then right click on it and select disconnect from the menu.

If you see a connection being made from Capture 1 to "Pulse_in" in the jack patchbay then remove that in the same manner as described above.

Also make sure the mix control on your interface is set to completely wet.

I wouldn't bother trying to kill Pulseaudio completely. You'll just end up with a system that's hard to use for everyday computing (browsing the internet, streaming) if you configure your system in a way that Pulseaudio won't start when the entire system is started. Spend some time with your system and try to figure out why the connections work the way they do.

Guitarix can be a bit confusing on its own right.
Lemen
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by Lemen »

And then there is a change in the whole thing.
My 14 year old PC froze often. The graphics-card is the problem (when it froze I could log in with ssh and use the PC further)
My wife forged me to buy new stuff.
So here I'm posting with all new pieces including a new case. (the case was falling apart too)

I had a little trouble with UEFI, of course I was used to BIOS.
So tried Ubuntu Studio, that installed without any trouble when I choose to use the whole SSD. Resized the partition of Ubuntu Studio and put AVLinuxmxe beside.

Than I fired up in UbuStudio. Plugged in the UMC404 and everything worked out of the box!
Just start up qjackctl, guitarix or rakarrack and even the connections were made automatic!
This is unbelievable.
So I tried AVLinux, but this has the same problems as the beginning of this topic.
For now I stay with UbuStudio. ( I know I will try other stuff once)
Funny thing is that I never got any sound out of UbuStudi with the EMU1616. Tried it several times, never worked but I succeed in AVlinux, Debian, Opensuse and maybe more.

Everybody thanks for the help. I bookmark this topic and when I feel the need to experiment with another distro I use the info!
But as I said, for now everything is working and I keep it this way!

The E-mu is stored away, and after a mourning period it will be sold :lol:
asbak
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Re: Can't get guitarix in the chain

Post by asbak »

Lemen wrote: Sun Jan 30, 2022 11:34 am Funny thing is that I never got any sound out of UbuStudi with the EMU1616. Tried it several times, never worked but I succeed in AVlinux, Debian, Opensuse and maybe more.

The E-mu is stored away, and after a mourning period it will be sold :lol:
Glad to hear things are working now.

I'm interested in the EMU1616, is your mourning period over yet? :mrgreen:
Some Focal / 20.04 audio packages and resources https://midistudio.groups.io/g/linuxaudio
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