Applies to all Focusrite audio interfaces excluding Vocaster
Re-amping is the process of taking a dry, direct recorded guitar signal and passing it through a guitar amplifier. All current Focusrite interfaces, excluding Vocaster, have at least one 'instrument' input so that you can connect a guitar/bass directly and record the dry signal into your DAW. Alternatively, you can use a DI box with a mic or line input to record the dry signal.
This works best when you use an interface with more than 2 line outputs. This means you won't need to sacrifice having speakers connected for monitoring while performing the steps below. If you have a Scarlett Solo, 2i2, 18i8 (1st and 2nd Gen) or an iTrack Solo you will need to disconnect your speakers while re-amping.
It's not possible to monitor while re-amping with the Solo or 2i2 since the headphone output mirrors the line outputs, so you would just hear the dry signal through one side of the headphones and nothing else.
Setup
- Connect an output on your interface to your re-amp box to take the signal from a 'balanced line' to an 'unbalanced instrument' level (the level your amplifier is designed for). In this example, we will use output 3.
- Connect the output of the re-amp box to your guitar amplifier.
- In your DAW, set the output of the track you have your dry signal recorded to an output NOT being used by your speakers in this example, we are using output 3.
Select the control software your interface uses below to see how to configure direct routing for reamping a signal.
Focusrite Control 2
- Open Focusrite Control 2 on your computer and navigate to the Routing tab
- Go to the output on the interface you will be using and set the source to the desired playback channel. For this example, this would be Output 3 set to Playback 3.
Focusrite Control
- Open Focusrite Control on your computer and navigate to the Output Routing tab
- Go to the output on the interface you will be using and set the source to the desired playback channel. For this example, this would be Line Output 3 set to Playback 3.
Mix Control
- Open Mix Control on your computer
- Go to the output on the interface you will be using and set the source to the desired playback channel. For this example, this would be Line Output 3 set to DAW 3.
- Position a microphone to record the amplifier and connect this to an available input on your interface. In this example, we will use input 1.
- In your DAW, create a new track with the correct input assigned. Ensure this track is sent to your speaker output and NOT to the output that is connected to your amp via the re-amp box to avoid a feedback loop.
- Press record on this track - the dry signal should be sent through a line output on your interface, through the re-amp box and into the amp, which will then be recorded by the microphone onto your new track.
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