Axe-Fx III Recording Tips & Tricks - Episode 1 

CAUTION! If you use reamping this way, you need to make sure the "Low latency monitoring" option in Pro Tools (or your DAW of choice) is turned on! If not, the reamped signal will be "late" compared to the original recording as the DI signal travels to the Axe FX3 and back. And on its way there ProTools ads the preset buffer size or your playback engine! Look at 9:52 where the start of the transients should line up perfectly in track 1 and track 3 but DON'T! to be "in time" when reamping you need to move the recorded audio to the left to match the timing!

Holy Crap! I've been watching videos on how to get a DI with my audio interface and none of it was working. There were a lot of obscenities being yelled out. Then you mentioned how you can just throw output3 right off of in 1. Problem solved. You're the man!

leon. please do more videos like this where you are showing the functionality of axe3 as used for tracking and studio. maybe even split the videos up a little more manageable bites. ie. how to set up axe 3 as audio interface. also adding text with bullet list would also be helpful. sorry if long winded. but expanding these ideas in more detail is much needed as the other channels largely ignore these topics. i my self am actually taking paper notes so i can do this step by step for my reaper daw.

Thanks for doing this video man! I have an Axe FX III, but if I'm being honest, I know close to nothing about recording. Cant wait to see you dive deeper into this whole thing.

That’s amazing, Leon. I know that it is a major selling point by FAS, but I didn’t have the slightest idea how to use that usb interface, so thanks!

Thank you Leon! Another great video. Looks like it's plug and play on Logic Pro X as well. BTW, I really hope Fractal is giving you some free gear or cash or both. You deserve it!

Thanks so much for this and your other Axe FX3 videos Leon! I’ve listened to about a dozen Axe FX3 videos so far, 75% of those by you in fact (yes I’ve subscribed too), but this one finally convinced me the Axe FX3 will be my next major gear purchase. Phenomenal quality videos, both informative and entertaining!!!

Leon - I’ve really been enjoying your Axe III videos on showing the variety of tones and ways to tweak them. I’ve learned a lot, thanks. Just like others on here are suggesting, this delve into recording and re-amping will hopefully spawn a new mini series of videos from you, as from what I’ve seen you are the first to cover it in an accessible way. Great content as always. I’m sure Chris and the team appreciate what you do as much we Axe III users do. Thanks, keep up the great work.

So glad you made this video, Leon! Like you read my mind. Please continue with more recording tips videos.

Input 2 on the Axe-Fx III is perfect for mics. You can use two! If your (bed)room doesn't sound good, record at home and reamp when you can get into a great room.

I'm a brand new subscriber this is my first comment! I just have to thank you so much for all your instruction! you totally inspired me to buy my very own AxeFXIII and Expression Pedal which I did this very morning! So Cheers! and please keep doing what you do! PS Gonna have to buy one of those Rag Doll T_shirts from you here soon enough!!! Perfect Sphere Portland Oregon

I'm so glad you did this. I've had a hate-hate relationship with ProTools, my interface, and my modeler. Last time I tried was several years ago with the Eleven Rack. I never could get it to connect and work right. Could never record anything. I just gave up. But this, you have every step broken down and I can steal it. lol I'm also very interested in seeing your recording process for doing multiple tracks.

Thanks so much for showing how the routing works so that you can change your reamp while listening to the context of the mix. That was the whole reason I upgraded from the XL to the III. Great video!

Thanks Leon, that reamping part really helped me out! Love ya vids mate!

I love your playing and demonstrations. Keep the great production videos coming

Geat video, Leon. I use my Helix Rack the same way. It does the same kind of routing. I find I track with the Helix and then use Helix Native plugin (using the same settings as the Helix to start with) in the mix from the DI'd track. It means I can use as many Helix Native plugins as I want in the mix (well .. as many as my CPU can handle) and I don't have to commit the reamped guitar to disk. One of the few things the Helix line of toys lets me do. Although I have to say the Axe FX 3 is seriously impressive in many other ways. The amps seem a bit more tweakable in the Axe FX 3 and they really sound awesome. Love hearing what you do with it. Rock on!

Thanks for taking the time to do this..

Thanks to you, I'm going to return my Focusrite 18i20 and use the USB direct on the Axe FX III with my DAW. Great and very informative video Leon!

Thanks Leon! this helped heaps. i'd only been using my axe for practice and just to dive in to random presets, didn't realise how useful the axe could be as an interface now that i've started trying to record with it. Thanks again!

Great job and informative video man!! I am eyeing one of these and this was super helpful \,,/

I have recently purchased an axe fx3, thanks for sharing all these videos !

Hi Leon, what a brilliant demo. Thank you so much. I definitely want an Fx 111 now!

All I can say is thank you so much. Your Axe FX3 videos have been a LIFE saver. Holy shit dude.

Really useful and we'll explained!! Thanks for your work! Cheers from Portugal. 🤘

Excellent video. A must for anybody using the AXEFXIII seriously.

Thanks so much for this...using focusrite into studio one is a pain...focus rite is way too weird. This is so much more straight forward. Thanks again!

You dont know how much your video has helped me.

The best video you've ever done.

@Leon Todd Only thing I think you might have wanted to add is the input/ output routing. Sadly Reaper was not plug in play and had not shown the extra ins and outs automatically. That's an easy fix by just setting the full range in the audio preferences.

I love my AXE FXIII and with my Yamaha HS7 speakers it sounds great. But I need to learn some of your great Metal riffs. Please post a video teaching us some of your "basic" metal riffs.

Thanks mate. Nice track too

Man you brought light to my darkness 🤣🤣🤣 very nice video 👊🏻

This is very important stuff to know. Thanks Leon!

Thanks Leon! You are an AXE FX wizard!

Leon.... Thanks for doing this. I've not seen anyone do a video on how to use the Axe for recording.

6:09 STEP1 track1 DI = input5 track2 recording = input1 STEP2 in axeedit, add In USB (parallel, similar to In 1) track1 DI = output7/8 track3 reamp = input1

This video is immensely helpful! Routing i/os can be confusing but it is very clearly explained in this video! One question, when using USB recording, will turning the volume on the output 1 knob affect the recording on your DAW, or only the analog audio signal out to your monitors?

Brilliant video, so informative.

Nice vid and great ideas! I have learned from this.

Definitely considering a new Fractal Axe FX III for bedroom recording studio as it can go to my DAW.

Top 👍

Great Demo! Would be great to see AXE III tips/tricks utilizing UA Console and PT's....also.

Hi Leon , great video as always man! . I have a question for you. Any recommendation how to set the optimal gain level when you record your guitar in Pro-tools? I normally leave 6 db headroom so i Track at -6 to -10 db . What is your recommendations on that topic...

I'm following this exact steps to record both DI and wet signals but on the track for the DI i'm just not getting any signal on pro tools even though the input channel it's setup correctly and I'm getting output signal from the fractal without problems I checked the meters on the home screen. What could I be doing wrong here? Thanks in advance

First time I actually understand what re-amping is!

Leon, thank you. As usual, you explain everything perfectly! I’ve got only one question. Do you connect both cables (L and R) from output 1 of the Fractal Axe Fx3 to a single Adam A7X monitor, and your monitors are connected to each other? And what monitor inputs do you use to connect Axe and A7X? Sorry for the stupid question!😂

Hello Leon. I am having a hard time getting an answer to this looking everywhere online and I'm hoping you noticed this. Does the Axe III have a faster soundcard than the Axe II when interacting with DAWs? With the Axe II as my Cubase interface, when I go into Cubase's Studio Setup and into the buffer settings for the Axe II, I have to set the sample rate to 1024 to not get digital artifacts, and the latency is about 25 ms. That's noticable latency when playing and recording MIDI! I can set the sample rate to 512 to lower the latency to about 14 ms, but I start getting pops and glitches, so I would hope the Axe III improves on this!

Hey Leon, these videos are awesome! Just a quick question.. my dry DI signal is so quiet that I can barely hear it but the wet signal is absolutely fine. Is there a way to control the dry DIs output level only that you know of? Cheers!

Lovely you are a life saver. I have a quick question I see that output 1 has L and R, although in pro tools you created one mono track that receives from the L of output 1. Shouldnt be 2 tracks panned left and right receiving from both L and R??

Hi Leon I am watching your RU-vid videos with great passion.I request from you to make a new video on Luna Daw software with Axe Fx3 & how to connect cables monitors,Axe Fx3 with Apollo interface. In addıtıon to show us how to assign I/O settings on interface with Axe Fx3? Thanks a lot.. Happy a new year 2023🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤

Yeah fun stuff just picked up a axe 3 mk2 I running toslink converted to spdif for my Apollo twin x Into a protools I/O assignment All tracking well there’s no noticeable latency with the Apollo but playback sounds a bit set back (if you will) Especially when compared to guitar rig that seems “out front’ with more detail and clarity the axe is capable of so much definitely worthy of 3 rack spaces and setup was easy with all DAWs I run logic, pro tools, studio one 5 and ableton (haven’t tried Luna with it yet) but I gotta say after 36 years stage, studio yada yada I settled into protools for certification and have been running radial gear for re-amping duties with all my old rigs So to the point... is my digital connection costing me signal or tone variation from the axe? Is usb cleaner, bypassing the interface? And if not what might I be missing to have the native guitar rig (dare I say sound better) at least more live then what I’m tracking with the fractal Thanks for your time Leon

Hi Leon, Great video. Thank you. Can you use the axe fx in a way like not the axe fx is the interface but let’s say an apogee? I recorded clean/raw guitars and I would just like to experiment with different sounds using the axe fx as a plug in effect only with the apogee. And then later reamp when I’m happy with the sound. So basically without using the usb.

Dude all this info rocks! When im tracking through USB, i get a distorted tone but my DI is way to quiet none of the USB/AES volumes (in the I/o) menu do anything to change the volume of the DI track. Where is the Volume for the DI track so i dont have to normalize the track? thanks !!

Thanks for the tips Leon. Are you using a mixer to get all audio to your monitors?

Leon first off your a legend love your playing and your band. Just had a question I'm looking at purchasing the fractal fm3 and I'm looking at purchasing the Adam T7V monitors would that be a good sound through the fm3?

Do you ever record your guitars in stereo or mono like the video? Any benefit/advantage to one or the other?

What I am not understanding is if the Axe fx preset can be called up by the Music Software. For example if I use a NueralDSP Plug-in in Cubase... I can just open that song and the plug-in I used for that track is already loaded, and is affecting only the original DI I recorded. So I can change any setting in the plug-in or load a different one and mess around with eq or whatever real time during a playback since the plug in is only effecting an original DI trk recording. I do have a very fast computer, but you method seems 10x harder if the AXfx3 isn't talking to the computer but just acting as a processor. I'm getting an AX3 but aside from the awesome tone, it might be more difficult or time consuming to record it actually... beause then each time I record I have to write down the patch for that particular track and pull it on Ax fx, where as in my current work flow, I can do it all with barely any latency and monitor through headphones or Monitors without having so much set up it seems. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think so. Hope this comment makes sense.

Leon how are you, thank you very much for your videos are of great quality, I wanted to ask you if you have any video where you explain how to record well with ax8, it would be a great help, thanks and a greeting from Berlin!

Great video!

Hi master! im your super fans! please make a vedio like how to use fx3 to record both dry and wet sound on logicprox,i never use a protools so i m so confuse about how to set audio uber and di track, i creat two track in my logic but they are all wet sound,how to make it like u vedio di+uber, please give a little help.

Hi Leon! Great videos! I have a very basic question. When you connect your Axe FX III with your laptop/PC, the headphone input in the axe fx requires a 1/4 quarter inch or is it a simple jack?

How many tracks can you add amps/cabs/effects to simultaneously in real-time? For instance, if you have 2 x DI guitar tracks, 1 x DI bass track, 1 x vocal track, is it possible to add amps/cabs/effects to all 4 channels simultaneously, so that you could edit the parameters of the amp/cab/effects on the fly for all 4 tracks?

You say you connected output 1 directly to the monitor speakers.. are those speakers dual input and you’re also sending the computer output to them as well?

I get phase issues and latency when I cut a double track using your USB monitoring method. Do you have any advice to correct this? Could you please do a follow-up video on double tracking? Thanks. I love all your videos. Very helpful

How propertie way to connect your Fractal FM3 to a PA? Low Cut, Hi Cat, Frequence ? What the params change ? My Box is Yamaha DBR12. Thanks I am From Brazil.

Hey man love the vids, I just purchased an axe 3 and waiting for it to arrive. Can you do this method with a power amp and into a real cab as input 1 for real time playback as well as the di & re amping?

Hi Leon. Great video. How would you control the level of your monitoring signal going straight to monitors from axe against the bed tracks without changing the recording signal? I tried using other outputs but everytime I change volume so it sits in track while recording, it effects the recorded signal.. Thoughts?

Hi Leon! For example you need to record a preset with some stereo effects and want to keep them in a mix as they are in the preset. Is it possible (and would it be useful anyhow) to route the dry signal (not DI) to some output and record it as one track, and stereo effects to other R and L outputs (or a single stereo track) and record them simultaneously with the dry one? Is this a viable approach from further mixing point of view? Thanks.

Thanks leon! Learning allot from watching your tips.. If you will record a stereo delay you would use a stereo channel on pt? Maybe I am missing something Thanks

Can you do this reamp trick with 2 guitar tracks at the same time (USB)? I realize I'd have to use 2 separate IN -OUT amp and cab blocks. I'd like to be able, for instance, in the mix stage, to tweak L AND R guitars ( which are usually doubled in standard metal recordings,), at the same time without have to print one and then do the other one. Plus it gives you the freedom to slightly alter the tones on L/R sides in real time . Thanks Leon Vids are awesome!

Hey Leon. Great Vid! Quick question for you: I just got an FM3 and the next thing on my list is studio monitors. The guy at guitar center said he uses a 2i2 but after watching this I'm wondering what my options are with the fm3. Any tips would be great! Thanks B)... P.S. I'm using Reaper

Hey Leon, are those normal TRS cables or Humbusters going out of your Axe FX Output 1 into your monitors?

Hey Leon or anyone here, I am getting some hissing noise when I record with the axe fx but it’s not a ground loop issue… any inputs?…

hello Leon hope you're doing fantastic, do you have your input 1 gain setted at 1.00? or higher?

maybe dumb questions but just to be sure I understand well. your monitors are connected to output 1 of the axe fx to get no latency when recording. but now you can't ear anything from the DAW so you set up the axe fx as the playback engine in the DAW to solve this. correct? then, if you connect the axe fx to the DAW via USB you don't need an audio interface? asking this cause I saw a lot of vids on youtube where people are going "guitar->axefx->audio interface with direct monitoring (like a focusrite scarlett) -> DAW" to solve the latency issue. I don't see the point of an audio interface if one do as you explain. it's almost like the audio interface is the magic stuff that clean up everything and "adds" audio quality or something when it's really just one more piece of gear in the chain with no real purpose.

Awesome vid! But I have to ask as I am so new to this... what is a DI?

Hi Leon, maybe i'm not getting it right but, when the output of the AxeFx goes direct to your monitors, how is it possible to play the backtrack in your DAW simultaneously on those same monitors? Great vid. As everrr!

Why a mono track? Isn’t the axe stereo??

Has anyone ever had trouble setting up direct monitoring with the Axe Fx 3? More specifically while using Cubase? Input monitoring has quite a bit of latency and I know that the Axe Fx is capable of direct monitoring while using it as an interface but every time I go to my studio setup, the “direct monitoring” button is grayed out on my DAW. Am I doing something wrong? I already tried reinstalling Fractal ASIO drivers. I’m new to this…

Why arent you going fro the output of your axefx into a soundcard or mixer of some type? If you go directly into your monitors, how do you take the outs of your soundcard into the monitors?

For reamping the manual has you change stuff in the I/O menu before you reamp which was always inconvenient. I see you doing it differently here. So you don’t have to change anything on the unit? This workflow seems way more convenient. ??

Not discrediting the Axe FX but, if it was a plugin all of this amazing re-amping and effect bypassing (at great time expense) would be a simple bypass switch in the DAW. As much as I like the sound of the Axe FX, it seems compromised in this area.

great helpful video. and again, how can anyone dislike this lol

Good afternoon I have an amplifier in the circuit, a delay and reverb cabinet, is it possible to record without delay and reverb ? FM3 ?

Leon. Just aquired the axe fx 3. Im running straight into reaper with usb. Out into mackie studio monitors. Everything sounds amazing. However, when i hit record, my sound sounds more chorusy and takes away from the tightness of the fractal preset. What causes this? I see u muted the tracks during recording. Will that help? Thanx.

Is it possible to reamp like that with axe fx 2 xl in cubase?

Leon, Hi! Do you ser difference between recording from USB and Spdif? And recording direct from Axefx or using a Apollo? Do you see a better tone in one of those that I mention....

Hey Man I just picked up an AXE III Sweet machine ! I'm just getting up to speed here and hooking it up to my ProTools , Why do you use a separate interface ?

I can’t get the axe to show up in my outputs of pro tools. I only see my Scarlett 6i6. Inputs are fine. Playback engine is set to axe 3 Also how do I make it so i can monitor both the other recorded tracks and the axes track being recorded.

So I can use this as an audio interface itself (not having to connect to an actual audio interface)? Does the Axe-Fx III have a headphone jack so I can hear my recording in the DAW?

Do you know if I'm able to record DI from an AXE FX II XL? Same sort of way you did with a wet and dI?

i use cubase as DAW... have to try reamping but it still dont work... the main problem is to create the bus to route input 5+6 (dry signal) to output 7+8 (Reamping) on the AxeFX. To record the wet and DI track works perfect. routing: in 1 --> out 1 (monitors) (wet signal) in 5 --> out 1 (dry signal) reamp ?? maybe somebody can help?

Question! If you connect axe fx 3 with studio monitors via output 1, how do you listen your song track from protools? there is only one input on monitors.

Can you record vocals through the Axe-Fx III?

Do you always track your guitars in mono?

Hey Leon I run out of output 1 on the axe and just want to record axe fx dry but use effects like you showed here do you have to run anything from output 2 on the back of the axe for that to work or am I getting that confused?

I’m having a huge problem, Logic Pro x/my mac is not receiving any signal from my axe fx what so ever, I’m not a complete noob with this style of recording but I have never had this problem with any other interface, please help if you thing you can

so how to do the track of DI in Logic?do you know that?thanks

Can you record a DI track and reamp without using the Axe FX as an interface. I am running it into another interface via analog cables from output 1. Any help is greatly appreciated! 🙌

I’ve been trying to figure out how to use my AxFxlll for recording and revamping for a while now. I’m using PT 12.7.1, HD Native system on a Mac Pro, and I’m thinking I’m not able to use my lll as an interface, thus preventing me from any revamping magic. Am I missing something?