Signal Flow

 Signal flow for live performance

I will be using the following musical components:

• Fender Jaguar Guitar
• Shure SM57 or SM58 Microphone
• GFX10 Effects pedal
• Boss RC500 Looper pedal
• Scarlett Focusrite Audio Interface
• AKAI APC Key 25 MIDI controller
• Laptop running Ableton Live
• Speakers

The diagram above illustrates my initial ideas for signal flow for my live performance. 

My guitar and microphone will be routed to GFX10 effects pedal. The output of the GFX10 is routed to the input of the Boss RC500.  The output of the looper is sent to an input port on a Scarlett Focusrite interface which has outputs to speakers. My laptop is also routed to the Scarlett interface and Ableton Live is configured to route to the Scarlett. The AKAI APC Key 25 is connected via USB to my laptop and as it is an AKAI product, maps automatically to Ableton Live.

After a number of performance rehearsals, I have decided to not use the GFX-10 guitar effects pedal as I want to record clean, non-processed input signals. I will set up AMP sims on the various tracks beforehand and I can then also manipulate them during the performance rather than start with a processed signal. This will allow me to demonstrate more clearly how I am manipulating the input signals.

Refined Signal Flow will be as follows :-

In addition to this, I may well use the AKAI APC-40 as a controller for volume and pan rather than the KEY 25. I will be undertaking compatibility tests during the next scheduled rehearsal session.

I have tried the APC-40 in addition to the APC Key 25, but I am able to control all of the required functionality via the APC Key 25 so will be using that as my sole MIDI controller.