BIAS FX with an iPad, and a couple of setups
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Hi everyone, I started using the BIAS software on an iPad a few months ago, and thought I'd give a report on setups that I’m experimenting with.
Setup 1: I occasionally play guitar in a band at my church, this is what I used this past Sunday –
- BIAS FX running on an iPad, into an
- Audio interface: iRig HD 2, lightning cable connection to the iPad, into a
- Ernie Ball volume pedal, into a
- Direct box, then to the sound board.
- Then, listening through in ear monitors.
This worked surprisingly well. I did need to rock the Volume Pedal back to “silent” when changing patches, to avoid a low pop being sent to the sound board.
And, I set the iPad to “do not disturb” and to be extra careful, turned off all audio notifications.
Setup 2: Experimenting with this at home, stereo amps.
- BIAS FX running on an iPad, into an
- Audio interface, Focusrite iTrack Solo, lightning cable connection to the iPad, left and right stereo outputs into a
- Radial Stage Bug Isolating Transformer, to eliminate ground loop hum that would be caused using two amps, left and right output into
- (2) Atomic Reactor 18w tube amps. You may remember these from about 12 years ago, but no longer in production. These are 18w EL84 powered combo amps designed to work with modelers. They are only a power amp section, with a 12 inch speaker, relying on the modeler as the preamp.
This is also working surprisingly well. The stereo effects work well, and also being able to use a preset showing two amps, and put a different BIAS Amp (virtual) into each of the Atomic Amps (physical) is nice and something I’m experimenting more with.
Anyone using something similar?
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@redroc-k, thanks for this report. I'm in a similar situation - have been using Bias FX on iPad since about November of last year and have been using it for my electric and bass guitar at my church (haven't used it with my acoustic in a live setting yet, but will soon).
Originally used it with my iRig HD 2, but more recently have been using it in a live setting with my Focusrite iTrack Dock (which charges my iPad at the same time, so don't have to worry about battery during a service). Also recently purchased the BT4 foot controller, which is working out really well (got an ex demo for nearly half retail price).
I've been wondering about a stereo setup, so wondering if you can share a bit more about the configuration you have set up within Bias FX to take advantage of a stereo setup. How do you configure which virtual amp goes to which output? What effects are working well in stereo? Are there good stereo delay effects that you can set up to "ping pong" across each stereo channel?
Looking forward to hearing more about your setup (maybe you could upload your setup to Tone Cloud?)
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Hi, I'll tell you a little about what I'm experimenting with using stereo amps.
There is a preset called "Roy Ziv Blues Lead" that's a good example. The presets with two amps will have a "mixer" after the amps, and the mixer can be set to pan one amp hard left, and one amp hard right - that will put one virtual amp into each of the physical amps. In the mixer, you can also give one of the amps up to a 3 ms delay to separate them just a little.
You'll notice that this patch uses a delay after each amp, set to different delay times, that will give sort of a ping pong effect.
For the effects, the reverbs work pretty well, and there is a "Ping Pong" delay available - but it's in one of the expansion packs.
And, there is another preset, called "Wide Clean Stereo Chorus" that uses the rack mount chorus in a nice subtle stereo effect.
If any of you have favorite presets that sound good in stereo headphones, those are probably good candidates for trying in a stereo amp setup also.
I'd considered the iTrack Dock as well, that looks like a really good solution. My iPad is 12.9" though, and from what I'd read it looked like that iPad won't fit, that is line up, to the connector. I am interested in the new iRig Stomp I/O though.
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I would also recommend the PG RIFF interface.
It is a game changer, Love It.