ZEDi10 and Ableton External Audio Effect

[AfterwardsGlorious]

Hi all,

Noob alert.

I’ve recently purchased a ZEDi10 both as performance mixer and production interface. I’m very happy with it, I have 2 synths and a guitar and I can multi-track record the dry signal of all of them simultaneously. However there is one crucial thing that I’m struggling to figure out.

As an ex-guitarist, I own several effect pedals, and I’d love to be able to use them to process audio tracks in Ableton through the External Audio Effect plugin. This was always my intention when I purchased the mixer, and since the ZEDi10 is a 4inx4out USB mixer, I figured this should be possible. However, I’m really struggling to understand the correct routing for this! To the point where now I’m starting to fear that this is not possible, and that I’ll have to sell the unit for something else, since integrating my pedal board in the production process for me is not optional.

According to this page https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005113200-Using-external-audio-effects in order to make this work I need a USB interface with ” at least two stereo outputs and one stereo input. It is entirely possible to do this if you have just one stereo output (two mono outs) and a single mono input – but in this case the effects will be in mono.” Doesn’t the ZEDi10 qualify for this? And if yes, what’s the correct routing?

Weirdly, I’ve spent several days researching this online and I don’t seem to find any answer.
Really appreciate your help here.
Thanks!

[Mike C]

If you have the NON FX ZED 10i you can take USB input/playback channels 1-2 or 3-4
1-2 goes to ST1 input.
Use the ST1 aux to send to your FX pedals, take the FX pedal output back into one of the
four input channels, make sure the aux level is turned down on those channels. Set the mixer to use M1 M2 M3 M4 USB audio source to pick up the channel you used as a return
channel back to the computer.

[AfterwardsGlorious]

Hey Mike, thanks this is super useful. May I just double-check that I’m getting this right:

– Audio source is selected as M1 M2 M3 M4
– Mixer outputs to effects through Aux out (not FX out?)
– Effects return into one of the other channels, let’s say M3 (could I use 2 to make it stereo?)
– I select a channel, let’s say M1, whose input I leave empty (?), and in the channel levels I use the Aux level to send to the effects
– In the Ableton External Audio Effect plug-in I set it so that it outputs to M1 and inputs back via M3 (or M3-4 if stereo option is possible)

?

Thanks again!

[Mike C]

“– Audio source is selected as M1 M2 M3 M4
Yes

“– Mixer outputs to effects through Aux out (not FX out?)”
Yes Aux out, prefade will work fine for this using the mixer for the FX IO routing.

“– Effects return into one of the other channels, let’s say M3 (could I use 2 to make it stereo?)”
Yes you could use two inputs as stereo if you FX pedal has a stereo out.

“– I select a channel, let’s say M1, whose input I leave empty (?), and in the channel levels I use the Aux level to send to the effects”

The aux level knobs on the M input channels all need to stay turned down, you would turn up the main level on the channels used to return the FX back into the Ableton.
To the the audio to the FX pedal you would turn up the AUX Level on the ST1 or ST3
depending on what one you are using.

“– In the Ableton External Audio Effect plug-in I set it so that it outputs to M1 and inputs back via M3 (or M3-4 if stereo option is possible)”

I have never used Ableton but you would need to select the USB output/FX send to be ST1-2 or ST3-4, the ZED will only accept USB input on those two input channels. M1 2 3 4 would be the FX return inputs back into Ableton.

[AfterwardsGlorious]

This all sounds really clear, thanks for your replies Mike. I’ll try this set up at my earliest convenience and will let you know if it works!

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