Second video in my "Live One Take" Series
The main purpose of this was to set up the Zoom LiveTrak L6max, but I had a pretty good little jam, so I thought I'd post it. The L6max is a powerful little device! I'm barely using it to the extent I hope to, but I am using most of its features at least a bit in this video: Mixer, MIDI Controller, Effects Send, Multi-track Recorder.
This was meant to be test jam. I feel like it's a bit long at 7+ minutes so I did a quick 4+ minute edit and posted it on SoundCloud.
Signal Flow
Click to view Mermaid Syntax
graph TD
%% ==========================================
%% 1. CONTROL CENTER
%% ==========================================
subgraph Controls [MIDI & CV]
direction TB
KeyStep[Arturia KeyStep]
CME[CME u6midi Pro]
Splitter((CV Splitter))
end
%% ==========================================
%% 2. AUDIO RIG
%% ==========================================
Guitar([ACOUSTIC GUITAR])
subgraph DD500 [Boss DD500]
direction TB
In1[Input 1]
In2[Input 2]
Looper[8-Bar Looper]
Out1[Output 1]
Out2[Output 2]
In1 ==> Out1
In2 ==> Out2
In1 & In2 -.->|Rec| Looper
Looper ==> Out1 & Out2
end
Zoom[Zoom L6Max Mixer]
Korg[Korg Monologue]
Kastle[Bastl Kastle]
SSD[EHX Drum]
subgraph Output [ ]
MainOut([MAIN OUTPUT / PA])
end
%% ==========================================
%% CABLE ROUTING
%% ==========================================
%% AUDIO: Guitar -> Boss -> Zoom
Guitar ==>|Instrument Cable| In1
Out1 ==>|AUDIO: Gtr + Loop| Zoom
Out2 ==>|AUDIO: Synth + Loop| Zoom
Kastle -->|Audio| Zoom
Zoom -->|Aux Send| Korg
Korg ==>|AUDIO: Synth| In2
SSD ==>|Drum Audio| Zoom
Zoom ==>|STEREO OUT| MainOut
%% MIDI
KeyStep -.->|MIDI: Clock/Seq| CME
Zoom -.->|MIDI: CC| CME
CME -.->|MIDI: Clock & CC| DD500
CME -.->|MIDI: Clock/Notes| Korg
CME -.->|MIDI: Rx| Zoom
CME -.->|MIDI: Looper Trig| Looper
%% CV
KeyStep -->|CV: Pulse| Splitter
Korg -->|Sync Out| Kastle
Kastle -->|CV: Spikes| Splitter
Splitter ==>|Trigger| SSD
%% ==========================================
%% STYLING
%% ==========================================
%% Audio Gear
classDef audio fill:#222,stroke:#0f0,stroke-width:3px,color:#fff;
%% MIDI Gear
classDef midi fill:#fff,stroke:#f00,stroke-width:2px,color:#000,stroke-dasharray: 5 5;
%% CV
classDef cv fill:#444,stroke:#ff0,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff;
%% Start/End Nodes
classDef startNode fill:#333,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:4px,color:#fff,font-size:16px;
classDef finalNode fill:#fff,stroke:#000,stroke-width:8px,color:#000,font-size:24px,font-weight:bold;
%% Apply Classes
class Guitar startNode;
class MainOut finalNode;
class In1,In2,Out1,Out2,Looper,Zoom,Korg,Kastle,SSD audio;
class KeyStep,CME midi;
class Splitter cv;
%% Remove border from final container
style Output fill:none,stroke:none
The acoustic guitar connects to Input 1 of the Boss DD500 delay pedal, which feeds Output 1 directly into the Zoom L6Max mixer. The mixer sends the guitar audio and the Bastl Kastle Drum, a modular device providing the glitchy percussion, via an Aux output into the Korg Monologue. After passing through the Korg’s filters and sequencer, optionally blending with the synth's oscillators, this signal connects to Input 2 of the Boss pedal, which feeds Output 2 back to the mixer.
The Boss pedal processes these signals using three distinct functions at once. Input 1 applies effects to the guitar, while Input 2 is configured as a clean 1-bar repeater to loop the synth signal. Simultaneously, the pedal’s internal looper engine records both inputs as a combined 8-bar loop, with recording commands triggered automatically by a sequence from the Arturia KeyStep.
Control data is routed through a CME u6midi Pro. The Zoom mixer sends MIDI CC messages to the CME, while the Arturia KeyStep sends MIDI CC, sequence triggers, and the master clock. The CME then distributes this data, sending tempo and CC changes to the Boss pedal, and tempo and notation to the Korg Monologue. Finally, the kick drum is generated by an Electro Harmonix Super Space Drum connected to a signal splitter. The KeyStep sends a quarter note pulse to this splitter for a 4-on-the-floor-beat, while the Bastl Kastle adds complex breakbeats by triggering the drum whenever its voltage signal spikes above 3 volts.
Top comments (3)
Really impressive setup—your signal flow and MIDI routing are exceptionally well thought out, and the way you’re leveraging the L6max’s features shows a deep understanding of hybrid performance workflows.
Thanks! Still lots of fine tuning (and practice) to go but it's getting there.
Guitar parts are Em7 and the bass is F# Locrian 😅 Didn’t totally mean to do that, as I was mainly testing out my mixer. It 100% works but it's very dissonant.