vinny199

That wouldn't work for me it seems as 10 switches option is not available in footswitch mode) From the manual: When set to "10 switches," FS1 (BANK ) and FS7 (BANK ) are re-purposed as additional Stomp switches. This is only for Stomp footswitch mode; while in Preset , Snapshot, or Looper footswitch modes, BANK and BANK are retained.

OK, sorry about posting this in the wrong place and thanks for the link. @silverhead If I set it this way, how do I then change banks? Can I still do so? Thank you

Love my Helix but there is one thing that really makes me wonder if I can keep using it as my main rig. I'm a singer / guitarist. Sometimes, changing patches while singing / in between lines is a bit tricky, and it is so easy to hit the bank button instead of the first snapshot button. If you do that, you're quickly in noman's land trying to get back to your patch, or worse, finding yourself in another song's patch etc. You have to react very quickly and press the cancel button to save yourself and that's not really easy done if you sing, you have to drop out of the song for a bit while you reset yourself where you need to be. If I only played guitar, this would never happen, but having to sing / perform (which means looking forward as much as possible instead of your feet) and change patches, i messed up a few times already and it is driving me nuts. I'm sure it wouldn't be a big thing to update the firmware to add a feature where you have an option to set the bank selectors to "press and hold" for a couple of seconds before they become active, instead of "as soon as you hit them". I'm not saying this setting should be by default, but it would be extremely useful to some of us as an option. There is plenty of time between songs to hold a button 2 seconds. For me, I'd take this feature over any new ampo, effect, goodies they may bring out., Such a small thing, such a big impact. I hope someone at line 6 takes notice of that suggestion Cheers, Vinny

Thank you. That's a great tip. I'll do that. Thanks, that's also a very good idea. Thanks a lot for offering, I'm on holiday that time though. Thanks again. Thanks for all the replies guys. I think I have made some progress. Still some way away from the sounds I'm after, but a big thing has been using the "mixes" IRs from Owhammer instead of single mic / speaker IRs. The mixes ones combine various mics at various distances, including some room and back cabs mics etc, and immediately gave me a less shrill, more present, more realistic sound. So, that's big progress. I am now leaving Global EQ activated and reducing lows at 100 and highs at 6.5. Even them I still EQ the IRs and have started using a EQ block too as suggested. All this combined does get me closer to decent sounds. At least I now recognise the amps I'm choosing and I don't have this super shrill or super dull tone. I hope I've found the right balance and I will test at the next rehearsal on Tuesday to see if that translate to the PA. I'd still like to collaborate / get some help creating patches, so I'll keep looking for someone to help, however I'm hoping I now have usable sounds as starting points. Thanks guys

That's so kid, thank you very much for offering. It would have been with pleasure, however I am on holiday (vacation as you guys say) first week of August. So, it can't be done, but thanks so much. Yes, I'll try everything again I guess, but still would like to find someone to physically help. I've tried all connections, jacks, XLRs, mono/stereo, direct to preamps, direct to soundcard, to mixing desk in rehearsal room etc, and I definitely plug the guitar in the guitar in input. I know the damn thing works good as I hear lots of amazing tones on youtube etc, I just cannot (yet) work out anything half decent. I think now I will try using darker IRs (like the ribbon mic ones instead of 57's), it may help. Thanks

Hey, thanks a lot for that! Really right now, I cannot even get a simple Twin to sound like a twin... I despair. I'd say just about OK on cleans but cranked up is sounds unrealistic, digital, either harsh or muffled (I can't find a middle ground), the IRs sound super harsh even after severe high cut or eventually dull, nothing "feels right". I am happy enough using it as an effect board, but as soon as I try it as an amp solution, it really doesn't work for me and I tired everything I red: Global EQ on/Off / various settings / With / Without IRs, Eqeuing IRs, Inputs changed to line or mic or every options, guitar pad on/off, guitar impedances options etc. I feel I've been around the bend enough.. Either something is wrong with it, or I am missing something and I'd rather get some hands on help than loose days and days as I'm doing now.. I would normally live use my Telecaster (quite bright and jangly) with a fender like amp (modified blues junior, Mesa rectoverb 25, deluxes, hot rod etc) Of course I use pedals or sometimes cranked amps where I can. So, at least getting to a crancked amp type sound that sounds just good and real would be a massive achievement right now. I have bough a good bunch of Ownhammer IRs etc. Right now, nothing would do it seems... Thanks!

Really, I'm looking to get someone to help me hands on at this stage. I have good equipment, including my own studio / recording booth, amps and mics, so I 'm familiar with the sound of amps being recorded with various mics and right now I can't get anywhere near anything familiar, all crancked up amps sound pretty digital and "bad" and I can't commit much more time to it really. I do monitor on Adam speakers and other speaker sets in my studio. I also take the Helix to my band's rehearsal studio and play with the band through the PA, so I have good perspective of both the sound at home at medium levels and in a "live" situation. We have a bunch of dates in September / October both in the UK and Europe and I was hoping to have an amp-less solution this time for this tour. But I'm not getting any luck and with holidays coming soon, I feel it would be just best to have someone help me hands on and pay for the service. Thanks

Hi guys, I'm struggling to get anywhere near the patches I'm trying to build. Nothing fancy, just trying to recreate my regular gig rig (clean / crunch, fuzz) with the Helix. I've been trying for a while now, read so many posts etc. global settings options, IRs and IRs EQ settings etc. I cannot get anywhere near something decent. It's either really harsh, or very digital sounding etc. I just can't get my head around it (I have reasonable experience with amp sims and I've used the Amplifire 12 for a while without much problems for example, but I don't want to start a debate on that) I just give up now. I spent so many days trying, I can't keep at it further. I am looking for someone really good / experienced with the Helix, in London UK / nearby to help me hands on / work with me on this. I'm happy to hire for a day, (providing we can agree a reasonable fee) to work with me and try build my base sounds. If you'd be interested please let me know, Thank you Vinny

Thanks a lot, that's exactly what the problem was. Totally solved. Thanks again Vinny

Hi guys, I have been making a wide range ot presets organised as snapshots and setting instant commands to change the patch on my strymon Big Sky that's hooked up to the helix. The problem I have is that the behaviour of the midi is weird at best. When I change patches and start hitting footswitches, the strymon goes ito a random patch (not the one supposed to be triggered) but then after a while, it starts acting correctly. I also noticed that some presets, if I don't first hit the first snapshot footswitch, the none of the midi signals are properly sent. So if I load a preset and hit a snapshot other than the first one (top left), then the strymon goes into a random patch, but if I hiit that first footswitch, then all snapshots of the presets suddenly start behaving correctly. In short, the behaviour is quite erratic. It works, but not always right away ot you have to hit a specific footswitch first. Is anyone else experiencing this behaviour and is this reliable enough to use live? Thanks

Hi, I'm using the Helix in snapshot mode, all of the time, and either assign the first bottom and top switches to change banks or change presets. Either way, with my clumsy feet, I often hit the "bank button" instead of the first snapshot switch, both top and bottom row, causing a change of patch or preset in the middle of the song. I was wondering if there is a more "fool proof" way of setting these up, how you guys use them and if anyone else is as clumsy as me... In my defence, I sing as well as play so I don't have the luxury to look down at the pedalboard too long when switching.. Advice much appreciated. Thanks, Vinny

OK! Thank you!

Thanks for the reply. OK, so let me make sure I understand this: Let's say I have 4 snapshots for clean sounds on the top row of footwitches, and that I have 4 overdrive types snapshots on the bottom 4 row of footswitches. Now I need to turn down the overall volume of the 4 overdrive snapshots in one go. The method you suggest allows me to do that (not affect the 4 clean snapshots levels, but globally change the volume of the 4 overdrive snapshots?)

Hi, So, I bought Helix last year, sold it as I couldn't get on with latency in preset switching mode, but now bought it again as the snapshots do just what I need to do. I've never gigged with a Helix yet, and one thing that worries me is: It's common when I soundcheck, depending on the room, the amp I may plug into etc that I need to adjust the balance between clean levels and distortion levels. Super easy to do with pedals, you just turn the volume of your drive pedal up or down, same thing for Fuzz and you get your clean / distortion level balance as you need for the room in seconds. Now... how do I do this with Helix? Say I turn up at a venue and despite my snapshots having been poerfectly balanced for previous gig / rehearsals (I will use 8 snapshots per bank, no individual effect assigned to footswitches), the FOH engineer tells me "turn your distortions down" (hate when they do that..) How do you do it?? Do I have to adjust each and every snapshots individually? (I'll have quite a few banks for different songs) What's the quick way of tunring all overdrive sounds up or down? Is there a trick? I would love to know. Thanks in advance, Vinny

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REPLIED TO MY INITIAL POST. I have now made the decision to sell the Helix, so I won't read further posts on this thread. My listings are here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Line-6-Helix-/111964842889?hash=item1a119feb89:g:8JYAAOSwGYVXCjU5 https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/line-6-helix-almost-new/1163916621 It may improve, or it may not. I don't really have the time to wait. I hope it does for those who like me found it impossible to use in a live context in patch switching mode, the only way this could have worked for me. Thanks again, many of you have been very kind with your suggestions and even efforts to optimise my patches. I greatly appreciate. All the best, Vinny