Aurasphere_au

Want to always have reasonable reference levels leaving helix etc I do this for the inputs because we have a number of guitars here and of course each one loads differently ie hb vs sc etc With other analog gear I just feed it a test signal (context dependent) eg A440 sine tone/Pink Noise -18db output +4dbu etc This way i know everything will always be the same. Now Im using the helix with amps, I want the same where I know they are hitting the amp properly. Sure...please dont say use your ears etc...thats how we get there in the first place but I want repeatability esp for recording etc because the amps seem to be quite sensitive to the helix outputs Is there any tone on board that you have hijacked for this purpose? Any help greatly appreciated

Funny Yeah I get it...for me the HD was start from scratch for every patch...but I prob use about 12 max...was just reconstructing real world and they have the same mid range punch especially with a couple of external pedals...but yeah the helix has a lot of instant grat but just sounds really hifi compared to the actual amp setups (I still) have hear and for recording its really frustrating. Sometimes new isnt always better when there are only 3 amps I use; ac30, bface and a high gain normally a cali but dont have one here atm plus a splatter of pedals...Im not really after ear candy, just real feel/tone Anyway...:-) thanks for the reply

I really want to like the Helix But I have still been playing the HD I did another side by side and some comparison with match eq etc Spending a couple of hours dialing just the amp, no cabs...using the AC30 comparable models on both, no matter what I do the helix sounds compressed and soft, a bit like the waves plug emulations and just no mid range guts...kind of fizzy I tried LP, all sorts of eq but when I recorded identical stuff and applied Ozone match eq I can see why SO my question is now...has anyone actually dialled an amp on helix that sounds even close to the HD? Dont get me wrong, for detailed clean picking etc Helix sounds good, more detailed etc but for plain raw just light crunch...yeah its just fizzy and the low pass helps fractionally but you cant get rid of the upper mids etc. I dont want to use an eq...I should be able to dial the tone to something reasonable. I even tried patching in my old ts808 (owned since 1981...should have bougth 20 of them lol)...and it doesnt interact in the same way either Just wondering if there are any samples our there demonstrating successful outcomes

Thanks for the reply main issue is the idea is for dichotomy in the delay, the higher priority is a remake of the Ibanez dm1100 (my goto of all time) which helix does reasonably but the feedback is moderate and as mentioned, I have a tape based delay near infinite feedback that creates almost a drone and delay A should always be in front until it fades and then have the drone delay (using wow and flutter) to be a mashed but related tone Duck delay has the right tools but wrong tone and no loop degrade ie w&f Cheers anyway. Always get something out of seeing others use of machines so thanks for the vid, nice tones. I dont think I have played a cover in 30 years lol but great effort.

Thats my take a bit too...although its bface sim is way nicer than any of the L6...and Ive owned all of them too. I agree...GR is still on one of my template fx channels...just feels like old school patching guitar pedals on the mix and I love it. L6 did a great job with all the component level stuff in amp farm and I much prefer the older stuff...very unique sound but just falls over now in the daw and no updates. Helix native is a nightmare as you cant run just single comps Ah well...GR still going strong, stable as and itll do for now for the mixing side But yeah the helix is meant to about performance and playing...guess Ill just have to forget my dreams about it and do it only on the studio version

Cool...well thats a shame...I wont be buying anything new for a while...not because I dont want to. Was an absolute snap in Guitar rig...in fact you could combine it with step sequencers and lfo etc...why they couldnt do a hardware version I dont know but Im not doing software based live again. that 7ms of latency is only small but its a showstopper else thatts where I would be

I spent a couple of hours to try doing this with every conceivable angle including asking chat which was full of rubbish; this is a short piece from the preset Input >>> Digital delay >>>Tape delay with 99% Feedback The dig delay is the highest priority and I want the signal of it to sidechain the ducking of the tape delay so that as the main delay resolves it reveals the underlying drone of the tape feedback Ive done this a lot in mixing over the years and thought it should be pretty straightforward for Helix Am I missing something or it just cant be done? Cheers

Thanks!

Shouldn't this work? ie Right click copy/HX Edit Right click paste/HX Native

I have been hot plugging/mute for 30 years and never an issue...EVER lol Until...Helix. I got it fixed and the tech said it was a pretty frail design. He had never replaced a fry due to hot plugging Ribbons on phantom and bad cables...is a completely different thing :-) Now I have to remember when setup is done at the gigs, not to let anyone plug my mic in (which is mostly for a custom mic on guitar) until everything is booted...yet another management issue! Its from the studio but it really works live...esp on 12 string...SDCs rule!

Thanks Well thats what I thought but perhaps I was missing something Its because Im using looping on external device...and the switches are being used for that. There is no custom page or edit allowed on the looper page and the switch CCs are very limited in that they are mostly latching despite using bitset values (not 0-127). If record is accidentally hit...its not ideal even with the volume off...just shouldn't have to mindful during the heat of a gig. The 1 switch did it...just wondered if 6 had same functioning Why? 1. When using other guitar loopers eg Guitar Rig back in the day, the loop length auto multiplied so you could easily tap a short timing loop and then overdub with diff lengths per take...Helix is fixed length 2. We play in stereo FOH and once you stack a couple of sounds in mono (in band context), it gets messy versus pan separation (amazing diff). It can be patched in Helix but its also messy (uses up a lot of footswitches or snapshots which dont have parameter scoping) so simply even using eg Quantiloop instead, does give you 4 tracks with panning and variable length as well as quantised launch, tempo etc but you still need to be able to control it and the 6 switch page 'could' also be ideal (esp if the 2 unused buttons were usable). 3. When playing in a large ensemble, I use a mini pc hooked up to helix with Ableton...without gesturing available on the helix eg morningstar MC series, the 6 switch is also the best compromise but requires not using the record button. I def dont want another piece of gear to hook up etc when Helix does everything else so well, clear scribble strips etc, it would be great to be able to use it to fire scenes, loops etc which is only some songs and the impro on Live during the realtime stuff Unless someone here has extra info Im ignorant of?

I know with 1 switch looper, you just double click and hold...voila! Im using the 6 switch page for Ableton live and I want to know how to clear, without starting a new recording as per 1 switch I wish L6 would simply allow an extra page where users can custom set FS along with gestures...would be amazing! Cheers

I generally play an acoustic and electric at most gigs. For the acoustic, I use a custom mic mount etc (having tried everything from LR Baggs Anthem to...well a lot). This is the only thing I have found that gives a truly studio sound, live. However because of its positioning, there is the usual proximity etc. I have tuned this in the studio and it simply has some cuts/HP etc...because of this, I have found the Ozone linear phase is by far the best result. So My question is for the gurus; what are your thoughts on 1. Trying to tweak eg the 'Parametric' eq model to get as close as I can vs 2. Capturing the impulse of the studio eq and using that instead? As a sure fire way of translating exact EQ and consistent workflow Cheers PS Its times like this, to make it a lot simpler, to have the parametric eq model provide a visual UI in HX edit to be able to copy exact values and check, when needing this sort of corrective stuff

Yeah me too...along with harold budd (plateaux of mirror) etc, kitaro...clannad, the list goes on right through to Faun Thats what I mean too...simple little tools can yields years of inspiration instead of preset surfing every new plugin...just really solid emulations with ALL of the original stuff...with guidance from those familiar and actually USED that piece for more than a year... The nicest tape echo I had was the italian Mirano which had beautiful tube stuff. Also had a Korg VC10 vocoder which I used as an insert effect...still is the best chorus...EVER! When on to be used on the polysix and many of the hardware units. That (original in stereo) would be amazing to have on the helix. This is exactly why USB should be an FX send/return block ie so you can plug stuff in...I have a great exact emulation of the DM1000 which I still find so much better than the retro digital delay in helix...so frustrating.

Actually you are right...have been chatting about the ol DM1000...actually that was where is originated...but the DSP128 came with a 3 button footswitch where is became a lot more realtime to control the stuff. Yeah, more about tone authenticity. Part of the charm is eg the Echoplex 3 had sound on sound and the repeats keep degrading as you go...same with the DM1000 and the DSP128, they all imparted such a beautiful colour. Snapshots are great...but without scope limiting as per feature request...its not ideal as now you can remap other snapshots without going explicitly to each one involved and adjusting them. Its also not the same you need to 'grab' a moment with specific degradation and colour and that becomes the bed. Snapshots would be so much better with parameter scoping Cheers

I have just had to pay $200 to have the mic preamp/phantom chip replaced...ok its fragile. This happened before I got it (2nd hand) when the guy was demoing and plugged a dynamic in with phantom on and it killed it. So my question is, does the frailty extend to having a mic plugged in, with phantom on and then booting. Do I sit there in terror at a gig while it boots, praying that the phantom wont die? (since I use a pga181 for live vocals...which is actually brilliant btw)

I really miss the hold button...very much needed...please :-) I did just go through all the models and seems there are literally none that do it. When I first got a digitech DSP128...was the first thing that I actually loved about it...use it for percussion...often...but also for vocals as I use the helix as my vocal fx

Been away for a while Really nice playing! Congrats The clean tones are a bit crowded to really hear them as a solo instrument (I dont mean playing solo of course) but they def have that hifi tone. The 2nd track actually sounds like the princeton...very much like JNC preset tbh...which is super nice. Thanks for taking the time to share. The context Im thinking is more like a vocal + guitar only...where the guitar is carrying everything Cheers

So Ive gone back to recording using the HD500...while the helix is in the shop getting all the issues fixed... Um...so I had asked if anyone could send some links etc of their favourite sounds/bits that make the helix sound so much better eg Fender twin Vox ac30 etc But...cant seen anything??? (well hear anything) Please share some examples so I can compare...please...would love to hear what you guys do

Sorry to presume anything... I guess may main point was you are essentially using backing tracks...we mainly use live looping/improvised response which is a diff case for pedals and use. Yeah I agree...although midi pedals are core part of the excellent tools they make...they are just missing the sauce...gesturing is on the 1 switch looper already. I didnt actually buy/use the mixer...all their AD is really quite good. I came close to using the mixer because of that but it was physically too big compared to the tiny eg XR18 and it had no sidechaining (I do lots of FOH mixing and that is ESSENTIAL)...the interface was a bold move too but I wasnt too bothered about that tiny BUT You have really helped me with sorting a solution...which will be a little bit of work but will give me the best compromise Essentially make a small enclosure housing a Raspberry pi zero and load it with the mid gesture code I have done previously (pretty much the same as MC8 + some extras for Live) Mount it on the back or even inside the helix and midi out/in to it Using the midi loop feed it back into the helix using different controller channels and assignments to get what I need Use the 6 switch looper page and translate that all into gestures and better implementations to feed ableton Use the small touchscreen (which is already on my mic stand) with an M4L feedback util to augment pedal action feedback if needed Ideally, as per the ideascale suggestion, if they allowed another stomp screen would be perfect but looper page will work for now...just wish it allowed use the blank switches Voila...some work but problem totally solved and all done using just the helix footboard Cheers @DunedinDragon

Sorry I didnt elaborate...I only use the helix atm... They are long since retired...were just milestones along the way...I just use the hellix now although I still use the arturia as additional keys I play with different peeps/groups...sometimes Im doing percussion/drums etc, but mainly guitar/vox as a 3 piece with guests. I think the diff is that we rarely play the same song the same way twice and the main thing we are aiming for is getting to the spontaneous improvised space. While we might use a framework in live...its far from a backing track as we all are playing and would be pretty crowded quickly. Sometimes we play as 2 elect guitars + bass and perc etc...so what Im saying is sometimes we completely build the song as loops as we go...so having mc8 and helix would be a bit pointless in my situation...I just want a single interface that isnt going to get in the way...and sounds like mc8 will replace all the stuff I have built in the past so I would likely just use mc8 and helix native in the mini pc that is sitting under the arturia (and use eg ur44 or some multi input/output io) We also have the mix guy on foh who is part of the band really...feeling the mix in relation to the audience so as the improvisation develops, he will read the room and maybe highlight keys, or whatever is best to focus...bu this means Im using a lot of outs on the helix eg its all stereo so at times I will pan my elect guitar to one side of the stacks and the other guitar goes opposite (which is done per preset for songs and setups). Has synth on 1 stereo out, loop/perc stuff on 1 stereo and 1 mono click out to iem feed for the whole band Sounds like you have your needs met...perfect backing track setup...Im guessing you are basically playing by yourself or minimal but if the helix was a more competent midi controller...Im not sure you would need the mc8? Which is my point of OP If I play cajon...which I made a custom mount for the mic...you can get a serious kit sound out of decent foh...that would be 1 place I would like to try using the helix on as even a simple bit of looping goes a long way...I did test it with waves/submarine for the kick frequencies and it was insane (the 80hz fundamental became a 40hz sub shaker) My only real gripe is...both the mc8 (from what I have read) and the helix suffer from the same clunky switches which is why I showed the airturn 4 pedal...they are the best quietest and nicest feel around..imvho The brain of the mc8, the pedals of the airturn and helix native with daw fx/send would be perfect..one day maybe :-) Ah to dream Cheers and happy gigging

Its definitely high up on the list of solutions...I have been using my own gesturing via scripts/midiox/python for about 20 years (using old behry 1010 but seeing this unit come up with all the solutions coming from a hardware box is the bomb We made our own midi lighting controllers and ran them off cubase live back in the day...doing that much toe tapping was so distracting. The percussionists drives ableton (and all our tabs are linked for page turn which he also does from the ableton clip for page turn or manual override) but often in improvisation, I need to do looping in sections so the helix is using foot switch gestures I coded into the remote midi script...which had been pretty solid BUT It would be nice to have it work for stomps (ie mc8) etc which I have to address macros in ableton if am to use Helix native. Also have midiguitar in Ableton so I dont have many choices ie Need ableton to host. IF helix had gestures, it would all be sweet...I def dont want another footswitch/gear beside me...the helix already looks like the death star techwise. Original Rig Using airturn hacked with exp pedal and usb c BT Using Keylab as extra controller on mic st

Understood Either way...fx send/returns that address digital in either app would be cool

Thanks Yep I dont have anything connected but I knew from past experiences with pedals, that as soon as you plug into exp 2, the hardware socket switch internal to be exp 1 only So for @theElevators, it was a hint that you can reprogram or force a hardware switch with a dummy connector as an option (I would think) Im pretty sure its a failed toe switch and added that to the list of the repairs as its in the shop atm Cheers

Wow...it musnt be very visible...absolutely essential