codamedia

I guess I just got hung up on the title of this thread... "why has guitar innovation lagged behind everything else". I just don't see it that way at all. Guitar innovation shares the same pain as other "hardware".... nobody is running away with simplicity when it comes to the original MIDI spec. It's MIDI that has lagged behind and Craig has addressed that already in this thread with the discussion of MIDI 2.0

FYI: EVH first appeared to the masses in 1978... 3 years before MIDI showed up on paper & 5 years before MIDI showed up for it's very first demonstration. It then took a couple more years to become common. I think the point is.... guitar technology is not "behind" in this regard. It works the same way keyboards do, or any other MIDI device does. The difference is that keyboard players have more experience in programming MIDI while guitar players are somewhat newer to it. It's not a hard language to learn... and it's worth the time.

@lou-kash... Thanks for the solution... it works great.

Try installing the latest version of HX Edit (3.15 as of this post)... and during the install make sure you choose ALL the drivers. When complete... try connecting the Helix once again. Also, make sure you try more than one USB port on the computer & do not try to connect through a USB hub.

For me... "SETLIST" is just an arbitrary name that Line 6 uses. To me the are just "banks of storage". I use one setlist (called "LIVE") to hold all my tones... organized in a way that works for me, but certainly is not a "setlist" of songs. I use another setlist (called "BACKUP") to hold copies of all my tones, just in case I screw something up in my LIVE setlist. The others are just working spaces....

For boosting in this manner on the Helix you'll want to adjust the "Channel Volume" in the amp block, not the "Master" in the amp block. "Master" doesn't behave the way you think it might. That just means you accidentally have the button set to "bypass" the amp model. Just remove that association in the controller assignments of HX Edit. Instead of a volume block... add a GAIN block at the end of the chain. Set the boost amount to your liking and assign a switch to turn it on/off.

My results are the same as @silverhead... There is definitely an audio gap (small but obvious) when loading the same guitar model via snapshot controller. As I said earlier... the way I manage tones makes this a non issue for me, but it most certainly is there.

That was your response to someone that simply posted a "link" to the manual? Nobody was being rude to you... they were leading you to the path! I don't know what HX/Helix you own, but I know my LT came with a USB drive that included the manual. However, that manual was very outdated compared to the latest ones - which is the side benefit of having online manuals these days.

That would suggest the model is being re-loaded in the guitar on each snapshot... even though it's the same model. I use my Helix/Variax in this very way and I've never noticed this... but that doesn't mean it isn't there. I have a tendency to change sounds between my playing, not while ringing out chords. Next time I get a chance I'll give it a closer look.

FYI... it's not the DAW, it's the OS. A Mac allows aggregated interfaces, PC does not. Anyone on a PC will be locked to a single audio interface. There are work arounds, but none I trust! (eg: ASIO4ALL) IMO - this is a non issue. I have an 8in/4out interface that sounds great.... When I listen to my Helix it is "through that interface"... so what I hear is what gets recorded. If the interface add a little color of it's own that's fine with me because I like what I hear.

I don't use a Scarlett, but I do connect my Helix to my Interface and record through the interface. I tend to commit all tones & effects to the take with the exception of reverb and delay. I'll add those to the mix later.

I don't think so.. but it is possible using a SEND instead of the XLR. Place a mono SEND just before the output Assign the "Dry Thru" and "Send Level" in the send block to be controlled by snapshots Use snapshots to adjust those controls Snapshot 1, only routes toward the main output. "Dry Thru" on full, "Send Level" turned down... OR have the send block "turned off". Snapshot 2, only routes toward the send output. "Dry Thru" turned down, "Send Level" turned up Snapshot 3 routes equally to the send and main output. Both "Dry Thru" and "Send Level" turned up.

Unless I am missing something, that first split is actually redundant and not required. The 2nd split has to keep the left/right separate... so why not just use that as the split. EG: Stereo Input > Stereo EQ > SPLIT > (place volume on each path here) then continue on your existing chains. If the VOLUME is actually shared... just place a stereo volume block after the Stereo EQ then split. ANOTHER OPTION Why are you doing that first merge just to go through an EQ? Obviously that EQ is stereo.... you could just do away with that merge and place 1 mono EQ on each path.

IR blocks are mono and will collapse any stereo signal before it. (unless you follow the advice from "coachz") There is no benefit to placing a stereo effect before the amp, or between the amp and cab/ir.

FYI... the sound guy has trim controls and pads he can work with.... For that reason, I decouple the signal I send to the FOH from the volume control.... he gets full control of my levels regardless of what I do with the volume control (which is assigned to my FRFR) If there is a reason the tech needs me to lower my signal (haven't had that happens in years) I assign my global EQ to that output and just lower the level there. I'm not using it to EQ anything, just decrease the level.

You need to re-think you approach to boosts. I'd suggest a simple "gain" block as a boost... and just turn it on/off with the footswitch. The block can be set to ignore all snapshots so you will be in full control of when it is boosted or not regardless of snapshots.

Not sure what you are asking/suggesting.... but I'll take a stab at this. I THINK you are wondering if a bypassed effects consumes DSP. YES, the DSP is reserved for all loaded effects whether they are on or off. If that's not what you are wondering, please provide more detail. So no amp at all since you aren't running one and the HX Effects has no amp models? In that scenario, this is the direction I would go. Choose an overdrive for the CORE tone. Maybe the "Heir Apparent" or the "Horizon Drive".... but there are certainly others that might be better. Toss a Tube Screamer (scream 808) in front of it... to kick it up a notch when required. A RAT (ratatouille) also works well in this position... it's smoother sounding than the TS and has a lot more gain on tap if you want that. Place a CALI Q Graphic after the overdrives.... use that to shape the tone. (optional)... I'd place the Rochester comp after the EQ. This is a studio quality compressor that will add a little "feel" (sag, bounce) to the setup since you are not running any amps or amp models. (optional).... add modulation & reverb to taste. Good luck! Without an amp or amp model it will be trickier.

Same here.... it doesn't matter what browser I try.... Chrome/Firefox/Edge/Safari - same thing. I don't even know if this post will happen as I may get logged out when I press submit. (it's happened twice already today) Not that anyone really cares but if you don't see me around here, the forums problems are the reasons why. I don't really care how the forum looks, but the login issue is too much trouble at this point.

I finally got my login to work by clearing the cache and cookies - we'll see how long that lasts. Quite possibly the worst forum update I've ever seen... and if it wasn't an update, it's the worst forum maintenance I've ever seen. Maybe it's a sign that I need to take a break for a while :) (and still no emojis)

I'll pile on.... The simplicity of the chains already posted will certainly do the trick. For me it's pretty simple.... Studio Pre > Parametric EQ > IR (optional... see below) > LA Studio Comp (lightly used) > Plate Reverb The only place I get more complicated (certainly not required) is with some IR's... I created IR's of my favorite Fishman Aura settings... I place those on Snapshots to simulate different microphones/positions to blend in with the piezo of my acoustic. EG: I might want a RCA 77 18" back for my rhythms, but an SM7 up close for flatpicking. It kind of simulates "walking up the mic for a solo" like bluegrass pickers do. Although Richie is using a Variax standard for Acoustic tones.... I found this video quite helpful when I was first creating some acoustic presets with my Helix.

Tones will never sound identical from system to system... the trick is just to make them sound really good regardless of what they are on. This is what I do.... I use studio monitors at home... not the HS8's, but similar. I prepare my presets at loud volumes, around 90db. I double check the tones on a large set of "consumer grade" speakers at a similar volume. (this simulates a lower quality PA) I tweak a little on both sets of speakers until the tone works great on both When I go live... my tones just work... They work at the FOH They work in monitors They work in IEM's (when required) They work in my FRFR (when required) The process is quite similar to how recordings are mixed. Make it sound good everywhere, but don't expect it to sound the same everywhere.

You plan will get them close... There is a METER on the output block of the Helix as well... just in case you don't have the computer/logic around at all times.

Correct... The solution is to load two amps in the preset... and then use snapshots to turn one off while turning the other one on. Of course... this only works if you have enough DSP to load two amps. To save a little DSP space.... your amps can be "Full Amp" models instead of "Amp/Cab" models... then just load the cabinet separately and leave it on all the time.

IMO... ^^^ this ^^^ is what makes it a possible bug. A single preset freezing the Helix is most often just a corrupt preset... but it would freeze regardless of how you loaded it. That problem is often fixed by simply rebuilding the preset from scratch - or loading a known good backup. In your troubleshooting... Did you try removing blocks from this preset to see if there is ONE BLOCK in particular causing the problem? This requires saving multiple copies of the preset with a single block "removed"... not just turned off. Did you try rebuilding the preset from scratch to see if the problem re-appears? IF the preset is corrupt, this often fixes it. When you load the preset from the wheel/knob it is always loading from the "previous or latter" preset. Are those the same presets you are approaching from using the footswitch, or do you always load from a "particular" preset. My point here is... maybe it isn't the preset you are loading that causes the problem, maybe it's the preset that is unloading. Example: If the questionable preset is in 2B... 2A > 2B works (this is how a jog wheel would get there) 2C > 2B works (this is also how a job wheel would get there) If 2D > 2B fails.... then 2D "could" be the preset that is causing you grief

Yes, and no! It will certainly give you a target level to reach and may serve as a good starting point, but that doesn't mean your presets will be balanced. Tones don't all behave/sound equal at equal levels, they need to be balanced by using your ears as the final judge.