codamedia

@Verne-Bunsen and @mrmichaelgibson... Thanks for the clarification.... my mind wasn't registering the quarter step properly.... :) I would simply set the Pitch Reference to 450 and tune down a half step.

Even though it's undocumented with the Helix devices (only documented with the Stomp).... I can verify this also works with the LT. Although it might not be for everyone, I know it suits my workflow very nicely. Thanks again for sharing this solution with us.

FWIW... That wasn't part of your initial question... :) That's is a great set of troubleshooting and a wonderful solution. Thanks for sharing it with us. The Helix manual only states that CC71 is reserved for future use... here's hoping they document it to match the HX Stomp manual since it appears to be set up. I also prefer the way CC128 is set up on the HX Stomp Manual - LOL! "HX Stomp sends late-night texts to all of your ex-significant others, professing your undying love to them and their cats"

That's not what I read from the quote you included..... The quote says "Dimebag tuned down MORE THAN a quarter step".... It should be down to Eb, then DOWN another 40 cents. His use of the work "plus" is a little confusing... it should read "subtract another 40 cents". How to on the Helix 1hz = roughly 4 cents.... (that's off the top of my head... there will a calculation for this somewhere - adjust as needed) Therefore.... set your tuner reference to 430hz then tune down all strings a half step. It might not be dead on, but it should be very close. NOTE: IF you really think it is 40 cents "higher" than a half step it's an easy adjustment.... set the reference to 450 and still tune down a full step. In either case, your strings will read.... Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb when tuning.

This was added in the 2.9 update... In STOMP MODE you can now add anything you want to a footswitch, snapshots included.

Global Settings > Footswitches > Preset Mode Switch Set this to "8 snapshots" then the MODE button toggles between 10 stomps & 8 snapshots. Once snapshots are enabled, the UP/DOWN arrows will open the preset screen. As stated above.... you can assign snapshots to any footswitch in stomp mode giving you instant access, at least to the ones you need most.

For most musicians (on other instruments) their technique is their tone and they understand that. Many guitar players missed that lesson along the way and focus too much on the gear. I don't think I would suggest modeling is to blame - it's been that way as long as I can remember.

Well... the big units did come a few years before the stomp... so yeah, it makes sense that the thought came later to make them more "multi-function". I won't blame Line 6 for petty stuff like this... seriously, it's easy to overcome & I've got way more important things to worry about in life.

As I have found with my LT... if something is connected to the EXP jack, the Helix expects to see some resistance values in order to work. The Stomp has the ability to actually add basic footswitches, not the full size Helix units.

Hmmmm..... Maybe I should try a simple switch again. When I get a moment I will. With the LT I only have EXP2 as an option. By chance, have you tried EXP 2 on the floor, or just EXP 3? EDIT TO ADD: Yes, I can assign the ON/OFF state of a block to EXP2 (which eliminates the need of auto engage)... However a simple latching switch does not work for me... that same switch with a 10K resister hard wired does work.

Wait.... what? (yes, I'm kidding)

Not only that.... but Without the firmware yet to be released your Helix is rendered useless. When that firmware is released... see #1

The Stomp is set up to use simple external switches.... but the Helix Floor/LT requires a little more effort. The switch must be wired with some resistance. The blocks you want to control need to be set to "auto-engage" when that resistance is applied... (or reversed with the EXP invert control) I was mistaken about this NOTE: If there is zero resistance on the "off" position.. the external EXP will disconnect. This can lead to unpredictable results. I wired the switch with 10k as my "on" position, and about 100ohm as my off position. This avoided these issues. If I am mistaken I'd be happy to say I'm wrong.... but the last time I worked on using an external EXP as an "on/off" with my LT... those were the issues I found. (they are not difficult to implement... but needed to be done)

As you have learned.... no, there is no way to do that on the Helix. FWIW... I always have two copies of my presets. One with the "AMP/CAB or IR"... and the same one without. Here is a very basic example of how I set up my presets... Preset 1A - 4B might hold all my "live" presets with amp/cab models. Presets 10A - 14B is an exact copy... but with the amp/cab models disengaged. Using HX Edit.... setting up that second set of presets only takes a few minutes - but of course that would be dependent on how many "live" presets you actually use. I don't use very many, so it's a practical solution for my situation :)

As with any sort of pitch shifting... the actual guitar doesn't change so if you can still hear it in any way, it will not sound right. Put on a set of headphones so you can only hear the processed tone, NONE of the natural tone from the guitar. As for the MIX... it MUST be set to 100% or the natural and effected tone will mix together... you do not want that. A mix of 42% (as shown in the image) will sound terrible.

To hear the actual noise the loop itself is generating... just put a jumper cable in the loop and turn the loop on/off. THAT is the noise produced by the loop. IME, there is a slight increase of "hiss" but not much. Any noise beyond that is being created by the items you have in the loop, or you may have introduced a ground loop. These are the general rules, but there are exceptions. Know your gear! INSTRUMENT level is best for "STOMP" effects.... LINE level is best for RACK effects.... An AMP Effects loop can be instrument or line... consult the manual The input of an AMP is instrument level

As @phil_m says... check to see if there is a bright light coming in from the right (or should I say wrong) angle. That has caught me many times, but only in sunlight myself. Another possibility... check how you have your EXP set in the global settings. GLOBAL: The setting will always read the current position of the expression pedal when you go from preset to preset. For volume pedals, this is very useful. PRESET: The value of the EXP will be stored when you press save, and will ALWAYS be recalled to that value (possibly 0) regardless of where the actual position of the pedal is. SNAPSHOT: Similar to preset... except every snapshot will store it's own value. In the case of PRESET and SNAPSHOT... even with the EXP toe down, if it was saved with a lower value, that is what will be recalled until you move the EXP pedal. IMO... the safest setting is GLOBAL. The current pedal position dictates the setting without (or at least with fewer) surprises.

FWIW... The first thing I adjust is the drive setting. It is rarely set where "I want it" for my guitar(s) and personal taste. There nothing FLAT about setting everything at 5 in amps. Every amp model is very different... and although some might sound decent with 12 O'clock settings, many will not. The tone stacks in each amp behave very differently... and are often highly interactive with each other. RARELY is 5 a flat setting on any amp. Although it is highly subjective, Line 6 had already given you many of the standard "starting points for the amps you load. But that starting point will sound very different depending on the guitar you are holding. No... the channel volume is quite transparent compared to the master volume. Use the GAIN and MASTER to shape your tone, then set the CHANNEL Volume to set the level. By turning down the master to 5 you have neutered the "power amp tone" of many of the amps.

40ms is pretty extreme, but yes, there is "natural latency". Considering notes can be pushed and pulled by a certain tolerance.... 40ms difference is not out of the question during a live performance.... in a studio that might get tracked again to be a little tighter... but it will rarely be "dead on". For reference... with a mid tempo strum on an acoustic, 40ms is close to the time difference between the sound of the low E and high E ringing out. It's natural in that context, but would sound a little off as part of a double track. Latency is a term I prefer to leave to software and hardware... it's always late from the original... the "delay". Humans can be early or late... it's a big part of what makes us sound like humans rather than machines.

Our priorities are very different.... there is no "just for the hell of it" in my vocabulary when it comes to core tone. I might add an <effect effect here> for the "hell of it", but not my core tone. As for multiple guitars.... IMO that's irrelevant. There are many ways to work around that one. Can you show us a picture of your preset(s)... or share a couple. I'd love to see what you "normally use" without the POLY PITCH, then what you feel you are forced to use with the POLY PITCH. With the Helix Floor, you should be able to have both great tone, and POLY PITCH.... you just might lose a couple bells and whistles along the way. If your presets really are required to be that complex, then something like the Digitech DROP (as mentioned by @cruisinon2 in the first reply) will likely be your best option. You can also change intervals within a preset with a little planning by using snapshots and/or stomp buttons.

There are many places volume can be adjusted in a preset besides the obvious blocks that you insert. Check the output blocks on each preset If there is a SPLIT path, then you need to check BOTH the SPLIT and MERGE settings If all effects are bypassed... the SPLIT still happens unless you actually turn it off. You have mentioned the input Z... but if you have that set to AUTO then it "may" change from preset to preset depending on many factors. Make sure you test with a FIXED setting. Admittedly I never use "analog bypass" so I don't have any direct experience with that.

Which device do you own? Helix (LT/Floor/Rack), a HX Stomp, or an HX Effects? Your hands are tied with an HX, but you should be able to work around it with a HELIX... and a little creativity. With my LT I'll admit that I couldn't just drop a POLY PITCH into any of my presets, but splitting up the presets to make room would not be a problem for me. Under no circumstances would my tone be jeopardized... my convenience "might" be. I would prioritize my needs... then re-structure my presets accordingly.

This is not difficult to do yourself... providing you have a DAW. If you own Helix Native it is particularly easy... just insert it on a track and pump some pink noise through it. If you don't own native you need to route some pink noise through the Helix, then view the results in the DAW. Most DAWs can generate pink noise and will have an EQ or Spectrum monitor to view the results in. I had to do this with the HD500 I owned prior to a Helix.... mostly because Line 6 got silly in the HD and most of the EQ's only had % values, you had no idea what frequencies you were adjusting let alone by how much. I'm into using my ears, but that was ridiculous :)

Why don't you ask the person that offered the preset download? EVH would have used a 4x12 Marshall cabinet. You can insert any 412 and it will get you in the ballpark. Doesn't have to be an IR.... you can use a CAB Block. Granted - having the IR used for the preset would be the best solution, again... but that's on the "author" of the preset, not the helix or it's IR management. Just to be clear... The author of the preset should have explained which IR was used. If it's a commercial IR they are not allowed to share it with you, but they should still tell you what they used so you can decide to go buy it if you want. Even if HX Edit did/could tell you the name that doesn't mean it would solve the problem. Every preset pack has hundreds if not thousands of IR's.... names are cryptic, and often users will change the name to something easier to remember. It's much easier when the authors simply tells you what they used and where they got it.

According to the Stomp manual (I use an LT so I need to reference the manual).... CC49 through CC53 are assigned/reserved to emulate FS1 through FS5. I could be wrong, but I don't believe you can re-assign the "footswitch emulation" values... but you should be able to assign a CC (that isn't reserved) to any effect block.