rd2rk

Been wondering how to do that! Thanks!

There's so many ways to do this. In my "Studio" (the living room) I use the 18i20 as ASIO Sound card (incidentally, better latency than the Helix). I run the SPDIF from Helix Floor to the 18i20 for a digital connection to the DAW. I also use a G10 with the 1/4" out to the Helix Guitar IN, and the XLR out to a channel on the 18i20. This has the advantage that if I WANT to use a VST with a minimal preset (say, Helix ODs to S-Gear) and/or record a clean track for re-amping with Native or another VST, I can, with no cable swapping ever. Meanwhile, I've got the Floor running 4cm to my tube amp with a separate XLR with Cab going to an FRFR112. BIG, FULL sound at 60-80db. The other inputs on the 18i20 get used for eDrums, Analog Synth and Vocals. The many outs on the 18i20 allow for 5 independent monitor mixes (in addition to my Studio Monitors), so I can rehearse a whole band (sans vocalist) nearly silently in my apartment! For audible playback I can route bass to the FRFR112, synths and eDRums to the Studio Monitors, and Guitar (via SPDIF OUT on the 18i20 to the Helix SPDIF In) back to the tube amp. If I want to. It's kind of overkill for playback. The laptop sound card provides streaming ability for YT, Spotify, etc.. I run the laptop sound card out to the 18i20, and that allows me to record my playing over the many backing tracks that are on the laptop. NOTE: this creates a noisy USB ground loop that I remedy with a Hum Destroyer between the laptop Out and the 18i20. I use my Stomp in my "office" (the dining room). The Stomp is the ASIO sound card. The office laptop sound card comes out to the Stomp's FX loop return with Return Type set to Aux In. With the Output block set to -120db (OFF), I record Guitar (L Input) on USB 5 or Bass (R Input) on 6, and record separate Streaming on USB 7+8 from the laptop. So, really, there aren't a whole lot of "limitations" between the two devices, just different ways of configuring and using them.

Attached screenshots of Reaper IO with Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 as soundcard, and with Helix as soundcard. Helix has only it's 8 USB inputs available, Focusrite has 18 USB inputs available. Are we talking about the same thing?

Clarification - Helix USB can be used with HX Edit REGARDLESS of whether Helix is the sound card. Helix USB can only be used to record directly to DAW when Helix IS the sound card. L6 did a good job keeping the two functions separate.

Another strong NO to ASIO4ALL. While going digital seems a logical choice, I can't tell the difference between recording a digital signal from the Helix and recording the Helix through the analog inputs on my Scarlett. Not that I'm opposed to digital tech (obviously, I have a Helix) but most of the recorded music I like best was recorded with a tube amp through a microphone and onto tape, then gouged into vinyl, tracked by a needle whose vibrations were converted into the electrical signals that were reproduced by a paper cone speaker, so.....

USB only works when the Stomp is set up as your sound card (interface). Floor and rack have digital connections which can be used with an external sound card that has compatible inputs. If you're using a MAC it's supposedly possible to set up an "aggregate device", allowing you to use both sound cards at once.

Since it's completely random, there's no way that anyone can reliably test for or try to duplicate it. I'd look for something in the signal chain. For instance, this happens with my G10 because it's designed to turn off to preserve battery life. But if the guitar volume is not completely off the G10 could stay on, which might cause the effect to appear random. It also happens when I play through my Rokit studio monitors because they're designed to shut off to prevent global warming. But if there's enough noise (hiss or ?) they won't shut off which again, causes the effect to appear random. You could open a support ticket but if it's completely random.....

The VM-Pro is a traditional Volume Pedal. It goes between your instrument and the Helix, or in an FX Loop. The SP1-L6H is what you want for your application as Volume, Wah or Expression pedal.

1) Guitar - wireless - BH2 - Helix Guitar Input. 2) The same one you'd use without the Helix.

No such problems here - passive Squier P/J - Strat - PRS w/HBs.

Master volume on most amps is after the FX Loop Return. Your amp appears to have separate Volume controls for each channel, with no overall Master Volume. The manual says that the FX Loop is wired "in series" with the preamp, so I'm going to guess that the Channel Volumes are before the FX Loop. If you can find the schematic that should tell you for sure.

The problem was being caused by the Stomp settings being different in each Snapshot, and two of them sending the same value. At the top of the CommandCenter is a Snapshot selector. You use this to configure the individual Snapshots. BUT..... In Global-Preferences you should set Snapshot Edits to RECALL - at least while you're configuring in CommandCenter - makes it easier since you don't have to SAVE the preset between Snapshot Edits. Otherwise, when you change to a different Snapshot, you lose the settings you've just made! If you've got a MIDI Monitor running (I use MIDIOX - it's FREE!) while you do the configuration, each time you change the Snapshot in CommandCenter you can see what the new Snapshot is sending, and switch back and forth to see the interactions in the Monitor. When you set a Stomp (or an IC) to send a type of message (PC, CC, NOTE, whatever) that Stomp (or IC) is now set in EVERY Snapshot. You can change the VALUES, but you can't change the message TYPE. Remember I said that CommandCenter will send the assigned VALUE once, but won't send it again until a DIFFERENT value has been sent? And that Stomp Values aren't sent on Snapshot changes, only ICs, and then only if the VALUE has changed? In addition, there's a special rule where NOTES are concerned. NOTES don't send on Snapshot changes - UNLESS they're in LATCHING mode. There's a lot of IF/THEN/ELSE logic going on there, and somewhere in all those algorithms is the bug. Something about the way the Stomps were configured was causing the Stomp messages to send on Snapshot changes. Although the NOTES were properly set in MOMENTARY MODE, they were sending anyway. BUT they were ONLY sending NOTE OFF, whereas in MOMENTARY mode they should have been sending NOTE ON/NOTE OFF (if they were going to be sending at all, which they shouldn't have been). That was a CLUE, but I didn't know what it meant! When I went in and made sure that the individual Stomps in EACH Snapshot had the SAME values, and that each Stomp sent a DIFFERENT value within the individual Snapshots, it fixed the problem. Did that sound confusing? YOU BETCHA! That's why it took me so long to figure out. The combination of CommandCenter and Snapshots is incredibly powerful, as is the IRS, and understanding it's LOGIC is nearly as difficult as understanding tax laws!

DAMN! I think I got it! IF the settings don't magically change overnight! I seriously hope they don't! NO UNINTENDED MIDI BEING SENT! In Stomp Mode, proper MIDI from every button in every Snapshot. IF the settings don't magically change overnight........ FINGERS CROSSED! STREETS MOD.hlx

EXCELLENT! I totally forgot you could do that! Thanks!

Happens so often here that I have 3 UPS units! Here's the latest working version, with the proper notes per your list, and a screenshot of what the first two snapshots are sending.

Here's a Screenshot of the NOTES bug in action. I set five Stomps to send NOTES C thru E. I set five Stomps to send CC#s 1 thru 5. Snapshot 1 starts the 4Note Osc, and sends C, FOUR TIMES! Snapshot 8 Stops the 4Note Osc, and sends NOTES C thru E! Snapshot 2 does the same as SS1, and SS8 again sends all five NOTES. When you select a Snapshot, the values on the Stomps are NOT supposed to send at all! And, if you set them to CCs, as you can see, they DON"T SEND! It's a BUG! So, if this works for you with your iPad App, OK. Maybe it was that weird sysex message that was causing the song change. Let me know.

That's in Command Center. Your Snapshots were set up properly, which is why they're working in the modded version I sent, but they were sending the MIDI NOTES attached to the Stomps, and that's what I was explaining about the MIDI NOTES bug. That's NOT supposed to happen! I worked on this a couple of versions ago, and If you send me that list, I might be able to get it to work, or at least be able to establish that it's the SAME bug, and remind L6 that it's NOT fixed! The reason I need the list is that it doesn't appear that each Stomp is sending a different NOTE, which is part of the bug, the NOTES CHANGE after they're entered and saved, so I need to know what NOTES you originally intended for each command.

Went back and looked at the original, and I see what you're trying to do with the MIDI Stomps. Send me a list of the Command Names and NOTES you need assigned to them and I'll try to get it to work.

OK , I had some time to play with this, and this is what I found: First, I'm on v2.81 of both the FW and HX Edit. It Shouldn't matter that you're on 2.80, but who knows? In HX Edit, most of the Snapshots threw an error message, quick flash (improper parameter) then a generic Snapshot error. All the Snapshots were playing the same chord. It was sending way crazy MIDI messages, including a sysex message, which Helix technically (AFAIK) can't do! Since you didn't mention needing to send MIDI NOTE messages to external devices, I deleted all of those. That took care of the crazy MIDI messages it was sending. Be aware that Helix has a longstanding bug which I thought they'd fixed. Sending MIDI NOTES with Snapshots causes crazy stuff to happen. When I looked in the Bypass Controller Assign section I found a NOTE SYNC controller connected to the MOD CHORUS ECHO. I deleted that and that took care of the Snapshot Error message. All the chords appear to be playing correctly, and the NO CHORDS Snapshot stops them. I assume that's what you intended? I don't know what's up with the NOTE SYNC thing, you'll need to work on that. Try the attached modded version. Let me know if it's all good, and get back again when you solve the NOTE SYNC thing, I'm curious about that. . STREETS NO NAME.hlx

That preset is totally corrupted. What versions of the FW and Editor are you on?

Exactly what MIDI message is being sent? If you attach a copy of the preset, I can look at it.

If it's the noise I'm thinking of, it's a ground loop. Usually a ground loop is 60 cycles, but the USB involved type is kind of a high frequency whine, like a giant mosquito. I've had it in multiple configurations (complicated studio setup). Most recently I was running the computer's audio out to my Scarlett mixer/AI. Though my Helix wasn't the AI, I was getting the noise. I put a cheap Pyle "Hum Destroyer" that I got on Amazon for a few bucks between the computers audio out and the Scarlett input, and that solved the problem.

Recording two instruments separately/concurrently without effects is no problem - an empty preset with the Output block set all the way down - -120db, One track set to Input 5 (Left Input), another track set to Input 6 (Right Input), you're good to go. Use VSTs for effects. The rest I can't figure, don't think it can be done.

Disclaimer: I don't own either of the devices you're trying to control, so everything that follows is conjecture based on a quick look at the RC202 manual. Assuming that CC#80 has been assigned to the RECORD/PLAY function of the RC202: ICs in CommandCenter follow certain rules. If SS1 sends a CC#80 + a Value on IC1, IC one will send that CC# in ALL Snapshots, but ONLY if the Value changes. For example - when the preset loads it also loads SS1 (because SS1 was active when the preset was last saved). CC#80 is sent with the assigned Value (say 0). SS2 will not resend CC#80 UNLESS the Value is different. Re-selecting SS1 will not resend CC#80 UNLESS the Value in SS2 was different. That means that If the RC toggles regardless of the Value sent (and a quick look at the manual indicates that this MIGHT be the case), then you're good, because you can send different Values with each Snapshot. BUT....if it requires a SPECIFIC Value, such as 127, to toggle PLAY/STOP, you're screwed. As to the MMC messages, same applies. Once the PLAY message is sent, no further MMC messages will be sent until a different MMC is sent. I've attached a demo preset. SS1 sends CC#80 with a Value of 0 and MMC PLAY. This happens as soon as the Preset is loaded. SS2 sends CC#80 with a Value of 127. No MMC message is sent with SS2. Ideally, this will cause the RC202 to start recording and the Akai to start playing, in sync, when the Preset is loaded, and SS2 will end recording on the RC202 and start playback, with the Akai still in sync. Let me know if it works! . RC-Akai.hlx

You're going to need to be a lot more specific about EXACTLY what you need to happen on each Snapshot change. What you're asking CAN be done, but the devil is in the details.