HonestOpinion

I believe I also remember reading that the Helix only uses two taps instead of averaging multiples. If that is the case that is an area that could bear improvement.

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for the graphic. What application are you using to put the balloons with text into the picture?

There are a couple of ways you can go with snapshots. If you can fit your clean, metal rhythm, lead, and solo sounds into one preset than you can assign each one to a snapshot. Assign parameters like amp settings to snapshots that way for instance you can crank up the 'Drive' on the amp and adjust its tone controls when for instance you switch between a clean and solo snapshots. I actually stuff up to three amps in one preset for this purpose, all going through one cab. The trick is learning to assign parameters and effect blocks to snapshots so you don't have to use a stomp as often. In this scenario I would select the 'Stomp/Snap' mode as this will keep your stomp pedal assignments on the top row as you are used to and put the snapshots on the bottom row where you used to keep your presets. Hitting either bank button will pull up the presets for switching. In addition to being able to control many parameters simultaneously the advantages of having everything in one preset is that there is almost no latency switching from one snapshot to another and the 'Trails' function on the delays and reverbs only works within a preset, not across presets. If your current presets use too much DSP to use the above approach (collapsing your four sounds -- clean, rhythm, lead, solo into one preset as snapshots) then probably your best alternative might be to select 'Snap/Preset'. This will put your snapshots on the top row (the top row being the one you used to use for your stomps) but allow you to change presets from the bottom row. You would then have to use your snapshots to select and change effects much the way you used to use stomp switches to change them but with much more control of other parameters as well as simply bypassing/activating the stomps. This will allow you to select multiple effects as well as a variety of parameters all at one time from the top row of snapshots and still be able to quickly change presets with the bottom row. You would still be able to hit the 'Mode' footswitch if you need access to all your assigned stomps with either the first or this approach. Good luck! Experimenting with the Global Settings --> Footswitches parameters will probably give you a fairly quick idea of what setup works best for you. Snapshots rock, when I switch snapshots I simultaneously switch amp and cab parameters, EQ block settings, distortion pedal parameters, reverb and delay mix, noise gate settings -- the permutations are endless. Snapshots give you way more control over how many things can change when you hit a single footswitch (within one preset). You can assign up to 64 parameters to a snapshot. Plan to spend a little time getting comfortable with using snapshots and learning how to stuff and route all your blocks into one preset instead of across presets. Note: Don't forget the new Alt-Click and Shift-Alt-Click keyboard shortcuts in the Editor for assigning/unassigning parameters to snapshots. They make the process much faster and easier.

Not the case for me and I believe others who have tried it, not sure what is going on in your setup. You still have to short each snapshot you intend to step on but you do not have to save each snapshot. As long as your Global Settings > Preferences > 'Snapshot Edits' parameter is set to 'Recall' you can save once per preset. It may be possible you have encountered the following behavior (if not it is still worth mentioning) which can make it look like the fix is not taking. If you switch to a preset that you have not fixed yet, step on a snapshot, and get the bug (only 'EXP 1' showing and volume pedal not working) then unless you fix the current preset, even switching to another fixed preset will still leave your expression pedal scribble strip only showing 'EXP 1'. Once you activate the bug it is 'sticky' for all presets, even ones that have been fixed. For the fixed presets plugging in the cable once and shorting it will restore normal operation, even without a save. Once you get the expression pedal back to normal behavior using the shorting fix then your other fixed presets will behave as well.

Looks like your update went smoothly, well done sir. One note, you can usually take a screenshot by pressing the 'PrintScreen' button on your computer's keyboard, often abbreviated to 'PrtScn'. Then cut and past the screen grab into an application like Word or Paint and save it. The print screen functionality is not in the Editor. Phones work great as well though, it is just a bit easier to see the larger screenshots. :)

Btw, here is a simple solution (not sure if it applies for you) that uses all of the DSP available on the Helix by using a Super Serial x2 setup but allows you to split it as you wish between two different inputs and outputs. In other words you can use 90% of the Helix's DSP for the guitar and 10% for the monitor input intended for the IEMs. Not quite sure how you would mix the guitar and mixing board output with this example but it may give you some ideas. http://line6.com/customtone/tone/1460280/

Not sure exactly how you have things routed looking at your preset. It appears to have three separate outputs blocks. Although it is labeled 'Super Serial x2' the first route (Route 1) does not appear to be routing to Route 2. The 'X' on the input block without the arrow pointing down from the output block on Route 1 would indicate that there is nothing designated for the input block on Route 2. Perhaps you were just using this photo to demonstrate the lack of DSP because I am not sure where you were inputting your monitor feed in from. Were the blocks on Route 2 being used to process the signal coming from your mixing board (monitor feed) for the IEMs? The path I envisioned with the 2 return loops at the end would have been a true Super Serial x2 setup (Route 1 passing output to Route 2) with processing for the guitar which goes out the first loop but no processing after the second loop which is where the monitor feed from the board comes in. Effect blocks after the loop would also impact your guitar signal (in addition to the monitor mix from the board), probably not optimal or desired in my suggested setup. I assumed your monitor signal from the board would already have been processed and you were simply looking for a way to mix your guitar signal and the signal from the board via the Helix.

Can you move the looper to Route 1? That would probably free up enough DSP on Route 2. You have to delete it and then add it to the other route. The looper block does not allow a copy and then delete.

You can set things up with any combination of two out of the three categories (stomp, snap, preset) grouped in four switches top, four switches bottom. Meaning you can have snaps/stomps, stomps/snaps, presets/stomps, presets/snaps, etc.. The 10 versus 8 switches setting for stomps is working the same as it always has for me. Perhaps the blurb from the manual below might explain what you are seeing. The preferences for your footswitches' behavior can be found under Global Settings --> Footswitches. "By default, Preset footswitch mode displays eight presets (four on each row). Choose from "8 Presets," "Preset/Stomp" (one bank of presets on the top row, switches from stomp mode on the bottom row), "Stomp/Preset" (switches from stomp mode on the top row, one bank of presets on the bottom row), "Preset/Snap" (one bank of presets on the top row, Snapshots 1-4 on the bottom row), "Snap/Preset" (Snapshots 1-4 on the top row, one bank of presets on the bottom row), "Snap/Stomp" (Snapshots 1-4 on the top row, switches from stomp mode on the bottom row), "Stomp/Snap" (switches from stomp mode on the top row, Snapshots 1-4 on the bottom row), and "8 Snapshots" (Snapshots 1-8)."

I may not understand exactly what you are trying to do and you may already have thought of this and rejected it. This approach would use one two send/return loops set up right before the output block. The first send return loop would strictly use the loop's send and would output your guitar signal, so the send jack from this loop would go to your FRFR, amp, or the mixing console and would only have the guitar sound. The second send/return loop block (right before the output block) would use the return as the input from your mixing board (assume this is your monitoring mix). The output block (or the send from the second loop block) would then be able to have a mix of your guitar signal and the monitor mix from your board. You would send the monitor mix from your board to the Helix (second loop return) without the guitar in it as you will be mixing the guitar in with the rest of the monitor mix on the Helix. Not sure if I have this right but it sounds like a possibility.

Chuckle, I think Phil_m posted the official link to the fix as I was editing my post to include the unofficial one. A couple of tips that came out of the unofficial post are that you if have several presets to fix you can either use a screwdriver or a piece of aluminum foil to bridge the tip and collar of the cable's jack plugged into EXP 2. That way you don't have to keep plugging/unplugging it. Also make sure your 'Snapshot Edits' parameter in Global Settings --> Preferences is set to 'Recall' so you can save once for each preset. Otherwise you will have to save in between fixing each snapshot. You can set it back to 'Discard' after the fix if you prefer it that way.

Not yet but reliable word has it that they are working on one hopefully to arrive shortly. I would not have expected it on the Monday following Thanksgiving. My guess is they are probably trying to fix some other minor bugs that were reported as well. Not to speak of the fact that the developers are still recovering from tryptophan poisoning. The temporary workaround is here: http://line6.com/support/topic/24048-fw-210-expression-pedal-question/page-1

Yep, the proper update order so far is: Backup(twice for redundancy) --> Install latest version of Helix app (Updater, Driver, Editor) --> Firmware Update --> Global Reset --> Restore Backups --> Power Cycle (turn Helix off and on). Rule of thumb right now is you are probably safest not editing your restored backups until you are no longer seeing the rebuild messages upon bootup. After this standard upgrade process has been performed you will always want to do a 'power cycle' any time you load backups from a prior firmware version so they have a chance to go through the rebuild process (which you can see on your screen during the bootup). Even if you load prior version backups months after doing the upgrade process do yourself a favor and reboot (power cycle) at least once before editing them.

This is not directed to anyone on this topic as they are experienced users but I thought the eminently accurate verbiage they used in the posts here brought up a point worth emphasizing. For anyone new to the Helix who has been following these posts about doing a power cycle after loading presets from a prior firmware version please be aware that what is being recommended is just turning the Helix off and then back on again so that the presets rebuild after a load. The recommended action is a 'power cycle' NOT a global reset. A global reset will delete any presets and IRs you have loaded as well as resetting all of of your Global settings. You do NOT need to do a global reset after loading old presets although you should absolutely do a global reset immediately following a firmware update (make sure you have backups of your presets and IRs first!). My apologies if I made what will undoubtedly be an obvious point to experienced users but I did not want to be responsible for people new to the Helix going through unnecessary contortions or accidentally wiping their presets out.

The easiest method I have found for auditioning many IRs at once is to use the 'Pedal Edit' mode. This method is nice because it does not require any hands and you can just play while you audition the IRs. I find the looper to be very handy for auditioning IRs (and presets) as well. Other methods work well too if you prefer spinning the knob by hand, using the Editor, or only have a couple of IRs to preview. Load up the IRs you would like to audition in some 'temporary' slots in the Helix Editor. You can delete the ones you don't intend to use when you finish with the preview process. Press and hold the 'Mode' footswitch. Select the footswitch with your IR or hit the 'MORE...' footswitch if you don't see it on the first screen and then select it. All the parameters for an IR block should be showing now. Press the 'IR SELECT' footswitch. Use the 'VALUE-' and 'VALUE+' footswitches to cycle through your IRs and audition them. Don't forget to save if you find an IR you like. You can do it with your foot if you press and hold the 'EXIT' footswitch.

A totally legitimate approach, it is well worth getting acquainted with the Helix cabs. Although I have purchased third party IRs I also think the cabs on the Helix are excellent and have the added advantage of being able to easily switch mics, mic distance, and the amount of early reflection, which can be employed in snapshots such that different snapshots use different mics/distances/reflections (awesome snapshot feature). Of course, snapshots can also be used to swap IRs so that much of the same result can be achieved with a bit more effort with IRs (it requires loading and sorting/previewing the IRs).

Sounds like Phil_m and SymphonicDiscord may have the answer for reducing noise from the returns as well as cutting down on the required number of blocks. In addition, in regards to not having enough space for blocks you may have already been aware of this but using something like the 'Super Serial (X2)' template in the Templates preset list will give you all four paths available for blocks for a total of 32 available blocks. Essentially the diagram showing on pg.19 of the manual.

My first thought when I see issues like this is that somewhere along the way in the firmware upgrade process, perhaps in a prior firmware upgrade the global reset process was not run. That theory may be totally erroneous however. Perhaps there are certain parameter/block/MIDI combinations in a preset, perhaps a character that prevents the proper creation of the code in particular backup files. Or maybe the export process did not complete properly. Really I have no idea, just trying to throw out some possibilities as to how this could happen. Perhaps the best way to figure it out is to send your failed presets to Line6 for a post-mortem.

Thanks for bringing more attention to this. The volume pedal not working after it starts not displaying properly actually is part of this issue. A bug fix is supposedly on its way in short order. The original post in this topic (see above) mentions the impacted expression pedal function associated with this bug.

Sounds like you already tried this but did you try restarting while holding the 6&12 footswitches (safe boot) or were you looking for a different combination of actions that allowed the safe boot to work?

A more accurate title for this topic may have been "IMPORTANT NOTE ON NEW FIRMWARE 2.10: Restart a 2nd time after the Global Reset and/or after restoring backups from a prior firmware version before you start tweaking presets!" The rebuild seems to occur the first time you reboot after restoring backups from a prior version of the firmware. Ordinarily this is something I do immediately following a global reset but restarting any time you restore backups from a prior firmware version and allowing them to go through the rebuild process may be a good practice; at least for now.

I have been going to town designing some new presets in the 2.10 firmware release which has some brilliant new features. It may seem like a small thing but the addition of the Alt-click and Shift-Alt-Click keyboard combinations to assign/unassign parameters to a snapshot is an awesome, fantastic, and incredibly helpful addition to the Editor. It has vastly improved the Editor workflow! I can't express how happy I am to see this seemingly small change. It is actually a huge timesaver for those of us who enthusiastically jumped aboard the snapshot train when the 2.0 firmware arrived. It makes it so easy to assign parameters to snapshots that I think it will actually encourage more people to use the snapshot feature. No more shifting tabs and scrolling through lists to assign a parameter to a snapshot when using the Editor. Just a great addition, thank you very much Line6!! :) :P :D

Using three digits for pre-pending IR names is probably the most elegant method right now for enabling painless restores as they show up in the proper order in your PC's directory and can be properly matched to their Helix IR slot. However, due to the short (too short) namespace available for IRs although I advocate the numbering system I don't use three digits (e.g. '001', '002') for every slot. I use one digit for slots 1-9, two digits for 10-99, and finally three digits for numbers '100' and over. Those extra characters are precious, as it is I am constantly having to trim the names already. IR makers and device makers either need to get on the same page regarding IR naming conventions or Line6 needs to add characters to the IR namespace as well as enhance the management system. IRs are a phenomenal capability but managing them on the Helix right now is just awful. Looking forward like everyone else here to some improvements in this area.

That is actually a pretty typical numbering system for harmonizers. The '5' on a harmonizer would generally never be a 5th as the harmonizers numbers represent half steps. A 5th is 7 half steps above the root in a major/minor scale, so a 5th is represented by the number '7' (half steps) in a harmonizer . A whole step between each note in the scale with the exception of E-F, and B-C. Each half step in a harmonizer is represented by its own number so you can use the harmonizer with various scales including sharp and flat keys. I hear you though, it does cause you to have to do a little calculation.

Gotcha, I never noticed a '1' in the subversion name on the 2.0 Editor although I had the Windows, not the Mac version, not sure if that made any difference. Just wanted to make sure you had matching firmware/Editor versions as there was both a 2.0 and a 2.01 version. Anyway the important thing here is you appear to have the correct version of the Editor for your firmware. Maybe you will have better luck with the next firmware/Editor. I would wait until they get some of the bugs worked out first though. Looks like PeterHamm's suggestion of trying a powered USB hub might be worth a shot as well. Good luck getting this sussed out! :)