HonestOpinion

Not sure if you can do this with stomp assigns but you can do it with snapshots. I was able to get it working. It is easiest to configure this in the Editor. Make sure that "Global Settings" --> 'EXP Pedals' --> 'EXP 1 Pedal Position" is NOT set to "Per Snapshot". Do the same thing for 'EXP 2 Pedal Position'. Set up two volume blocks. Use the Editor's "Bypass/Controller Assign" tab to assign the 'Position' parameter on one volume block to 'EXP 2'(the default) and assign the 'Position' parameter for the second volume block to 'EXP 1'. In this example 'EXP 2' will be used for the "Guitar" snapshot and 'EXP 1' will be used for the "Backing" snapsots(naming details below). Make sure both volumes blocks are active and NOT bypassed. Save this snapshot and name it for example "Guitar" Now select another snapshot and name it for example "Backing" Now in the "Backing" snapshot make sure again both volume blocks are active and NOT bypassed. In the "Backing" snapshot now click on the toe switch for the Helix expression pedal. The expression pedal scribble strip should show it switching from 'EXP 2' to 'EXP 1'. Save this snapshot. Now when you want to switch the expression pedal from controlling the guitar to controlling the backing tracks, switch snapshots - do NOT click the toe switch for the expression pedal. When you switch snapshots the volume level for the block you set with the expression pedal from the prior snapshot will be retained and you will now be able to control the other volume block without impacting the one you just set . Switching back to the other snapshot again will retain the most recently controlled volume block setting and return you to controlling the other volume block. Note: I believe this should work on either "Discard" or "Recall" mode in 'Global Settings' --> 'Preferences' --> 'Snapshot Edits'. You may see this setting in certain combinations with the settings listed in Step #1 that do not respond as described above. I didn't test all the possible global setting combinations. Btw, I imagine you might be able to pull this off as well with snapshots using two separate 'Output' blocks instead of 'Volume' blocks but I set it up using volume blocks.

You may have tried any or all of these: Try reducing the 'FC High' parameter on your wah block till it sounds right to you. This may cut some of the highs you don't like. Make sure you don't have a 'Volume' and a 'Wah' block both assigned to the same expression input for example 'EXP 1' at the same time. This can definitely muck your sound and will be controlling both the volume and the wah simultaneously when you rock the pedal. You probably don't want that. By default Helix will set up the 'Volume' block on 'EXP 2' and the 'Wah' on 'EXP 1'. Try making the Wah your first block in the signal chain with the impedance on the 'Input' block set to 'Auto'. See #3 but you may want to experiment with where the wah pedal is positioned in your signal chain.

Thanks for staying on this. I use tap tempo all the time. As long as this is just a problem with the tempo LED not reflecting the tempo accurately I feel less of a sense of urgency then if the tempo was actually drifting but I hope they can get them synched up properly at some point.

I'm with you, having the option to place the mic off axis would be great! I also think the capability to place the mic in different positions starting from the cone out to the edge of the speaker would give the Helix cabs infinitely more flexibility. The ability to place the mic at different positions from cone to edge, on or off axis, in addition to the "Distance" parameter which already exists and determines the distance from the mic to the grill would open up all kinds of possibilities. Granted IRs already offer this but you have to roll through each one individually and it would be nice to have those capabilities onboard in the Helix cabs without having to swap IRs in and out to the limited number of IR slots available. For me adding this kind of flexibility to the Helix cabs would come well ahead of most other items on my wishlist. Polyphonic processing is right up there at the top of my wishlist as well. It would not only open the door for all kinds of great new harmonizer, synth, and whammy effects but also apparently according to Line6 potentially help to stabilize the tracking on the tuner and perhaps some of the existing effects. Polyphonic effects and a more stable and perhaps even a polyphonic tuner option would be grand!

Thanks for the update!

There are some nice "amp in a pedal" options which include both amp and/or cab simulations. One of them along with an HX Effects would make for a nice compact gigging/practicing option. Placed a couple of links below but their are many others on the market now to choose from. The HX Effects with an amp-only simulator pedal along with a PowerCab+ would be an enticing option as well. At some point though you start leaning towards a Helix or LT which has amp and cab simulation built in. The HX Effects was definitely primarily targeted towards the pedalboard into a guitar amp crowd. No reason it can't be used in any fashion you prefer though. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BinaryAmp--hotone-binary-amp-simulator-pedal https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SansAmpGT2--tech-21-sansamp-gt2-tube-amp-emulator-pedal

TC Electronics is making something called the Aeon now that is supposed to be a next generation version of the Ebow. https://www.tcelectronic.com/Categories/Tcelectronic/Guitar/Stompboxes/AEON/p/P0DAS

Glad you posted, a lot of amps don't have the ability to control something like four separate channels using a single TRS out from a controller/modeler like the Helix. If the OP's does then as you posted I have to agree that the Helix might work fine without a MIDI to TRS/TS convertor.

Personally I probably won't live to see it but am looking forward to a future with nanotech speakers that can actually physically reconfigure themselves into a Celestion Alnico Blue, Black Shadow, Eminence, Jensen, or whatever you dial up on your modeler. That is if guitar playing even sticks around for that long :-)

LOL, not to be taken lightly and important to have it posted but it reminds me a little of the extended warnings in pharmaceutical commercials.

There are no fixed rules, you can try anything that sounds right to you for a given song but there are some conventions that are often followed that tend to mimic how effects are used in a conventional pedalboard/rack and guitar amp setup. Amp/cab blocks often tend to be put after things like wahs, envelope filters, compressors and distortions. In the case of compressors however many players are starting to put something like the LA Comp at the end of their signal chain to smooth out or in a fashion "master" the overall tone, sometimes in addition to a compressor placed before the amp/cab. Effects in the modulation category such as chorus or flanger, and reverbs and delays, often get placed after the amp/cab block. Similar to how they might be used in a guitar amp's effect loop. Again though there are no fixed rules and plenty of great sounding alternative suggestions out there. Some blocks track better or interact sonically more ideally when they are placed in certain locations. Sometimes those locations can be quite surprising such as placing a block between an amp and a cab. The best approach is to experiment until you get your ideal sound.

Great question and now that I look at some of the old topics I started it would appear as far as I can tell that the "Solved" button is not implemented in the new version of the forum. I hope they put this feature back in at some point or perhaps if someone else has spotted it they can let us know what the new procedure is.

Glad you got this figured out! You can happily mark this topic solved. Now that you mention it I have had similar issues pop up where, for example, after examination it turned out there was a critical EQ block bypassed in only one snapshot within a preset that never seemed to sound as good as the rest of the snapshots. This will be helpful to someone else if this sort of scenario pops up again.

I don't happen to agree with the OP's thesis but it hardly seems worth getting wrapped around the axle about. This thread is reminding me yet again why I generally avoid religion, nationalism, and politics like the plague on the forum. Nope, I take that back, plague is often preferable to the results of those conversations. Every time I dip a toe in that pool it comes back burnt. Amazing how well people on this forum from all over the word and political spectrum can get along and respect each other's opinion when those types of topics are not being discussed. As to Guitarkyller's point I personally like it when someone injects the occasional moment of humor or distraction into what is otherwise a relentlessly technical forum. You need a bit of that, just like a joke opening up a speech or a bit of comedy in a horror film. However I can appreciate why he made the point he did in this particular topic given where it was headed, even if I do think there is room here and there for a non-Helix related aside. All I can say is this forum generally operates a lot more harmoniously than the dialog between countries, religions, or political parties. This is overwhelmingly a polite and decent bunch of folks. I know this to be true because they tolerate me :-)

There is only one amp switching output on the Helix and HX Effects although someone posted a method for using the CV output on the Helix as well a while back. The simplest way to do more complex switching operations if your amp is not MIDI enabled is to use something like the RJM switcher. There are other manufacturers making MIDI to TRS/TS amp switchers as well. http://www.rjmmusic.com/products/amp-gizmo/

Just use the left 1/4 output which will sum to mono, or if going stereo both, of the 1/4 outputs for your monitors.

Oh yeah, that could easily result in the sound the OP described and an easy mistake to make. I always have an electric in the Guitar input and an acoustic plugged into the Aux input for performances so thankfully I haven't stumbled into that one yet.

If you are not accidentally touching one of the cap sensitive switches which will switch the focus to the block it is assigned to, then this might be a hardware issue. If this is only happening in the list of effects it may more likely be an issue with the joystick. Also, as you probably already know, the joystick is relatively sensitive. You may want to open a ticket with Line6. There have been relatively rare reports of the switches getting contaminated or failing where they will acquire a mind of their own and behave as if they are activated without being touched. Of course you may be experiencing something else but it sounds like either a hardware problem with a switch or more likely the joystick.

This sounds very much like what has happened to some Helix users when the soundman turned on the phantom power in the channel the Helix was plugging into on the mixer. Phantom power can totally muck your Helix sound. Make sure he checks that next time you plug in. Some mixers don't allow phantom power on individual channels and turn it on for a whole bank of channels. Also wanted to share an experience I had at a gig a few years ago. Guitar was distorted with low output for practically the duration of the performance. Soundman tried everything except what seemed obvious after the fact. My cable was not inserted all the way into the DI box(the one he provided and hooked up). It was inserted just enough to look like it was okay. Worth re-seating cables when all else fails, even if everything looks fine.

I'll trade our liberal return policies for New Zealand's excellent health care system any day of the week :-) Small consolation, we get to be paupered by a pre-existing condition or unexpected major illness but at least we have exactly the toaster we wanted :-) Oh, and btw, on a less serious note, thanks for "Lord Of The Rings", "Once Were Warriors", and "Flight Of The Conchords" :-)

I have a few theories about why the Line6 staff have largely abandoned commenting on the Helix forum in favor of the The Gear Page. One theory is that since they have access to the membership numbers perhaps they determined that their reach is much larger on TGP. The "The Helix Hour" and the podcast have also provided additional outlets for more pre-planned statements. Also their focus has switched to newer products and those under development. Another theory is that there was some kind of Line6 directive that could of come from legal or management or even Line6 support that instructed Line6 employees that they opened the company and themselves up to more legal liability when posting on their own Line6 forum in an "official" capacity. Strictly speculation on my part, I have no way of knowing ultimately what drove the shift by Line6 staff away from the forum. Could be nothing other than there own personal preference for all I know but it seems like something more. Shame though, I do miss them chiming in relatively frequently as they used to with tips and info that only a Line6 employee would be privy to.

I know what you mean there have been a lot of fizz and similar threads lately. Although a couple of them may be trolls I think many of the posts are by legit users. I noticed that many of them have one or more registered products. No guarantee there but those tend to be real users as they have provided names and addresses to Line6 and generally don't have the anonymous login that is so often the hallmark of the troll. Certain issues do tend to become themes for a while once the forum "group think" gets a hold of them. People with similar issues or gripes tend to be encouraged to post once they see others with their issue, sometimes a topic started by a legit user and even if the topic gets kicked off by a troll. Tuner, fizz, polyphonic, SP/DIF, etc. are all topics that have trended for a while and then subsided. Some themes no doubt will be reoccurring for the life of the product.

You may have already tried this but try adjusting your audio interface down, maybe way down. Coincidentally this sort of issue just go mentioned at about 26 minutes in on the new "Helix Hour" video and there was a recommendation to turn down the input/output level on audio interfaces, in some cases, all the way down, when they are used with Native. https://www.youtube.com/embed/mAsn-LwsXmY

I think returning it may be a bit premature. I loaded the preset the OP posted and I got roughly the same results he did. I think the problem could be just with the preset although it is always possible that it could be hardware related as well and due to more than one issue. It might be worth leadplayer420's time to try some of the suggestions for modifying the preset and see if that helps first.

Ok, I printed it out and you are absolutely right, the second I looked at the printed version it was obvious, the orientation of the text is already exactly as I was suggesting. But you had already done that. Even the reversing of the logo for the audience was a nice touch. My bad, please ignore my earlier suggestion, thanks for your patience, and my apologies again for any confusion on my part. I should have taken a closer look at your screenshot. The text shows up tiny on my screen in the image that was posted and I was incorrect in how I thought it was oriented. Time for some reading glasses. It is already the most useful way to have gone about it, perfect! This is fantastic! Great job!