ricksteruk

It's worth remembering that all paths are actually stereo! So splitting a signal to 1a and 1b just means you have two stereo signals. It's a bit confusing at first - but you need to add a "pan" block on each path (one panned L and one panned R) if you want them to be treated as left and right channels. EDIT - I took so long typing my reply that phil's more eloquent explanation made mine superfluous!!

Yeah that's what basically happens in a usual setting - you're all grooving along nicely - then someone makes a loop and then suddenly everyone has to stop grooving and concentrate to the loop like mad or you all go out of time with the loop and it sounds god awful.

I second that.. "Nooooooo!" I don't want to think about this - but the other day as I was going through patches I was pressing a FS (not sure which) trying to select an effect and it seemed like it would turn / on then off right away as I pressed the switch - took about 6 attempts to get it to engage. Methinks I had better check the switches out properly now :(

I'll give them a go today hopefully. I've not loaded any IRs into Helix yet so I have a whole (BIG) new world to explore

That's a bummer about the MIDI. I've not bothered to connect my Helix to my mac much yet - just did the firmware update when I first got it and then a couple of quick test USB recordings on Logic (which worked fine with my Core Audio). I am still running 10.9.5 so maybe that's why I've not had problems yet. I will want to use MIDI at some point - I'm thinking of running a complex Mobius looper set up using my Helix as the main computer interface with a couple of other MIDI controllers for other band members - so I hope it does get sorted!

SEND Block to more places - e.g. 1/4in for easy IR bypass http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/SEND-Block-to-more-places-e-g-1-4in-for-easy-IR-bypass/818624-23508 (I posted this idea yesterday and it's in review already! DI voted for it :)) Allow the SEND and RETURN blocks to connect to more of the Helix inputs and outputs. SEND should also go to 1/4in, XLR, USB, Digital. RETURN should also return from AUXin, Variax, Digital, USB This would make Helix's routing even more powerful. Scenario 1: A simple way to set up 1/4 in jacks to amp on stage and XLRs with Cab/IR to FOH. You could leave the Helix path output set to "XLR" and then just add a send block before your IR or Cab block that was set to send to 1/4in jack outputs. Simples! One reason for doing this is that you don't have to use a whole Path line just simply to do Scenario1. Meaning the other Paths can be used for parallel fx routing or maybe processing a mic as well. Of course to save a path you could connect your amp via a Send socket that you can already select with a Send block - but then you lose the ability to control the stage amp level with the Helix volume knob. Scenario2: Set up a USB device in a Send / Return loop easily. Think of the possibilities.......

Press the menu - go to Command Center. Use the joystick to select the footswitch in question. Knob 6 will be labelled "Customise" - hit that then type in the name and select colour :)

Yes! It's the first step that will be easy (ish) to sort out. All the routing, outputs, switches, paths, FX types and so on should be relatively simple to copy across to a new system (assuming it is more rather than less flexible and powerful) The second part - sure things will sound different.. but it's way easier just to add a bit more gain, less bass, and more delay mix to your patch than create the whole thing from scratch again.

Yeah! Glad you're happier with the tones now :) I would strongly recommend using the Helix volume knob as it is intended - so you can turn your volume down when you want to practice and turn it up when you're gigging. Turning it down on the amp block itself has no actual difference to turning it down on the main volume anyway - you are not achieving anything except making life hard for yourself! You can choose for the volume knob just work on either the 1/4in jacks or the XLR (or Digital or Multi) - go to "Global Settings" and scroll across to page 3. I have my vol knob set to 1/4in so that I can adjust my stage amp volume from the Helix, but the XLRs are not affected so my level in the PA remains constant.

It would be really nice if this was possible - but he Helix does not have the same amps / fx so it's not really worth the effort for L6 to make it happen.

That would be great! Yes please - Line 6 - when the Helix 2 comes out in 5 years with it's 8 tiger shark processors, touch screen and built in coffee maker, please can you make it backwards compatible, so that it can approximate all the good stuff from the current Helix - so we can just load in our current patches and go from there as a starting point.

Why not actually just use a parked wah? Much easier Set up a normal Helix wah block of your choosing - probably first in the signal chain I would say. Use the expression pedal to find the frequency where you want to park the wah. Now go onto the footswitch assign page select the Wah and disable the link from the EXP toe pedal - set to none Then go to the controller assign page and on the "Position" Parameter disable the link from the Exp pedal 1 - set to none Your wah tone will now be parked :)

Yeah that's easy to do. Just put all the FX you want in Path 1 (or 1A and 1B if you want to run some parallel fx) then send that to Path 2. Put an amp sim (and cab) on path 2 then drag it down to create path 2b. Path 2a will be for your matchless amp, 2b for the sim. Set the Path 2a outputs to 1/4in Jack to feed to your matchless. Move the merge block on Path 2a down to path 2b to create an output on Path 2b Set the Path 2b output to XLR to feed your PA / mixer / speakers

Hi all, I just spent a fair while reading all 32 pages of ideas and no-one seems to have though of this one so I thought I should start it off. http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/SEND-Block-to-more-places-e-g-1-4in-for-easy-IR-bypass/818624-23508 Allow the SEND and RETURN blocks to connect to more of the Helix inputs and outputs. SEND should also go to 1/4in, XLR, USB, Digital. RETURN should also return from AUXin, Variax, Digital, USB This would make Helix's routing even more powerful. Scenario 1: A simple way to set up 1/4 in jacks to amp on stage and XLRs with Cab/IR to FOH. You could leave the Helix path output set to "XLR" and then just add a send block before your IR or Cab block that was set to send to 1/4in jack outputs. Simples! One reason for doing this is that you don't have to use a whole Path line just simply to do Scenario1. Meaning the other Paths can be used for parallel fx routing or maybe processing a mic as well. Of course to save a path you could connect your amp via a Send socket that you can already select with a Send block - but then you lose the ability to control the stage amp level with the Helix volume knob. Scenario2: Set up a USB device in a Send / Return loop easily. Think of the possibilities.......

I use a H&K switchblade amp and I've just been programming some of my covers bands tones into the Helix. In complicated patches I have just ended up using a clean amp tone and then distortion blocks on the Helix for dirt. In simple patches it's fine to use PC to switch amp channels. I do see what you mean about PC toggle - it might be useful if you just have 2 amp tones in a song - but how would it work if you had 3 amp tones? Let's go crazy and say you had 4 amp tones in a song - each requiring a separate PC message. Tones 1/2 were on FS8 and 3/4 were on FS9. 1 and 3 in Dim/OFF and 2 and 4 in Lit/ON Let's say the helix program has an instant PC to get you started on tone 1. Then if you press FS8 you will get tone 2. Makes sense with PC toggle - it would work - you could switch fx on and off If you press FS9 you would get tone 3.. or would it be tone 4? If it's in "DimOFF" mode before you press it will send tone 4 when you press FS9 right? But pressing FS9 would not be able to easily turn off/on any FX blocks you'd got for your two FS8 tones. Bummer! Then say you want to go back to tone 2.... FS8 is already in lit mode remember? So if you press FS8 you will get tone 1 not tone 2. If you pressed FS9 you'd get tone 3 not tone 2. You'd need to press FS8 twice to get back to Tone 2. And you'd still have any FX blocks to toggle off from FS9. Complicated huh? Basically The whole thing totally would fall apart if you wanted more than 2 amp PC tones in a song. A proper scene mode is a much better idea! Easiest way would just to have 4 buttons - one for each tone to select each scene with whatever FX and amp PC's you wanted.

Hi Troy - hope you've had success with this.. I just corrected my instructions in the post above with my Helix in front of me so they should work ok.

They do the same thing - you need to use a send and a return to connect your amp -- it saves space on your Helix screen to do it on the combined block The reason for having them separate is - for example if you just put a send it can be used to send the signal elsewhere (maybe to a monitor or something). Or if you just used a return block it could connect another instrument perhaps.. like a synth or whatever.

Nice picture DI :)

I do this too! I'd read the Helix manual cover to cover before the unit even arrived so I've not looked at it since. The Ui is so good there's no need.

If you look at your screenshot above Troy the top path ends at the 1/4 in jack output. Just wondering - what are you putting in the send/return blocks? Are you using some FX or EQ pedals? The lower path has no input at all - so you won't get any sound from that path into your XLRs I've just been to my Helix and this should work.... What you need to do is: 1) Change the output on the Upper Path 1 from 1/4 Jack to "Path 2". 2) Select the SEND/RETURN, on Path 2 and move it to the left to make a space 3) Add a GAIN Block on Path 2 just after the Send/Return but before the IR (leave the Gain set to 0dB) 4) Select this GAIN block, press action and drag down to create path 2B 3) A merge block will appear at the right that joins path 2b to path 2a (like just before the 1/4in jack output on your diagram) 4) Go on the Helix, use the Joystick to select merge block, press ACTION and drag it down to path 2b - this should create an output on Path 2b 5) Select 1/4in outs for the output on Path 2b.

Also worth checking if the Helix and H9 both number their MIDI using 0-127 or 1-128

With my Laney in 4cm I got hum when I plugged in the USB cable, or when I plugged in the EXT switch jack. (and wen both are in as well!!) With my Hughes & Kettner Switchblade I got no hum in 4cm, or with the MIDI to change presets, or with USB into my mac either :D I think the H&K is going to be my gig rig as it just works with the Helix - and it's more controllable anyway - even if it doesn't quite have the same rough edged grit to it's gain tones.

Thanks for that information Patrick :) I guess if I just plug in the Ext Jack to my Laney amps Channel Switch Jack - with no signal wires attached between amp and Helix - and it all works fine then it is worth considering a Hum Eliminator.

I hear you! The scribble strips and the visual representations of what buttons are on/off is one of the main things that attracted me to the Helix and away from my current MIDI footboard where I had to try to remember each setting for different presets.

Hmm.. I just been looking at my Helix and I think you are right - it is not possible to do exactly what you want. It looks like you can only attach one function to each footswitch in controller mode. What you want to be able to do is to have two: 1) MIDI Prog change 2) MIDI cc toggle to activate/bypass the H9 Yes you could get round this by using the Helix's Loop on/off on a footswitch but as you say you can only attach this to one switch. The only option I can think of is: Just have a 3rd button that activates/bypasses the H9 (or turns of/on the Helix loop Hopefully Line6 will release a scene mode soon which would sort this out.