zooey

See Helix Help on snapshots, search that page for Global Settings > Preferences > Snapshot Edits.

Snapshots can bypass blocks and set controller values, but they can't fade between values over time. Ramp, envelope, and LFO generators have been requested as possible features, but as far as I know there isn't huge demand for them. The built-in expression pedal or an external pedal can manually control one or more block parameters, effectively fading them in or out, but the built-in one has only two assignment modes, not a third one like you're thinking about. Seems like your best shot is probably to add an external pedal or two.

Seconded.

It's the MF stupid deal of the day, normally (they say) $119.99, $59.99 today only. Don't know to what degree it's compatible with Helix, or anything else about it, just that people in these parts are sometimes looking for external controller pedals. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid

That really is outrageous. I'd suggest contacting support and exchanging the unit. Not a criticism of you, at all, but I don't remember this happening to other people, so maybe there's something actually wrong with yours.

If there genuinely are differing opinions on how fast and/or granular it needs to be, for whatever reasons, let users control that with global settings, so we can stop torturing the devs with our conflicting desires.

Maybe so, but as I said, no Variaxe here, and wasn't connected to USB when my freezes happened.

Not sure I understand what you're saying, but without the brackets, that parameter isn't controlled by snapshots (or any other controller), so it has the same value in every snapshot.

Sounds​ like you need EQ for your in-ears, if you're​ happy w your FOH tones.

None, Helix only. Coming from a CyberTwin, ID 60 TVP, Amplitube and Scuffham, I haven't used standalone pedals in years.

So on the Xitone, do you end up using high cuts like with an FRFR setup, or more not, like a guitar cab?

I've never had a Variaxe, or made patches for one. USB wasn't connected either.

I meant to ignore the fine indicator until ALL strings are coarsely in tune.

Cool, I didn't know about that one! What I've always sooner is go into controller assign for that parameter, and select none.

Hasn't happened to me for a while, but it has happened, a couple of times, exactly as you describe. Audio plays, but the UI and footswitches are unresponsive, had to reboot. Glad it's not common, would most definitely s u c k on a gig.

glideman, how does that cab do for playing back CDs etc? Is it built for that, or more optimized for guitar? How would it do for acoustic instruments, or bass?

I use sag and bias all the time, bias-x less. It's unclear of I'm making GOOD use if them... [EDIT] Wasn't thinking about hum and ripple. I do sometimes change those, though I can't exactly describe how they change the tone except at max, when you can hear actual hum. In theory I'd think less of both would be good, but things feel a feel less warm to me with none. I tend to lower both for higher gain stuff, going for punchier, less mess. However, as I said, I'm not sure I'm actually making good choices here. Higher gain tones are my short suit in general, probably because I don't listen to or play them a lot. Is the upper end of Andy Timmons considered high gain? Most of my patches have snapshots for four drive levels, and the driviest one always gives me trouble. I can never figure out of its maxed-out sounding enough, too harsh, or going to completely disappear in a band mix like overly distorted tones tend to do. Anyway, I try to play with all the controls we've been talking about to work on that, with no-idea-how-much success. I should get my act together and record something, see what you folks think.

Aside from latency, if I were a product architect, no way I'd think that delay spillover between patches alone was worth the added cost and complexity of a second SHARC, especially when spillover between snapshots is already available. There are way more exciting things​ to do with double the processing power, assuming that's actually a viable option technically. If it's f-bombs worth of important to you, get a delay pedal!

Do I remember someone saying that stomp changes now take effect when you RELEASE the switch, and that that was unintentional and will be fixed shortly? Not at my Helix to check.

You mention home recording use. I think you need to decide whether you're mostly going to listen to full productions you're trying to mix, or turning it up to more like stage levels, where volume and "cool" guitar sound are more important than an uncolored reference to help you make good mix decisions. In the studio case, there are a million options out there, in every price and size, and everyone will give you different recommendations. That's true of more FRFR/PA-style monitors too, but the choices are very different. There are forums focused completely on studio gear, but TBH, this isn't one of them, no disrespect of anyone intended.

Personally I really do find it annoying, way more so than any other tuner I have. It's not an enormous deal to me, I can cope, but it makes tuning more of a chore than it should be, and slows me down. It really is a mystery how Helix can be so good in so many much trickier respects, and still have this issue. One strategy I've been trying recently is to ignore the high-res top display, at least until all strings line up on the bottom one, which jumps around a lot less. It's less accurate of course, but it bothers me less.

On the Helix, push down and simultaneously​ turn the parameter knob you want different in each snapshot. The value will get square brackets around it, indicating it's controlled by snapshots. Once you've done that, that parameter will have separate settings in each snapshot. If you later decide to disconnect it from snapshots, select it and press Controller Assign, then choose None as the controller.

I have a pair of Alesis Alpha 112s, equivalent to an older Alto, they were $400 for the pair new on eBay, great value.

@aleclee, what sorts of settings do you use for the 3-band? I was experimenting with it for the same purpose yesterday, didn't come to any firm conclusion as to whether I liked it more than the LA Studio.

I think the key is to build your patches in the environment you expect them to be heard in. In other words, build live patches at gig volume, standing at least 6 feet or so away from your speakers. Build recording patches playing through your "studio monitors", or whatever passes for them in your situation. Listen in the real context while you're creating your sounds, then you'll know how they work there. Recording is tricky though, since people hear your music on everything from really crappy laptop speakers to a huge dance club PA. That's true for all instruments, not just guitar, and it's one of the biggest challenges for pro-level mixing. An environment you know really well is your best shot. And you most definitely should take any advice from me on this topic as one guy's opinion, only. I'm pretty bad at keeping an absolute perspective that helps me know what thing will sound like on other systems.