guitarnstuff

Thanks mdmayfield. I have tried with MIDI Thru both on and off. Still having issues. I have also tried with PC repeat on and off (I think that is what it is called in 2.30 but I am not next to Helix at moment. I would love to have a tool to check and or control the flow of MIDI within my Mac but I am not aware of the best and most cost effective solution. Any suggestions?

Let me explain my rig. I am using a Mac OSX laptop with Line6 Helix as the audio interface for Mainstage 3.1.1 with softsynths driven by a Fishman Tripleplay midi guitar controller. This is a rock solid setup which performs without glitches (knock on wood). Even after the 2.30 update. I just introduced DMXIS lighting controller and software to the mix. I am hoping to control our bands lighting. For example, lighting programs will switch via midi when I step on a snapshot. I set up and used Mac IAC driver and chose the driver within DMXIS software. This configuration caused my Helix to intermittently lock up to the point of needing a restart. So I tried choosing (with DMXIS) both IAC and Helix. This also caused lock ups as well as doubling the tempo bmp reading within DMXIS. I even tried not using IAC and sending banks and preset messages straight from my Helix Command Center to DMXIS (without IAC checked). In all combos I have intermittent lockups of my Helix OR strange bank behavior within DMXIS in which the banks switch properly but then immediately switches to and sticks on bank three. So, I also tried to set up using DMXIS plugin within Mainstage. The presets do not save appropriately within the Mainstage patches. I also have intermittent freezes in this regard. I even tried only DMXIS and Helix together (not booting up Mainstage). Helix still has intermittent freezes when connected to DMXIS. It seems as the two started off to a horrible relationship. I have poured about 15 hours of problem solving time into this over my Thanksgiving Holiday. I'm out of ideas. Anyone that is using DMXIS with Helix or Mainstage or has strong midi knowledge, please help. Thank you!

I used to use more reverb. It sounded good at home but I washed out in the band context. I listwnef to the advice in this thread and shortened all reverb to 2.0 secomds or less and reduced mix to less than 20%. Now I'm much clearer and articulate in the mix.

I had similar issues. Solved. I had been using USB through a hub and changed to connect USB directly to computer. I also had a corrupt preset. Over wrote it with a blank preset and re wrote it from scratch.

I have used snapshots to change variax models within a preset. Can't have global setting, it must be per patch setting. Works great.

Consider using one or two of your Boss PS6 pedals in the effects loops of the Helix. That should provide lots of flexibility.

I have intermittent problems with the middle position of the 5 way on mags only. Contact cleaner fixes for a week then problem returns. Almost as if the contact point tolerance isn't as tight for one point. Trying to decide if it's worth repair or just add a contact cleaner to gig bag along with all the other contingency items.

I have a Helix floor unit and had freezes and a restart. Turned out that cause was it's connection through USB hub. Plugged directly to computer and problem solved. Are you using a hub, if so don't.

I have a JTV69. After a very hot and sweaty gig my middle mag pickup didn't work consistently but some electrical contact cleaner sprayed into the 5 way pick up switch and working it in by using the switch got it working again.

I use a JTV69. I changed tuner input to Variax and found great improvement. Also noted great improvement with Variax Mag. setting. Conclusion... tuning while using multi input is no good.

I believe my issues are solved (See my earlier posts). I hooked the Helix straight to my Mac and NOT the hub. Absolutely no problems at the last gig. I also rewrote suspect patches from scratch. Thanks all.

@MusicLaw... thanks! I'm busy rebuilding presets from scratch before Tuesday's gig. Wish me luck. I might also try not connecting the USB through a hub. Wasn't an issue before... but I'm trying everything now.

@MusicLaw... thanks! I'm busy rebuilding presets from scratch before Tuesday's gig. Wish me luck. I might also try not connecting the USB through a hub. Wasn't an issue before... but I'm trying everything now.

jbuhajla:I haven't been able to determine yet if it is a particular preset but I have begun keeping notes on which preset I leaving going from and to for each crash. It is intermittent so it's a bugger to track down. The problem might be is that there are several old presets that were copied and tweaked... I 'll plan on re-writing these "to" and "from" presets from scratch to help eliminate that possibility. Ug! I've also put in a ticket at Line6. Thanks for the suggestion!

Hello, I'm hoping someone can help me. I originally thought this issue was related to environmental heat, but I am no longer convinced that environmental temperature is the origin of my problem. Intermittently (one to three times per 3 hour gig), when I switch to new preset (via USB MIDI from Apple Mainstage) and the guitar sound is dead. Sometimes I can continue to footswitch and MIDI switch to new patches, however, the guitar sound is still gone. Sometimes the Helix totally freezes and no patch switching is possible. It has been cured with a restart of the Helix. One time the USB DAW audio keyboard sound signal from my Fishman Triple Play via Apple Mainstage still worked but the guitar audio did not. The other two times it was a totally dead from an audio standpoint. A restart (power off/on) of the Helix fixed it twice but the third time the Helix would not boot... just a blank screen. I had to scramble to use the lead singer's guitar rig to play the next song while I let my Helix sit turned off (about five minutes). Then I switched on the Helix and it booted up fine and I finished the gig. I have the current firmware installed. I originally thought this was due to high temps at practice and gigs, but has since occurred with cooling added and more moderate gig temperatures. I have reinstalled the firmware and globally reset/rebuilt the patches per installation instructions. However, still having issues. Is anyone else having this issue? If so, have you found a fix and what is it?

After some more time with this issue, I am not convinced that it is heat related. I have had it continue with the use of extra cooling and once in a cool environment. So... it seems that it is a gremlin of another origin. I did reinstall the firmware and rebuild the presets globally per the firmware install directions but this crap keeps happening on preset changes (via midi). I'll post this in the bug report section to see if I have anyone with a similar experience.

Could also see this thread.... http://line6.com/support/topic/27818-helix-outdoor-gig-questions/?fromsearch=1

To cool on hot gigs (temperature wise or just plain rockin'), I added 1/2" spacing blocks underneath the Helix to provide more airflow AND I added three cheap "squirrel-cage" style 12V DC computer fans that blow a fair amount of air underneath. Here is a picture pre-installation. https://goo.gl/photos/zWzvGdPKWkCRdfE8A Here is a picture installed in my case https://goo.gl/photos/tgypDbxpNRbq7YE9A These blow air underneath the Helix. The air exits out the case in the front near my feet. Not over powering but definitely a steady airflow, which should help. I will also have a conventional desk fan (Vornado type knock off) blowing over the face of the unit. I'm hoping all of this prevents further issues on hot days. The computer fans and the conventional fan will make some noise, but this is for bar/outdoor gig volumes.

Thanks Iknowathingortwo, I just finished making 1/2" space under and around the Helix and velcro'ing down cables to make sure they don't end up restricting air flow. I think I'll get one of these http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lasko-10-5-in-2-Speed-Ultra-Slim-Clip-Stik-Personal-Fan-4006/202019807 or one of these http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2299268&CatId=494 to force air under the unit. I will consider a water cooled system but that will take some thinking. I'll a little reluctant to mix water and electronics in the event of a leak. But, if this doesn't work I'll be back to tinkering. Thanks again!

I'm thinking that this is the proper thread for my questions. I am playing a floor Helix unit with a JTV Variax hooked up via VDI cable. It's been very, very hot here (high nineties). A two hot garage practices and an outdoor gig, I've had some intermittent issues. The scenario is like this.... hot environment, playing well for long period of i.e. about 30 minutes. Switch to new preset (via USB MIDI from Apple Mainstage) and the guitar sound it dead. Sometimes I can continue to footswitch and MIDI switch to new patches, however, the guitar sound is still gone. Sometimes the Helix totally freezes and no patch switching is possible. It has been cured with a restart of the Helix. However yesterday afternoon on a hot outdoor gig it froze up three times. One time the USB DAW audio keyboard sound signal from my Fishman Triple Play via Apple Mainstage still worked but the guitar audio did not. The other two times it was a totally dead from an audio standpoint. A restart (power off/on) of the Helix fixed it twice but the third time the Helix would not boot... just a blank screen. I had to scramble to use the lead singer's guitar rig to play the next song while I let my Helix sit turned off (about five minutes). Then I switched on the Helix and it booted up fine and I finished the gig. I have the current firmware installed. I am assuming that this behavior is overheating. I have it in a plywood case with some vent room but I am working today to modify the case to add more ventilation space underneath the unit and perhaps add a computer fan to circulate air under the unit. I am hoping that this solves this problem as I've never had an issue in a cool environment. None-the-less, I'm asking for opinions as to whether my trouble shooting is in the correct bucket or if there are some common alternatives that I should also explore before my next gig. I'd really killed the crowd momentum to have me monkeying around with a sick Helix. Need to have this on a better track or I am in troubled waters. Thoughts?

Thanks everyone!

Thanks Soundog: The question isn't really about mixing, it is about generation. My current rig (Boss GP10 with Mac running Mainstage 3 softsynths and Bias Desktop amp sims) will do these three sounds at once all generated from what I play on one guitar. They can be quite nice blended together. While it's pretty awesome, I have a few niggles with the set up and I am trying to research what the Helix will and will not to for replacing it's functions. Therefore, if I had a Helix plus Variax, I need to find out if it can simultaneously generate an acoustic patch, and electric patch and an organ patch all at once from what is generated on one Variax guitar. It does make a difference as to what is sold to finance the purchase. I just want to make sure I don't sell one of the components that I need if the Helix won't do it all.

Hello: I was able to play through a Helix briefly and now I have Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I've seen videos of organ patches, for example from Glenn Delaune. However, does anyone know if you can have three things (signal paths) at once? 1) Organ patch 2) Acoustic Guitar from the Variax JTV 3) Electric guitar sounds with distortion. From reading about the design this seems possible and it seems that I could control volumes or other paramaters with the extra expression pedals (bought separately). If possible, has anyone tried it? Do you run out of DSP horsepower?