musiclover7

Yep, yours is jumping around like crazy just like mine does. 

And your other tuners are spot on and "non-jumpy"

I think what we are seeing quite clearly, is that the helix is a bit more precise than the polytune, particularly in the fine strip.  If you ignore the fine strip, both tuners are about the same in that video.  Early releases of the helix tuner did not contain the fine strip.  It was added to provide further accuracy and I prefer it with.  For the most part, if you can get your strings roughly in the middle, not necessarily exactly in the middle on the fine, but close, you will be in tune, at least in my experience...

The thing is, even if you are gigging every night and want to take the position that there is never a good time to update, I would argue that if this is where you're at, you are a fool to update week one after a major release, period.  Bugs are almost always par for the course, and even though engineers try to test every foreseeable angle, it isn't until software hits the wild that every angle gets uncovered.

So, if you are that dependent on a reliable rig, then don't be a fool and take the plunge on a major update week one.  Wait until the release has been in the wild for at least a few weeks and monitor what other users are experiencing.  This is remedial wisdom in the digital age.

I've had the same experience.  No more bread and grains.  Plenty of Avocados, jalapenos, and meat.  I dropped 20 pounds in about a month.  And you thought you were just shopping for a helix.

There should be no limit to the length of time Helix can stay connected to PC.  This should not even be a consideration.

This may seem like an elementary question to some, but I am perplexed.  First, what I am trying to accomplish, is to free up an extra footswitch in a patch.  The footswitch currently adjusts the feedback and the mix setting on my delay.  I am trying to figure out how maybe use the expression pedal for this purpose, but I am hitting a snag.  Seems like in order to switch expression pedals (already using it to engage wah on Exp1, I need to leave the pedal in its maximum position, which means there seems to be no way for me to switch on wah, without simultaneously maxing out my delay feedback setting. 

I guess the obvious answer is to just buy a separate exp pedal, but I am curious if anyone has figured out a way around this puzzle using just the vanilla helix.

Really depends on what you are trying to accomplish,  and what tones you are going for.   I love the sound of my amp by itself.   It is a thingof beauty,  and no modeler is capable of reproducing it,  at least that I am aware of.   If tone is king,  this is still theway to go imo.   I knew though that being one of those guys with a huge pedal board was not going to be for me,  and the helix really does a fine job in this capacity.  I can get a ton of additional colors and tones and I can make big changes with the press of a switch.

I run the helix into my 68 twin reverb and love it. For my part, I have discovered that I get best tone with the volume nob on helix set between 10 and 11 o'clock. Higher than that and the tones are biting. Set there, I still get all the warmth of my amp, and I can adjust volume on my amp to get louder as needed, but I still find that I never go higher than 4 volume on my twin, and that sound is huge. I don't use the amps in the helix, opting instead to use it for effects alone (my preference). This may change, but for now I am a happy camper. I use it as a pedal board with about 10 effects I a single patch. Several different delays, a minotaur overdrive pedal, octave, wah, tremolo, phaser, small reverb, large reverb, mutant filter, and compressor. This is working well for me with my electric rig. I may differ from you, but I really like the sound of my amp, which is the cornerstone of my tone. Anyways, my suggestion is to go easy on the volume nob on the helix. Too much and tone suffers. Would be good if we had a meter of sorts to see how hot the signal is when leaving helix, but barring that, what I described is working awesome for me for now. Good luck!

The Helix could use another compressor and another Reverb, probably at minimum.  Most of the other effects are covered well, and some might argue that there are lots of reverbs which is true, cept I don't really like most of them.  I find myself going for the LA2A myself, especially on acoustic work(along with the Studio Tube Pre), but also on Electric.  That's a style and tone preference thing.  The deluxe comp is a bit more squash, a bit less transparent, and the Red Sqeeze is pretty much what it's name says... even more squished.  You can get what you are after usually, but it might be nice to have 1 or 2 more options in the future.  Fingers crossed.

Ultimately, I think you are going to be happy.  This is one hell of a mighty fine toy to play with!  Just don't dwell too long on the presets which many of us feel leave a lot to be desired.

Awesome! I see what they did. Smart.. thx

I can't seem to figure this out.  When I get 1B added as a separate path, I cannot figure out how to set the output on 1A to go to 1B.  I only see 2A, 2B, or 2A and 2B as options.  Same is true from the 2A path...  No way to select 2B as the destination.

Is there a way to daisy chain all 4 paths together in a linear fashion?

Try turning the volume down on the helix, to like between 10 and noon. You may be sending too hot and signal out of the helix.

I own the Helix, I use it 100% as a stomp box, and I have to say that it works extremely well in this application.  I am predominately a clean player, rock, funk, jam bandy psychedelic vein, and I played professionally for years before I even thought to add an effect to my rig.  I lack some personality trait that would make maintaining a full pedal board appealing, and have instead opted for all in one effect units.  I owned the Zoom G5 before this, though I have tried digitech, boss, Line 6 and TC Electronic options. Really, all I am after is a decent delay, and expanded reverb, maybe a phaser here and there, and decent lead sustain, all without messing up my essential fender tone.  The Helix has opened my eyes to much more.  Going back to the G5 after a week or so on the helix was a night and day experience.  My old tones just sounded plastic and fabricated, not near as much juice and fidelity.  I even use the helix in my acoustic act, and pipe my vocals into it for compression and very subtle harmony.  It has seriously improved my sound that way as well...

As stated, I use Helix as a stomp box.  You can configure it to have 10 stomps, or 9 stomps and a looper if that is your bag.  In addition, you can add 8 snapshots to the exact same patch, which are a footswitch away, and allow you to turn multiple pedals on/off with a single click, plus edit whatever settings within those pedals that you like... all with a single footswitch.  The effects themselves are great.  I'm not an Amp model guy.  I run into a 68' Twin which is warm and pristine.  The Twin amp model in the Helix does not even come close...  Sorry Line 6...  I think you guys are doing great, cutting edge stuff with digital modeling, but I have yet to hear a modeled amp that truly mimics a classic Fender Tube amp, although I am definitely looking forward to the day I do.  (edit:  This likely has everything to do with the fact that post Helix, you are still sending your signal to some sort of amplifier or another, and this is a variable that just cannot be accounted for.  My Twin IS my amplifier, and it is set up with top notch classic components that make it amplify a signal like a 60's Fender Twin.  I don't think it will ever be possible to recreate this tone, running into a tone modeling unit, and from there to the FOH for amplification.  Maybe someone else knows something I don't on the subject.  I am just following logic, and what I hear with my ears.)

Now, if you don't use the amp modeling in the helix, you save yourself a hell of a lot of processing power.  In fact, as a result, I wind up typically with more stomps in my patch, than I have footswitches for, so I have to get creative with snapshots to accommodate.  I will just tell you that the Helix is absolutely a very viable stomp box solution.  Others might argue that you are wasting your money only employing it in this way, but the simplicity of editing, the fact that any footswitch can be any effect, or even multiple effects if you like, makes for an addictive experience.  I feel like I could do a lot more with it if I were to invest more time into tweaking with it, but it did not take me very long to develop a single Patch that I use 100% of the time with my electric guitar, and another separate patch for my various acoustic instruments.  They sound great!  I got mine for $1275 with a 15% off guitar center coupon.  They send me these things from time to time, and the timing was killer.  It's a lot of money to throw down for sure, but I have not regretted it.  Hope this helps...

I've been enjoying the vocal harmonizer myself.  I set the exp pedal as controller for key, as sometimes I forget to change it before starting a song.  I blend just a little, maybe 16-20 percent, into what I am doing usually a 3rd above where I am singing, and I think it sounds great.  It adds a bit of depth to vocals, but does not sound synthetic or un-natural.  Once you get up to 25% and above, then it starts to sound a bit more pronounced, processed, and yeah, not very natural.  I have never used any other harmonizers so I can't compare it to anything else.  I prefer to sing with other people in harmony whenever possible in any case.

I think they are going to give us some sort of HD reverb. I would love to see a high end reverb modeled in the Helix, but time will tell..

Like others, I would love to see some sort of metering included. Over all volume sure, but maybe some visual for the compressors as well, so we can see visually what they are doing with the sound, when they are kicking in etc.. I doubt we'll get any of this, but it would be awesome.

My final hope has to do with the tuner. I really want the ability to either set a global input, or save the tuner input along with the patch. I am sick of having to bend over every time I change instruments in order to set the tuner input. I am probably alone here too, so not holding my breath on getting this in a new release, but there is no law against hope and optimism.

The Helix tuner seems to be working well enough for me, and I run 4 different instruments into it, depending on which band I am playing with.  I will take a chop at the horse and mention that I too wish it was a little more stable, that there was some sort of algorithm to even out the signal on a plucked string so it didn't bounce around a lot, but hey, clearly the pitch is bouncing as well and it is just following it.  Sometimes I think it's a wonder any of us ever play anything at all...

My taste...  I like the Sigma IR's in the comparison video, but the naked sound is a close second.  I don't like what the Taylor IR does personally, and I am hearing the same results in your video that I heard on my own guitar when I first applied it.  Sound is made tinny and boxy, which could be an improvement if that was what you were aiming for... I just never aim there personally..  Much more body is preserved in the Sigma IR.

Try turning the volume down on the Helix.  I had a similar problem with my amp, and eventually discovered that I was sending way to hot of a signal to my amp.  I run now with the volume between 10 and 11 o'clock.  It made a big difference.

All good stuff folks!  I'm learning.  I tell you what, this stuff is subtle.  I think more often than not, I get carried away with the gain stage of the compressor and really just wind up using it as an over-all boost with a slight nod off on the loudest notes.  This works though.

Shancgriffo...  Definitely try putting a looper at the start of your chain, loop a 5-10 second chunk of sound, and tweak it till it sounds good.  It sort of feels like cheating, but that is sort of what this kind of high end gear is for ain't it?

I do want the country chicken pick'n thing actually.. not just that, but a lot of my playing falls in that realm.  I just don't play country.

That may actually be helpful. Maybe I am leaning too much on compression. I wind up using it a lot like a boost, for soloing, or whenever I just want some added oomf. I don't play with distortion or overdrive as a general rule, though I have found some uses for the minotaur pedal in the helix, with low gain settings. Thanks for the reply. I will take anything I can get.

Up front.. this could get a touch winded. 

Short version: I struggle with compression as a musician. I am looking for advice on applying compression to electric guitar, strategies, what you listen for, etc..  particularly tailored to the line 6 helix and the compression effects that exist there-in..  If you don't want to strain your eyes, feel free to offer me some feedback on that alone, and thanks in advance for doing so.  Feel free to read on if you don't mind a little eye exercise.

Longer version:  Well, to be honest, I struggle with most effects, levels, settings.  I am the sort of musician who works with the sound that is happening in the moment, and who will be more apt to bend my playing to match it, rather than bend the sound to match my playing, though this is mostly because I don't always know how to do the latter.  I have written songs on broken guitars that made peculiar noises that were I guess at the time inspiring.  I have fussed for hours on end with expensive gear, and been worse off at the end, than I was when I started.

When it comes to working with effects, or with sound in general, I consider myself a novice for this reason.  I have a lot of time in, but I am one hell of an indecisive mofo, and so it can be difficult for me to compare two tones and say... "uh.. that one, that one sounds better."  I am exaggerating here.  I'm not a moron.  Obviously if you give me two completely different tones, I am going to have a preference (well, most of the time anyway), so I am speaking mostly about tones that are subtly different.  That said, I've had folks who seemed to know things twist nobs for me while I was playing, and I have 'felt' things improve greatly.  That's what I am aiming for, but most of the time I feel too blind to get there.

Compression is a hairy mystery for me.  I get what it does on paper.. I've watched videos on youtube explaining it.  I hear what happens to my guitar when I apply it.  I just never feel like I am using it correctly.  I don't really have a solid strategy other than -> fatten up my sound and bring the nuances OUT.  This seems to work somewhat, but I just feel like I am failing with it, perhaps particularly in the helix, hence the post.  Here I am, 3 months in, rethinking everything.  Starting from square one on my main patch so to speak. 

Here's what I think I know.

- I like the Studio Compressor the best (mainly for acoustic guitar, but I also like what it does to my electric.  It seems like the choice to make if clean, rich tones is what you are after.  I tried the deluxe, and found it less clean, and the Red Squeeze was too big for my taste, but I could be using it all wrong...

- I tend to .. actually, lollipop, that's maybe all I really know.  Other than this, I am twisting knobs and hoping for the best...  I throw a looper in front of things, loop a 10 second run, and then tweak away.

Well.. rant over..  I appreciate any advice!  I am willing to pay to get smarter!  Thanks for reading!

I wind up typically using the mic pre to send to a godin acoustic guitar which I am currently using for one song only in the band I play electric guitar in.  I use the xlr to mooch phantom power. 

But, you raise a good point, and maybe that is all I need to do.  It's just one song for now, so it might make sense to sub the acoustic out of the equation, and use the xlr for vocals in this other configuration, especially if that actually fixes this other problem.  I'll give that a shot and let you all know, though I am heading out of town for about a week and a half, and won't have a chance to try this until I get back..

Thx!

Short version: I am getting fizz running my mic into helix and out to PA. Trying to figure out what might be wrong..

I have 2 bands, 1 acoustic, 1 electric. I have incorporated the helix into both, and it works flawless in my acoustic project where both guitar and mics run into helix and then out to a Fishman loud box performer amp.

Not working well in electric setup. Here I run guitar into guitar in, mic into effect return 4, and guitar out via 1/4 inch output to amp, and mic out XLR to PA. The mic is fuzziness. I've heard worse, but it's bad, and I can't puzzle it out.

I am using similar connections with acoustic project, just different end points. When I run the mic direct into PA all is well.

Any help appreciated.

Yeah, this is probably obvious to many people, especially those who have more skill with gear. Wasn't for me. 11 seems to be the sweet spot. I figured I would post so maybe someone else can avoid tripping over this one.

Short version of this post is to be careful with the helix volume output. You might find you get a much better sound with the volume significantly turned down (like less than half for me), and your amp up. Just my experience.

Long version below...

I play a lot with my helix into headphones. Great tool for practice. A few weeks had passed since I plugged my electric into my amp and rocked out with a band. I was struggling the other night during rehearsal. I could not get things to sound good with the helix. It seemed like every setting had way too much juice, lacked clarity. I was struggling. Thought maybe I was just having an off night or something.

I am no genius when it comes to equipment and sound, though I would love to take a class some day.. anyways..

Then I started hearing some crackling coming from my amp and as I started troubleshooting, I elected to bypass the helix and run just straight into my fender twin reverb. Wow.. what a difference. My guitar was much lower volume. No crackling either.

So I turn the volume nob way down on my helix, and turn the volume nob from about 3 to 3.5 on my twin (a big increase if you know these amps), and walla. All the nuance returned. My tone was killer for the rest of rehearsal, and was equally awesome at last night's gig.

The helix is amazing as a multi effect unit, and I knew this, but for a brief time there during rehearsal I was starting to seriously regret my purchase. It was literally night and day. And dang, is it ever sweet in the daytime.

Just thought I would share.