Paulzx

To be fair, this situation where the Helix or Helix edit, loses connection to a PC, is a bit of a joke. Obviously there is some kind of intermittent issue. I'm happy for those who have never had issues with it, but a lot of people do have this issue. Ever since I had my Helix I had this problem on and off. You see it a lot with updates, it's mostly the same fault, loss of USB connection. I've had different cables, used different ports, PC's, it doesn't cure it. My Helix edit has been running fine with USB cable all week, then out of nowhere, it's not working again. Then it is briefly, and now not. It's so unreliable that I've resigned myself to never being able to fully use the edit software. I have long suspected that it may be the actual USB port in the Helix. It doesn't seem that firm a connection to me. It may be that some Helix models got a perfect working port and others didn't but clearly the amount of swapping cables, re-downloading software etc, isn't really solving it. If it's a dodgy port on the Helix and works intermittently, you're going to assume you've solved it by changing something when in reality, the port just started working again. I don't know for sure, but I do know the USB connection has never worked 100% properly since the day I had the unit, despite all the variables I've tried along the way.

Yeah he's still got the original unit they used to record the album. I think the rack one was built for them probably more as a live solution going forward, but I don't get the impression they ever really used it much. The following record, Adrenalize, was also done with the rockman. I never knew that until seeing this podcast, he mentioned it there.

Just to clarify this a little bit.. it was the x100 portable unit they used on Hysteria, the rack mount version was made for them after the album was recorded. Phil literally covered this in a podcast last week from his home where he actually showed the viewers the real x100 he had there with him, the one used on the album. He went on to say they used the chorus + distortion setting instead of the reverb setting. Glad I found this thread because I've been looking for an x100 tone for my helix for ages and it always seemed just a little bit out of reach with the current options. It would be cool to get it added to helix as an effect although I suspect there isn't much demand for it these days

I just wanted to add to this discussion that Def Leppard actually only use the fractal for certain effects, they don't use it for everything like we would tend to. It's still a massive endorsement but its not the full story just to say they use it. Phil himself in manraze used to use the vetta live which is how I got into line 6 stuff. He then went on to a cyber cybertwin so in reality these guys are constantly changing their gear around

You could, but I don't think you could do it just isolating the volume boost, I don't think you could bypass all the effects blocks could you?

Magnificent stuff, can't wait to try this method. I think it's kind of what I've been aiming for without knowing it! If you get time, send an email over to me at paul@paulzx.plus.com Thanks for all the explanations! A bit off topic but seeing as you mention Blink 182, interesting what Tom DeLonge is doing these days isn't it?

For goodness sake, what a stupid thing to do. I've literally never seen that option removed on any other forum. It's not like we're sharing Military secrets on here

I give up, how do you send a PM on this site. Looked everywhere, no obvious option!

Gotta say I'm seriously impressed with how you've got your setup sorted. I see what you mean about being able to customise the layout now so I'm going to give this a try. The only thing I'm a bit concerned about is having to rebuild my presets that are designed for snapshot mode, that could be a bit messy! Yeah that would be a help to see the screen shots actually, I'll send an email address. Button one and two for moving up and down presets I take it are what was previously bank up and down, or are they additional to the bank switches?

This is interesting, trying to get my head around it though. When set up like this, presumably your display on the foot switches still shows a bank of stomps and bank of snaps? The 4/4 split mode would be similar wouldn't it, so what is it about this stomp mode that is making the difference for you? Have to admit I've been starting to wonder if stomp mode is actually the way to go now for a while because while the snap shots were a nice idea, you don't really have the flexibility of individual pedals. Switching from a snap shot mode into stomp mode whilst playing, just to toggle effects on or off isn't really viable, it's too long winded

I'm actually already doing that with exp 1, just using it as an overall volume adjust. The volume boost I want is for quick solo volume then switch off again, so can't really use the pedal quite as easily, especially if it's being used for overall volume etc.

Ah yes, I know you can switch between modes, but it's cumbersome just to keep doing for a bit of volume now and again. I was hoping for a solution where I don't need to switch modes, just have a gain block on a snap shot foot switch, or next to a snapshot foot switch. I don't think it's possible is it? I would either have to do what you've suggested or run in the combined snap shot + foot switch mode - which I don't want either.

Hello All, I need a quick bit of advice with using a dedicated volume boost foot switch. So basically I'm using 8 snap shot mode, but i want to use one of those foot switches for a stand alone volume boost - not using any snap shot parameters, just volume. The only way I can think of doing it is to switch to a snap shot + stomp mode but i don't really want to do that because it reduces my snap shots and I only want one volume switch, plus i want to run all my other patches in 8 snap shot mode. You can't really make a snap shot with a stand alone volume can you?

Thanks for letting me know Jim, I'll check it out anyway.

I've revised my opinion on this having played around with settings a bit more, in case anyone reads this thread later. It's not really viable to dial out the presence altogether on most of the high gain amps, you lose too much resonance. In fact, to make your guitars sound more like those in album recordings, you need a higher end sound, dialling the presence down or out just makes it too muddy I think. The best result I've found is to set presence relatively low, bring treble up halfway, boost the mids up a fair bit, and bring the bass up a bit. This seems to give a much better overall sound. Of course I'm talking in general terms here, but as someone who is forever tinkering with high gain amps, I'm always looking for a big, modern distortion tone, and so far, that general method seems to work for me. So to sum up - presence is nasty if you have too much, but a little bit is necessary! (more or less what was said above by others above)

Hey Jim, I would be interested to see your Queensryche patch.. one of my favourite bands

Thanks for the suggestions. I have experimented with the mics and positions, I know there are a lot of variables. I haven't used the tilt eq though so will have a look at that

Totally agree with this. The sugar in my case is the presence or brightness. Sounds good initially when you turn it up because everything sounds more alive and up front but in reality for me at least, it makes the tone way too top endy

Interesting info Jim, you're probably right, although I singled out the presence for making the tones too fizzy, it may well be a combination of drive also. I need to do a bit more investigation

Yep thats a good description. I'm constantly trying to get a nice bitey distortion without it being shrill or thin sounding. Messing with the treble and swapping around with presence can help on some amps. Maybe the treble itself is the culprit on some amps

Interesting about the phantom controls. My main thinking on this is that the presence control is adding too much fizz to heavy distortion tones, even though it sometimes sounds good to the ear initially. Now I'm listening more closely for it in recorded albums and live performances, I can hear its either been dialled out or not there to begin with. I do think it has improved most of my tones by dialling it right down or out. Apart from Scott on the helix channel, I was interested to know if anyone else here was also removing the presence from their high gain tones as a go to method for more authentic sounding tones. Its actually the first thing I look at now when building a tone, much more so than using EQ blocks, as a starting point at least. Sounds like I might be the only one who actually thinks its nasty though lol.

Guys, this more of an open discussion on tone than question but it would be good to get some feedback especially from people who use helix for gigging. Like a lot of you I suspect, I'm always tinkering and analysing my metal and hard rock tones for authenticity as well as what sounds good to me just playing on my own. I've come to the conclusion that a lot of my distortion tones I liked that sounded rich or saturated on their own, actually do not sound good when you jam along with records and classic players. Whats doing it is the presence. I noticed most of the amps come with presence dialled in, which amplifies with IRs and gets even worse, so I started taking the presence right off with amp and cab tones and IR tones, there was a massive difference when playing alongside records. With the presence gone or just very low, my guitars now sit in the mix of real records so much better. When I play alongside Angus Young, my guitar tone now sounds really close to the real thing as ive realised the presence is just making these tones extra fizzy and totally unrealistic. I now realise most of these live artists and records have taken out these fizzy top end parameters and what you get is much better cut through. I know Scott on the helix channel always said to dial presence out of the tones because its nasty, and I have to agree. So if any of you guys are trying to get your guitars so sound more like the classic Rock records, I would suggest looking at this. Anyone else found the same benefit in their tones?

Yep, always had this usb disconnect problem too. Been through all the possibilities, its not the cable or computer, thought it most likely to be dodgy helix USB port but strangely it only disconnects with helix edit. If you play audio tracks back through helix it stays connected. Must be something to do with helix edit software

Personally, I would check that out on YouTube because there are a few guys on there doing the really heavy distortion tones and they walk you through it. Nick Hill is one I saw recently, he seems really good. I'm sure people here can give you some ideas but these YouTube channels go quite in depth with it

Yep you're right, I didn't know you could have all three modes running simultaneously, so now I really do have a lot of options. Thanks for all the replies chaps, I need to start thinking in terms of switching between these modes then.