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DustyF92

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Posts posted by DustyF92

  1. Hello Helix Forum

     

    I've had my helix for a few weeks now, and am getting what I consider to be great sounds from my KRK 6 monitors.  I've been starting with an amp model, adding a couple of cabs in parallel, and largely just tweaking the gain settings to taste and changing the mics until it sounds good to me.  Then maybe a bit of reverb and a distortion box...

     

    Thought snapshots sounded interesting, but might be hard work to dial in.  Turns out you just push and turn to set any parameter that takes your fancy!  Real world alternative would probably involve stomping on your tweaking fairy who has to access dials on the stomp box and amp at the same time to deliver your next tone.

     

    Short of getting myself booked on a production and mixing course, am I missing anything amazing? 

     

    All advice and guidance gratefully received!

     

    Thanks

     

    Mark

    Try running two amps (with a Y split or A/B Split) or try running two amps into 2 different cabs, IRs, etc.

     

    I like using single amps most of the time and running them into 2 separate IRs and blending them to taste. Snapshots are also a go-to for me.

     

    As a Helix NOOB myself, I found this document of value, despite being for the POD HD. Lots of similarities and good ideas for basic patches

     

    http://foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/

  2. I'm not a country picker, but I play a lot of clean (Strat/Tele).

     

    You really need to play around with the compressors. The Red Squeeze is the model for the MXR Dyna Comp, start with the default settings and squeeze/sustain from there. That one amplifies single coil noise though, so watch out for that. 

     

    I've been putting the LA Studio Compressor at the front end of the signal chain on almost all my presets lately, but I turn the gain down to about 3.5 to that the volume isn't kicked up too much. It adds some pretty nice "transparent" sustain. 

     

    Next try the Interstate Zed amp model (Dr Z Route 66) for some Brad Paisley type punch. It has a little grit to it. I've been using the Mesa MkiV Rhythm Channel 2 model a lot for clean to crunch. Gain about 2-3 for clean, up to 6-8 for crunch. I really like how it cleans up with the gain low.

     

    Just sit down with a basic preset with amp and separate cab model with a little room reverb in between. Then just go through the amp models and cab models until something sounds pretty close to what you are looking for.  

    Yes, my favorite compressor is the red squeeze. I have run the Interstate Zed and an AC30 together for a good paisley tone, but I tend to put a bit of dirt on these as well (ever so slightly).

     

    I have also developed a habit of cranking bias and bias X up to 6-7 for some better natural compression as well (not sure how that would affect my sustain?)

     

    I am going to fiddle around with all the amps suggested here and see what I can come up with

  3. For country picking a lot of players use quite a bit of compression for sustain. It's getting the settings on the compressor right.  I don't think the Litigator is quite the right amp for that sound... unless you like a little grit in your clean sound as I do.  I would recommend the Deluxe Vibrato or the Twin Vibrato channel.  I almost always use one of the ribbon mics as they have more bottom and can be easily trimmed to taste. 

    I do happen to like a little grit in my clean, but that's historically been because I can't find the holy grail clean tone I'm looking for YET....

  4. Yea I came from the Wampler Ego Compressor (fantastic pedal) and there was definitely an abundance of sustain...

     

    I will check out the Archetype as well... I think I may have made a patch a while ago with that amp in there. Should I try it with the AMP+CAB block or choose an IR?

  5. I'm a country picker, so clean tones are vital to me (I cover a lot of 90s country and such). I've had some trouble getting FAT, BALLSY clean tones from even the simplest of setups. It seems like I don't have enough....sustain?? I play a Nashville B-Bender Tele into the Helix and then usually go direct to FOH, or when creating presets at home, through my studio monitors (IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors). The tones sound thicker and better to me at home, but on the road sound kinda thin and uninspiring.

     

    I've tried a few different amp setups (Deluxe, WhoWatt, AC30, etc) and am fiddling with the Litigator as well. I am using various IRs that I got from 3Sigma and usually run 2 IRs in one patch (lately a 4x12 and a 2x12) and am liking what I hear so far with the litigator.

     

    I use compression sparingly and turn the mix down to around 60-70% and currently have an eq block that boosts the mids (helps it cut through live). As soon as I kick in a drive pedal, the live tone sounds great to me...but I'm still chasing that Holy Grail clean tone sound when the drive is not engaged.

     

    Any help on proper EQ or other suggestions is welcome. I have a few different presets on the go with clean/crunch snapshots that I sometimes dig for a while, but lately have just started creating new presets and fiddling with the amp first and foremost and adding in other effects very sparingly.

    Input gate seems to be a must with my damn single coils, but threshold is around -50db with the litigator...

  6. This is a method i have thought about doing too...the easiest way is if you have access to the PA you will be playing through (assuming you use the same one all the time).

    My problem is that I don't have that luxury, and while I have got some great 4CM tones and also some great tones to a (sort-of) FRFR speaker, I don't yet have the confidence in my tweaking to combine the two

  7. Well i loaded the sample mesa OwnHammer IRs and like what I'm hearing so far...I'm running through the MACKIE SRM450 and think this is a much better place to start than using my amp... Anyone have any tips or trick when using a PA speaker to dial in patches? I'm currently super close quarters with it so i should probably try having it away from me a bit

  8. Thanks for all the great responses. I should also mention that I generally run in-ear monitors on stage but the FRFR (or amp or whatever) would be still used as I have ambient mics on my IEMs that enable me to hear the stage sound.

    I realize there is a lot of tweaking to be done especially if I start down the FRFR path but my eventual goal is to ditch the amp mic altogether and run my FOH line from the Helix itself. So far I am still mic-ing my guitar cab and usng the 4CM with my amp.

     

    I have looked at the OwnHammer website (a lot) and wondered what the most popular package is that everyone buys? I see they have a bit of a price variance depending which one you buy. The IRs is actually the reason I am considering an FRFR setup so much.

     

    I have looked at the Firehawk 1500 amp and while it looks great, it would be more expensive than one of the StageSource speakers...the stereo setup is something that would be cool though... If i went that route should I mic the Firehawk then? How are people liking the Firehawk with IRs? Anyone used them with cab sims?

  9. Hey all,

     

    I picked up a Helix just over a week ago and played my first gig with it this past weekend. I am pretty new to modeling and this is definitely the highest-end amp/effects modeler I have owned (the last one I had was a Digitech GNX4 which I couldn't ever get to sound right). I spent the last week fiddling around with creating patches as well as implementing the four-cable method into my rig. The show went well I and I was overall pretty darn happy with my tone.

    I use a modified Fender Hot Rod Deluxe currently but have interest in getting a FRFR setup going (much to the dismay of my wallet).

    I am thinking of getting a Line 6 StageSource L2T so I can fully utilize all the amp/cab models in the Helix, however is it worth spending $1200 just to get the L6 Link capability in hopes of it improving with future updates? I also have (free) access to a Mackie SRM450 but am not sure if it would be a FRFR like I am seeking. I was thinking I should just bite the bullet and get the whole Line 6 setup (maybe a Variax one day too) and be done with it. I am going to be sticking with this rig for a long time so it would pay for itself.

     

    I am a full-time freelance musician playing contemporary country. I have learned a TON from this forum just in the week that I've been here....I will continue to scour the forums to make the Helix less-daunting...all the signal path routing capabilities and IRs and stuff still confuse me!

     

    Thanks for having me here. I have attached a pic of how my Helix is currently set up (pretty simple so far)post-2452991-0-35713800-1476672571_thumb.jpeg

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