themetallikid

"Per-Snapshot Command Center > HX Snpsht Values" If I am understanding this upgrade correctly.... I could have snapshots as follows 1 - Intro 2 - Verse 3 - Chorus 4 - Bridge 5 - Lead Thus I could have 1 button to advance 1>2>3>4>5.....correct? However if I had a song that followed a Intro > Verse > Chorus > Verse > Chorus >Bridge > Lead > Verse > Chorus pattern... I would need all 8 snapshots, and run one short of a linear song navigation? If I wanted to use a 2nd button to navigate the different parts of a song that the Chorus leads to (verse, lead, outro potentially), I would just assign a second button to get me there? If that is correct it'd look similar to this? 1 - Intro (button 2 - verse/change 1) 2 - Verse (Button 2 - chorus/changes 2, 4, 8) 3 - Chorus (button 2 - Verse/change 3, Button 3 - Bridge/change 5) 4 - Bridge (button 2 - Lead/change 6) 5 - Lead (button 2 - verse/change 7) Am I thinking correctly with that?

Yeah I just tried it again and dont hear it, so maybe something saved weird? Idk, oh well....thanks for playing along

Oh, haha, yeah probably. I only did 3db, but again, didnt really get a chance to try it out. My apologies....

Lol..... Not sure how to take that 'HOLY $H1T BATMAN!' lol.... If its a bad one, I only dialed this in in 10 minutes before having to haul my behind to work. If its a good one....well then thanks. What I'm hearing isnt really a distortion (like clipping)....its almost like one of the OD/Lead amps that are bypassed are almost running their signal, but at a negative db that is subtle. I'll have to listen again once my daughter is picked up. Appreciate you listening. The dry clean snapshot is meant to be clean/clean....like a jc120 ish style clean, the grit is meant for that Voodoo Labs like Sparkle drive where you get the clean but blended grity.

Here is the preset. It is constructed above as I mentioned. I verified that the Dry Clean Snapshot does not have anything active, however, I have not tested the preset again as Im not able to in my apartment at the moment. Kitchen.hlx

Yeah I didnt have much time to really troubleshoot. I was planning on doing this. I dont have any parallel paths, and as far as I can recall being away from my Helix, the only mix %'s that would be in effect would be compressor (pre-amp) or delay/reverb settings. The sound isnt very loud but I will investigate tonight a bit.

I'll try and upload it tonight

So I made an All In One style preset to use for a new project that will cover from country - rock stuff. I like having a dedicated set of favorite blocks to work with when building song specific presets. I was not happy with my previous attempts so to day I decided to create one using the Soldano Clean/Crunch/Lead amps. I used a dual cab block (Mesa V30/160-1"/Uber T75-409 -1"). I added a room reverb and retro reel as my 'always on blocks'. I have buttons 7 - Clean(Clean amp), 8 - Grit (Crunch Amp), 9 - Classic (Crunch Amp), 10 - Crunch (Crunch Amp, duh), 11 - Rock (Lead) snapshots. Following buttons bypass these 'sounds' - Button 1 - Country (Gain block -5.5db first in chain, Tilt EQ 1.2khz 100 Bright, -3db (thanks for that tip), Deluxe Comp. Button 2 - Dimension Chorus, Button 3 - Boost OD (Teemah), Button 5 Lead Boost (TS808 Gain 1.5, level 8.0 - Delay Block - Gain Block +3db (last in chain). Overall, I like the tone....but something I noticed...when I'm on my Clean Snapshot I'm hearing some distortion/OD type sound. Its not a 'clipping' type sound as the clean tone itself is very pleasing and solid. The only blocks I have engaged on this snapshot (in order): Amp (Soldano Clean), Dual Cab Block (as mentioned above, no changes), Room Reverb, Retro Reel. My signal path goes from 1A output > 2A input, so one long chain. No parallel effects or routing weirdness. It almost sounds like my guitar input signal is going into the 2A input, into the Soldano Lead Amp. However, visually the block is off, and the input routing wouldn't allow that. Its very strange...Its quiet enough that live I probably wouldnt notice it, but dialing this in with headphones it was noticeable. I'm not at home, so I can't post the preset and I have practice tonight.... but if I hear it tonight at practice when through the PA I'll set it up tonight and post it for further evaluation. Any shots in the dark where that comes from? Is it normal with that amp model?

Ok, I think thats what I was missing was setting the outputs to USB, d'oh!!! Also for your part "You can record 4 useful tracks simultaneously in Reaper. Arm 2 mono and 2 stereo tracks for recording. Assign the Record Input for the wet guitar track to USB 1/2, and USB 8 for the mono dry guitar track. Similarly, use USB 3/4 and 8 for the vocal wet and dry tracks." Do you mean '7' for the vocal wet/dry tracks or the guitar wet/dry/ tracks, they wouldnt both go to 8 right?

So I've got a bug to record some fun stuff for my acoustic project. Id rather not have to set up my 'mixer' (xair18) to do this, and just use Helix USB. Is that possible? I'm pretty sure I did it before, but what settings do I need to have in Reaper and on the Helix to do so. I'm wanting to record just my acoustic and then a vocal track to go with it.

Yes the LT and Full Helix have 2 processing paths (1&2), and each path can be separated into 2 paths (A&B) to allow for parallel routing. However you can also drag the split/merge points down and create 4 complete separate paths (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B), with each path then having its own dedicated input/output. I do this for my acoustic duo presets 1A - My guitar (guitar input) 1B - Duo guitar (aux input) 2A - My vocal (XLR input) 2B - Duo vocal (Insert/Return 1, using an XLR>1/4" cable) I think what you are trying to do, you'd need the additional paths thus sort of duplicating your preset on paths 1 & 2 (inputs both set to Guitar In) and then you'd break them off to the 'B' parallel routing and apply your pitch shifting going out to different outputs then.

Yes, now that you mention that, without even being near my Helix, I think you are right. I have mine set per preset (more than likely) for the same reasons. Although I always keep it toe down (playing OCD a bit), it makes sense that the preset doesnt acknowledge the pedal until it is moved once the preset is called up. So yes I need to 'activate' the pedal once I select that preset. Thanks....complete oversight of my own wants/needs. lol

Good to know, I look at the unit when editing and see the meters usually, maybe I just never noticed the numbering or didn't know what the sections meant. Pro tip, I'll try it.

I"ve done this. lol.... It was a 97yd par 3. Elevated tee do a postage stamp sized green. Overhanging tree covered part of the green if you hit a lob wedge to drop it straight down yardage wise. I jokingly grabbed my putter, it skipped the downhill portion of the tee box and actually rolled up on the green. Had about a 25 ft putt, but it was a fun unconventional par. lol

That all makes perfect sense. I forget, how do I know where -10 is on the reduction meter?

So I typically only use my expression pedals for wah/whammy (any volume differences I program into snapshots as I dont do any swells really). However.....what I've noticed on presets is an odd delay or lack of engaging on presets I do this with. I'll try my best to describe it. I set my auto engage up so its backwards then most, toe-down is 'off'. I have it set to 98% as the threshold to engage the block, 0ms delay. I do it this way as I tend to favor the lower part of a wah sweep and accidentally turn it off a lot less this way. By default, I set up any other effects like whammy the same way just for consistency with my poor brain for live use. When I first turn the Helix on, I notice that I need to rock my pedal(s) back and forth at least once, sometimes twice for the blocks to engage properly or there is a lag in engagement. For my acoustic gigs this isnt an issue as I only use the pedals to reduce input signal between sets or turn off delay/reverb for between song banter. However if Im playing a gig with full band and I dont use the pedals for the first few songs and forget to 'calibrate' (lack of a better term)....then when I get to the song with the expression pedal use, there is a clear delay or change in the engagement of the bypassed effect. Now the strange part (for me).... Usually once I do this 'calibration' after the helix is powered up, it seems to be fine across presets. However there are a few presets where it seems I need to do it once the preset is engaged regardless of any previous 'calibration'. Am I on crack? Is there something I'm missing in setting up my auto-engage settings or something? Or am I really just slacking on engaging the pedals properly upon boot up and any issues I'm having are associated with that? (I apologize for my rambling, its band practice day. First practice with a new group and I'm all excited and my mind is going over every little thing about my presets i've noticed in my head that doesnt seem 'perfect')

Yeah I assumed the pickups were a part of it. I've used the Tilt EQ trick you showed me and that helps get the tone a bit of a single coil, but its still missing something. I've been using the amps you suggested up there as well. Well aware of the Dr. Z being a country fave which was where I started my search and helped determine its more than likely my pickups that are over driving what the compressor is doing. I'll have to play around with a volume block in the beginning of my chain to see where it needs to be and then make up the volume elsewhere in the preset(s). 1 question though, when setting the compressor...I know quick attack/release settings help, and I can surely find the right threshold to get what I want....but is there a 'rule' for setting the makeup/output gain for this application? I know generally its to help compensate the output volume for what the compressor is doing, but being in front of the amp....am I looking for 'unity' or is the decreased volume also a part of this 'sound' in regards to the signal hitting the amp right?

I have a comp set right, but I'm not really getting that snappy sorta attack. I like what I'm getting for my rock style stuff, but I want some sparkly/snappy clean sounds (or light breakup). I have higher output pickups, is that the final part I'm missing to get some decent cleans? I like the Jazz 120 amp, may try the Soldano clean

The mix has to be at 100% otherwise your getting 50/50 of the guitars tuning and the effects block's affected tuning. which would sound horrible.

I did this in the past as well for home use. Is it comparable quality wise to the Poly Wham doing the same thing? I have a band that literally has 1 maybe 2 songs in Eb, and I can't get the preset to sound right with the Poly Pitch stuff cause I need the dsp for other parts of the song....however, bringing an additional guitar for 1 or 2 songs is a pain and not 'worth' it. The song can't be played just lower on the neck cause of open strings either.

I had a DigiDrop for a bit. I couldnt get along with it in the loop where I wanted to run it so it was preset specific engaged. Do you run yours in the front of the Helix?

I"ve also noticed if I overwrite slots or copy/paste between setlists it will sometimes rebuild presets as well. Nothing to worry about, its just making sure all is good.

You could do 3 things....1 not a guarantee.... 1) You could set the global eq up this way and just turn it on/off as needed. However this affects all presets GLOBALLY the same way so its not a great bandage for this issue. I wouldnt recommend this. 2) Tweak your presets at the closest volume and on the closest equipment you can to what it will be played through. It's the only true way to combat this issue. 3) In between 1 & 2.....you can reference what YOUR monitoring situation sounds like....and then compare how that translates to your PA situation and then make adjustments at home knowing that what you hear isnt 'perfect' for your ears at home, but will translate to the performance PA appropriately. I do a combination of 2/3. My headphones can be a bit muffled on high end. It's easy for me to dial the highs too bright....I know that. I dial them in with my headphones to be a touch muffled and it translates well to my PA. If I dialed them in to sound good on my headphones, no one could stand within about 100ft of the PA then...they would end up sterile. lol. One second solution is to copy your presets to another setlist or preset slot(s) and then you can adjust one for headphones and one for PA use. Same presets, just different EQing.

So Ive been delving back into stock cabs again for preset building simplicity. I've been getting some decent tones, but a few tones could use some exploration type help. I really only know a few of the mics. I usually combine a 57 with a 160 and then use the low cut to balance the 160 appropriately. Other than wiki, are there any good resources to learn more about the mics. I do usually cycle through them, so I'm tweaking with my ears, not my eyes...however...Id like to just educate myself more about the mics. Any resources? Any favorite mic combinations? I've mainly been using the Greenback 25 (57) paired with the Mesa V30 (160) cab.

Appreciate that. I know it wont be 100% legit, but the IR's I tried, just do something that I can't figure out that I dont like. Almost like the dry signal goes through or something weird.