themetallikid

I believe the Heil version needs a speaker load/output to work properly as it doesnt have a preamp built into it, its essentially a speaker driver into a tube. The more modern ones work well with the helix, I have one....in one of my FX loops....

Greatly waiting for the 'get me a beer' update of 3.1 coming 'soon'. I heard they are releasing a new helix summer 2021 that has a bottle opener included on the expression pedal.

When looking at the 10 empty footswitches in Stomp Mode, they go starting the top left, across the top row, so top row are buttons 1-5, bottom row 6-10. I hate having to reach the top row of buttons for live use so I put all snapshots and such on the bottom if I can. So the first two buttons on the top row are my PREV/NEXT. I have my helix mounted on a pedalboard that is already 1-2" lifted, so the extra height is great for the Expression pedal, but harder to stomp quickly on the back row. You shouldnt have to 'recreate' your presets. When I do this, I sorta follow this process 1. Copy/Paste something from my tone templates inventory (setlist 1) into my Songs Presets inventory (setlist 2). I then sort it alphabetically there for ease of finding later 2. I add any sort of song specific effects/amps etc. 3. I go through each snapshot I need for the song. Most songs are a Rhythm/Lead but some have more....and I turn on/off the appropriate blocks for each snapshot. I verify before advancing that as I go through, on my Helix I'm seeing the appropriate blocks change on/off. 4. I set the colors for each snapshot. Again I go Red>Green with colors like Aqua/Blue being more special assignments, Pink/Purple being actual Stomps and Red/Orange/Yellow being my snapshots 5. I enter Stomp Mode, enter Command Center and I create "MY" live palette of tones for that song. using the above mapped layouts. 1/2 always for PREV/NEXT assignments, 6-10 are usually for snapshots (starting from the right, next to tap tempo, and moving left. Right = lead, Left = more rhythm sounds) and buttons 3-5 are for Stomps if I need it. With the saving favorites and such, it I can create some presets in literally 30 seconds and some of my more complicated snapshot changes type stuff about 10 min at most. But whats important to me is that its consistent for me live. I like that all the switches I'm not using are blank/blacked out. I make sure snapshots are saved with no name (spaces) if I'm not using them and do not have a color on them as well. So on the Blink 182 preset up above, I literally only see the PREV/NEXT buttons, the Rhythm snapshot and the PHASER momentary button. Shoot me an email and I'll try and respond with some pictures and such if you want. not really show how to send video through here or if a vid will fit via email. But always happy to answer questions. Lots of trial and error and some great innovation from Line 6 got me to this point.

you probably need a complex routing where path 1 and 2 are both using the Guitar input, path 1a would be your 'dry' signal with a delay of 250ms, path 1B would have a pitch (set to -12) with a delay block set to 500ms. Path 2a would then be a straight path with a pitch block set to -24cents and no delay block added. the end of all chains would then go to their own outputs, all set to the same connection. I could be wrong, wouldnt this work? Nevermind, I'm seeing that you have the HX Effects....only one processing line/chain correct? Hmm....not sure then.

When you are in the Stomp Mode, the Command Center lets you 'create' a layout of presets/snaps/stomps/control/bank changes. So literally in every Song Preset you could have a different layout. This works great for me...For example some songs from my list (80's/90's covers type stuff). Buttons 1/2 are always Preset Previous and Preset Next. They are available, but out of the way performance wise for me. I always use the bottom row for snapshots, and usually work left>right regarding rhythm>lead as I'm a right foot switcher and its easier to stomp and then reach my wah pedal on my board without shifting feet. :) Song/Preset 001 - Matchbox 20 3 A.M. Button 1 - Preset Previous (I have this on every preset/layout) Button 2 - Preset Next (I have this on every preset/layout) Button 9 - Rhythm - Color Red (always for rhythm sounds) - Snapshot 1 - toggle Button 10 - Rhythm 2 Color Orange (i progress towards green for leads) - Snapshot 2 - toggle Song/Preset 002 - Green Day - When I Come Around Button 1 - Preset Previous (I have this on every preset/layout) Button 2 - Preset Next (I have this on every preset/layout) Button 8 - Rhythm - Red - Snapshot 1 - Toggle Button 9 - Chorus - Orange - Snapshot 2 - Toggle Button 10 - Lead - Green - Snapshot 3 - Toggle Song Preset 003 - Ozzy - Crazy Train (likely your type of layout/setup) Button 1 - Preset Previous (I have this on every preset/layout) Button 2 - Preset Next (I have this on every preset/layout) Button 6 - Lead 2 - Aqua - Snapshot 3 - Momentary (snapshot 3 pressed, release - Snapshot 1) Button 9 - Rhythm - Red - Snapshot 1 - Toggle Button 10 - Lead 1 - Green - Snapshot 2 - Toggle *Button 6 is used for the middle of the chorus lead passages. I have my phase 90, volume boost, OD pedal and a mid push all programmed in Snapshot 3. In the Command center you can program the behavior when you press the button (activate snapshot 3) and the behavior when the button is released (return to snapshot 2). This allows me to activate my lead sound (same as snapshot 2) but do it on a 2nd switch and in a momentary fashion...step on - play leads, step off back to rhythm sound. For the main solo, I could hold Button 6 down or just use button 10 and then go back to button 9 for rhythm when done. Same sound, two different approaches. I used to do this same thing, however it was utilizing a Stomp switch, in Stomp mode....which required going in and out of Stomp mode like you mentioned...and I would never remember which presets had additional stomps there. Song Preset 004 - Blink 182 - All The Small Things Button 1 - Preset Previous (I have this on every preset/layout) Button 2 - Preset Next (I have this on every preset/layout) Button 6 - Stomp Switch attached to Phase 90 bypass - Blue - momentary (press/release both set to activate/return like Ozzy/003 style approach) Button 10 - Rhythm - Red - Snapshot 1 *this layout I use one sound the whole song, Rhythm, but then add the Phase 90 via Button 6 to momentarily add the phase sound . You could however use it as a Stomp switch to turn on/off the Phase 90 only. I use it as a snapshot/momentary as I like to give a little volume boost so the picking part cuts through a bit more as we run our own sound so all my lead boosts are on me to deliver. Hope that makes sense a bit more...this was a game changer for me during live use. Added note, if you do decide to utilize this, I would recommend turning off the 'return to previous snapshot' feature in the global menus. It seems that when that is active, it creates problems....for me at least. its meant that if you are on snapshot 1, and you preset snapshot 2, if you press snapshot 2 again, it will return to the previous snapshot (1, in this case). However, I think it changes the button response time of registering the 2nd press...and several times I've tried to change snapshots and it reads it as a 2nd press and reverts to the original snapshot. Once I disengaged this feature, its been rock solid for me. If you are still confused a bit, I can try and email some screenshots of my helix in different layouts like this....PM me your email and I can probably send some tonight sometime.

You can do what I've started doing. I've always been a snapshot/song guy...but occasionally would find need to just turn an effect on off.....my problem was I didnt need 8 snapshots, so I'd be in 4/4 mode preset/snaps. However, I now live in Stomp Mode ever since they released the ability to program snapshot changes in Stomp Mode. If you go into command center...you can customize the layout of Stomp mode to include Preset/Bank changes, Snapshots, Stomps.... I typically have my setup like this... Preset 1 - uses 5 snaps (Clean, Rhythm, Chorus, Bridge, Lead) Stomp Mode - 10 button view Button 1 - Preset Previous Button 2 - Preset Next Buttons 3-5 any Stomps I want to turn off on including a volume boost like your referring. I use this usually for a momentary boost for leads as well Buttons 6-10 would be set to Snapshot 1-5 This works great for me as every Song Preset gets its own custom layout, but I also only 'see' the buttons that I need for that song. In the 4/4 split view I used previously it could be confusing to look down and see what buttons did what when snaps/presets were all available at once. Helix's displays are great and helped minimize that, but this new programming in Stomp mode was a game changer for me.

try reducing the Hum/Ripple parameters.....especially if its different per Amp model. There was an amp model I was playing with a few weeks ago and it had that sorta hum just inherent in the sound whenever I'd play....reduced the 'hum' parameter and it was gone. Didnt seem to affect 'feel' much at all though.

I had a similar experience on my full helix floor, but havent run into it again....

no idea for sure.....my only guess is that there is a range for the Sag parameter in their algorhythm min/max type settings. most I would think they could recalibrate 5.0 to be the natural sound of the amp and there fore 0-10 would reach affected sounds accordingly but within the min/max range settings of the algorhythm. Its possible then that the normal Sag sound of some of the amps is drastic enough that at extreme settings of 0.0 or 10.0 the variance from the 'neutral' 5.0 would be unstable in the algorhythm or produce undesirable sounds therefore having 4.0 or 6.0 be the 'neutral' default setting would mean less range to increase/decrease the parameter to stay within the min/max settings of the programming possibilities. I know nothing about programming though, also.....apparently I know nothing about how to spell algorhythm, lol.

I asked this question when I had my FAS Axe Ultra back in the day. On that unit all the 'sag' like controls defaulted to 5.0. Regardless of the model. Clearly there were different Sag feels between the amp types, so I concluded after getting 0 helpful responses to my question back then that the 5.0 Sag setting meant that at 5.0 the parameter is 'neutral' to how the amp was modeled. You could produced less/more sag by adjusting it, but 5.0 is equivalent to the tangible real world counterpart. Therefore turning the sag from 5.0 to 3.0/7.0 would produce different (but similar in effect) valued effects between amp models. I picture it just like the gain parameter. 5.0 on the gain knob is drastically different on the Princess (Princeton) amp vs. the Badonk Amp model. Can you get drastically different gained amps to sound similar, sure if you put one at 1.5 and one at 9.5 maybe...but like most things in the Helix.... use what sounds good.

Exactly...the only time i have any with presence above that range is if I have the treble really rolled down and its working for me.

For me, when I've been struggling to find a balance between getting the right amount of 'bite' but not sound ice-picky or shrill.....I've played with the treble and presence together. I agree there is no blanket approach as every amp is different in how the treble and presence affect the tone and also how they interact with each other. For me, I'll try to add both, because they add to the frequencies that 'cut' through in a way, however if I'm struggling to find that sweet spot, I've reduced my treble down below where it sounds good, then brought the presence up to find some of that bite, and then raise the treble to find the sweet spot. It seems, to me, that if I adjust the treble first, it ends up higher than it needs to be because I'm trying to turn it up to get some of those presence frequencies out of it. Then when presence is added its too much.

So last night while building Song specific presets again...I noticed the same behavior. In stomp mode, I only had buttons 1/2 as the preset up/down. and the bottom 5 are usually dedicated for my snapshot selections and then buttons 3/4/5 are for Stomps if I need or additional snapshots but thats rare. I went in and changed the setting that a 2nd snapshot press takes you back to the previous snapshot and it fixed my problem. This sounds like what I was suggesting when 2.9 came out, when they implemented that feature, something must have changed or isnt being complimentative in regards to the timing between a regular button press (or rather the minimum time it takes for a double press to be registered) and the new feature i'm referring to where it reverts to the previous snapshot. as an FYI I noticed the same behavior on the preset up/down buttons as well so its not just snapshot setting related. When I'd go to the next preset, it would sometimes skip one, like I had pushed it twice. I've always been a softer button pusher/stomper, but even quicker type stomps result the same inconsistent behavior sometimes its a single press, sometimes it registers as a double press. Either way, it seems to be tied in to that 'previous snapshot' parameter and resolved by shutting it off....

I watched a youtube video of this effect and it really gave some great directions on the parameters. Just search Poly Sustain Helix and the Jason Sadites one is pretty decent to get your feet one...there is another one by two guys that is pretty neat its about 45 min and they go through all the poly effects. I found that adding it towards the end of my chain just before reverb/delays makes the most sense. that way the poly gets the snapshot of audio, and pushes it through the ambient effects. Even though the effect is 'on' its not 'recording' audio and what you play after you initially turn it on doesnt process in that block. So you can then have your changed sound play over the top. For me, the hard part is getting the sustained sound to sound ambient and 'synth' like some of the vids have. I'm sure its technique with how you strum/pluck the strings/chords but the ambience definately makes a difference if you dont have that right either.

yeah cause I dont do that specifically. I only assign snapshots (this is within a preset only of course) and then have say button 8 for turning on a song specific phaser. Next preset the phaser button might be empty if I have no special effects. I use the stomp mode to really just create a customized template as some songs need 5 to 6 snaps and not always a stomp option. Curious....I dont notice it all the time, but its definately behaved different since the 2.9 update where stomp mode was opened up. or was that 2.8?

sounds amazing... what settings for amp, horizon and wah? I love the York Audio IR's.

I get it, but I guess still dont get it. So typically I've always had song specific presets, where in that song preset, I would go into Stomp Mode, and using the 10 button layout would create what I needed for the song. I'd have the preset Up/Down buttons, and then I'd have 3-5 snapshots and potentially 1-2 Stomp buttons. They would all only function as that programming though. Are they saying because I'm using Stomp Mode to trigger snapshots? or are they referring to where I'd have button 7 be Snapshot 4, but in addition to that, I'd assign a phaser in the effects assignment screen to button 7 as well.?

Support is generally pretty solid with L6 and on this forum, maybe with the holidays its a touch slower in general with forum traffic. Myself, I have the non switch Mission Engineering pedal, i forget the exact model number. I havent had any issues with the pedal using several different rigs (Fractal, L6, Boss, TC Electronic). So I'm not sure on the toe switch programming that your referring to, but I know I have seen people with several other types of expression pedals have the same close/open/close or 0/100%/0 reaction. I'm sure if you do a search for Expression Pedal issues you'll find some threads. Im not sure what the exact solution is, but my guess would be the cable....I think there is sometimes a correlation between how the pedal/Helix interact if the cable is a tip/ring vs a tip/ring/sleeve?? I know some 'other' pedals have had issues because of the type of 'pot' they had in them and how it would transmit that information, but again, I think that also is related to the cable needed.... I could be wrong so I apologize if I am, ...again I'd try that search and see. I usually dont click into those threads much as my ME pedal has been flawless with my Helix (and other rigs)

No, I dont ever use the amp/cab models. I did only when I was first playing with 3.0 and dialing in some amps that I hadnt really ever explored. I created a preset with amp/cab, amp, 4 IR blocks only. I would dial in the Amp/Cab (no irs) to get ballpark, then transfer the amp settings to the Amp only version and then use that to find an IR that got me closer to the sound and also tweak the Amp only block to get even closer. Then I would save the Amp and the IR blocks under the Amp name so I could load them later much more easily. Its feasible that maybe I did that by accident, but my process was pretty dialed in where I didnt even use or touch the amp/cab version much after the initial dialing in portion. I'll see if it happens again tonight at all and take some screen shots sorta thing.

I try to stay on top of the forum and especially issues after a new release, but I've been running into where the saved amp model in my favorites is grayed out, but I can select it in the regular amp menu or even from the actual favorites list on the left side of HX Edit, meaning its only grayed out in the features menus in the middle of the HX Edit layout. Was this ever addressed or given a reason why that shows as that way? Is there one window in general I should 'trust' more with that? I doubt Helix would let me add it if it really was DSP empty, but I swear I've gotten a warning when trying to add one into a preset that was a touch to DSP intensive (playing with the poly toys, and then changing the amp type). I have a few days to get some presets together for NYE and sorta remembered this off the top of my head as its been a bit since I've had a chance to tweak things

what do you mean by 2 functions assigned to the same footswitch? So if I notice it for snapshot changes, i can't assign more than one change?

yeah I love the Helix, and a smaller version may be in the cards when I free up enough money. who knows....appreciate it.

Yeah to be honest, It'd really only be for practicing songs and such without having to connect my whole pedalboard etc. Sounds too pricey of a 'fix' for that, plus having to deal with potential issues between tech items. Was hoping to keep the tweaking uniform and just save backups and restore to my Floor when needed, but I might just be better off with a seperate unit for home jamming

So I have the Floor...love it, but its a pain to haul my full board out, hook things up under my desk, seperate headphone amp, headphones.....I know, 'real' problems right? lol Thinking about grabbing Native for the $99.99.....obviously I can't just plug my guitar into my laptop, so what else do I need in order to make it work. And should I expect anything different sound wise between what I create in Native vs. what I create on Floor? Of course, already accounting for my monitoring preferences for at home vs live/practice use. Those I have figured out already....Just meaning more of changes in tone due to a different input potentially?