themetallikid

Dont you just have to put the delay after the whammy? Cause then the delay will only repeat the affected pitch.....not the whammy altering the delay trails. Unless I missed something in your explanation? I used to play that song years ago...great tune/solo....and creative use of the whammy. If I remember correctly 2 whammy's are needed one that goes -12>Base Pitch and Base Pitch/+12....but I'd put the the delay at the end of the chain so that it gets fed the correct pitches.

Just listened to some more demos and really liking the Morley's.....Mark Tremonti and the George Lynch Dragon 2

Ok, so I've given up on running a foot controller or using the onboard one for wah. it works fine for 2 weeks then just suddenly will read the max pedal as a % in the 90's (see my other threads with this issue)....I can't stand it anymore. So....started looking at real wah pedals....couple of questions... 1) Any suggestions? I play everything from cleanish stuff to high gain, so I prefer something that can handle both. I prefer a 'thicker' low end sweep, would prefer switchless but it isn't a deal breaker. I watched several videos last night, some better than the others quality wise....but was really interested in the Kirk Hammet Model (I like the sweep range), Slash Wah (I like the options, the range seems more on the higher end), Mark Tremonti Wah (switchless, and seems good for higher gain stuff, Bad Horsie (similar to Tremonti, but different resonance/sweep) and the Mission Engineering Wah (this seems to hit all the marks for me, except switchless and being $300). 2) how do I route this? Do I go Guitar > WAH > Helix or is more preferred to go Guitar > Helix > Wah (via) insert loop. I generally run at the front of the chain with it (nothing crazy routing wise), but I do like having some gain boost in my wah sound, which I've been adding with a gain block prior to the wah block, but some wahs come with this function. Didn't know if it would be better up front or in a loop somewhere.

Ahh, reading this opened up my eyes, I did not realize you could swap IR's via Snapshots...thought I had to run multiple IR blocks which made it more of a mess than a help.

RIght, I definitely get the trails thing, but there is a great difference in the noise of my noisy presets when I have the "Input" gate set to say -60db vs. having the Input gate at -74db, and then adding a Noise Gate block just before the drive/amp or between them with a -90db setting. It sounds cleaner using both in that way. I'll have to experiment without the Input block to see if its doing enough, but I hear a difference, and I'll work with it.

Ok, I'll try bumping the settings up a bit, There have been some struggles with gates from our soundguy so I think I've kept them as minimal as possible because of what I'm hearing from him, but if my settings are considered 'too low' (I also play with EMG's, then I know the main PA issues are not attached to my gate settings then and will tighten them a bit.

Usually the -70 is a decent setting for at home, didn't know if adding a 2nd one with a lesser setting was 'better' than just increasing the 'input gate' to a higher setting. Sometimes those 'input gates' have some extra processing that gets added to them

Between the 'Input Gate' that is hardwired into every preset and the 'Noise Gate' you can add under the Dynamics Menu? Is one better to use than the other? On my presets i'm working on, I tend to have the "Input Gate" set to around -70db and it does an ok job, but still leaves some background noise......by dropping the 'Noise Gate' in front of the Amp Block, even with -96db (minimum it will allow) it cleans everything up nicely but doesnt seem to hamper my sustain or anything... Am I better leaving the input gate 'off' and just putting a Noise Gate? Not sure if they process things differently.....

My follow up question then would be..... If I had: Bank A - PowerCab Presets Bank B - Direct to FOH Presets If I'm using the 'lesser' PowerCab with the standard SM57 mic 'ouput' to FOH.....is there a cab in the Helix that I can put in my Bank B Presets that will make it consistent with Bank A's presets? Like Cab X with SM57 Mic sim will be equivalent to PowerCab's Link output?

Man, I was looking at some less expensive options, but the idea of 'limiting' myself to the choices on the cab, and not having to use DSP for a cab block, is very intriguing....

Silly question that I probably shouldn't have to ask....but here it goes... If I get the one with the speaker sims in it....I would not have to run cab blocks in my presets as it would be handled by the PowerCab, and I could run my line out to the FOH via the Powercab as well correct?

I've become fond of the ribbon mics because they do offer a more rounded sound in general, and then pairing them up in a dual cab with something to add the right amount of top end to the sound (this however is dependent on the amp model). For the ribbons, I find myself with the 161 a lot of times, it seems to have more 'punch' to the sound, but if I need some more 'boom' I'll go to the 4038(?) model Edit* - I do still add a low/hi cut eq at the beginning starting at 150hz to fix flubbyness and a parametric EQ at the end of the chain with starting cuts around 120hz/5.5khz....this really gives me a good starting point and if I can't get the sound using the amp controls then I'll go to adjust the Pre EQ or the Post EQ depending on what affect I want.

Fair....just saying, if all of the people have offered help on this topic, and your still complaining....I think my statement stands. I get that its harsh, but the tools/help on this forum are high in volume and that doesn't even bring youtube, if you can't find something useable with all the help here....maybe the issues are elsewhere.

"There are pages and pages of the same complaint on the internet. I would like, hope, to see that Line 6 is working on the problem." Where are you finding these pages and pages....there are also pages and pages of people who are more than satisfied with the unit. I'll ask this, is it possible your just an idiot? and should be playing through some sort of Fischer-Price guitar for ages 2+ or that maybe your Helix is broken in someway that it is not working correctly? Its pretty plug and play...and again as stated in one of your other threads...if you can't get a decent sound, guitar>HELIX>Headphones, then there are other problems than the 'software' and I don't think its Line 6's problem to fix with coding and formulas for the sounds inside the toolbox.

I've found that no matter the mic, I like it as close as I can get. I'd rather EQ out some of the low end, rather than add distance. The effect on the 'punchiness' seems to go away when I back the mic away as opposed to just tightening up the low cut.

yes, I have some low cuts up around 300 hz, which seems odd to me, but that's where it needs to be to remove flubbyness, then with the post parametric eq, I'll add a spike at 125hz for some palm muting chunk.

I'm not sure on the Master EQ portion of your question. I've been 'happy' with my presets for the last 6 months. I've owned my Helix for almost a year now. The recent change I made was when I create my presets to put a Parametric EQ at the end of my chain (but before Reverb/Delays so I can send a stereo signal if I want to) and set the low/high cuts to 100hz/5.5khz. This frequency gives me a basic representation of what a guitar cab would be outputting. I adjust the cuts to clean up any sort of highs or lows that need to be added or taken away. I've learned that any bass flubbyness you can tame with an EQ in front of the chain and any highs or ice pickiness you can tame after the amp/cab. This has given me a much more reasonable range to adjust on the high end. Different amps I've gone up to 8k, but mostly stay between 5-6k. This was a big leap for me as I had thought FRFR meant that having 'access' to those frequencies meant I'd have a fuller sound but after different experiments, I really just ended up back where a normal guitar cab would be anyway. Having access to a FRFR speaker though does allow me to hear what I create without any coloration, and know that what I'm sending to the sound board should be just as equal for him to put in its place.

If you have not gotten 'any' usable tones out of it... I would start with something that will install some confidence that it can be done: Headphones. It takes all the other factors out of play. Get some decent headphones, plug them in, start a new preset, slap an Amp/Cab block in there only....and see how the stock settings sound. They should sound decent to begin with. Maybe take something mid gainish or clean first. If you can get something useable here...then its not the guitar/Helix....its everything afterwards in the chain. I would then once that is useable, I would remove the Amp/Cab block and separate them to make sure you can achieve the same tones, just by splitting the blocks out. If you can do that, then you would only need to bypass the cab block and maybe change the output routing to send that same signal to the FX Loop in on whatever amp your using.... That should help troubleshoot where the issues are coming in. My fave amps to go to stock are the JC120, Brit 2204 (line6's version towards the end of the list) and also the Trainwreck/Placator models. That should give you a variety of amp sounds to try out.

I'm sure there are several things that I'm missing in this statement....but I'll put it out there anyway... Wouldn't the preamp only models really just be a sophisticated od/dist pedal?

Looking to do a project with my drummer and I only....he will be playing on an electric kit and sometimes using a cajon, I will be doing acoustic for sure, maybe electric guitar on songs depending on the flavor. Anyone do something similar? Any ideas on tricks I can imply in the Helix to help fill the sound a bit or make it not sound like we are missing band members? I've read a little online, but some seem to get quite complicated and include pieces the Helix does not provide. Thanks in advance for any help

I'd be curious if your issue is just a specific issue or something other users have encountered....

The issue when present though is involving both the External Mission Pedal (both pedals I have tested when this happens so its not related to just one of them malfunctioning) and also the on board one. Its something internal with how its reading the information being received from the pedals. Which is what made me think power related as its both pedals and doesnt happen while I'm at home, only when I'm at practice or at a gig...

I included my thoughts above on the situation, and the response back was again to loosen the allen screw. I fail to see how loosening the screw on the L6 Onboard pedal will resolve the issues with my Mission Engineering pedal...but whatever I guess. Also, they are saying that sometimes the chassis can become bent due to use. I've never used the onboard pedal except for the time that I mentioned above, so I doubt its bent, unless I got some sort of resealed used unit. But I doubt Sweetwater would've done that to me. So I guess my options are to try and 'trust' this again, by loosening the screw....then send it in, and hope that I get something back before my 5/5 gig or I'd have to use my Boss GT.

I do not have one, but...I may plug into my other guitar players to see if I do not have the issue at the show. I got an initial response on my ticket to "Loosen the allen screw"....I fail to see how this would result in it reading the toe down position correctly...but advised I would try it. I do have the on board one set a little stiffer, but my Mission pedal feels like a typical Crybaby resistance...not too stiff or loose. It feels to me like its just tight enough to not fall into the toe down positon from its own weight.