GenoBluzGtr

I agree with this, except that I can use 'Ripple' sometimes to slightly darken a bright preset. Overall, it sound better and more open with a low ripple settings, but if there is a bit of "ice pick", I can reduce it by turning up the Ripple setting a bit. Sag was the one that surprised me. I LOVE a real amp with noticeable Sag... but on the Helix, something below 1.0 is almost always better to my ears.

Just asking. I'm learning more and more every day with the Helix and, as such, I'm finding that my presets are getting so much better. That makes me think that it's not worth hanging on to the ones I built last month that just sound like, well, like crap compared to my newer ones. I'm learning which parameters have the most effect on the parts of my tone that are pleasing to me (lowering Sag, Hum, Ripple, etc...; Adding a Opti-Trem with speed and intensity turned down; using a para EQ after the cab block to smooth things out and fine-tune my frequency curve; which OD/Dist blocks sound best with which amps; how to use "assign controller" to avoid having too many blocks for gain and volume boosting, etc...) and I really don't think I will need those old presets to even us as a starting point. Do you guys hang on to things or do you toss them to reduce the amount of carp you're storing on the computer (or on the helix?). Just curious.

Thought so... no way for power to get down a non-TRS cable. That works for me since I am the one running the PA from my spot on Stage. It's right next to me.

This is what I use... But correct me if I'm wrong... the 1/4" out to the board would NOT suffer from the problem, correct? Many mixing boards can take either an XLR OR a 1/4" input, so if you just use the 1/4 out from Helix to the 1/4" input on the board, it should not have the issue? I'm not stating, I'm asking because I haven't tried that yet (I use the power blocker when I do (rarely) plug into FOH).

Just wondering if anyone has had a cover made for their Helix (or found an existing one that works)... my concern is that in several clubs I play, there is always a lot of traffic right by the band, both during breaks and while we're playing... I would love to have a cover to place over the Helix when I'm not actually there to use it (between sound-check and starting, and on breaks)... just something that would deflect spilled drinks, etc.... if there is one that is transparent, it could stay on the Helix... that would be great for outdoor gigs if there's a chance a rain shower might pop up! Edit to add some examples.... like these but the right size to fit over the Helix tightly: https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Vinyl-Elasticized-Table-Cover/dp/B00ASLQ3B6 https://jet.com/product/detail/e4047b8aa42d421397e7a6b02210c2b0?jcmp=pla:ggl:nj_cons_gen_household_supplies_a3:household_supplies_paper_plastic_products_disposable_tableware_a3:na:PLA_784505252_41365549352_pla-353142107937_c:na:na:na:2PLA15&code=PLA15&pid=kenshoo_int&c=784505252&is_retargeting=true&clickid=8d233f55-a857-4cb3-952b-d3899bd0c6ef&gclid=CjwKCAiA6K_QBRA8EiwASvtjZQZYUQCB4mbZ1kdfxzLHPEdXcIpWt9V8QTL9ZTXN0NGS4mLK9okvDRoC7acQAvD_BwE http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=2303&gclid=CjwKCAiA6K_QBRA8EiwASvtjZaim8YV7gUEtu7Mn54AR5-WIOGgXAvZxYE53MUtYrPIt3zgxpufj1BoCnMMQAvD_BwE

My wish list... Amps: Tweed Twin Tone King Imperial Princeton Reverb Tweed Harvard Top Hat Ambassador 35 Cabs: 2X10 Ceramic and/or alnico (or mixed) 2X12 with a Silver Bell and a G12H30 Oversized 1X12 with a V30 Effects: JHS Angry Charlie Red Llama CMATMODS Signa Drive Rock Box Boiling Point BB Preamp (would be nice to see an EP and a RC, too!!) Way Huge Camel Toe (just to see what Alternate Name Line 6 would come up with! Ha - "big knuckle" ?)

I like this concept. I suppose you could pick a single cab model or IR and do the same, but many times I get a cab or IR and there is some very minor or small thing that I want to be different, i.e. a little more mid, a little less high end, etc... and the tweaks in the cab model don't quite find the sweet spot. This seems to be more tweakable to me to fine tune. Also I always use a Para EQ block in my patches anyway (it seems to smooth out the overall tone), so this is would definitely eliminate a DSP hogging block and enable more room for other effects in my block-heavy presets. I don't anticipate this will become my "norm" for building presets, but it's another tool to use when trying get an amp/cab to a sweet spot that just isn't there with the cab blocks or IRs.

All good to know. I do use the OptiTrem block and the end of all my chains, never thought about putting in front? I would much prefer NOT to have an extra cable and pedal and power supply on the floor, but I do love that EP Pre in front of my pedals and amp, so I thought it might make the Helix sound more natural... better, though, if something intrinsic to the Helix would do the same thing.

Anyone using something in front of their Helix as an "always on" to add life and airiness to the overall tone? When I used my tube rigs, I had an EP Boost set mildly (about 9 - 10 O'Clock) and it made everything in the chain after it (amp, pedals, etc) smoother, and more natural sounding. Anyone have anything similar that has the same type of effect on a Helix? If not, have you tried and it just doesn't have the same effect as it does on a Pedal Board?

I just realized where I'm mistaken... I went to get my backpack to take a photo of the interior... the "indentation" or "trough" is not designed the way I thought. It's only there because of the way the shoulder straps are 'bulging' up the interior portion of the padding (they are raising the "floor" padding for about 80% leaving a small area that not "bulged up"). I have never pulled the straps out and they are apparently causing the interior padding to "puff up" for all but the lower 3" or so... that makes a small "trough" that looks like it should be for the pedal. My mistake... sorry for raising a false issue.

Thanks for the basic directions... and I do understand these... but when I'm transporting my gear, the Helix bag needs to lay flat. there is not room among all the PA gear to stand it upright or on it's edge. So I have to lay it down flat.... it would make sense if the footswitches are up (and that's what I do - but my point is that it seems the backpack is built to use it differently.

If you open the main compartment, and look at the bottom of the pack, there is an indentation (trough??) that looks like it's the exact size of the built-in pedal. it's on the side facing the shoulder straps. If you use that as it is apparently indended, that puts the pedal and switches facing the shoulder strats. It will still fit the other way (and that's how I'm doing it for now), but it appears to be built to accept the helix exactly the opposite of how we all (I think) think that it should go.

Am I crazy or is the indentation for the pedal on the wrong side of the backpack? If I put the Helix in the way it appears that it's intended, then resting the back flat on it's back means the weight is pushing down on the footswitches.. doesn't seem to make sense to me? I know it's intended to sit on it's edge or bottom... but when I'm transporting it works best to lie on it's back... but I don't like knowing that those footswitches are underneath the weight of the unit.

was it plugged into your computer (via usb with editor open) at the time? I've had a freeze-up occur twice now if I plugged in AFTER opening the editor and when the computer went into 'sleep mode', it caused a freeze on the Helix.

THIS!! It think this is one reason so many people chase the boutique amp/pedal rig "unicorns"... you find a set up that sounds wonderful in the store, or in your living room... and get to gig A and it sounds dull and lifeless.... so you tweak it to sound good in that room... then you get it home and it sounds "horrible"... to bright, or too much mid-range, etc... Get it to gig B and still different tweaks are required. It pushes a lot of us (raising my hand) to spend a buttload of money on things that just don't work out in real life. That's one of the MAIN reasons I went the solid-state/modeling route to begin with. I was hoping for more consistency - so far, I'm liking it and thinking of a big sell-off of my pedals and an amp or two. I appreciate reading about these topics as it sheds light on my own personal findings. One thing that I'm having problems with is that we NEVER have a "sound guy"... in fact, I AM the "sound guy". We bring our own PA / Subs / Mains / Monitors, etc... to every gig. The PA is set and almost never gets any adjustment at all once we are done with our soundcheck. I'm the closest to the PA and aside from a couple of vocal bumps for some members prior to starting different songs, it's set/forget. so a lot of the advice I see on here and other forums references things like "if you have a good (or bad) sound guy"... or "the FOH guy will take care of that for you".... etc. For some of us, that doesn't apply, so figuring out things like Global EQ yes or no? and other related items are important. Thanks for continuing to investigate things that make life better for us gig-every-weekend-but-still-"old school"-guys.

Not sure if it works for all guitars, but something I have noticed is that i get a much better 'raw' grind... more open and transparent, if i drop the Master and bump up the Channel Volume to compensate. I, like you, started with the master and found that I ended up with master and channel levels essentially equal or master a bit higher. I found a couple of free presets on customtone that sounded great, and i noticed they had lower masters and higher channel levels. So I went back to a few of my presets and did that, and it opened things up AMAZINGLY well!! It's now my go-to scheme unless I want smoother, less dynamic drive. Another couple of tips i've picked up from here and other forums that have really helped me a lot ... 1. Add an Optical Trem to the end of your signal chain (the very end) and set Speed to 0, Intensity to 0 or 1, and adjust the output level to taste (I usually have it between 0 and 2) - it adds that "open and airy" flavor that makes me think I'm playing through a tube amp. 2. Use a Parametric EQ somewhere after the amp and cab (or IR). Placing it in different spots alters the impact, but I find this works WONDERS for taking that 'edge' off the tone... It doesn't dull it at all, but it fattens and rounds things so it sounds less like a simulation and more like the real thing. I tend to put my Parametric EQ second to the end of the chain right before the Optical Trem. 3. Tweak the Cab or IR level a bit. Higher output level tends to make it louder but also more raw and somewhat dark. setting the output level between 3 and 5 can sometimes yield a "sweet spot" that just sounds right. 4. Be careful of where you place Distortions, EQs and Compressors. Do an experiment... Make a chain that sounds okay... use a compressor, a distortion and a couple of EQs... then, as you play, move them around one at a time and hear the differences... just swapping the order of two blocks changes the sound completely... more nasally, more or less sustain, more or less "woody", etc... Make note of these changes. As you build patches, and you wonder what you do to give you sound 'X'... refer back to those notes and remind yourself that using block A and block B in reverse order tends to give me sound Y. Also, don't discount that putting certain blocks in a parallel path causes some changes in tone that you don't expect. Just dropping a 'verb or delay from serial-post-cab to parallel can brighten things up with zero parameter tweaks. 5. Finally, once you get a patch built, but not quite happy with it, look for blocks that have minimal or negative impact on the overall tone. I call this my "bypass tweaking". I'll play, then one at a time I'll hit the bypass button on each block and see what it does to my final sound. I see some patches where folks add this here and that there to compensate for some setting further up or down the chain. I find that, instead of compensating, I tend like patches better where i "fix" the issue rather than add more blocks. A good tone can be a great tone with fewer blocks... for the most part.

*** the one thing I've noticed with the Helix compared to all my previous rigs... you can really hear the differences between guitar pickup/tone knob and switch settings and all of the tonal characteristics of each guitar is more audible than I've ever heard before. amazing !! THIS +100 I notice it too. Set up a patch with a specific guitar and play it with a different one and it's shocking how different it can be! of course the more saturated drive you use this becomes less obvious... but a clean or semi-clean patch... Tele / Strat / LP all vastly different... even different humbuckers on two LPs can be night and day.

I am intrigued by the Variax, but dont' think I'm ready to make that leap yet. One major technology change at a time. I used to use HSS Strats exclusively... love the flexibility... however, I still brought two guitars to a gig, in case of a string break in mid-song. Happened only once in 20 years, but it was nice to limp to the end of the solo, nod to the other guitar player to cover my part for a few seconds, grab second guitar, tap the A/B switch and jump back in with minimal gap in the music. So I always have a back up. I think my career as a submariner has something to do with always wanting a back up for everything. ha ha. The Helix kinda begs to be used as a mimic-tool, but after my first gig, I think having fewer, and better tones might be the way to go for a while until I am well-versed in the Helix. I think four basic tones with the ability to turn on/off a standard set of effects might be a good start. Very clean Clean with a bit of Hair Crunch with an extra OD pedal for more Heavier OD Each of these with Chorus / Tremolo / Wah and some kind of lead sound with extra delay... On a couple of our tunes, there is a need for a Leslie sound, or an Organ-based effect for key licks... those can be separate patches.. On my first gig Friday night, I had 55 different patches - one for each song - and it was great to have them all be different, but trying to get so many patches equalized and ready for a gig took most of a day (not to mention the 2-3 weeks it took me to build them! And of course, some were great and some were not.

This brings up another question I have... switching guitars. Do you have more than one axe plugged into the Helix simultaneously? and if so, how? Or do you have one lead and just change guitars and switch the cable at the guitar? Or is there an external A/B switch involved?

I use a QSC K8 Live. Two-channels with individual gains. Pole-Mount, floor or standing upright all sound good. 25 lbs. 1000 watts (the new versions are 2000 Watts!).

I saw this when building patches... almost like pushing it hard caused the "double action"... was afraid it would happen at a gig, but last night (knock on wood), it did not happen... it seemed to me I was using a "lighter touch" with my foot at the gig and it seemed to be more consistent - lighter and kind of quicker. I wonder if the switches are just a bit too sensitive?

How many of you folks in Cover bands try to match the original artists tones with your patches compared with just finding a great set of Clean / Hairy Clean / Crunch / Driven / High Gain tones that sound good for "your" sounds?? I've tried to match tones myself with varying degrees of success... The good ones make me smile, but when it's off a bit, it's distracting. I wonder if I'm chasing something that I won't achieve? Also, do you build tones to suit a specific guitar, i.e. Patch 2a is for a Strat, tone 2b is the same patch but for a LP ??

Is there a danger that at some point, during the gig, you'll need to use guitar A instead of guitar B and not be able to make the switch in a timely fashion? I would love to have multiple guitars plugged in and "ready to go", and I like the scheme, but too many times I would "prefer" or "plan" to use a Tele on a particular song, but based on how that guitar is sounding that night or (and this is more likely) the rest of the band decides to jump immediately to the next song on the set list and I don't have time to make the switch.

Yep. I plan to run an XLR into the board for the rest of the band, but want to also have something for stage volume. I may eventually just plug into channel B of my K10 monitor (the one at my feet) and eliminate the backline speaker, but not sure if the rest of the band would like not having my sound on stage with the rest. Out of about 75 gigs per year, we have 4 or 5 where we mic amps or go direct to the board. The rest are all small clubs and we've been playing this way (not mic'd or direct) for over 15 years. With only one of us going into the mix, not sure how that will sound. In 15 years and hundreds of gigs, I can count on one hand the number of times we've actually has a separate sound-guy. We just run the PA from the stage.

I noticed this as well, and it completely made me forget that model.. but now, I must go back and try it. The patch sounded great except for that fizziness. Thanks for the answer!