karlic

Usually I am using this effect for power chords, so less of a problem there. If it is single note lines, I stick with simple pitch. Tuning is something that will make a big difference though. Since I switched to an Evertune guitar, this kind of effect works a lot better. I also have a Kemper Rack and this is slightly better for now, but they have been through a few updates to improve matters. There is a feature called Smooth Chords that seems to help when playing more than just a triad. For me the Poly Capo is a great step forward and hopefully it might even get further refined. Just don't expect miracles. It is a useful tool for live performance, where detail is less likely to be heard.

Your comments shouldn't be taken as an affront by anyone. I have a Kemper and love the Transpose effect. The thing is, you have to remember it has been through several updates over a period of years. The poly capo sounds pretty good to me and may be fine-tuned as they go on. It certainly works for power chords and these effects are only really for live or a quick demo.

A brilliant update. Even on the HX Stomp I am getting Poly Capo working well with drive/amp/cab. No need for The Drop any longer and Poly Capo transposes up too. Acoustic sim is good enough for live and very welcome. Also, 8 blocks means I can add reverb to patches that already used 6 blocks. Simply way more than I expected and a game changer for use as a portable live unit.

I noticed this with global eq. Look at the graphic and you can see a 20kHz roll off attenuates as low as 8kHz. That would explain why middle aged people can hear it. The nothing pleasant above 10kHz is really about distorted sounds. I can understand what you mean with some clean patches.

Line 6 always mention 24bit 96kHz as an audio interface in their information, so it should be fine for recording. In fact many believe you gain virtually nothing from high bit & sample rates. If you have patience, this guy explains a lot: https://www.xiph.org/video/ But I have never seen what the analogue output specification is, but IRs immediately run at 16bit 48k anyway. Does anyone know the quality of both the main outs and headphone outs?

How much information is there above 10kHz in a real guitar cab?

A good way to create stereo width if to boost a frequency on one side and subtract exactly the same frequency on the other. This is the only way to guard against phase cancellation if summed to mono in a live situation. Any delay or modulation effect is a risk if the engineer doesn't fully pan, or the PA is not working properly.

I think you can still run into trouble with basic power chords unless you are perfectly in tune when using monophonic pitch.

The only thing i could find doesn't demonstrate Maj7s, you would have to try that for yourself. It is the best I have tried though. They all have drawbacks and there will be latency to get used to, but it definitely beats carrying extra guitars when travelling light. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz2CmYLZWWM

I generally don't use those kind of chords on songs using pitch drop, but the Kemper is best at this. It has a "smooth chords" setting on the transpose effect that does some kind of phase alignment. So it is possible. The Drop wasn't much use for me because it doesn't go up.

I accept it may not fit your needs as an individual, but hopefully as they refine the algorithm more efficiency will be found. Surely the Digitech Drop processor is relatively modest?

Yeah, that's what I roughly suspected the CPU hit to be like. But didn't you said it would eat and entire processor? 40-50-% is fine, even on an HX Stomp. Most live pitch shifting would be for a rhythm sound where an amp and IR would still work within limits. For lead sounds the simple pitch would still work in monophonic.

Surely the commitment to adding polyphonic pitch came before hiring a team without a purpose. Also with Kemper and Fractal having that capability, they want to be considered equal.

I won't quote you and fill the page Sascha, but this list just shows how different we all are. The only point that interested me was 7) A decent touch wah. I know the reverbs don't stack well against Kemper or Fractal, but I am not that worried with good delays available. I am amazed people complain about routing in the Helix, as it seems well implemented and comprehensive when compared to my Kemper. In short, the tam must have looked at the numbers and decided polyphonic pitch was a priority, whatever our individual wishes are.

Most other modellers offer poly pitch and it is very useful live for different tunings. What are the top 5 from your list of 20?

When you are playing live, front of house sound and in ears will appear brighter. This is party volume and the Fletcher-Munson loudness effect, but in ears seem to exaggerate the top for me too. It depends on the IR used, but I keep a global eq setting ready to kick in for live shows. I make a narrow cut at 5.5kHz to tame the fizz and also something around 3.3k usually gets rid of the icepick frequencies to spare the audience. Then high pass at between 80-100hz and then it is strange with the top end. Even 18k low pass seems to take effect, although I run 7k on the IR block. Just be aware that what sounds great at low volume with be biting and fizzy at high volume.

Kemper made a really nice sounding transpose, that to my ears is more natural than The Drop. It still has very similar latency, although you get used to it in a live situation.

That seems quite reasonable for the level of processing going on here. It is a lot different from monophonic pitch shifting if done well. Do you know if the old pitch effects will still be available for when processing power is limited?

I would use it for rhythm sounds with just and amp and IR, so probable fine. Simple pitch works well for monophonic solo sounds with more effects.

What kind of DSP usage are we talking about. Is it double simple pitch or pitch whammy?

Listen, if you are happy with your sound, I really cannot argue with that. One thing is for sure, the onboard Helix cabs sound different to any IRs I have. I also made my own IRs with a 6505 power amp section and Mesa 4x12 to get me to where I am used to. I will definitely give it one more go with the Helix cabs and try what you suggest though:-)

Good to hear you managed to squeeze something out of them. I have been back a couple of times because of these kind of comments, but nothing has changed for me. I always feel you shouldn't have to work hard to craft a cab that is deficient. Better to get things right at source.

I would encourage you to try some 3rd party IRs. If I was limited to the onboard cabs, I would have returned the Helix personally. Even just trying a few free IRs showed my how good this unit can be with the right cab tone. There are quite a few free ones available and I think Justin York has one trial pack for $1 so you don't have to make a big commitment. I also have a Kemper and now I would happily use either for studio or live.

The video in the link you posted demonstrates the Mimiq with no chords. I wonder if they specifically chose octaves because the slight phasing is less noticeable. I have a Mimiq in the loop of the Helix rack and keep experimenting for future use live, but am still unsure. One thing's for certain, you can only use it in stereo.

Sometimes I wish the process of auditioning cabs in Helix was better. It always feels quite cumbersome. You need to limit time auditioning cabs to short bursts, or you are not objective after a short time. I go for one folder at a time and make quick decisions about which ones to discard and bring down the selection to a manageable level. Most libraries are massive and there are no short cuts to right IR, but a Helix improves with them. Most Ownhammer libraries are good and another one to look at for all styles are York Audio.