aaron__aardvark

soundog, Thank you for replying! I was just wondering if I wasn't doing something correctly; or if I could make it sound better somehow. In my original post, I almost forgot to mention the passive pick-ups; apparently that was significant.

I am a newbie with Helix Native; I'm just using the trial version, but will probably buy it when it goes on sale next. I am glad Line 6 sent me an email with links to Helix Native Input Levels, and 2 other topics. I use Mac OSX 10.11.6, Cubase AI8 (latest version), and a steinberg UR22 mkII audio interface: for input #2, you have the option on clicking on the Hi-Z button. Now I've been happy overall with the interface, but in my experience, things sound worse for me with the Hi-Z (high impedance) setting, regardless if I am using Helix Native or not, when recording electric bass or guitar. The Helix Native video recommends using the Hi-Z setting, but it sounded worse for me. I'm even playing a Yamaha guitar & bass (both passive pickups), so we're talking a 100% Yamaha owned set-up here (since Yamaha owns Line 6 and steinberg)! On a different thread, I read about people using a very low input setting (not sure if it was Hi-Z or not) for best results, but that did not work well for me (though I recorded unwanted clicking noises with an electric bass, with the input level approaching, but not reaching 0 db). Anyone else experience the Hi-Z setting not working best for them?

Well, I thought I would give it one more try (since computers can be quirky beasts), and try to open the song that wouldn't open........and this time it opened up after taking at least a minute of the computer thinking about it (seemingly)! Otherwise, I would have changed a file name, but who knows what kind of Helix patch tweaking I would have lost (I did not save it as a changed factory preset). This time I made sure I closed the Helix Native gui's before I closed the song.

soundog, Thank you for replying! I haven't had time to wrestle with the troubled song project yet, but I will do so soon.

I am trying out Helix Native, trial version. Cubase AI8 (latest version), and Mac OSX 10.11.6 (El Capitan). I'm working on two songs: one song has one instance of Helix Native on one track, and I did not save the song (in Cubase) with the Helix gui open. That song re-opens just fine after I shutting down my iMac. The second song, from what I remember, had two guitar tracks, each with separate instances of Helix Native; and I believe I had both gui's open, because I was tweaking both separately for double-tracked guitar tracks. This song project will not re-open after several tries. I tried the bak file, and that did not work either. Have any solutions? I will probably buy Helix Native when it goes on sale again, but my trial period will probably end in less that 2 weeks. Several years ago, on a different forum, someone taught me how to open a song with a similar problem, and I forget how to do that in Cubase.......oh, I did find some old notes where re-naming the VST file to something else did the trick for Mac OSX 10.6.8, but my notes say it did not work in OSX 10.9.5. I have yet to try that trick with my current OSX 10.11.6.

I put a new song in my music website called “The Big T. Rex Grabs the Horse”. The rhythm guitar is one brand of amp model. The lead guitar is a different brand of amp model. One is BIAS FX, and the other is PodXT. Can you tell which is which? Anyway, tell me how you like the song, and how it can be improved. The song is at the top of this link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436 Why the crazy song title? The first dinosaur fossil was found in 1677, yet the Jewish Synagogue Umm-Kanatir (400-700 A.D.; on the Golan Heights) has a sculpture that looks like dinosaurs attacking a horse. How can that be?

I put a new song in my music website called “The Big T. Rex Grabs the Horse”. The rhythm guitar is one brand of amp model. The lead guitar is a different brand of amp model. One is BIAS FX, and the other is PodXT. Can you tell which is which? Anyway, tell me how you like the song, and how it can be improved. The song is at the top of this link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436 Why the crazy song title? The first dinosaur fossil was found in 1677, yet the Jewish Synagogue Umm-Kanatir (400-700 A.D.; on the Golan Heights) has a sculpture that looks like dinosaurs attacking a horse. How can that be?

At least with the "newer" version of the PodXT you have an equalizer. You could dial in more bass. Now that I think about it, you have the Bass knob also. Maybe that would help. Though if you are doing multi-track recording or playing live, a person could argue the electric bass should handle the "lower end".

I put a new song in my music website called "We Need Jason Bourne". I used the Bass PodXT for electric bass. Please tell me how you like the song and how it can be improved. It is the song at the top of this link: https://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436 There is electric guitar in the song, though I did not use my usual PodXT for that. People that like to follow my "Test Your Ears!" threads can follow it here if you wish: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/gear-shoot-outs-sound-file-comparisons-audio-tests/1231754-test-your-ears-u530-bias-fx-amp-models.html#post13532675

I put a new song in my music website called "We Need Jason Bourne". I used the Bass PodXT for electric bass. Please tell me how you like the song and how it can be improved. It is the song at the top of this link: https://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436 There is electric guitar in the song, though I did not use my usual PodXT for that. People that like to follow my 'Test Your Ears!" threads can follow it here if you wish: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/gear-shoot-outs-sound-file-comparisons-audio-tests/1231754-test-your-ears-u530-bias-fx-amp-models.html#post13532675

OK, here are the answers: "The Time is Right To" uses the AdrenaLinn for amp modeling and effects, and "Such A Vow" uses Pod XT for guitar amp modeling.

OK, here are the answers: "The Time is Right To" uses the AdrenaLinn for amp modeling and effects, and "Such A Vow" uses Pod XT for guitar amp modeling.

I put 2 songs in my music website: "Such A Vow" is the song on top, and "The Time Is Right To" is the next song down. One song uses Roger Linn Design AdrenaLinn for amp modeling and effects, and the other song uses PodXT for guitar amp modeling. Can you tell which song is which? Please tell me how you like the music and how it can be improved. Here is the link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436

I put 2 songs in my music website: "Such A Vow" is the song on top, and "The Time Is Right To" is the next song down. One song uses Roger Linn Design AdrenaLinn for amp modeling and effects, and the other song uses PodXT for guitar amp modeling. Can you tell which song is which? Please tell me how you like the music and how it can be improved. Here is the link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436

OK, here are the answers: "Night of the Revelation" is Roland COSM amp models on all guitar, and "So Alive He Is" is PodXT for all guitar amp models.

Triryche, Thank you for listening and commenting, I really appreciate it! Actually, "Night of the Revelation" is Roland COSM amp models on all guitar, and "So Alive He Is" is PodXT for all guitar amp models.

Acel6 and Jagman13, Thank you for your replies!

I put 2 songs in my music website: "So Alive He Is" (is on top), and "Night of the Revelation" is the next song down. One song uses all Roland COSM amp models, and the other song uses all PodXT amp models. Can you tell which is which? Please tell me how you like the songs and how they can be improved. Here is the link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436

I put 2 songs in my music website: "So Alive He Is" (is on top), and "Night of the Revelation" is the next song down. One song uses all Roland COSM amp models, and the other song uses all PodXT amp models. Can you tell which is which? Please tell me how you like the songs and how they can be improved. Here is the link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436

soundog and datacommando, Thank you for replying. I know at some point I will update my Mac OSX, though I'm putting it off for as long as possible. I'm afraid I will blow my one chance at using the Helix Native demo if I try it with my Mac OSX 10.9.5 that I have now. Yes, that is part of the reason I came up with my screen name/band name: the alphabetical thing.

Since Helix Native is on sale, I'm a bit tempted. I've tried the Helix hardware unit: my mind was not blown, but it sounds pretty good. Here are my potential problems: according to Line 6, I need Mac OSX 10.10 to 10.12. I currently have Mac OSX 10.9.5, and don't really want to upgrade that unless I really have to; though I'm assuming I would need to. Line 6 says Helix Native works with Cubase 8.5. I only have Cubase AI 8.0.40, at best, it is the latest. I have not tried the demo Helix Native yet because I doubt it would work with my Mac OSX 10.9.5. I'm not going to buy Helix Native without verifying it would work with my computer set up. Can anyone verify Helix Native works, or doesn't work with Cubase AI 8.0.40?

OK, here are the answers: U530 amp model is used for all rhythm guitars, and PodXT amp model is used for the lead guitar.

OK, here are the answers: U530 amp model is used for all rhythm guitars, and PodXT amp model is used for the lead guitar.

I put a new song in my music website called "Fortify Your Faith". One brand of amp model is used during all of the rhythm guitar. The other brand (either Mercuriall U530 or PodXT) is used for all of the lead guitar. Can you tell which is which? Please tell me how you like this song and how it can be improved. The song is at the top of this link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=224436

OK, here are the answers: "Watch Out For Us" uses AdrenaLinn for amp models and effects, and "I Need You (too)" uses PodXT for amp models and effects.