mikeolivercgp

Yes... please post this idea to IdeaScale. Something that might make implementing this idea difficult (which might be 'why' it's not a feature of snapshot) is deciding to which state Helix should return after depressing a momentary snapshot switch. What might work well is to return to whatever snapshot was previously active when the momentary snapshot switch is released. Thanks!

I recently started using the Sennheiser wireless headphones. I use the Helix as a playback device for my laptop PC via USB so I can also hear and play along with any click, loop, or demo tracks for the songs in our set list for a respective event. Since I also run my guitars into the Helix via a Relay 50 wireless, I'm completely untethered, enabling me to stand and practice while the Helix and related expression pedals are is on the floor so I can also rehearse any foot control work for a respective song. The USB connection also enables me to be connected to the Helix editor to make changes to the preset for a particular song (e.g., snapshots, controller assignments, parameter tweaks, etc.). The best part is being able to play without disturbing my family. The worst part is being so engrossed in playing that your first indication that someone wants to ask you a question is when your feel an unexpected tap on your shoulder and jump 10' into the air in initial response.

Ditto! :)

Steve Vai bassist, Philip Bynoe, is currently using the Helix for Steve's current tour:

This makes good sense -- thanks for the explanation! I plan to apply this in some other song contexts. :)

Wow! Thank you for sharing this information (and for the work in recreating David's sounds for this song)! I did have one question... For the modulation block that sits on a path that originates before the speaker cab block and returns to the main path after the speaker cab block, is the split ratio 50/50? I was intrigued about the rationale for having some of the output signal bypass the speaker cab block. Don't get me wrong; what you're generating sounds great! I just hadn't previously considered using that technique. Was there a technical reason for that routing choice (I just want to understand the principle that would lead me down that path). Thanks again!

To address this, I assign one of my ancillary expression pedals to control the looper playback level.

Put the looper as the first module in your processing path, record something relevant (e.g., a portion of the particular song for which the preset is being prepared), let it play, and have fun tweaking

Agreed... The TWA Little Dipper is a nice pedal (I own one), but it's not something that's going to be useful for every song in a setlist. I'd rather use a send/return on the Helix for incorporating "one trick pony" pedals for the occasions on which I need them. :)

Thanks duncann! Now that you mention it, I remember that being one of the options in the Global settings. I may revisit that configuration. I initially chose not to use that approach because my presets serve as my set list. Each of my presets represents a song, including being named with the song title and the starting key. I use snapshots and stomp pedals to manage the different voicings and fx I need for that song. Granted, I can do what you recommended and repurpose the bank up/down switches to step up/down through my presets. What I hate to give up is being able to see the songs in my set list for a live event in groups of 4 songs (lol!). Perhaps I should reconsider... Thanks!

I like this idea... What I'd also like is to have one row as snapshots and one row as function switches. That would help for song presets where I need a momentary function switch in addition to my snapshots. When I do that today, snapshots are my default. I've got to tap edit/mode to get to my function switches (like the momentary switch I have setup for a stutter effect that gets used for 1 measure on a 128 BPM song (which is why the momentary option is so nice). Thanks!

aaronbrito, I do understand where you're coming from... I just wouldn't want it as the default primarily for the questions silverhead raises (e.g., "Which cab frequencies? PA cabinets? Marshall-style speaker/cab? Fender? Mesa?"). What I like about running the Helix direct is that from preset to preset, I can call up an entirely different rig to support the song for which a respective preset was designed, with the amps, speaker cabs, fx, mics, and mic placement that I want for that song. When prepping a preset for a new song being added to our setlist, I spend quite a bit of time at home with the Helix running through reference monitors set flat dialing that preset in. At rehearsal, I work with our FOH engineer to make additional tweaks at performance level in context with the rest of the band so he's basically able to set the channel EQs flat on my guitar lines and pretty much doesn't have to touch the EQ throughout the set. Granted, most weeks I'm typically playing at the same venue through an EAW FOH line array with digital LS management where the FOH system has been tuned to the room, which provides some consistency from one week to the next. However, when I play other venues that might not have room optimized FOH systems, it's nice to be able to tell the FOH engineer to initially set the channel EQ for my guitar lines flat, and during sound check, make a couple of quick tweaks with either the channel EQs or the Helix global EQ. Thanks! :)

If it were, then it would defeat the Helix ability to support use of an array of instruments in a live setting. With the versatility of the Helix, I no longer have to haul around a separate acoustic and bass rig when I need to move from electric to acoustic to bass guitars.

I've had the same problem and resorted to the same solution (a Radial direct box). The noise wasn't due to phantom power being applied to the channels. It wasn't due to whether or not the Helix ground lift for the XLRs was engaged. Fortunately, the Radial direct box solved the problem. The funny thing is that another one of our guitar players also has a Helix. He's able to go into the same FOH console through the same snake channel with no noise. Furthermore, I don't encounter any noise issues when going direct from the XLR outputs of the Helix into other audio interfaces (e.g., mixers, active monitors, etc.). Odd...

It's 32"x16" case from http://www.roadcasesusa.com/effect-pedal-cases-1-4-light-duty-ata-3-great-sizes-starting-99/ That particular size case is $119.

DI, thanks for the additional information!

I need to preface this question with praise for the new "snapshots" feature in Helix -- I really like having that capability! Creating "snapshots" is much quicker than using virtual stomp switches to bypass different combinations of blocks in a particular preset. I did encounter something that surprised me. I wanted two different gain/volume configurations for a Minotaur OD block in a preset for a particular song (I use snapshots to setup what I need for different sections of the song; I was previously doing something similar with virtual stomp switches). It was easy and quick to indicate that the volume and gain for that particular block should be controlled by snapshots. For one snapshot, I enable a Soldano crunch amp head model, disable, a Cali Lead amp head model, and shift the gain and volume ratio of the Minotaur block to 0.6 and 6.4 respectively (I'm just slightly pushing on the amp with some additional harmonic color from the Minotaur). For another snapshot in the same preset, I disable the Soldano amp head, enable the Cali lead amp head, and shift the gain and volume ratio of the Minotaur block to 4.2 and 5.3 respectively (for little more smooth saturation). What surprised me is that when I change snapshots, I experienced just a slight hit of latency accompanied by a brief white noise shift as the Minotaur settings readjust for their respective snapshot. Granted, in full band context, I doubt anyone would notice. However, I had hoped that this would be a transparent transition. So... I simply added another Minotaur block to the preset. Each Minotaur block is configured for the respective amp head model and enabled by respective snapshots. That approach is completely transparent. I was fortunate that I had sufficient processor capacity to add the second Minotaur block. However, I had hoped that snapshots would enable me to have more flexibility in retasking the same FX block to conserve CPU capacity. For example, I'd hoped to use snapshots to change the tempo note value and feedback on the same delay block as opposed to what I do today, which is to: add two delay blocks with tails on (depending on the song the preset is configured for) and enabling one while disabling the other. [bTW, I've not tried this with the delays; it might a non-issue with them, especially if the little noise anomaly I experienced with the Minotaur had more to do with sensitivity of the gain stage of those amp heads.] Not complaining... just curious if anyone else has encountered this. I love running the Helix direct in the FOH (and not hauling around 250 lbs of gear) and knowing that the sound I hear at home is what I will get with an FOH that's tuned to the venue and the channel parametric EQ set flat (other than whatever tongue-and-grove EQ the FOH engineer finds necessary to situate my guitar in the overall mix). Thanks! :)

Having waded through this discussion, at a minimum, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the Helix to a feature set that is at least equivalent to lesser Line 6 products in this family (e.g., HD500). Based on my past experience with Line 6 products (which has been excellent), they've always been very good about expanding the feature set of a respective hardware platform (e.g., various POD platforms, Variax platforms, etc.). I have no reason to believe that not only will Helix address those features available in the HD500 not currently present in the Helix, they will also go even further. Judging from what I observed in the research I did before purchasing the Helix and what I've experienced as a Helix owner, Line 6 has already significantly differentiated the Helix in the market of high-end IR guitar platforms by virtue of its virtual scribble strips, assignable switches, virtual signal routing, and visual editing interface. In their initial RTM (release-to-market), they led with the product's differentiators. It will take their competitors some time to "catch up" since Fractal or Kemper would need to produce an entirely new hardware platform to compete against the Helix. Everything else is "gravy" that capitalizes on the platform. So, do I expect more given the investment I've made? Yes... But I don't expect it "day 1". :)

Something that I've found very beneficial is being able to set the range value for a moderate range sweep-able wah using the expression pedal wherein the goal is to subtly shift the wah effect with the expression pedal, usually while working a quarter note double stop with a slight quarter note tape delay. Being able to set that range, along with the starting value (for a song on this week's set list, I'm using the Throaty wah with the expression range limited to 45% to 72% with the starting value at 58%) eliminates that moment where you're trying to find that sweet spot range on the wah pedal for that effect. I can now just "turn it on" and use the full range of the expression pedal movement for that effect.

This comment "uncalled for"... If I made a similar comment about other genres of music, I'd never hear the end of it... It might surprise you to know that most of the folks playing that particular genre also cover other genres (e.g., rock, country, emo, speed metal, etc.).

It's 32"x16" from http://www.roadcasesusa.com/effect-pedal-cases-1-4-light-duty-ata-3-great-sizes-starting-99/ It doesn't come with rubber feet, and I chose not to add them because they catch on everything when packing in and out. I have at least 4 different boards from these folks with no rubber feet and I've not had any problems with them moving around (and I play out several times weekly on a variety of stage surfaces -- wood, concrete, vinyl, carpet). I have more problems with some small ancillary pedal boards that hold specialty pedals that I only use occasionally. However, to keep the little boards from moving, I use that "no slip" foam rubber product that's sold to keep throw rugs from moving. I just cut it to fit my smaller boards and just lay it underneath them. The same thing could be done for a larger board.

Thanks!

I mounted mine in a road case. The Helix is riding 1/2" spruce runners serving as risers to keep the air vents open on the bottom.

I've gone the same route in using the 1/4" outs to DIs to also eliminate noise (and yes, I had previously confirmed that the FOH console wasn't sending phantom power). I'm exclusively running through the Helix with no other outboard pedals other than a Mission L6 expression pedal I added. I love not having to move a few hundred pounds of gear a couple times a week. :)

Agreed... Although, that brings up one of my favorite jokes: "How many software application developers does it take to change a light bulb? Zero -- that's a hardware problem..." The Helix isn't a product targeted to certified IT hardware/software professionals. It's a product for regular folks... Therefore, every consideration should be given to ensuring that guitar playing users, who are not IT professionals, can reliably update their investment. I could understand if the nature of this update was similar to what I experienced several years ago updating the firmware in a Digitech 2120 where I had to open the unit, don a grounding strap, extract an EPROM chip from its socket, and install a new EPROM chip with the latest update (my only other alternative was to have an authorized service center perform the update). BTW, there is an update to my story. The original Helix unit I received was defective (which is why it became a paperweight). Line 6 quickly replaced it. The new unit has so far behaved as it should, including no problems installing the recent 1.06 release. I do appreciate Line 6's effort in resolving this issue for me (thanks Line 6!!). :)