tjbassoon

I cannot currently access http://line6.com/support/forum/86-helix/ at all. Gives a 502 error. Been that way for at least a day now. I can get to posts by clicking on "Next Unread Topic" and got here that way. Glad to know I'm not completely alone.

Not related but this is the only forum thread I can access because it's the most recently commented on. I cannot access the Helix forum index page. http://line6.com/support/forum/86-helix/ Gives me a 502 error Any ideas? The rest of the forum seems to work OK.

Gotcha. As for summing to mono, the reason I suspected that was that I asked a while ago about the Ping-Pong delay, and learned that that effect essentially sums the signal and then creates the left/right delay sounds.

I wan to run a pedal in the Effects Loop that has a mono input but stereo output, and I'd like to retain that stereo path as best as possible. What's the best and simplest way to do this so that I can engage and disengage the loop with a single switch on the Helix? Based on what I have learned about how the Helix processes stereo signals, the best way to ensure I retain the stereo path is to do: Send1, split path hard pan L/R and on one path Return1 (left output) and on the other path Return 2 (right output) and then put effects in parallel in those two paths. The reason for this is that many stereo effects on the Helix sum to mono and then output in stereo. Not sure what would all need to be assigned to a single footswitch to make this easy to turn on and off though. I'd prefer to keep it on one path. Would FX Loop 1/2 be a valid option for this setup? Just run out Send 1 and leave Send 2 empty, but use the returns? Would this retain the stereo path? And then if I do that how to retain the stereo image? Is there documentation on which effects on the Helix has that will retain that stereo signal before the output?

Does this thread still need to be pinned?

The Helix has 1/8 triplet subdivision as an option for your taps. That will give you 8th note subdivision in 6/8 time if you tap on 1 and 4.

OK, so it turns out it does this on EVERY effect that I've tweaked. -0.1dB doesn't display properly.

Parametric EQ effect block display for Level does not display -0.1dB properly. The "-" is missing. So the display goes from -0.2dB to 0.1dB to 0.0dB to 0.1dB I think the actual volume is correct, but the display makes it seem like you're jumping. Very minor I know but it threw me off for a moment wondering why I couldn't set it to 0.0 (when I could, I just needed to go one more notch up). This is on the 2.50 firmware.

I have this clone of a Lovetone Meatball that is pretty neat. The Meatball is a very complex envelope filter pedal that has many controls and options. One of those options is an effects loop where you can insert a pedal or pedals of your choice and they get filtered by the pedal, but the trigger is still your clean instrument. So the filtered sound is that of the pedal you have in the loop, but the trigger isn't changed by what you have in that loop. It works great if you put a fuzz in the loop, you can get some really cool filtered fuzz/synth effects, but the filter opens and closes with a more natural response compared to putting a fuzz just before or after a filter pedal in your signal chain. Any way this kind of effect can be produced with the Helix? Any particular effects units I should be looking to to make this kind of sound? https://youtu.be/SIm5TWs4AqQ?t=6m7s

Just to be pedantic, the effects talked about here are Envelope Filters, not Auto-Wahs. Auto-Wah is something like the SeekWah or something that goes on a timing basis. Envelope Filters are things like the Q-Tron (which is what you're probably after).

My expression pedal got inexplicably squeaky the other day. I know I had to make it easier to move when I first got the thing, but I'm wondering where and with what I should lubricate to get rid of the awful squeak (hardware, not a sound out of the amp obviously).

I found that the sub octave pitch effect in the legacy group was more stable and tracked faster/cleaner than the Simple Pitch setting set to -12 pitch. The balance config is slightly different but easy enough to get. The Simple Synth sounds are good, but they like to jump the octave when I sustain a note (on bass guitar). Still, glad to have this as an option, as the synth sounds in the Helix before were super flexible and neat, but sometimes you just need a basic tracking synthy sound.

Get any tuner that you can read well on stage. You would only need to wire it into the input, so it doesn't even need to be a pedal, you could use something like this: http://www.korg.com/us/products/tuners/ga_2/ if that's good enough for you. Use any of the sends, the headphone output would work... What is it about the tuner that you can't use? I generally tune at the beginning of the show and unless something happens that's enough. The tuner seems to work fine enough for me (I only use the tuner on it when playing bass, which isn't my primary instrument, I don't use a guitar with the Helix).

You probably have your answer, but I have a Voicelive 3. It's tied up really well into another rig right now, so I didn't actually put it in my Helix backpack, but it should fit. Might be a bit of a squeeze but not much. There won't be much room for anything else though.

We get purple or whatever that yucky greenish color is that mixes blue and yellow. I'll wait.

Practice amp is a Hartke B30. 1x10 solid state. Keeping it flat EQ to get the most flat sound out of it, although I have no idea what the frequency response output is like on this thing. I've also tested my really nice AER Compact 60 acoustic guitar amp. That's a very flat amp and while it's small and can't push the lows for feel/rumble like a bigger speaker can, it's an accurate representation of the sound I'm going for. Just doesn't have the low end grab. The headphones were too heavy in the low end and not enough highs. My buds are designed to be clear and flat, so I always use those as a reference place.

You know what... I was testing this not by turning down one cab or whatever, but by bypassing it. Somehow in my brain I was thinking that would mute that side. Of course I'll get sound from both left and right if I don't actually mute the effect instead of bypass... Brain fart. But anyway, good to document how the paths work at any rate. I haven't typically run a stereo rig, but I'm facing some performing time off and I'm getting practice at turning my mono preset conceptions into stereo ones. And testing the limits of my gear.

So let's say you want to run a true stereo rig, hard panned left/right two cabs, and you want to run stereo effects on those in true stereo. How can I accomplish this? Here's an example of what I mean, editing one of the stock presets, showing the settings for the stereo chorus, but what you don't see is the Merge Mixer panning A and B paths hard left and hard right. Is this doing what I expect or is the stereo signal getting summed and then split again? What about if I add reverb after the stereo chorus what happens to the stereo path? https://photos.app.goo.gl/bc5gTLwmgGhQWWIz1

Yeah, I've been messing with location of playing. I used to really not like playing closer to the bridge, but I'm getting used to the color variations I can make and think I'm getting the hang of the different feeling of the strings over that section. I have come up with one conclusion though: the headphones I'm using are garbage for testing bass presets on the Helix. They're fine for listening to music but I think they're really rather bass heavy and woofy sounding cans. I brought out my Etymotic ear buds, which I know are pretty flat response (specs from the manufacturer are easy to see this) as they're designed more as monitoring phones than consumer driven bass heavy headphones are, and the sound of the bass just cleared right up. Much more in line with what I'm getting out of my practice amp. I think that was a big part of my problem. So many amp/cab combos I was trying sound just fine now when they were just muddy crap before.

Oh gosh, no. I can see why you thought that though. I have had some really complex setups over the last 10 years. Most of my other rigs have never offered the flexibility of the Helix though, and this is the first time I'm trying any of this with bass. The last time I played bass was.... 18+ years ago? And I went guitar > amp and didn't know lollipop about effects anyway. I'm getting close. I think a lot of the bass amp+cab settings in the Helix just don't jive with what I'm running it into. But maybe in a band mix it wouldn't be so bad. But I listen to more stuff like Jaco, Tower of Power, Flecktones (Wooten) and those guys all have really clear and precise bass tones, even when they're not slapping.

No problem. I recently watched a half hour long video with Keely on how compressors work, the difference between limiting and sustaining compressors. I get how they work and what they do, but I don't have the practical "on hand" experience with dialing in a sound that works for me. When I use bassoon I want absolutely 0 compression, so it's just one effect that I haven't got into. Anything else I'm golden, but comp on bass seems like a requirement pretty much.

Man, compressors still boggle me. I know I'm asking for handholding, but after trying to work on the 3-band compressor for a little bit I can't quite make it sound like what I want it to sound like in my head.... I'll keep trying, but I'm always looking for presets or suggestions on how to set things up. Comp is something I don't use in any of my other gear (and I'm new to the bass with effects thing, just got a bass after years of not playing at all)

Damn, sounds like the Helix is perfect for this kind of setup. To the best of your knowledge, is there a preset in the Helix that gives a start for this setup that I can use as a starting point? I feel like I'm going to miss something building this from scratch. I like some of the presets a lot through my headphones and those are really brittle through my amp, but those that sound good through the amp sound really woofy through the headphones. Of course, there are plenty that are woofy through the amp and just mud through the headphones.... I have a tweaked version of the Blue Woody preset or whatever it's called that I like best out of the amp so far.

Instrument (guitar) input. Not the Aux.

Part of this is the difference between the sound of the headphones I use and the amp I'm going into, but I'm struggling with getting a bass sound that has body and oomph, but also clarity. Body and oomph are pretty easy to get actually, but the note clarity, especially on the lower strings is proving difficult. Any (free) IR that you'd suggest and if so what amp would you use with it? With what's in the Helix natively, what amp/cab settings would be a good starting point? I seem to do better just going straight into my practice amp, but I'd like to be able to get different qualities using the Helix for being able to go direct. I have a P/J style bass, passive electronics.