soundog

This thread may be useful reading: http://line6.com/support/topic/27344-helix-editor-and-4k-monitor/?hl=java&do=findComment&comment=212213

@MrViv: FYI, there is a separate Helix Native forum. But since you asked here, @bsd512 is correct that you could use 2 instances. It could be done with a single instance if Helix Native supported digital Send and Return blocks (similar to the hardware units, but for allowing signal routing in and out of Helix Native to external effects plug-ins, without requiring two instances of the plugin). There are plenty of free IR-hosting plug-ins that you could route your Helix Native signal to. If you like, you can vote for the Send/Return feature in IdeaScale: Here's the link https://line6.ideasc.../idea-v2/915257 and here's the Idea Scale submission: It would be useful to have a "send" block to route the digital signal out of Helix, where the user could then route through external DAW plugins, and then back into a Helix "return" block. This would be similar to using Sends and Returns in the hardware unit to use external pedals. Example: Track 1 Helix Native (amp + cabinet) ---> virtual Out Port 1 ---> Track 2 other plug-ins ---> virtual Out Port 2 ---> back into Track 1 Helix Native (after the amp + cabinet blocks) --> final Out User could, for example, use a third-party IR loader that access a larger library of IR files, without having to load them into Helix Native. Or, user could use favorite high end compressor EQ, or effects plug-ins within the Native Helix chain (rather than being restricted to before or after Helix Native).

Perhaps. Although its mysterious why the snapshot parameter changes worked in some sets of third-party .hlx patches, while in others they did not. I'm not sure what's up. I'd do more troubleshooting here, but I only have Helix Native. I'll crack open some .hlx files later today and see if I can find what's going on. To be clear, Snapshots do work as documented in Helix Native V1.5, although you have to be careful with how they are created and saved. UPDATE: This was really corner case. This problem was only appearing on my iMac running Logic Pro X 10.4 (Sierra), and not on my MacBook running the same app (High Sierra). It turned out to be the Volume block in patches that were created on "old" 2.X hardware/editor versions. The fix was simple enough: from within Helix Native for any patches that had snapshots that weren't sending out any audio: 1) highlight the Volume block, 2) for each Snapshot, select the Volume parameter in the Edit window (or move its value up and down), 3) resave the patch. Problem solved. Thanks, @datacommando.

I opened up some presets from some third-party patch sets/collections in Helix Native V1.5. The patches were created on a Helix Floor before Helix Native came out, and right after Snapshots support appeared in the hardware. In Helix Native, some of the patch set's Snapshots work perfectly, retaining block bypass settings and also all of the parameter changes within blocks. However, many patches don't work properly; only the block bypasses work, and parameter changes do not. You have to do some special things within Helix Native to get parameters to save within assigned Snapshot , while in the hardware units you just need to press and turn a parameter knob. My question is, if you create Snapshots in your Helix hardware, do they automatically work OK in Native? UPDATE (see below): the answer to my own question is "Yes, they should be fine."

Get these (says they are clean, but they also do nice crunch). Glenn has plenty of great lead tone patches too. These are the best "for sale" patches out there, and Glenn spends a lot of time perfecting them.

Ah, good to know! I'll add this to my Lonestar notes. What a versatile model this is turning out to be. Now, I'm curious about this IR set: https://www.cabir.eu/en/focus-ir-series/28-mb-lostarshadow.html even though the stock 1x12 cab in the Amp+Cab block sounds just dandy. [update: whoops ... its a 2x12 in the stock Amp+Cab]

Trails is Off by default. I would guess it should only make a difference if you're switching snapshots or bypassing relevant blocks.

Thanks, @phil_m ... totally make sense. Lots of thought goes into these designs from a user perspective. Below are my personal notes based on the manual. Of course, there are no rules, so play. Start with Drive2 at 7-8, then play with Drive1 between 1-8. Better response & smoother saturation with Drive2 slightly higher than Drive1. Try Drive2 near middle settings or lower. As you increase Drive2, reduce Bass. Treble is most important of tone settings and effects all the others. Start at 4-6.5. Use Presence at lower settings for lead sounds. Use TS Shape on Normal to pass through tone settings. Thick smears highs and mids; Thicker more so, with most sustain. Use TS Shape on Normal for rhythm and cleaner leads, thick and thicker for more balls. Set Master between 2-7.

Good point .... the free upgrades have been fantastic, and add a lot of value. In the end, the market will decide (though my decision was that Helix Native blew away any other guitar plug-in I've owned or demo'ed).

Maybe. But $400 is seriously steep for a plug-in these days!

One of the most useful and important switches on Lonestar's Channel 2 is the DRIVE switch, which can be set to Clean or Drive (separate from the cleaner Ch1), so you can remove the overdrive circuitry on Channel 2, useful for crunch rhythm settings. Why is there no Clean/Drive switch in the Ch2 Lonestar?

The $69 price is also available on sweetwater.com. And full-price Helix Native is price dropped 30% to $279. I wonder if the price will remain there...

Thanks, @prudenjim, the manual is quite useful — this is a really versatile amp with non-obvious controls.

Did a check on my 5K iMac, and the HxN scales to pretty much match the font size of the Logic Pro X windows. If I use any of the operating system scaling selections, everything scales accordingly, so the font sizes are always matched up nicely.

Not really. First use your Helix Native EQ in the amps or perhaps afterwards (usually a little low cut and some high cut somewhere). After you get the guitar track just the way you like it with Helix Native, you may want to use some light compression and EQ on the track later just like you would with other tracks to get them to sit in the mix.

R u sure fx aren't coming from somewhere else, like your AG03?

The manual infers that the VST3 Helix plug is recommended for Cubase. Are you having spikes with VST3 in Cubase, or just VST2 in Ableton?

If you think its a bona fide Helix Native bug, I'd for sure start a ticket with them. They seem to be pretty good with tracking and prioritizing bugs ... time will tell. Not sure how much they monitor this forum. http://line6.com/support/tickets/

What are you trying to do? Have you read the docs for Reaper and AG03? Are you using the AG03 as your recording interface? Are you able to record non Helix tracks OK? What have you tried and what is not working? Lots of questions, but those come before the answers.

Logic Pro X 10.4 on a big honkin' iMac 27"

Solutions are better than problems. Glad you found it!!!! Its amazing to me how long you can crank the decay on some of the new 'verbs. As you say, great for ambient stuff.

No chance of a gate anywhere that shuts off the audio when the tail decays below a certain level? Does a Cubase or third-party reverb plug-in drop out when you do the same test? Mysterious....

Seems fair that you should get a $300 discount, huh? Haven't seen anything published officially, though.

Amen, brother. I've even resorted to bouncing all my tracks except guitar (Logic Pro X), then using a new project with the bounced track and a single track for Logic Pro X for recording, software monitoring with as low latency as possible. This works OK, less than 10ms latency, but its a pain. After the dry track is done, though, all is fair sailing for mixing and messing with guitar tone.

No problem here running Logic Pro X. Wow .... Ganymede is still decaying after 4 minutes. That's one long tail!