Lead boost

[jyanes]

Hey guys,

What are the best ways to have a lead boost in your signal chain? Something that does not distort your tone, just lets you gut above during a lead

[chrisalex95]

An EQ at the end of the chain. It works with anything (real pedal or not). Enhance the mids and/ or the global level.

[theKennyG]

You can also assign one of the foot switches to the amp's channel volume. I cam across this idea earlier today and plan on giving it a try tonight (hopefully).

[amsdenj]

I map a footswitch to a low & high cut EQ, with max and min values, and amp drive with max an min values. When the switch is off, I set the low cut to around 80Hz and gain to be reasonably clean. When the switch is on I set the low cut to about 160 to 200 Hz, and the gain to provide the minimum amount of distortion needed for the song. This keeps the distortion from being muddy or "ratty" where too much bass creates intermodulation distortion with the mids and highs that don't sound that good.

[jyanes]

Thanks

[cacibi]

You can also assign one of the foot switches to the amp's channel volume. I cam across this idea earlier today and plan on giving it a try tonight (hopefully).

 

Or you can do the same with the output mixer volume at the end of the chain. This is nice if you want absolutely nothing to change but the volume (true clean boost).

[jyanes]

Or you can do the same with the output mixer volume at the end of the chain. This is nice if you want absolutely nothing to change but the volume (true clean boost).

[jyanes]

How do you assign the mixer output?

[cacibi]

Navigate to the Mixer block at the end of your signal chain. Press and hold the knob for Level to assign to footswitch. Adjust parameter level for desired footswitch boost level. Save to preset.

[BigRalphN]

One of the presets has a boost assigned to a switch. I can't remember which one.

[Hblum01]

Ac30 one. It is a parametric eq with custom label mid boost.

[rwhite137]

If you just want a volume boost without changing any eq settings, you could also add a Gain Block near the end of your signal chain. There are a lot of different options.

[Gawwuf]

On patches where I don't need the volume pedal for anything else I assign it to either gain or channel or master volume and give it a +1 or more boost, also use it to add just a bit of delay and/or chorus (preset to taste then assign mix from either/both to pedal) to give the solo more depth, easy way to blend in and out of solo mode

[jaminjimlp]

If you just want a volume boost without changing any eq settings, you could also add a Gain Block near the end of your signal chain. There are a lot of different options.

I tried this but it was not enough, none were then I tried putting a second amp (on same foot switch set to alternate between the 2) and then a preamp and EQ but the one that works best for me was to go into the amp settings and go to master volume and hold down the knob and the control setup pops up and then I mapped it to my EXP 3 (you could use 1 or 2 aswell) and set the min to whatever the master volume was at and the max to 10 or what ever you need and that works great and you save DSP  for other uses.

[cacibi]

I tried this but it was not enough, none were then I tried putting a second amp (on same foot switch set to alternate between the 2) and then a preamp and EQ but the one that works best for me was to go into the amp settings and go to master volume and hold down the knob and the control setup pops up and then I mapped it to my EXP 3 (you could use 1 or 2 aswell) and set the min to whatever the master volume was at and the max to 10 or what ever you need and that works great and you save DSP  for other uses.

 

I find +4 - 5db on output mixer is plenty for me.  Using the noise gate on the input and mixer output level also help save block space/DSP

[cacibi]

Redwirez or Ownhammer

[rwhite137]

I tried this but it was not enough, none were then I tried putting a second amp (on same foot switch set to alternate between the 2) and then a preamp and EQ but the one that works best for me was to go into the amp settings and go to master volume and hold down the knob and the control setup pops up and then I mapped it to my EXP 3 (you could use 1 or 2 aswell) and set the min to whatever the master volume was at and the max to 10 or what ever you need and that works great and you save DSP  for other uses.

Glad you found something that worked for you. I am puzzled that the gain block couldn't give you enough boost. I don't have the unit in front of me right now, but I thought the gain block could add up to 12db ? of gain. I normally only have it set on about 3db.Then again, that is another block you can do without by using another method. I use a gain block because I can move it around my signal chain and see what sounds the best, but we all have different needs. Hope you enjoy the Helix as much as I do.

[jaminjimlp]

Glad you found something that worked for you. I am puzzled that the gain block couldn't give you enough boost. I don't have the unit in front of me right now, but I thought the gain block could add up to 12db ? of gain. I normally only have it set on about 3db.Then again, that is another block you can do without by using another method. I use a gain block because I can move it around my signal chain and see what sounds the best, but we all have different needs. Hope you enjoy the Helix as much as I do.

I only tried the the gain block in front of the amp and that was it and yes it says 12db

[joetink]

on the podhd 500, you could set the minimum value of the expression pedal to whatever you want (I always set it at 80%) to solve this problem.  I can't seem to do it on the Helix.  Has anyone found a way to do this?

[thestratmanblues]

joetink,

 

to set the 'Volume Pedal' block min to 80% max to 100%:

just select that block
hit the Menu button
press knob 2 to select 'Controller Assign'

  knob 1, 'Position' for Parameter  (default)

  knob 2, 'Exp Pedal 2' for Controller  (default)

  knob 4, change 'Min Value' to 80%

  knob 5, change 'Max Value' to 100% (default)

then go back to Home screen

 

with the Volume Pedal selected, just move the Exp pedal to min,

the Position param will stop at 80%, max to 100%

[josephyballew]

Redwirez or Ownhammer

Ownhammer is better and more natural.

[ShredIbanez]

Put the gain block (found under volume) after the amp and cab with around 4.0dB and you will get a clean boost. Just raises the volume with no color. Boom.

 

Has to be after or it will distort.

[HonestOpinion]

Put the gain block (found under volume) after the amp and cab with around 4.0dB and you will get a clean boost. Just raises the volume with no color. Boom.

 

Has to be after or it will distort.

I agree with the after the cab comment and I actually put my gain block even further down the chain, right before the delay and reverb. My thought is that I might have modulation or other effects after the cab that increase the level. If I put the gain block before those effects I can't predict how much of a bump I will get when I turn on the gain. If I have an effect block after the gain block that raises the output level I could end up sort of exponentially multiplying the gain. The additional gain might also affect the tone of the effect blocks placed after it. By placing the gain after almost all blocks that have the potential to raise the level or change the tone, I get a more predictable, less colored, let's say 3db bump. I put the gain block before the reverb and delay to avoid having the delayed sound or reflections from the reverb get bumped up in irregular ways. I am not sure if this results in a sound significantly different than just boosting the output block but it is the method I have employed so far. The advantages I suppose to  bumping the volume at the output block (which can be assigned to a footswitch) is it saves you a slot on your path for an extra effect (no gain block required), and, as "cacibi" commented earlier in this topic, you are guaranteed to get the exact uncolored level of increase in gain you have chosen.