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so much potential but alot missing. wishlist 1:)


anason-records
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first of all, i like helix and it sounds good. but i wish it had some of the features of axe fx:

 

1) scenes,

2) x/y state for blocks

 

and on one of the first videos i watched, the guy on the video was marketing helix also as a decent midi controller, it is ok but it needs

features as on softstep or similar midi controllers, than it would be almost perfect as a midi device plus modeller.

 

missing midi features:

 

1) multiple midi commands per button.

2) pages function where you can assign the same button for different purposes on different pages.

3) midi features like on softstep, example: you program button 1 light so that it turns off when you press button 2 (or 3 etc). or you press a certain button and multiple buttons go off...this is a serious point to be able to keep track of whats going on when u want to control devices like kemper,  axe fxh or DAWs like ableton with helix.

4) bi directional messaging through ethercon that the screen on helix would show whats on the slave device (kemper, axe fx etc...)

5) and maybe a way to shot down the whole modeling-fx processing and go into a midi controller mode

 

really hope to see some of these features soon.

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first of all, i like helix and it sounds good. but i wish it had some of the features of axe fx:

 

1) scenes,

2) x/y state for blocks

 

and on one of the first videos i watched, the guy on the video was marketing helix also as a decent midi controller, it is ok but it needs

features as on softstep or similar midi controllers, than it would be almost perfect as a midi device plus modeller.

 

missing midi features:

 

1) multiple midi commands per button.

2) pages function where you can assign the same button for different purposes on different pages.

3) midi features like on softstep, example: you program button 1 light so that it turns off when you press button 2 (or 3 etc). or you press a certain button and multiple buttons go off...this is a serious point to be able to keep track of whats going on when u want to control devices like kemper,  axe fxh or DAWs like ableton with helix.

4) bi directional messaging through ethercon that the screen on helix would show whats on the slave device (kemper, axe fx etc...)

5) and maybe a way to shot down the whole modeling-fx processing and go into a midi controller mode

 

really hope to see some of these features soon.

 

I don't know if Line 6 will implement scenes or not. I suspect probably not, but I could very well be wrong. I think they will come up with another way to handle spillover, personally. I think the concept of scenes adds another layer of complexity that they simply might not want to deal with. The same goes for X/Y states for blocks. You can already do something very much like this with the controller functionality that's available.

 

As far as the various MIDI controller items, you have some good points. I don't suspect #4 is technically feasible as the ethercon connector on the Helix is a dedicated Variax interface. And as far as #5, there's nothing really stopping you from doing that now. You could easily set up a blank preset with the MIDI control you need and nothing else.

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Hey Just starting',

 

Have you checked out http://line6.ideascale.com? It's the wishlist for Line 6 gear and features.

 

I'm always asking the guys back at Line 6 HQ about features I want to see on Helix.  Most of the time they are already thinking about how to make it happen.   You have some useful ideas about midi use with Helix.

 

There are ways to set up the x/y states of amp/effects blocks in Helix.  You just assign any parameters you'd like to shift to the same footswitch.

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I don't know if Line 6 will implement scenes or not. I suspect probably not, but I could very well be wrong. I think they will come up with another way to handle spillover, personally. I think the concept of scenes adds another layer of complexity that they simply might not want to deal with. The same goes for X/Y states for blocks. You can already do something very much like this with the controller functionality that's available.

 

As far as the various MIDI controller items, you have some good points. I don't suspect #4 is technically feasible as the ethercon connector on the Helix is a dedicated Variax interface. And as far as #5, there's nothing really stopping you from doing that now. You could easily set up a blank preset with the MIDI control you need and nothing else.

  

Hey Just starting',

 

Have you checked out http://line6.ideascale.com? It's the wishlist for Line 6 gear and features.

 

I'm always asking the guys back at Line 6 HQ about features I want to see on Helix.  Most of the time they are already thinking about how to make it happen.   You have some useful ideas about midi use with Helix.

 

There are ways to set up the x/y states of amp/effects blocks in Helix.  You just assign any parameters you'd like to shift to the same footswitch.

Hey guys thx for the responses,

 

Probably u know but just to make clear, scenes are not only for spillover or parameter change. It lets u also choose a different fx model inside the block. Example x state can be tape delay and y reverse delay.

 

And also with scenes you can turn on and off as many effects as you want. (With one button)

And all these happen without lag, sound drop off etc...its like having 8 banks in 1 preset.

 

Thx for the advice vmoncebaiz, i already applied to open an account on ideas page and waiting for approval.

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1) scenes,

2) x/y state for blocks

 

Some sort of bypass scenes functionality is toward the top of the Helix feature request list. Here's a link.

 

X/Y state is largely accomplished by assigning more than one block to the same footswitch and pressing BYPASS while one of them is highlighted. As a bonus, you can turn four blocks on and four blocks off, all with one switch. The whole "hold switch to load an alternate model into the same slot" isn't nearly as elegant, and it precludes Helix's latching/momentary functionality, which is WAY cooler IMO.

 

2) pages function where you can assign the same button for different purposes on different pages.

 

Not sure what this means. Helix already does this, depending on the current footswitch mode (preset, stomp, looper, Pedal Edit). In stomp mode, a switch can do up to eight things simultaneously (block on/off, controller min/max, Command Center message).

3) midi features like on softstep, example: you program button 1 light so that it turns off when you press button 2 (or 3 etc). or you press a certain button and multiple buttons go off...this is a serious point to be able to keep track of whats going on when u want to control devices like kemper,  axe fxh or DAWs like ableton with helix.

 

Potentially, this could be accomplished if scenes stored Command Center toggle states.

 

5) and maybe a way to shot down the whole modeling-fx processing and go into a midi controller mode

 

Any of Helix's 1,024 presets can be nothing but Command Center messages. If you're talking about a separate controller-only hardware device, other companies seem to have that covered (like Keith McMillan, RJM, and Liquid Foot).

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Some sort of bypass scenes functionality is toward the top of the Helix feature request list. Here's a link.

 

X/Y state is largely accomplished by assigning more than one block to the same footswitch and pressing BYPASS while one of them is highlighted. As a bonus, you can turn four blocks on and four blocks off, all with one switch. The whole "hold switch to load an alternate model into the same slot" isn't nearly as elegant, and it precludes Helix's latching/momentary functionality, which is WAY cooler IMO.

 

 

 

Not sure what this means. Helix already does this, depending on the current footswitch mode (preset, stomp, looper, Pedal Edit). In stomp mode, a switch can do up to eight things simultaneously (block on/off, controller min/max, Command Center message).

 

 

Potentially, this could be accomplished if scenes stored Command Center toggle states.

 

 

Any of Helix's 1,024 presets can be nothing but Command Center messages. If you're talking about a separate controller-only hardware device, other companies seem to have that covered (like Keith McMillan, RJM, and Liquid Foot).

 

thx for the response.

 

1&2) i think there is misunderstanding about the scenes function in axe fx. lets think of a simple preset wah-distortion-amp-delay. when i call the preset just amp block is on.

if i go to scene 2 i will have distortion x, then a go to scene 3 and i will have wah distortion y. then scene 4 could be distortion y amp y delay x etc etc and think about having a preset with 12 blocks and you can program in each scene for each block whatever you want and their on off states could be recalled with each scene the way you want. i can program for each scnene also a different output volume...there is even some more features around scenes.

 

3) pages function. i am probably not using the right terms sorry, what i mean is. i have a set of midi buttons, 10 of them with helix. if the preset button would function as page up down for midi, on the other pages i could have the same buttons for different midi purposes. hope this time i am better:)

 

5) yea forget about it, doesnt make sense:)

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how about faster preset switch time for the live player. Spillover when switching. its almost like line 6 doesn't think we play out with there stuff.

scenes would be a proper solution for this...in most cases people wouldnt need to switch presets and 1 preset would be enough for most songs you play. even you could do a whole show - concert with one preset.

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  • 4 months later...

first of all, i like helix and it sounds good. but i wish it had some of the features of axe fx:

 

1) scenes,

2) x/y state for blocks

 

and on one of the first videos i watched, the guy on the video was marketing helix also as a decent midi controller, it is ok but it needs

features as on softstep or similar midi controllers, than it would be almost perfect as a midi device plus modeller.

 

missing midi features:

 

1) multiple midi commands per button.

2) pages function where you can assign the same button for different purposes on different pages.

3) midi features like on softstep, example: you program button 1 light so that it turns off when you press button 2 (or 3 etc). or you press a certain button and multiple buttons go off...this is a serious point to be able to keep track of whats going on when u want to control devices like kemper,  axe fxh or DAWs like ableton with helix.

4) bi directional messaging through ethercon that the screen on helix would show whats on the slave device (kemper, axe fx etc...)

5) and maybe a way to shot down the whole modeling-fx processing and go into a midi controller mode

 

really hope to see some of these features soon.

Add Global Blocks to that list and we'd have a winner. 

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I don't know if Line 6 will implement scenes or not. I suspect probably not, but I could very well be wrong. I think they will come up with another way to handle spillover, personally. I think the concept of scenes adds another layer of complexity that they simply might not want to deal with. ...

 

I hope you are mistaken about this. The Helix would really benefit from scenes and what you are calling "complexity" is an inevitable consequence of making a top-notch MFX.  Line6 has already demonstrated they are the best in the business at taking complex electronics processes and making them user friendly. They clearly have the best design team in the business when it comes to this! IMHO, no device on the market even comes close to the Helix when it comes to the UI, however, I don't believe they need to sacrifice critical functionality for simplicity. I would also hate to see "complexity" become a code word for not tackling the tougher challenges (not that they haven't tackled many of them already). There are still a couple of things that need to happen on the Helix to make it more user friendly for the gigging musician, and scenes, or assignment of the same block/parameter to multiple footswitches, are foremost amongst them.

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