Two simple configuration : PA or amp + cab

[poukill]

Hello Everybody,

 

I have just purchased an Helix ans I would like to know how to setup a simple configuration that suits my need :

1. Every day I practice at home on computer with backing tracks (for now I used Line6 UX2 audio card).
2. Every week I go to the rehearsal music studio with my band. I use an existing amp + cab. It is not always the same (Fender, Blackstar, ...) so I should rely too much on learning the settings of a specific one.
3. Every month I go to a concert where I usually plug directly into the PA.
4. Rarely, I would like to use my Fender Blues Junior which has only an input and no effect loop.

 

Well, I think I am quite new to this despite the fact I am really a geek for a living and I play the guitar for almost 20 years now.

If you have any advice, please don't hesitate to write ! :)

 

Thanks very much guys,

Poukill

 

 

[poukill]

Any idea ?

The 4 cables methods is a little bit overkill for me.

Well, I suppose I could plug-in directly to my amp and not use the amp / preamp / cab in the helix ?

[PeterHamm]

Hello Everybody,

 

I have just purchased an Helix ans I would like to know how to setup a simple configuration that suits my need :

1. Every day I practice at home on computer with backing tracks (for now I used Line6 UX2 audio card).
2. Every week I go to the rehearsal music studio with my band. I use an existing amp + cab. It is not always the same (Fender, Blackstar, ...) so I should rely too much on learning the settings of a specific one.
3. Every month I go to a concert where I usually plug directly into the PA.
4. Rarely, I would like to use my Fender Blues Junior which has only an input and no effect loop.

 

Well, I think I am quite new to this despite the fact I am really a geek for a living and I play the guitar for almost 20 years now.

If you have any advice, please don't hesitate to write ! :)

 

Thanks very much guys,

Poukill

 

It is possible that you can set up ANY patch to work in all those configurations. Use an amp plus a cab for 1 and 3, set up a footswitch (or a duplicate patch) that disables them for 2 and 4. That said, I'd use the same amp every time when I practiced myself.

[poukill]

Thanks PeterHamm.

I guess I am not forced to use a footswitch for that. I can enable / disable amp and cab when I need by hand. That is easy enough with the helix to be done manually on the fly before starting to play.

I will try and see if it is ok.

Thanks again.

[mileskb]

• Every day I practice at home on computer with backing tracks (for now I used Line6 UX2 audio card).
  • OK

Every week I go to the rehearsal music studio with my band. I use an existing amp + cab. It is not always the same (Fender, Blackstar, ...) so I should rely too much on learning the settings of a specific one.

• If possible just tap into the power amp.  Skip the pre-amp.  Sometimes accomplished by plugging into the FX loop return, or AUX in, or Line In.  OR....

I would assume you are using a PA at rehearsal to?  Just send the outs (or out if mono) to the PA and send another line out to the AMP section of whatever is on stage to use as a monitor or just have the PA route the signal from the PA to your stage monitor.

Every month I go to a concert where I usually plug directly into the PA.

• have them route some of your guitar back to your stage monitor or bring along something and provide a send to it.

 

If you really want simple...  get a powered monitor like a QSC 10 or 12 or one of Line6's units.  Frankly any decent powered monitor is likely to sound better for you than any of the options you are currently using.  This is what I would do if I was you..

 

• Every day I practice at home on computer with backing tracks (for now I used Line6 UX2 audio card).
  • Use monitor.  I run my "backing tracks" into my Helix... so if I want to listen through headphones I can, or if I want to hear it from my monitor, I can by just turning it on.

Every week I go to the rehearsal music studio with my band. I use an existing amp + cab. It is not always the same (Fender, Blackstar, ...) so I should rely too much on learning the settings of a specific one.

• Use monitor as stage monitor, send signal to PA

Every month I go to a concert where I usually plug directly into the PA.

• Use monitor as stage monitor, send signal to PA

 

This way... same setup, every scenario and you always hear yourself the way you need to.

 

[amsdenj]

Agree with @mikeskb. Having your own personal powered monitor is very useful for lots of things. I use a JBL EON610, they sound pretty good, are light, don't take up much room and aren't that expensive. Get 2 if you can so you can have stereo, or in a stage situation, use one for your vocal and FOH Helix monitor, and the other as the other channel of Helix behind you. Surrounded by tone!

 

Since you have the Fender Blues Junior (not a bad small amp), you could experiment with using Helix for front of the amp effects, especially at rehearsal, which is the best place to experiment. See this blog post for some ideas on how to do that: https://jimamsden.wordpress.com/2016/01/04/using-helix-as-an-effects-pedal-board/.

[poukill]

Well, thank you for your posts @amsdenj and @mileskb !

For personal monitors, I have in-ear monitors (wired) that work great for me. And it's very light to bring eveywhere ! :)

But I will keep in mind these powered monitors to replace my fender blues junior in the future !

[mileskb]

Well, thank you for your posts @amsdenj and @mileskb !

For personal monitors, I have in-ear monitors (wired) that work great for me. And it's very light to bring eveywhere ! :)

But I will keep in mind these powered monitors to replace my fender blues junior in the future !

 

If you're In-Ear already why bother with the Blues Junior or monitor at all? Just curious...    If you are in-ear from the Helix, you can have FOH send you a mix and just bring it into the aux of the helix or one of the returns or other inputs....  specific selection might depend on what you are doing with the Helix for your sound.   I know several bands that only have some front and side-fill monitoring for overall "feel" but the real monitoring is all in-ear.   Stage fill monitors are just cracked open so no worry about feedback or any other issues and just provides a bit more presence on stage.. but not needed.

[poukill]

Good point. Here is the explanation...

I have the Fender Blues Junior for years (8 years I think) so I owned this amp long before any pedals (especially the Helix ^^ ) ... Perhaps I should sell it.

 

 If you are in-ear from the Helix, you can have FOH send you a mix and just bring it into the aux of the helix or one of the returns or other inputs....  specific selection might depend on what you are doing with the Helix for your sound.

 

 

We are 6 musicians in my band. For some live performance, everybody is "in-ear" and that is just perfect. For other smaller events, the PA might only have a few AUX outputs and so we can't all wear in-ear monitors. The drummer, the singer have priority. So in that case, FOH can not send me a return I guess.

I just got my Helix last week, so never tried in live condition. I had not planned to use in-ear from the Helix (well... I can ? ) but as usual the FOH send me a return and I choose what's inside : drums, lead singer, ....

 

In this thread, I was looking for a general method to be consistent with all those scenarios with the Helix : home, rehearsal, live.

The modelling is new for me: I always used my fender Blues Junior + SM57 microphone to get my sound. But I was fed up carrying all those things... :)