phil_m Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 A little clip I put together today just as kind of a proof of concept. I've been wanting to try this for awhile, but haven't gotten around to it. I assigned MIDI note values to a few of the Helix's footswitches and used them to control a patch on the Minilogue as pad in the background. Nothing special about the guitar playing. So I recorded the synth and guitar simultaneously into Reaper (4 tracks in total). The synth is being controlled by and recorded through the Helix. https://soundcloud.com/phil-miller-20/minilogue-helix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radatats Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 great idea Phil, really nice playing too. Gives me some ideas on things to work on. You could add a patch change on another FS too. Really love this Helix... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricksteruk Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Lovely sounds! Nice guitar riffing and that monologue sounds fantastic :) I'm very interested in the idea of making keys sounds whilst I'm playing guitar - this is a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDudeTrey Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 With the synth in the background, is that a sequence you set up and played before you played your guitar work over it? I get that you set it up through the Helix, and it sounds great, I'm just confused with what is going on "performance"-wise... Would it be possible to explain that a little bit more? (I hope my question makes sense with my shoddy phrasing, apologies ahead of time) -Kenny- p.s. It sounds great what you are doing, just wanted to get that across! I have a MINInovation synth I'm looking to run through my Helix, and this definitely got some creative juices flowing, so keep up the good work! (Such a great, helpful community, we Helix users have.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 That's a cool concept, Phil. I think Helix is the first Line 6 device I've seen that can handle MIDI note on/off events. Maybe the POD HD series could but I never noticed/experimented with it. Can you provide details about physical connections among the devices and the Helix preset structure that's relevant to the synth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewolf48 Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 HD 500 could have MIDI Note On assigned to the switches - each switch could have Channel, Note and Velocity defined: Note On was sent when pressed down and Note Off when the switch was released (you wouldn't have guessed this would you ! ;) ) I programmed this on patches with the switches in 5-8 mode to send Notes to a Soft Synth with Pads or Effects simply linked by a MIDI cable from HD500 to a laptop, and USB linked back to the HD500 to mix the sound in with the guitar. The same can be achieved on the Helix except that as Helix supports MIDI over USB it is not necessary to use the MIDI cable or interface just a single USB cable. And on Helix you have the choice over which USB Audio channels are used and whether they are simply merged at the end of the chain (as I did) or used as inputs for an effect chain. Helix also supports the concept of guitar audio being converted to MIDI using software like Jam Origin which allows a Helix + Laptop/iPad to become a full MIDI Synth setup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 HD 500 could have MIDI Note On assigned to the switches - each switch could have Channel, Note and Velocity defined: Note On was sent when pressed down and Note Off when the switch was released (you wouldn't have guessed this would you ! ;) ) ... Cool. I didn't know that. With the POD HD I never went beyond discovering that it did not operate as a midi interface when connecting a midi device such as a keyboard directly. Neither does Helix, but now I know the possibilities! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted May 3, 2016 Author Share Posted May 3, 2016 With the synth in the background, is that a sequence you set up and played before you played your guitar work over it? I get that you set it up through the Helix, and it sounds great, I'm just confused with what is going on "performance"-wise... Would it be possible to explain that a little bit more? (I hope my question makes sense with my shoddy phrasing, apologies ahead of time) -Kenny- p.s. It sounds great what you are doing, just wanted to get that across! I have a MINInovation synth I'm looking to run through my Helix, and this definitely got some creative juices flowing, so keep up the good work! (Such a great, helpful community, we Helix users have.) It was a relatively simple setup. I just had a patch with an arpeggiator pulled up on the Minilogue, so the movement you hear in the synth line isn't really a sequence (although an arpeggiator is kind of a triggered sequence). I also have the Minilogue going through a path in the Helix where I have delay and reverb. The Helix's delay and the Minilogue's tempo were set to the the same BPM. So, yeah, I'm just triggering notes with the Helix. I could have actually controlled the filter sweeps through the Helix as well, and if I were going to use this live, I'd assign those to an expression pedal. On this recording I was just reaching over and turning the knob on the synth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ur2funky Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 So you press a footswitch on the Helix and it changes the Minilouge's arpeggiator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_m Posted May 3, 2016 Author Share Posted May 3, 2016 So you press a footswitch on the Helix and it changes the Minilouge's arpeggiator? It just triggers a new note and the arpeggiator just follows. Hitting a footswitch on the Helix is essentially the same as hitting a key on Minilogue's keyboard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 Helix also supports the concept of guitar audio being converted to MIDI using software like Jam Origin which allows a Helix + Laptop/iPad to become a full MIDI Synth setup That's fantastic, absolutely amazing! Ye Gods - where on earth did you find that little gem? I think I may require a large can of "Bull Sheet Repellent" for that one. It will be good when they can get any decent MIDI functionality between Helix and OSX. Cool. I didn't know that. With the POD HD I never went beyond discovering that it did not operate as a midi interface when connecting a midi device such as a keyboard directly. Neither does Helix, but now I know the possibilities! That may well have been the situation with the POD HD. I never bothered doing any MIDI stuff via my old HD500 as I was already rigged up using FireWire on my Focusrite. Although, I have to take issue with your statement - "Neither does Helix..." Er..., excuse me - yes it does. Or at least, mine did! I don't know how many times I have to say that before it eventually sinks in! BUT, let me restate this one more time for the general info of everyone on this Helix forum who has missed it, or failed to comprehend my dilemma regarding Helix MIDI implementation. From late November '15 to early March '16My Helix worked perfectly while connected by USB to my iMac 5K Retina 27" running El Cap. A controller keyboard was coupled to the MIDI in DIN of Helix and all MIDI messages were recorded straight into Logic Pro X, Portamento, Aftertouch, Pitchbend - and please note: that was everything! I did not dream this - trust me it's the truth. Now the MIDI is screwed and audio is only available on Channel 1 & 2. In the style of the famous 'Monty Python Dead Parrot" sketch, I say - It simply stopped working, ceased to be, expired, ended, finished - it's an ex-Helix, etc. And the thing is - not one contributor to this message board, newby, Uber Guru or Line 6 Product manager has come up with even the vaguest reason why! A support ticket elicits a "level 1" response along the lines of RTFM. Just got to hope that the next Firmware upgrade fixes it - otherwise, I may drag it out in the yard and pop a couple of rounds through it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 ........ I have to take issue with the statement - "Neither does Helix..." Er... yes it does. Or at least, mine did! ..... all MIDI messages were recorded straight into Logic Pro X, Portamento, Aftertouch, Pitchbend - and please note: that was everything! ...! Including the note on/off messages? I really wish you could reproduce that. I've never seen it in any Line 6 device, including Helix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewolf48 Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 That's fantastic, absolutely amazing! Ye Gods - where on earth did you find that little gem? I think I may require a large can of "Bull Sheet Repellent" for that one. It will be good when they can get any decent MIDI functionality between Helix and OSX. Open the window and let the fresh air in - see this post and others on the mega thread: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/line6-helix.1586637/page-395#post-20621546 It is something that I am looking forward to trying with an iPad for a minimum set-up. Can't help with the Mac to Helix integration - it sounds like a driver issue to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 Including the note on/off messages? I really wish you could reproduce that. I've never seen it in any Line 6 device, including Helix. To a silverhead from a greybeard: Sir, which bit of this do you not understand? I have absolutely nothing to gain by lying. I'm simply stating the facts of my experience with this box of tricks. And, I have been using MIDI equipment since the very first keyboard to implement it - a Roland JX3P. Open the window and let the fresh air in - see this post and others on the mega thread: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/line6-helix.1586637/page-395#post-20621546 It is something that I am looking forward to trying with an iPad for a minimum set-up. Can't help with the Mac to Helix integration - it sounds like a driver issue to me. Yeah, I really should get out more, but I'm currently spending my whole life trying to fix this black box. Well, I'm gonna have to check that out link for myself - audio to MIDI could be fun and way better than all that weird pickup stuff on the Roland Guitar Synths. FYI, I have tried the latest Line 6 Driver to no avail - fact is, it made everything worse! Once again, a driver issue doesn't explain why it worked perfectly and then stopped. Theoretically it should never have worked at all, and the comments from "silverhead" seem to indicate the same, but I do insist that it did work exactly as stated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 Please don't misunderstand me. I never suggested that you were lying, dreaming, inexperienced, or misrepresenting anything. I simply said, and truly wish, that what you experienced earlier could now be reproduced. I would love to see it because I haven't yet. That's all I said and all I meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 Please don't misunderstand me. I never suggested that you were lying, dreaming, inexperienced, or misrepresenting anything. I simply said, and truly wish, that what you experienced earlier could now be reproduced. I would love to see it because I haven't yet. That's all I said and all I meant. Thank you, Sir, for your understanding in this matter (stock reply number 3075562) ;) . Although, for my part I have to state, this is an issue that has gone on far too long without a proper resolution, and now I am starting to realise that this is not the place to find one. I would have liked to use that great Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy quote: "Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?" but, maybe not. Unless you have experienced this "Hell" it means nothing. I will wait for the imminent Firmware update that Digital_Igloo has stated should fix this weird enigma. If I find I'm not returned the audio ecstasy that I previously enjoyed, sadly Helix will have to be ditched! As a very, very long time Line 6 customer - that will not be a decision taken lightly, but if it comes to it... Flame off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billlorentzen Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 So, I could turn my helix into a bass pedal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewolf48 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Yes... But with a limited number of notes depending on how many of the switches you want to dedicate to triggering sound (you can change what the triggered notes are per Preset) You have to have something that will accept MIDI and return Audio - this can be a Synth, Sound Module (Rack Synth), Computer running suitable software or iPad. [it is not new to Helix - you can do this with the POD HD500 (x) too] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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