Global aux input?

[zooey]

Pretty sure I know the answer to this, but is there any way to set up an analog aux input that's active on all presets? You have to set up that routing in each one individually? Thinking about playing other music through Helix. I know you can do that w USB, but I'm looking for a physical jack for an iPod etc.

[silverhead]

You're right - the answer is no. You need to add a Return input to every preset that you want to use with your iPod, or use an external mixer.

[zooey]

Thanks. Too bad, seems like a common desire. Even if it was just fixed level, it'd be useful.

[PeterHamm]

Thanks. Too bad, seems like a common desire. Even if it was just fixed level, it'd be useful.

 

But... whereas previous $500 and under modelers were really designed to bridge the gap between amateur and pro, Helix is simply designed for pro musicians, and in a pro environment, we generally don't want that kind of feature getting in the way. The fact that you CAN do this in a patch if you want to is awesome, though.

[zooey]

"in the way"? In the sense of consuming development time maybe, but I can't believe no pro musician (was one for multiple decades) ever wants to play music through their FRFR rig. Still, agree that it's cool you can do it at all.

[kts222555111000]

"we generally don't want that kind of feature getting in the way"

 

Is that the royal "we"?

[PeterHamm]

...but I can't believe no pro musician (was one for multiple decades) ever wants to play music through their FRFR rig...

 

I can imagine that by design, few want this, just like few want the looper to be active in every patch (hence that decision).

 

 

"we generally don't want that kind of feature getting in the way"

 

Is that the royal "we"?

Yes, as in, most pros I know of.

[kts222555111000]

I can imagine that by design, few want this, just like few want the looper to be active in every patch (hence that decision).

 

 

Yes, as in, most pros I know of.

Most pros? Not all then. What does Joe Satriani think? Or David Gilmour? Oh, of course, they don't own a Helix. Still thanks for telling me what I should think........

[PeterHamm]

You are misunderstanding.

I'm not telling you what to think.

I'm not saying that all or most pros use Helix.

I'm saying that Helix was designed with a more professional user in mind, and Line 6 certainly learned that features like an aux in for an mp3 player were not on the list of things that people really want in this product segment.

[zooey]

When you're in phones plugged into Helix, routing other music through Helix is the ONLY way to listen to backing tracks, a rehearsal tape, a band member's new song, or a tune you're interested in. There simply isn't an alternative, except to fire up the whole studio rig and not use Helix's headphone out at all. Part of what I love about Helix is that I don't have to do that, or even turn on a computer, and when I'm playing on the couch in the living room the full studio isn't even an option. Or maybe pros don't play on the couch? :)

 

 

Practical question: Am I right that if a patch already uses both paths, there's no way to route external audio that bypasses the guitar processing?

 

(I thought for a second that if you weren't using both the 1b and 2b paths, you could leave the input set to Multi, split right after that, route the guitar and external audio to 1a and 1b respectively, with all guitar processing on 1a, and do the same and path 2. But then I realized that there's no way to get from path 1 to path 2 that preserves that separation, unless you made everything mono.)

[PeterHamm]

Practical question: Am I right that if a patch already uses both paths, there's no way to route external audio that bypasses the guitar processing?

 

Nope. You can do this. It's easy.

 

All you need is one open block hopefully RIGHT before the output. Just add a return and change the parameters so it mixes with the built-in sound. Simple. Probably uses almost zero DSP. And no reason you can't make this happen with almost any patch in just a few seconds any time you want.

[HonestOpinion]

Pretty sure I know the answer to this, but is there any way to set up an analog aux input that's active on all presets? You have to set up that routing in each one individually? Thinking about playing other music through Helix. I know you can do that w USB, but I'm looking for a physical jack for an iPod etc.

It would be nice to be able to set up a an input/ouput globally as you are attempting. One possible workaround would be to set up a Template or a blank preset that had the route setup for the iPod and just copy this to all your "New Preset" slots at one time using the editor. That way at least any new preset would start with the basic route you want. I know it is not the best alternative but it may save you a bit of hassle if you always use the iPod or other music playing device..

[zooey]

All you need is one open block hopefully RIGHT before the output. Just add a return and change the parameters so it mixes with the built-in sound. Simple. Probably uses almost zero DSP. And no reason you can't make this happen with almost any patch in just a few seconds any time you want.

Ah, right, return inputs. I was thinking only about the main inputs, but clearly a return would work fine.

 

Thanks. Can I mark two different posts as the answer? (Not that that matters a ton.)

[silverhead]

Ah, right, return inputs. I was thinking only about the main inputs, but clearly a return would work fine.

 

Thanks. Can I mark two different posts as the answer? (Not that that matters a ton.)

Don't worry - the info about using the Return input was in the post that you already marked as the answer. ;)