First gig with Helix snapshots and Variax - So easy!

[revans]

Played my first gig with Helix snapshots and Variax last Saturday night. Wow, it is so much easier and faster to switch on effects and select a Variax model using snapshots!

 

What I used to do to get ready for the next song was:

1. Use a top row Helix footswitch to select a preset.

2. Use some combination of bottom row Helix footswitches to turn on some effects.

3. Use the Variax model knob to select a model bank.

4. Use the Variax pickup selector to select a guitar-pickup model.

 

For alternate tunings, I use custom Variax models to select a guitar-pickup model and an alternate tuning at the same time, saving another step where I'd sometimes have to use the Variax alternate tuning knob.

 

But I did not store a Variax model with each preset because I'd end up with 20 presets to manage.

 

Now, with Helix snapshots, here's what I to do to get ready for the next song:

1. Use a preset up or down Helix footswitch to select a preset.

2. Use a top row Helix footswitch to select a snapshot.

 

I only use five presets (Acoustic, Vox, Fender, Marshall, Mesa). Each preset has four snapshots which each include a different Variax model (which might include an alternate turning) along with turning on some effects.

 

During a song I still might use the Helix bottom row footswitches to turn effects on and off, especially boost and distortion.

 

So much quicker and easier. Now I can spend less time messing with gear and more time enjoying the music.

 

I'm really hooked now!

 

[rzumwalt]

Glad to hear it worked out well. I would be curious to know what most people are finding the easiest or most natural workflow during gigs with the new snapshots. I just downloaded v2.01 (missed the 2.00 release) and played with the snapshots for the first time. I decided to set it up with 4 snapshots and 4 stomps visible by default. I tried to stick to a maximum of a couple presets that would get me through the entire set. I set up at least 4 snapshots in each preset, generally (1) Clean, (2) Ambient, (3) Crunch, and (4) Lead. The stomps are typically (a) Master volume boost, (b ) mild overdrive mostly for gain boost, (c ) wah because I use external pedal and I'm apparently the one guy in America who hates toe down activation switches, and (d) an extra delay.

I would prefer to use only one preset for the entire set because I tend to forget what presents I use from each song (but it seems like such a waste of the Helix's potential). We play at most 4 songs for any given Sunday morning, but there are probably more than 100 songs we might choose from, and more being added all the time. So it's hit or miss whether I can put together or find an existing preset that will handle all the songs for that week to my satisfaction. The setlists helped a lot this week because I don't have to do an internal monologue every time I try to change sounds, as in, "Ok, for this patch, the 808 is extra high-gain, so for a moderate chrunch tone I need to use the gain boost plus an EQ pedal, wait, does the gain boost stomp pedal also activate the EQ, uh-oh, how do I reduce this reverb?" 

Does anyone else have a different philosophy? For example, do you find it better to have a preset for each song with the snapshots set up for specific song parts, i.e., intro, verse, chorus, verse 2, chorus 2, bridge...?  

[DunedinDragon]

Okay...here's my on stage workflow when we go to the next song in the set:

 

Press the preset up footswitch.

Start playing the song.

 

And the weird thing about it is, I have yet to uncover any need to incorporate snapshots into my patches.  And that's not because we don't have songs that have some significant changes in effects and tones throughout the song.  And so far, even with fairly dramatic changes in the tone or dynamics of a given song, it still comes down to a single footswitch stomp to activate/deactivate the changes.  Again, no magic here.  No snapshots.  All using the basic capabilities of the Helix that have been there since day one.  And more importantly, there's never any confusion about which song I'm playing in the set because it's displayed clearly as the preset name.

 

How is all this possible?  Simple.  Every song is stored as a preset and maintained on the hard drive of my tablet PC by the song's name with it's default patch settings for the start of the song.  When I set up the Helix for a performance, I simply import the preset into the appropriate preset slot and everything is ready to go.

 

Generally speaking most of the songs have only one or two stomps enabled.  I may have many more effects in that song, but if they stay the same throughout the song (such as a compressor, or a reverb), they aren't assigned a footswitch so my stomp arrangement for each song is super simple.  Nothing to remember, nothing to screw up during the performance.

 

I often think we're our own worst enemies when it comes to technology.  Just because a capability exists, we think we need to use it, regardless of whether it really benefits our workflow or not.

[Garhel]

I have 4 general presets :-

 

- DIY, which is a sort of do it all thing with 8 snaps for variations of clean, crunch, rhythm, and lead, probably covers over half a normal set

 

- Classic Rock, sort of what it says on the tin! Snaps similar to above

 

- Fuzztastic, which has a couple of snaps for rhythm tones, and then varieties of Fuzz for different songs. Probably only used for 3 or 4 songs

 

- Funky, similar to DIY, but with a couple of snaps with particular effects for songs (intro to Superstition for example). Again, fairly self explanatory I guess!

 

Then I have a few song specific presets, usually just with snaps for Intro, Verse, Chorus, Middle, Solo etc...

 

Everything is set up so clean, crunch, rhythm is on the same switch on each preset to try and make it as foolproof as I can. Works well for me and the way my brain works...

[ColonelForbin]

 

Played my first gig with Helix snapshots and Variax last Saturday night. Wow, it is so much easier and faster to switch on effects and select a Variax model using snapshots!

 

Now, with Helix snapshots, here's what I to do to get ready for the next song:

1. Use a preset up or down Helix footswitch to select a preset.

2. Use a top row Helix footswitch to select a snapshot.

 

I only use five presets (Acoustic, Vox, Fender, Marshall, Mesa). Each preset has four snapshots which each include a different Variax model (which might include an alternate turning) along with turning on some effects.

 

During a song I still might use the Helix bottom row footswitches to turn effects on and off, especially boost and distortion.

 

So much quicker and easier. Now I can spend less time messing with gear and more time enjoying the music.

 

I'm really hooked now!

 

 

Dude. You make me want to get a Variax again! And regret selling my JTV59... DOH!

[rzumwalt]

I often think we're our own worst enemies when it comes to technology.  Just because a capability exists, we think we need to use it, regardless of whether it really benefits our workflow or not.

 

That describes me pretty well, actually. While, my particular flavor of adhd won't allow me to leave any capability alone for very long, I think I'll try what you describe one of these Sundays. I can get on board with the concept of an obstruction free workspace. Of course, I'll just clutter it up over time.

 

Everything is set up so clean, crunch, rhythm is on the same switch on each preset to try and make it as foolproof as I can. Works well for me and the way my brain works...

 

I think that's the style I will most likely settle on for most presets. A good compromise might be to have one primary preset you use for half or more of your songs, and then the odd streamlined preset like DunedinDragon mentioned. You get to know the preset with all the snapshots and stomps inside and out, but when you need something different, you use a song-specific preset with just the options you need for that song. You really just have to learn the one complicated preset and keep the rest foolproof. And now I feel like I'm beginning to state the obvious: "You use the functions when they are helpful... and then you don't when you need something different."