motorhead9999 Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Hey all, I've been interested in some form of the Helix for a bit now, and would like some advice. I play a bit of guitar, bass and I'm learning the Chapman stick, so there are multiple uses for whatever I end up purchasing. The helix has sounded great in all the videos I've seen, so I have no questions on the quality of the sounds, and build quality has been reported to be great on the units. To some extent, this comes down purely to a cash issue. I have Guitar Rig through NI Komplete, so at the very minimum, I have access to a sound/effects software. I have been looking at getting a usb foot controller, both for home and (eventual) live performance. I also play keys, and the idea of adding in a foot controller was interesting to me from a control perspective. Mainstage would be my main host for live stuff, and I'd be working in Cubase/Logic for straight studio stuff. If I'm just looking purely at a foot controller situation, the Helix control looks to be what I'd need if I wanted to just stick with software. Does anyone here strictly use that to control Mainstage or other software outside of Helix? Also, if you're using the Helix Control to control 3rd party software (like Guitar Rig for instance), can you adjust the display LEDs to a custom message? Is there any reason why what I'm thinking about getting this board for won't work? I've never been a live player, so this would be a new area to me. I know people are always wary of running computers live during shows, so a dedicated piece of hardware does make sense to me. What I would hate to do is buy the Helix Control, find out that a laptop rig doesn't work so great and either have to sell the Control at a loss, or force myself to go buy a Helix Rack, when I could have spent less money and gone with the standard Helix for cheaper. With that having been said, a standard Helix is more than 3x the price of the Control, which isn't an insignificant sum to me. Am I willing to save a bit longer to make the jump? Sure. But I'd rather spend $400ish rather than $1400ish if I can. So what are your thoughts? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digital_Igloo Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Helix Control currently only supports Helix Rack. The rear-panel USB port is only there for future-proofing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 I've never been a live player...I know people are always wary of running computers live during shows... Guys are wary of running computers live for good reason...the fastest and "best" ones out there (whatever that means), with as much RAM as you can stuff in them are still computers, and prone to the occasional bizarre hiccup. When that happens at home practicing or recording, who cares? Maybe a take gets ruined...oh well. But playing live is considerably less forgiving. The average listener might not be able to distinguish a Strat from a Tele, but they'll sure as hell notice when, in the middle of your solo, the laptop decides to start playing that rare copy of the Sesame Street theme song in Yiddish, that's buried in your iTunes library...;) The universe will throw enough "Spinal Tap" moments at you as it is...you need gear that's reliable, and as close to bulletproof as it gets. I wouldn't even consider taking a laptop on stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooey Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 That's what got me looking at Helix in the first place. Before that I was a very happy Amplitube and Scuffham guy, just didn't want to deal with or rely on a computer live. It wasn't until I played with Helix for a while that I came to really dig it for its own sake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WickedFinger Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 I remember even in the rehearsal room I would be working out my sounds look down and some giant fat dude is standing on my midi 10 pin cable to my synth. Anything can happen on the road and it is usually a spill, trip or cable catch and pull that will cause the laptop to take a fall it was not meant to take. You could probably park a car on top of a Helix to an extent (but I would not recommend it). It's as bullet proof as it gets gear wise. I wish it had been around went I was packing in my three amps and two cabs plus rack. Sound was and is important to me, I did not mind hooking up the gear but a Helix rig is so ridiculously easy it has changed the whole paradigm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesPetrucci Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 hi guys im looking to go back to line 6 gear and im intrested in the helix. my question is can i run a helix foot controller so one without the volume/wah foot expression pedal through helix editor through a laptop if soo what cables do i run it off such as i got a irig plugs into laptop which can plug guitar and cab into it would that work im bit out dated on equiptement. so basically what im saying is can i run these all together. 1. Helix foot controller ( without expression pedal ) 2. laptop 3. i rig ( for connection to laptop etc) 4. other pedals such as my own wah and volume pedal and other pedals such as tc electrics etc. thanks guys :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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