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Question: How to bypass other effects when selecting a new one?


anthony_jr
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Hey all,

 

Loving the Helix - especially having moved from the M13. There's just one thing that I'm wondering how to work around.

 

I love to group up a few different effects close to each other. I play a bit of post-rock and typically have a few different delays and reverbs written into my board at a time. On the M13, I'd put all of my delays in one row and reverbs in another - so that when I selected a new reverb - the other would be switched off.

 

How can I create a similar situation on the Helix, so that when I choose another reverb or delay - it triggers the others (of the same type) to turn off. (I assume that I'd have to write in which footswitches it may target.) I'm currently doing quite the dance to switch on / off effects with the current setup. Thankfully the sound is so fantastic that no one has really noticed yet. ;)

 

All thoughts are appreciated !

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1. Assign two blocks to the same switch.

2. While one is selected, press BYPASS. The switch now toggles between the two.

 

You can assign up to 8 blocks to a single footswitch toggle the bypass states of all of them.

 

However, if you want M13-like only-one-of-three-effects-on-at-once behavior, you'll need to dive into Snapshots.

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If you want the ability to have no delay at all, for instance (no effect at all), you have to do something slightly different:

 

(This only works with, for example, two delays or two reverbs or two distortions.  For more than two, ask someone smart).

 

1.  Set your two effects up such that one is on top of the other, thus creating path B.

2.  Insert a SPLIT A/B block in front of the effect on path A.

3.  Assign the split a/b block to a footswitch.  Min A and Max B should both be 100.  This will be how you switch between one effect and another.

4.  Assign your two effects to one footswitch.  When the footswitch is activated, they should both be ON and when deactivated, both should be BYPASSED.  Then, you'll use that footswitch to choose between having an effect or none at all.

 

Like the Wizard of Igloo said, you can do so much more with snapshots.

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1. Assign two blocks to the same switch.

2. While one is selected, press BYPASS. The switch now toggles between the two.

 

You can assign up to 8 blocks to a single footswitch toggle the bypass states of all of them.

 

However, if you want M13-like only-one-of-three-effects-on-at-once behavior, you'll need to dive into Snapshots.

 

Considering I mostly have at least 1 reverb loaded at all times, this workaround sounds like something that would fit my play style (allowing me to switch on the fly with one button). I also love the idea of the bypass toggle acting as a kill switch for everything. A lot of huge damp reverb tremolo parts with massive drops into a quiet moments that could really be done much easier with one button - that's exciting.

 

I'll have to look into Snapshots. Haven't gotten that deep just yet. Though, all in all - I'd honestly love to suggest some sort of ability to turn off effects when another is selected (as you mentioned - close to M13 style workings). If we were able to register effects into a "Group" of some sort, where the system knows only 1 effect of the group could be selected at a time... it would literally solve everything! Seems simple enough.

 

As for Split A/B, I'll have to consider that as well ! I've been mostly using A/B to run parallel effect chains - which has been one of my favorite parts about the Helix so far. Now once I figure out how to write in a blend to the expression pedal... Dream.

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Considering I mostly have at least 1 reverb loaded at all times, this workaround sounds like something that would fit my play style (allowing me to switch on the fly with one button). I also love the idea of the bypass toggle acting as a kill switch for everything. A lot of huge damp reverb tremolo parts with massive drops into a quiet moments that could really be done much easier with one button - that's exciting.

 

I'll have to look into Snapshots. Haven't gotten that deep just yet. Though, all in all - I'd honestly love to suggest some sort of ability to turn off effects when another is selected (as you mentioned - close to M13 style workings). If we were able to register effects into a "Group" of some sort, where the system knows only 1 effect of the group could be selected at a time... it would literally solve everything! Seems simple enough.

 

As for Split A/B, I'll have to consider that as well ! I've been mostly using A/B to run parallel effect chains - which has been one of my favorite parts about the Helix so far. Now once I figure out how to write in a blend to the expression pedal... Dream.

What you describing is essentially how snapshots work. You should really look into using them.
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Each snapshot remembers which blocks are enabled and disabled, plus the setting of every parameter you have set to be controlled by snapshots, up to 64 of them I think. They can do other stuff too, but that's the basics, seems like they'd meet your needs.

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Hey all,

 

Loving the Helix - especially having moved from the M13. There's just one thing that I'm wondering how to work around.

 

I love to group up a few different effects close to each other. I play a bit of post-rock and typically have a few different delays and reverbs written into my board at a time. On the M13, I'd put all of my delays in one row and reverbs in another - so that when I selected a new reverb - the other would be switched off.

 

How can I create a similar situation on the Helix, so that when I choose another reverb or delay - it triggers the others (of the same type) to turn off. (I assume that I'd have to write in which footswitches it may target.) I'm currently doing quite the dance to switch on / off effects with the current setup. Thankfully the sound is so fantastic that no one has really noticed yet. ;)

 

All thoughts are appreciated !

You're describing snapshots. It's definitely worth learning. 

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Yep, snapshots. It's basically 8 presets within one actual preset. Not only can you turn on/off blocks, but you can adjust parameters from one snapshot to the next (like amp gain, overdrive pedal gain, delay feedback, reverb dwell, etc...). The changes between snapshots is instantaneous as well. 

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Snapshots - pick a global view setting that shows them, select 1, then simply press and turn to allocate the parameters you want to set.  Set the next and tweak as you wish.

 

I reverb, many different settings, each at the push of a button.

 

LIke having a stompbox fairy poised ready to turn the dials on request.  (I've been advised, however, it would be bad form to stomp on the fairy ;)

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