Helix and a Freeze pedal

[markblack77]

I have a Freeze pedal and I want to make it so that I can have the sound from the freeze going through an effect (trem for example) but I don't want my guitar to go through the trem as well.

 

Any thoughts on the the best way to do this?

 

Basically I want:

 

 

Freeze effect chain:

Guitar sound > freeze > trem > output

 

Guitar chain:

Guitar sound > NO TREM > output

 

so when I play over the freeze / trem output my guitar sound is trem free.

 

Cheers

 

Mark

[jeremyn]

I don't think the Freeze has a kill dry or 100% wet setting. So you need to set up a block in the same split section as the Freeze to kill the guitar signal going into it. That way the guitar goes down the other split path, and the Freeze keeps the frozen output going into the trem. Unfortunately this is a pain to do. The Superego makes it easier, as does modding the freeze to allow 100% wet.

 

edit: here is a link to a mod that will allow the freeze to do this: http://dogisblue.com/gear/diy-effects-ehx-freeze-with-effects-loop-and-expression-pedal/

[markblack77]

I don't think the Freeze has a kill dry or 100% wet setting. So you need to set up a block in the same split section as the Freeze to kill the guitar signal going into it. That way the guitar goes down the other split path, and the Freeze keeps the frozen output going into the trem. Unfortunately this is a pain to do. The Superego makes it easier, as does modding the freeze to allow 100% wet.

 

edit: here is a link to a mod that will allow the freeze to do this: http://dogisblue.com/gear/diy-effects-ehx-freeze-with-effects-loop-and-expression-pedal/

thanks for that, Makes sense, obviously it has no way to mute the input once the pedal is set - not the point of how the pedal was designed. Couldn't get my head around that due to lack of sleep! :)

[jeremyn]

Yeah, I'm really hoping Line6 puts a Freeze effect or equivalent into the Helix at some point. Make sure you vote up the idea on Ideascale if you haven't already.

It's a simple effect, but a great basis for ambient patches of pads and drones that sit underneath the guitar. Reverb and delay are great, but they can be like holding down the sustain pedal on a piano without the ability to lift your foot off to 'clear' the sound space at the chord change.

The people that made the Plus Pedal that someone posted about after NAMM really understand the musicality of this type of sustain. It's not only about infinite sustain that you can solo over for 10 minutes. It's also about keeping a solid background sound scape alive while you're moving through chordal changes. The ability to 'tell' the pedal when you want that to happen is incredibly important to avoid 'chord clash'.

[Graemey]

I use a EHX Hog with my Helix.

 

It works brilliantly for freezing chords, drones etc.

 

I run it through one of the effects loops on Helix.

[jbuhajla]

Put your freeze in one of the loops. Then run guitar signal to a split. Split 1 is just guitar (dry), split 2 has your effects (wet) which is the Freeze at 100% mix into your trem. 

[myconsumerclub]

You might want to add a programmed chord using the pitch transposer or to shift the sound of the freeze up or down a specific interval in various scenes so you can switch keys and or create mood shifts with that same frozen sound and alter it while knowing the notes to use so that it will serve to help you transition a song into something strange and wonderful. Be sure to share those sounds with us all.  

[markblack77]

I have a plan.

 

I ordered a Y splitter cable I'm going to spit my signal into the guitar in and the AUX in. I know the sound might not be quite as good through the AUX in but for the drone, freeze sounds it's OK after a quite test.

 

 

Then have a paths:

 

Guitar in >>> amp >>> effect >>> out

Aux in (Freeze) >>> amp >>> effect >>> out

 

[markblack77]

I use a EHX Hog with my Helix.

 

It works brilliantly for freezing chords, drones etc.

 

I run it through one of the effects loops on Helix.

 

If you run your HOG through effects on the Helix do you have it so your guitar sound (that you play over with) is not effeedcted by these effects?

[Graemey]

If you run your HOG through effects on the Helix do you have it so your guitar sound (that you play over with) is not effeedcted by these effects?

I use a number of different ways.

Obviously with Helix being so versitile with how you can set up your signal path, all options are possible.

 

I have the Hog going through an effects loop and it is switched in/out with a Helix footswitch.

I also have the six pre-set footswitch that stores sounds for the Hog.

[jeremyn]

I have a plan.

 

I ordered a Y splitter cable I'm going to spit my signal into the guitar in and the AUX in. I know the sound might not be quite as good through the AUX in but for the drone, freeze sounds it's OK after a quite test.

 

 

Then have a paths:

 

Guitar in >>> amp >>> effect >>> out

Aux in (Freeze) >>> amp >>> effect >>> out

 

That cable is a stereo splitter. If you plug a mono cable into it you end up with signal coming out the left side and nothing on the left.

 

Definitely don't split your unbuffered guitar externally with a cable and plug it into multiple inputs, otherwise your tone will suffer on all inputs. This happens because the guitar will be loaded by the combined impedance of all the inputs.

 

Also, you can use a Y-splitter block in the Helix to split a signal to avoid signal degradation.

[markblack77]

That cable is a stereo splitter. If you plug a mono cable into it you end up with signal coming out the left side and nothing on the left.

 

Definitely don't split your unbuffered guitar externally with a cable and plug it into multiple inputs, otherwise your tone will suffer on all inputs. This happens because the guitar will be loaded by the combined impedance of all the inputs.

 

Also, you can use a Y-splitter block in the Helix to split a signal to avoid signal degradation.

 

as Mr. Simpson likes to say DOH! Of course that will happen - I really didn't think that through... but now you've said it of course that make sense. there's £4 wasted :)

 

What I'm trying to do is make it so the signal from the 'out' of the freeze can have effects but the guitar sound that you play over the top has no effects added. But I don't think that can be done as the Freeze doesn't have an FX loop like the Superego. I have a Pedal Plus sustain pedal on order that can do that - but they don't ship till June so bought a cheap Freeze to play with while that's coming.

[MusicLaw]

An inexpensive A/B/Y switch box could work. Or, an even less costly, 1/4" Female TS to dual 1/4" Male TS Y-adapter cable, could split your signal. In either case, but you'd need to be aware of how the load on your guitar pickup changes due to splitting the signal.

[jbuhajla]

as Mr. Simpson likes to say DOH! Of course that will happen - I really didn't think that through... but now you've said it of course that make sense. there's £4 wasted :)

 

What I'm trying to do is make it so the signal from the 'out' of the freeze can have effects but the guitar sound that you play over the top has no effects added. But I don't think that can be done as the Freeze doesn't have an FX loop like the Superego. I have a Pedal Plus sustain pedal on order that can do that - but they don't ship till June so bought a cheap Freeze to play with while that's coming.

How about put the freeze in one of the loops and run it in parallel with your "dry" tone (crude sketch attached). You can then control the y split to turn off or blend. 

 

 

EDIT- Correction to the sketch, the merge should be before your CAB-IR block, not after. 

[markblack77]

An inexpensive A/B/Y switch box could work. Or, an even less costly, 1/4" Female TS to dual 1/4" Male TS Y-adapter cable, could split your signal. In either case, but you'd need to be aware of how the load on your guitar pickup changes due to splitting the signal.

 

Actually got that working last night - but I do need an FX loop on the pedal to do what I really want to do.

 

How about put the freeze in one of the loops and run it in parallel with your "dry" tone (crude sketch attached). You can then control the y split to turn off or blend. 

 

 

EDIT- Correction to the sketch, the merge should be before your CAB-IR block, not after. 

 

Cheers for that. 

[dduck10]

Tonight I was practicing and needed a freeze effect to fulfill my practice routine. I go to add one on my Helix LT and behold no freeze effect. Why? Why? I /We purchased the Pedal board and spend good money for it. 
 
I read the forums and come across the page that all the people that now own the Helix are posting what they want you to add. Where are these updates. When will we see them. I have had my Helix now for about 6 months. Only 1 update. That is unacceptable! We support you and you Must Support us. Give us what we need and ask for. Or release the code and make it open source so we can make what we want!!!
 
Thank You.

[phil_m]

Tonight I was practicing and needed a freeze effect to fulfill my practice routine. I go to add one on my Helix LT and behold no freeze effect. Why? Why? I /We purchased the Pedal board and spend good money for it. 

 

I read the forums and come across the page that all the people that now own the Helix are posting what they want you to add. Where are these updates. When will we see them. I have had my Helix now for about 6 months. Only 1 update. That is unacceptable! We support you and you Must Support us. Give us what we need and ask for. Or release the code and make it open source so we can make what we want!!!

 

Thank You.

Chill out, man... There are updates coming soon. And, really, one update over the course of six months is perfectly acceptable... Line 6 owes nothing to any of its customers in the way of updates regardless how much people expect them. There are a lot of things in the pipeline, but the attitude of entitlement gets old.

 

Line 6 is never going to release source code for the Helix, so you might as well give up on that dream...

[jbuhajla]

Tonight I was practicing and needed a freeze effect to fulfill my practice routine. I go to add one on my Helix LT and behold no freeze effect. Why? Why? I /We purchased the Pedal board and spend good money for it. 

 

I read the forums and come across the page that all the people that now own the Helix are posting what they want you to add. Where are these updates. When will we see them. I have had my Helix now for about 6 months. Only 1 update. That is unacceptable! We support you and you Must Support us. Give us what we need and ask for. Or release the code and make it open source so we can make what we want!!!

 

Thank You.

 

Sounds like you made a purchase without researching what effects are modeled in the Helix. Line 6 did not model EVERY EFFECT IN EXISTENCE in the Helix. And you had your Helix for 6 months and during that time you did not go through the simple list of effects that it does have. Smells like you are just trolling. I don't think you are an actual Helix owner. Nice try...

[dduck10]

I have the Helix LT and Amplfi 150, so you would be wrong. I have been a line 6 customer for awhile now. added it as my profile picture. Yes, I did do my research, I depend on Line 6 to keep up there part of the deal. 

[phil_m]

I have the Helix LT and Amplfi 150, so you would be wrong. I have been a line 6 customer for awhile now. added it as my profile picture. Yes, I did do my research, I depend on Line 6 to keep up there part of the deal. 

 

What "deal" are you referring to? I mean, not trying to be too blunt, but Line 6 has never promised anything in the way of firmware updates in their marketing materials or website other than the times they've announced certain updates at NAMM or something. They generally don't give out information as far the future plans. I'm confident there's a lot coming, and I know some details of the roadmap for the platform going forward that I can't share. But it's not like Line 6 has made promises like, "there will be firmware updates every three months" or anything like that. It's true that people have a lot of expectations for these products now, and Line 6 understands that. But even if they never offered another firmware update again, they couldn't really be accused of not keeping up their end of the deal...

[jbuhajla]

I have the Helix LT and Amplfi 150, so you would be wrong. I have been a line 6 customer for awhile now. added it as my profile picture. Yes, I did do my research, I depend on Line 6 to keep up there part of the deal. 

And I have attached a picture of myself from a show last year (the guy on the left). I suggest digging a little deeper on your research next time. There has never been a "Freeze" pedal model in the Helix. 

[ricstudioc]

Tonight I was practicing and needed a freeze effect to fulfill my practice routine. 

Said "routine" apparently being invented just the other night.

[dduck10]

And I have attached a picture of myself from a show last year (the guy on the left). I suggest digging a little deeper on your research next time. There has never been a "Freeze" pedal model in the Helix. 

Good for you I am happy for you. Toot your horn very much. I just wanted to add something to my Helix and now I have you two guys, all over my Sh%t about it. Is it not my choice to ask for new stuff? Then what the hell is Line 6 Ideals for?? Excuse me for wanting something from Line 6 along with the other thousands of owners.