Wah questions for engaging on pedal movement

[mrmichaelgibson]

Hi all!

 

I see that in an update last year, Line 6 added functionality to engage the wah when the expression pedal is moved from a certain position, which is very cool.  Is there a way to also / or rather set it to engage when moved at all, and have it turn off when movement stops?    The Behringer Hellbabe Wah is a cheaper wah I had in the past that would engage whenever you set your foot on it.  I know that's probably not possible on the Helix, since the pedal works differently, but I'd love to replicate that functionality.

 

Thanks!

[Verne-Bunsen]

Not as yet, it's strictly based on the pedal position exceeding a set threshold. I'd like to see what you describe implemented at some point, I am told Axe FX has it as an option.

[talwilkins]

How would that be nice?

You would constantly need to keep the pedal moving for it not to disengage.

Wouldn't that be extremely limiting and irritating?

[HonestOpinion]

How would that be nice?

You would constantly need to keep the pedal moving for it not to disengage.

Wouldn't that be extremely limiting and irritating?

 

I think the way it is implemented is that there is a settable time delay to when the pedal reverts back from wah to volume. When the expression pedal is not moved for that amount of time it switches the wah back off. That way you can set it up for a longer revert time if you want to make sure it does not turn off the wah before desired. This kind of feature would be used with some form of auto-engage. The benefit of having it automatically revert is you don't have to move the expression pedal to a specific position to for example return to your volume pedal from the wah.

[Verne-Bunsen]

Just as with the current auto-engage, you'd have to work around the limitations. The current configuration leads to constant nuisance switching if you linger too long around heel-down. It's a compromise however you cut it, but some compromises may work out better for some peoples techniques than others. Just about having options.

[specracer986]

What I don't like about the current Helix set up is the sound drop out that I get when the wah is first engaged.

[duncann]

To further improve the auto-engage feature for wahs, I wonder if they could add an adjustable fade-in time, maybe 0 to 500ms, that would automatically change the wah's mix parameter from a min to a max when auto-engage function is triggered. Might help to smooth things a little.

[rzumwalt]

What I don't like about the current Helix set up is the sound drop out that I get when the wah is first engaged.

 

I don't notice that with mine. Are you sure there isn't a problem? Maybe you are setting the level on your wah block too low or the heel-down frequency is too low?

[talwilkins]

Just as with the current auto-engage, you'd have to work around the limitations. The current configuration leads to constant nuisance switching if you linger too long around heel-down. It's a compromise however you cut it, but some compromises may work out better for some peoples techniques than others. Just about having options.

 

Fair enough. I use autoengage but don't like it that it turns off when I don't want it to. 

Setting a longer time makes it impassible to precisely time when it does turn off when I want it to.

You're right we need to work around the limitations.

[mrmichaelgibson]

Thanks for all the replies!  Sounds like I'm not alone in thinking about a way this can work.

[MonkeyXT]

It may help you to keep in mind that the way it's meant to work ideally was actually conceived around the idea that the HEEL-DOWN position would be the OFF position.

 

That can be flipped around - which I do, because I'm so used to engaging using the toe switch in toe-down position that it's more intuitive to me to keep it that way - but it makes the delay setting not as effective.

There was a post about that from someone from Line 6, or someone in the know, which explained the facts around this.

It might have been on The Gear Page.