Marshall JVM Channel Switching with Helix MIDI

[pbatts]

All questions and comments welcome.

 

Marshall JVM Channel Switching with Helix MIDI
This works with Helix Firmware Version 2.20 and later.

PURPOSE - Have your JVM automatically switch to any desired channel preset combination when pressing any Helix Preset or Snapshot button.

IMPORTANT - Following the procedures described here may cause you to lose any MIDI switching settings you already have programmed into your Helix and JVM.

 

IMPORTANT: Set Helix MIDI Global Settings by going to Menu Button > Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > MIDI PC Send (Page 2) > Off

With that understood.

DO THIS FIRST

Connect a standard, five pin, MIDI cable from the Helix MIDI Out/Thru connector to the JVM Midi In connector.

DO THIS SECOND

JVM Factory Reset - the following procedure is for a JVM205H (See the Reset procedure for your amp if different).

This will erase all the MIDI presets and set MIDI reception channel to #1.

1. Switch the amplifier power off (power switch off, not standby switch).
2. Press and hold CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch.
3. Switch the amplifier power on (power switch on, not standby switch).

The two channel LEDs will glow steady red.

4. Release the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch.

Both the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE and the OVERDRIVE MODE switch LEDs will be lit solid red.

6. Press OVERDRIVE MODE switch.

Both LEDs will blink Red then the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch will light Green.

Done with that.

Channel Switching with Helix Presets Only

If you do not use Helix Snapshots, and only use Helix Presets, this is for you. You can have your JVM switch to any channel settings when changing Helix Presets.

Here is how:

1. Press any Helix Preset button EXCEPT the one you want to program.
2. Set your JVM channels, reverb, fx loop etc. to the settings you want.
3. Put the JVM in the Learn mode by pressing the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

The FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch on the JVM will be blinking.

4. Press the Helix Preset button you want to program.

The FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch will blink fast a few times and go out.

Done.

Now, every time you press that Helix Preset button, the JVM will switch back to those settings.

Repeat for other Presets.

Channel Switching with Helix Presets and Snapshots

IMPORTANT - Before you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots it is important to understand that once you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots, you will have to go through all of your Presets and program at least one Snapshot. Otherwise, when switching between Presets, the amp settings will stay in their last state. Also, any MIDI Switching for Presets, that you have now, will be lost.

With that understood.

DO THIS FIRST FIRST

Make a list like this:

Preset# Snapshot# Program # Description
01A 1 0 Clean Green
01A 2 1 Overdrive Green
01A 3 2 Overdrive Green / Reverb On
01A 4 3 Overdrive Green / Reverb On / Master Volume On

This is just a sample list. Your final list will, likely, look quite different. For now, just use this list for the programming examples. More on this later.

The Program # is the code number of the MIDI PC (Program Change) Message that the Helix will send to the JVM when you press a Preset or Snapshot button on the Helix. This is how the JVM knows to change to a certain combination of settings. The Description is how the amp channels will be set after pressing a Preset or Snapshot button on the Helix.

If MIDI and Program Change and PC Message sounds like a foreign language to you right now, do not worry, you will not need to know any of that technical stuff. Just make the list and follow along.

DO THIS SECOND

Go to Menu > Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > Page 2 > MIDI PC Send - Turn this off > Press Home button

DO THIS THIRD

Navigate to the Preset you want to program and select Snapshot 1.

Press the Menu button and then press the Command Center knob.

Use the joystick to move to an unused Instant Command (Lightning Bolt). Any Commands already in use will have a Turquoise triangle above them. If you do not see any Turquoise triangles, just go to the lightning bolt in the top left corner. That is Instant Command 1.

With an Instant Command (Lightning Bolt) now highlighted, turn the Command knob to Command - Bank/Prog

You should see five settings and they should look like this:

Command: Bank/Prog
Midi Ch: Base
Bank CC00: off
Bank CC32: off
Program: off

Now, get the list that you made, earlier.

 

Please note, when setting the Instant Commands below: Helix is, at this time, very particular about saving your settings as you go. You'll see "Press Save two times." after each change. It's an inconvenience, but it works. Check the setting for each Snapshot when you are done, to make sure you are sending the correct Program#.

The only Helix setting we are going to change is Program. Looking at the list we see that the Program# for Preset 01A Snapshot 1 is 0. So, set the Program to 0 (zero). Leave everything else as/is.

 

Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands.

Press Snapshot 2 button. Set Program to 1.

 

Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands.

Press Snapshot 3 button. Set Program to 2.

 

Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands.

Press Snapshot 4 button. Set Program to 3.

Press Save two times. You should now be back at the Home screen.

 

Check the setting for each Snapshot when you are done, to make sure you are sending the correct Program#.

We have, now, programmed our first four Snapshots on the Helix to do channel switching duties on the JVM. The only thing left to do is program the JVM to match.

Looking at the list, we are saying we want Preset 01A Snapshot 1 to be Clean Green on the amp.

On the Helix you should be on Preset 01A.

Press Snapshot 2 button, or any Snapshot EXCEPT the one you want to program.

Set the JVM to Clean Green. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times. It should be blinking to indicate it is in the learn mode.

Press Snapshot 1 button. The JVM FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch will blink rapidly a few times and then go out.

Set JVM to Overdrive Green. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

Press Snapshot 2 button.

Set JVM to Overdrive Green / Reverb On. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

Press Snapshot 3 button.

Set JVM to Overdrive Green / Reverb On / Master Volume On. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

Press Snapshot 4 button.

Done.

Preset 01A Snapshots 1-4 should, now, recall the amp settings just like it is on the list.

Setting Preset Default Snapshot

To set a particular Snapshot as the default, for any given Preset, perform the following:

In this example we will set Snapshot 2 as the default for Preset 01A.

Navigate to Preset 01A and select Snapshot 2. Press the Save button two times.

Done.

Now, every time you switch to Preset 01A, no matter where you were, it will automatically go to Snapshot 2 and the JVM will switch to whatever amp settings you had for that Snapshot.

Summary and Caveats

Before you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots it is important to understand that once you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots, you will have to go through all of your Presets and program at least one Snapshot. Otherwise, when switching between Presets, the amp settings will stay in their last state. Also, any MIDI Switching for Presets, that you have now, will be lost.

Following the procedures described here may cause you to lose any MIDI switching settings you may already have programmed into your Helix and JVM.

The JVM will store 128 settings. For the two channel JVMs, there is a possible 48 settings combinations. For the four channel JVMs there is a possible 96 settings combinations. Each setting will have a different Program# (0-127). For example, if you wanted to add Clean Amber to the list, that would get a new Program#, maybe 4 since that has not been used already. If you are using/re-using a setting that is already on the list, even if it is on a different Preset, you would still use that same Program#. For example, if I wanted to use Clean Green on Preset 13B2 Snapshot 3, the Program# for that Snapshot is still going to be 0.

If you are only using two Snapshots for a Preset, you do not have to program all four like we did above. By the same token, if you are using eight, you will have to program the other four.

Special thanks to @phil_m and everyone that helped me work through this.

[HonestOpinion]

All questions and comments welcome.

 

Marshall JVM Channel Switching with Helix MIDI

This works with Firmware Version 2.20 and later.

 

PURPOSE - Have your JVM automatically switch to any desired channel preset combination when pressing any Helix Preset or Snapshot button.

 

IMPORTANT - Following the procedures described here may cause you to lose any MIDI switching settings you already have programmed into your Helix and JVM.

 

With that understood.

 

DO THIS FIRST

 

Connect a standard, five pin, MIDI cable from the Helix ‘MIDI Out/Thru’ connector to the JVM ‘Midi In’ connector.

 

DO THIS SECOND

 

JVM Factory Reset - the following procedure is for a JVM205H (See the Reset procedure for your amp if different).

 

This will erase all the MIDI presets and set MIDI reception channel to #1.

 

1. Switch the amplifier power off (power switch off, not standby switch).

2. Press and hold CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch.

3. Switch the amplifier power on (power switch on, not standby switch).

 

The two channel LEDs will glow steady red.

 

4. Release the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch.

 

Both the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE and the OVERDRIVE MODE switch LEDs will be lit solid red.

 

6. Press OVERDRIVE MODE switch.

 

Both LEDs will blink Red then the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch will light Green.

 

Done with that.

 

Channel Switching with Helix Presets Only

 

If you don’t use Helix Snapshots, and only use Helix Presets, this is for you. You can have your JVM switch to any channel settings when changing Helix Presets.

 

Here’s how:

 

1. Press any Helix Preset button EXCEPT the one you want to program.

2. Set your JVM channels, reverb, fx loop etc. to the settings you want.

3. Put the JVM in the “Learn†mode by pressing the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

 

The FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch on the JVM will be blinking.

 

4. Press the Helix Preset button you want to program.

 

The FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch will blink fast a few times and go out.

 

Done.

 

Now, every time you press that Helix Preset button, the JVM will switch back to those settings.

 

Repeat for other Presets.

 

Channel Switching with Helix Presets and Snapshots

 

IMPORTANT - Before you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots it is important to understand that once you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots, you will have to go through all of your Presets and program at least one Snapshot. Otherwise, when switching between Presets, the amp settings will stay in their last state. Also, any MIDI Switching for Presets, that you have now, will be lost.

 

With that understood.

 

DO THIS FIRST FIRST

 

Make a list like this:

 

Preset# Snapshot# Program # Description

01A 1 0 Clean Green

01A 2 1 Overdrive Green

01A 3 2 Overdrive Green / Reverb On

01A 4 3 Overdrive Green / Reverb On / Master Volume On

 

This is just a sample list. Your final list will, likely, look quite different. For now, just use this list for the programming examples. More on this later.

 

The Program # is the code number of the MIDI PC (Program Change) Message that the Helix will send to the JVM when you press a Preset or Snapshot button on the Helix. This is how the JVM knows to change to a certain combination of settings. The Description is how the amp channels will be set after pressing a Preset or Snapshot button on the Helix.

 

If “MIDI†and “Program Change†and “PC Message†sounds like a foreign language to you right now, don’t worry, you won’t need to know any of that technical stuff. Just make the list and follow along.

 

DO THIS SECOND

 

Go to Menu > Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > Page 2 > MIDI PC Send - Turn this off > Press Home button

 

DO THIS THIRD

 

Navigate to the Preset you want to program and select Snapshot 1.

 

Press the “Menu†button and then press the “Command Center†knob.

 

Use the joystick to move to an unused “Instant Command†(Lightning Bolt). Any Commands already in use will have a Turquoise triangle above them. If you don’t see any Turquoise triangles, just go to the lightning bolt in the top left corner. That is Instant Command 1.

 

With an Instant Command (Lightning Bolt) now highlighted, turn the Command knob to Command - Bank/Prog

 

You should see five settings and they should look like this:

 

Command: Bank/Prog

Midi Ch: Base

Bank CC00: off

Bank CC32: off

Program: off

 

Now, get the list that you made, earlier.

 

The only Helix setting we are going to change is “Programâ€. Looking at the list we see that the Program# for Preset 01A Snapshot 1 is “0â€. So, set the Program to “0†(zero). Leave everything else as/is.

 

Press Snapshot 2 button. Set Program to 1.

 

Press Snapshot 3 button. Set Program to 2.

 

Press Snapshot 4 button. Set Program to 3.

 

Press the Save button two times. You should now be back at the Home screen.

 

We have, now, programmed our first four Snapshots on the Helix to do channel switching duties on the JVM. The only thing left to do is program the JVM to match.

 

Looking at the list, we are saying we want Preset 01A Snapshot 1 to be Clean Green on the amp.

 

On the Helix you should be on Preset 01A.

 

Press Snapshot 2 button. Yes, Snapshot 2, that is not a misprint.

 

Set the JVM to Clean Green. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times. It should be blinking to indicate it is in the learn mode.

 

Press Snapshot 1 button. The JVM FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch will blink rapidly a few times and then go out.

 

Set JVM to Overdrive Green. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

 

Press Snapshot 2 button.

 

Set JVM to Overdrive Green / Reverb On. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

 

Press Snapshot 3 button.

 

Set JVM to Overdrive Green / Reverb On / Master Volume On. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

 

Press Snapshot 4 button.

 

Done.

 

Preset 01A Snapshots 1-4 should, now, recall the amp settings just like it is on the list.

 

Setting Preset Default Snapshot

 

To set a particular Snapshot as the default, for any given Preset, perform the following:

 

In this example we will set Snapshot 2 as the default for Preset 01A.

 

Navigate to Preset 01A and select Snapshot 2. Press the “Save†button two times.

 

Done.

 

Now, every time you switch to Preset 01A, no matter where you were, it will automatically go to Snapshot 2 and the JVM will switch to whatever amp settings you had for that Snapshot.

 

Summary and Caveats

 

Before you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots it is important to understand that once you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots, you will have to go through all of your Presets and program at least one Snapshot. Otherwise, when switching between Presets, the amp settings will stay in their last state. Also, any MIDI Switching for Presets, that you have now, will be lost.

 

Following the procedures described here may cause you to lose any MIDI switching settings you may already have programmed into your Helix and JVM.

 

The JVM will store 128 settings. Thats 128 of any possible combination of settings you can imagine. So, you could, if desired, make a list of 128 different settings. Each setting would have a different Program# (0-127). For example, if you wanted to add Clean Amber to the list, that would get a new Program#, maybe 4 since that hasn’t been used already. If you are using/re-using a setting that is already on the list, even if it’s on a different Preset, you would still use that same Program#. For example, if I wanted to use Clean Green on Preset 13B2 Snapshot 3, the Program# for that Snapshot is still going to be 0.

 

If you are only using two Snapshots for a Preset, you don’t have to program all four like we did above. By the same token, if you are using eight, you will have to program the other four.

 

Special thanks to @phil_m and everyone that helped me work through this.

 

Thanks, this is an excellent contribution to the forum! A video to accompany these instructions would be awesome.

[uelef]

Thanks for your description – I am not using a Marshall amp but a Hughes & Kettner Grandmeister 40 deluxe. But there is something strange:

 

I did everything as described there (exceptional that my Grandmeister 40 Deluxe has no midi leard - but that is not the problem because I know the right midi commands). The strange thing is: Using different snapshots inside a preset works fine but opening the preset (with snapshot 2 as standard) does not set the amp to the desired sound. It is always muted. There must be something wrong so that opening a preset in Helix does not send the midi command of the standard snapshot.

 

Do you have maybe any suggestions what is wrong? I can't explain why all snapshots work fine but opening the Helix preset does not send the right midi command. After choosing a preset I have to change to snapshot 1, then back to snapshot 2 – now all is ok.

[uelef]

Ok, got it. The problem were global MIDI settings … I turned everything off there (exept: Midi Channel 1 - tap per snapshot). After doing this – everything worked fine.

[spikey]

Sticky please!

[lhomme61]

Very cool.  At one point I was running two JVM 410 in stereo in four channel mode.  Nice write up if I ever go back to that again but FRFR is way better on my back.

[Paul2916]

Hi. Does anyone using the 4CM with JVM Series amplifiers know how to control the Master 1 and Master 2 channel change without using Midi?

 

The JVM footswitch does it by using any standard jack mono lead from the footswitch to the footswitch input on the back of the amp, so it's clearly possible to do it without a midi signal as far as I can see.

 

My objective - within a preset - is to control the Master 1 / Master 2 from a footswitch on Helix for solo boosts.

 

Any help gratefully received.

[pbatts]

3 hours ago, Paul2916 said:

Hi. Does anyone using the 4CM with JVM Series amplifiers know how to control the Master 1 and Master 2 channel change without using Midi?

 

The JVM footswitch does it by using any standard jack mono lead from the footswitch to the footswitch input on the back of the amp, so it's clearly possible to do it without a midi signal as far as I can see.

 

My objective - within a preset - is to control the Master 1 / Master 2 from a footswitch on Helix for solo boosts.

 

Any help gratefully received.

 

The stock JVM footswitch uses a proprietary communication method, possibly MIDI, for controlling the amp. MIDI is your only option for what you want to do.

[PechGehabt]

Hi! 

 

First of all, thank you so much pbatts for your detailed instructions which helped me a lot with setting up my HX Effects with my JVM! 

 

Everything works fine except for Master 1 / Master 2 switching.

 

Problem:

I have a Snapshot "Crunsh" which uses Crunch Channel Orange and Master 1. I assigned Program Code 0 to this

Then i have a Snapshot "Clean" which uses Clean Channel Orange, Reverb and Master 1. I assigned Program Code 1 to this

 

Switching between those works perfectly!

 

Now i wanted to have a Snapshot "Lead" which is similar to "Crunch" but should switch to Master 2. I assigned Program Code 2 to this.

 

As soon as i configure this, my Snapshot "Crunsh" also switches on Master 2...

 

Somehow i can not make Master 2 for Lead and Master 1 for Crunch work.

 

Any hints? Did i get something wrong?

 

 

[pbatts]

On 3/17/2019 at 1:13 PM, PechGehabt said:

Hi! 

 

First of all, thank you so much pbatts for your detailed instructions which helped me a lot with setting up my HX Effects with my JVM! 

 

Everything works fine except for Master 1 / Master 2 switching.

 

Problem:

I have a Snapshot "Crunsh" which uses Crunch Channel Orange and Master 1. I assigned Program Code 0 to this

Then i have a Snapshot "Clean" which uses Clean Channel Orange, Reverb and Master 1. I assigned Program Code 1 to this

 

Switching between those works perfectly!

 

Now i wanted to have a Snapshot "Lead" which is similar to "Crunch" but should switch to Master 2. I assigned Program Code 2 to this.

 

As soon as i configure this, my Snapshot "Crunsh" also switches on Master 2...

 

Somehow i can not make Master 2 for Lead and Master 1 for Crunch work.

 

Any hints? Did i get something wrong?

 

 

 

Hello,

Sorry to hear your having troubles. I haven't plugged into the JVM in a while, so give me day or two to check it out.

[pbatts]

Hello @PechGehabt, I am having similar troubles as you as I am going through the procedures above. I see where the trouble is. My fault.

 

It seems Helix wants to be picky about saving the settings after each Program number change, for each and every Snapshot.

 

Go to the Command Center and scroll through your Snapshots to see which Program number is being sent for each Snapshot. Change the ones that are wrong and save each Snapshot as you go.

 

I will update the procedures above.

 

Let me know if you get it working.

[wstoner76]

On 8/26/2018 at 9:01 AM, pbatts said:

 

The stock JVM footswitch uses a proprietary communication method, possibly MIDI, for controlling the amp. MIDI is your only option for what you want to do.

 

Is it possible to use the JVM MIDI Implementation map below to just activate Master 1/2 via one of the helix foot switches without having to go through the MIDI programming steps? I would like to be able to control the Master 1/2 as well without having to tie it to a particular channel designated by a snapshot but rather assign an unused switch and call it Solo Boost. It seems that Function 14 with a value of 0/1 would do this per the sheet. I'm just not sure how to program that in the helix. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[pbatts]

6 hours ago, wstoner76 said:

 

Is it possible to use the JVM MIDI Implementation map below to just activate Master 1/2 via one of the helix foot switches without having to go through the MIDI programming steps? I would like to be able to control the Master 1/2 as well without having to tie it to a particular channel designated by a snapshot but rather assign an unused switch and call it Solo Boost. It seems that Function 14 with a value of 0/1 would do this per the sheet. I'm just not sure how to program that in the helix. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

If you have a Satriani model, that chart should work. Otherwise you will have to use the learn function.

 

You will want to use an Instant Command in Helix. See the Command Center. You probably want to send a CC Toggle.

 

[emfare]

On 8/7/2017 at 11:40 PM, pbatts said:

All questions and comments welcome.

 

Marshall JVM Channel Switching with Helix MIDI
This works with Helix Firmware Version 2.20 and later.

PURPOSE - Have your JVM automatically switch to any desired channel preset combination when pressing any Helix Preset or Snapshot button.

IMPORTANT - Following the procedures described here may cause you to lose any MIDI switching settings you already have programmed into your Helix and JVM.

 

IMPORTANT: Set Helix MIDI Global Settings by going to Menu Button > Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > MIDI PC Send (Page 2) > Off

With that understood.

DO THIS FIRST

Connect a standard, five pin, MIDI cable from the Helix MIDI Out/Thru connector to the JVM Midi In connector.

DO THIS SECOND

JVM Factory Reset - the following procedure is for a JVM205H (See the Reset procedure for your amp if different).

This will erase all the MIDI presets and set MIDI reception channel to #1.

1. Switch the amplifier power off (power switch off, not standby switch).
2. Press and hold CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch.
3. Switch the amplifier power on (power switch on, not standby switch).

The two channel LEDs will glow steady red.

4. Release the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch.

Both the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE and the OVERDRIVE MODE switch LEDs will be lit solid red.

6. Press OVERDRIVE MODE switch.

Both LEDs will blink Red then the CLEAN/CRUNCH MODE switch will light Green.

Done with that.

Channel Switching with Helix Presets Only

If you do not use Helix Snapshots, and only use Helix Presets, this is for you. You can have your JVM switch to any channel settings when changing Helix Presets.

Here is how:

1. Press any Helix Preset button EXCEPT the one you want to program.
2. Set your JVM channels, reverb, fx loop etc. to the settings you want.
3. Put the JVM in the Learn mode by pressing the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

The FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch on the JVM will be blinking.

4. Press the Helix Preset button you want to program.

The FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch will blink fast a few times and go out.

Done.

Now, every time you press that Helix Preset button, the JVM will switch back to those settings.

Repeat for other Presets.

Channel Switching with Helix Presets and Snapshots

IMPORTANT - Before you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots it is important to understand that once you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots, you will have to go through all of your Presets and program at least one Snapshot. Otherwise, when switching between Presets, the amp settings will stay in their last state. Also, any MIDI Switching for Presets, that you have now, will be lost.

With that understood.

DO THIS FIRST FIRST

Make a list like this:

Preset# Snapshot# Program # Description
01A 1 0 Clean Green
01A 2 1 Overdrive Green
01A 3 2 Overdrive Green / Reverb On
01A 4 3 Overdrive Green / Reverb On / Master Volume On

This is just a sample list. Your final list will, likely, look quite different. For now, just use this list for the programming examples. More on this later.

The Program # is the code number of the MIDI PC (Program Change) Message that the Helix will send to the JVM when you press a Preset or Snapshot button on the Helix. This is how the JVM knows to change to a certain combination of settings. The Description is how the amp channels will be set after pressing a Preset or Snapshot button on the Helix.

If MIDI and Program Change and PC Message sounds like a foreign language to you right now, do not worry, you will not need to know any of that technical stuff. Just make the list and follow along.

DO THIS SECOND

Go to Menu > Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > Page 2 > MIDI PC Send - Turn this off > Press Home button

DO THIS THIRD

Navigate to the Preset you want to program and select Snapshot 1.

Press the Menu button and then press the Command Center knob.

Use the joystick to move to an unused Instant Command (Lightning Bolt). Any Commands already in use will have a Turquoise triangle above them. If you do not see any Turquoise triangles, just go to the lightning bolt in the top left corner. That is Instant Command 1.

With an Instant Command (Lightning Bolt) now highlighted, turn the Command knob to Command - Bank/Prog

You should see five settings and they should look like this:

Command: Bank/Prog
Midi Ch: Base
Bank CC00: off
Bank CC32: off
Program: off

Now, get the list that you made, earlier.

 

Please note, when setting the Instant Commands below: Helix is, at this time, very particular about saving your settings as you go. You'll see "Press Save two times." after each change. It's an inconvenience, but it works. Check the setting for each Snapshot when you are done, to make sure you are sending the correct Program#.

The only Helix setting we are going to change is Program. Looking at the list we see that the Program# for Preset 01A Snapshot 1 is 0. So, set the Program to 0 (zero). Leave everything else as/is.

 

Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands.

Press Snapshot 2 button. Set Program to 1.

 

Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands.

Press Snapshot 3 button. Set Program to 2.

 

Press Save two times. Return to Instant Commands.

Press Snapshot 4 button. Set Program to 3.

Press Save two times. You should now be back at the Home screen.

 

Check the setting for each Snapshot when you are done, to make sure you are sending the correct Program#.

We have, now, programmed our first four Snapshots on the Helix to do channel switching duties on the JVM. The only thing left to do is program the JVM to match.

Looking at the list, we are saying we want Preset 01A Snapshot 1 to be Clean Green on the amp.

On the Helix you should be on Preset 01A.

Press Snapshot 2 button, or any Snapshot EXCEPT the one you want to program.

Set the JVM to Clean Green. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times. It should be blinking to indicate it is in the learn mode.

Press Snapshot 1 button. The JVM FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch will blink rapidly a few times and then go out.

Set JVM to Overdrive Green. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

Press Snapshot 2 button.

Set JVM to Overdrive Green / Reverb On. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

Press Snapshot 3 button.

Set JVM to Overdrive Green / Reverb On / Master Volume On. Press the FOOTSWITCH/MIDI PROGRAM switch two times.

Press Snapshot 4 button.

Done.

Preset 01A Snapshots 1-4 should, now, recall the amp settings just like it is on the list.

Setting Preset Default Snapshot

To set a particular Snapshot as the default, for any given Preset, perform the following:

In this example we will set Snapshot 2 as the default for Preset 01A.

Navigate to Preset 01A and select Snapshot 2. Press the Save button two times.

Done.

Now, every time you switch to Preset 01A, no matter where you were, it will automatically go to Snapshot 2 and the JVM will switch to whatever amp settings you had for that Snapshot.

Summary and Caveats

Before you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots it is important to understand that once you make the change to MIDI Switching for Snapshots, you will have to go through all of your Presets and program at least one Snapshot. Otherwise, when switching between Presets, the amp settings will stay in their last state. Also, any MIDI Switching for Presets, that you have now, will be lost.

Following the procedures described here may cause you to lose any MIDI switching settings you may already have programmed into your Helix and JVM.

The JVM will store 128 settings. For the two channel JVMs, there is a possible 48 settings combinations. For the four channel JVMs there is a possible 96 settings combinations. Each setting will have a different Program# (0-127). For example, if you wanted to add Clean Amber to the list, that would get a new Program#, maybe 4 since that has not been used already. If you are using/re-using a setting that is already on the list, even if it is on a different Preset, you would still use that same Program#. For example, if I wanted to use Clean Green on Preset 13B2 Snapshot 3, the Program# for that Snapshot is still going to be 0.

If you are only using two Snapshots for a Preset, you do not have to program all four like we did above. By the same token, if you are using eight, you will have to program the other four.

Special thanks to @phil_m and everyone that helped me work through this.

Hi,

 

Thanks for this post.

I have a question. I try to to pilot my JVM and Bias Head with HX effects.

 

BIAS HEAD is MIDi CHANNEL 1 (unchangeable)

JVM is set to factory reset then JVM is set to CHANNEL 2 (or whatever expect CHANNEL 1) according to the manuel.

then I learn the PC for the JVM with HX

ex : CH2 PC0 = CLEAN GREEN ( REVERB OFF, FX LOOP ON MASTER OFF)

        CH2 PC1 = CLEAN ORANGE( REVERB OFF, FX LOOP ON MASTER OFF)

......

It's working.

 

After that, 

The midi signalchain  is from HX OUT -> JVM IN -> JVM THRU -> BIAS IN.

 

The HX send  this instant Message

ex : 

CH1 PC1 = AMPLI XX on BIAS HEAD

CH2 PC0 = CLEAN GREEN ( REVERB OFF, FX LOOP ON MASTER OFF)

 

It'x OK with BIAS (MIDI THRU is OK) but It doesn't work anymore  with the JVM !!!?!! I dont understand why....

 

Another point, when I select a HX preset whitout any Instant Message, the JVM switch in a weird mode Clean GREEN, without FX loop ???

 

Thanks for reading

 

 

[pbatts]

What channel is HX Effects on? All devices must be on different channels. Example: JVM Ch 2, Bias Ch 1, HX Ch 3.

[emfare]

Hi

####EDIT#####

I find what's wrong.

By default, teh HX send a CHANNEL 1 PC message for each bank. I turn off and now it's working fine.

 

#####################

 

I don't be sur to understand your question.

 

HX effect send MIDI message CHANNEL 1 for BIAS (unchangeable) et CHANNEL 2 for JVM. 

I check tonight if HX is set in MIDI OMNI mode to send message.

 

Yesterday, i say another weird thing.

 

HX MDI OUT -> JVM IN >JVM THRU -> PC (viewer MIDI)

 

When I send with HX a MIDI message as CHANNEL 2  PC 0 via Instant Message throug the JVM , I received  2 messages  CHANNEL 2  PC 0 + CHANNEL 2 PC "2". And I cheked there is no another midi commande in the HX.

 

I need to check the MIDI OUT HX tonight.

 

 

[shane01]

Sorry Guys i need Help??

 

Tried the OP post first and everything went fine ,,, As per should , Did the 3.15 update and now the helix won't talk to the JVM205H???, Nothing is changed maybe from some internal setting on the Helix LT??, can  anyone assist ???, I Know it's something stupid but i'm lost???, I've reset the JVM 6 times??, Are their any settings apart from MIDI PC send , i need to adjust??

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Shane

[pbatts]

Maybe something going on with channel assignment. The JVM might have to re-learn the assignments. Did you start from scratch after the update?

 

My best guess.

[shane01]

Hi thanks for replying, Yes all from your post as per the letter,    Can i ask what all your Global settings should be??  Nothing is being sent to the JVM??

 

Thanks in advance

[shane01]

I've sorted it now , Thanks anyway, Reason being = I'm a Fu$%^ng  IDIOT!!!!

[pbatts]

Nah, not at all. Just a simple oversight. We all do it. Thanks for letting us know you got it sorted out.

[SonOfCysquatch]

Hello all, sorry for the necropost, but I can't seem to find decent answers anywhere. My JVM205H and HX effects just will not play nice, my suspicion is that my amp's MIDI processor is dead or dying, but Marshall has been far from helpful with any support.

 

I've followed this guide to the letter numerous times and I still cannot get my JVM to consistently save preset commands properly, let alone change channels in response to them. In the case of trying to program presets, the amp will frequently just sit and do nothing in response to being sent MIDI PC messages. The MIDI button just sits and blinks eternally, no matter how many messages I send from my HX Effects (or other MIDI controllers, for that sake).

 

In the rare case that it does act as if it's just accepted a PC message and saved the preset, it behaves as if it has set that to be the only message it can listen to. No previously saved presets can be recalled except the most recent one. And even simply getting the amp to switch back to the most recent preset is iffy, as I typically have to hit the button multiple times to get it to change.

 

Given all my cables, HX Effects, and other midi gear have passed muster by all working perfectly together and showing proper behavior via a midi listener on my PC, I'm fairly resigned to the issue being my JVM. Has anyone else had this level of annoyance with their HX-JVM combo?

 

And yes, I've reset both the amp and HX multiple times, reset the JVM listening channel default, and tried it both in snapshot and preset mode for switching.