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Footswitch assignments


d-flat
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I've owned a Helix LT for just over 2 weeks now, and just today bought an AX8 that I will be comparing it to. Have not officially decided yet, but I have a feeling I will be returning the Helix just before the 45 day mark and keeping the AX8. One of the things that I don't think I like about the LT is how the screen maps to footswitches in what I guess is called "Performance View". With firmware 2.21, I can configure the global setting to show me 8 presets, 8 stomps, 8 snapshots, or many combinations of 4 + 4 (like 4 stomp/4snap, etc). 
 
Like I read & heard DI talking about, many of these newer features are "hidden behind shortcuts". I get why Line 6 does this: they don't want customer experiences on previous versions of the firmware to get turned off by having things change when they upgrade firmware. Where I work we call this "moving the customers' cheese". However, things like snapshots now feel like a bolted-on feature rather than integral to the unit. Onto my questions:
 
There doesn't seem to be any way to custom-assign footswitches within a given preset. For example, if I wanted to assign FS8 toggle between scene snapshot 1 & 2, assign FS9 to do a momentary toggle on of chorus effect, this does not seem possible. Am I wrong?
 
When changing the default footswitch mapping layout, it's neither intuitive nor documented in the manual about how to use the bank & mode footswitches to navigate. For example, say I have the global mapping option set to 8 snapshots. What footswitches do I have to use to get back to viewing all the presets in a bank? Or to change banks? Is this even possible? Where is this documented, and if it isn't, why not?
 
Are any of these features available in Helix floor, but not available in the LT model?

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I don't have the LT so I can't speak directly to that. However, I can say that on Helix Floor you can be in snapshot mode and switch back to foot-switch mode by using the mode button.  The bank up and down switches allow me to go to different banks of presets.

 

As far as the programming of individual foot switches you can con.figure them in about any way you can imagine. Each one can be setup separately per-preset. If you are in snap-shot mode then each switch moves you to a different snap-shot that can contain all sorts of parameter changes as well as on/off state of individual elements of the patch. So for example: you could be in 4 stomp-4 snapshot mode. You could have 4 totally different snapshots of parameters and on/off states of the elements in your current preset. Then with the stomp foot switches you could assign one of them to be momentary and have it turn on the chorus only when pressed.

 

If you are in 8-snapshot mode I don't think you could have the momentary chorus feature because all the switches are in snap-shot mode. However, you could either hit the mode switch and then be in stomp mode or do a 4-stomp/4 snapshot mode.

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I've owned a Helix LT for just over 2 weeks now, and just today bought an AX8 that I will be comparing it to. Have not officially decided yet, but I have a feeling I will be returning the Helix just before the 45 day mark and keeping the AX8. One of the things that I don't think I like about the LT is how the screen maps to footswitches in what I guess is called "Performance View". With firmware 2.21, I can configure the global setting to show me 8 presets, 8 stomps, 8 snapshots, or many combinations of 4 + 4 (like 4 stomp/4snap, etc). 

 

Like I read & heard DI talking about, many of these newer features are "hidden behind shortcuts". I get why Line 6 does this: they don't want customer experiences on previous versions of the firmware to get turned off by having things change when they upgrade firmware. Where I work we call this "moving the customers' cheese". However, things like snapshots now feel like a bolted-on feature rather than integral to the unit. Onto my questions:

 

There doesn't seem to be any way to custom-assign footswitches within a given preset. For example, if I wanted to assign FS8 toggle between scene 1 & 2, assign FS9 to do a momentary toggle on of chorus effect, this does not seem possible. Am I wrong?

 

When changing the default footswitch mapping layout, it's neither intuitive nor documented in the manual about how to use the bank & mode footswitches to navigate. For example, say I have the global mapping option set to 8 snapshots. What footswitches do I have to use to get back to viewing all the presets in a bank? Or to change banks? Is this even possible? Where is this documented, and if it isn't, why not?

 

Are any of these features available in Helix floor, but not available in the LT model?

I have the Helix Floor, so, my answers/observations are in that context. As far as I know, the LT is functionally the same.

 

1. You can't use a footswitch to toggle between Snapshots, if Snapshots is what you mean by Scenes. One footswitch for one Snapshot, another footswitch for another Snapshot, and so on, up to eight Snapshots.

 

2. You can easily have a Chorus, or any other pedal, or any group of pedals, or any parameter, or any group of parameters, activate momentarily with a footswitch. Simply make the footswitch "momentary" rather than latching. Menu > Bypass Assign

 

3. I have my board setup for eight Snapshots. To choose another Preset, press bank up or bank down. Then select the desired Preset.

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Well, I don't agree that snapshots seem like they were bolted on... They're actually way more powerful than Fractal's scene functionality. You can control up to 64 parameters with a snapshot change, not just a few scene controllers. Additionally, if you're controlling external pedals with MIDI, you can send out a slew of MIDI commands via snapshot changes... Snapshots were always part of the original design for the Helix.

 

Anyway, as far as footswitch assignments, there isn't a mode where you can freely assign snapshots to any footswitch you want. There are really four different footswitch modes Stomp, Preset, Snapshot, and Looper mode (there's also Pedal Edit mode, which is its own thing). The Mode footswitch always switches between Stomp and Preset Mode. You can get into Snapshot Mode by pressing the two bank switches simultaneously (pg. 36 of the manual). This will show 8 snapshots. Another option is to make it so Preset Mode displays something other than 8 presets. Personally, I like to set Preset Mode to 8 Snapshots so I can just switch between seeing all my stomp switches and all 8 snapshots by just hitting the Mode switch. To change presets, I just hit one of the bank switches to get in the 8 preset view temporarily.

 

All of this is in the manual, though...

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The Mode footswitch always switches between Stomp and Preset Mode.

Does it? I don't think it does. For example if I have the global setting configured to "8 snapshots" (yes in the OP if I ever said scenes, I meant to say snapshots) and I have the snapshots set to sticky mode (so that selecting one does not go back), then the mode switch (FS6 I believe) will toggle between 8 presets and 8 stomps. I remember this because I used it a lot in order to be able to get to the looper from 8 snapshot mapping.

 

You can get into Snapshot Mode by pressing the two bank switches simultaneously (pg. 36 of the manual).

This is true if you have the global config set to "8 Presets". However, when you change it to something like 8 snapshots or stomp/snap, it does something different. I don't remember at the moment what it does, but it does. It makes sense that it wouldn't in 8 snapshots mode because why would you need to press both bank buttons at the same time to view what you currently see already.

 

Personally, I like to set Preset Mode to 8 Snapshots so I can just switch between seeing all my stomp switches and all 8 snapshots by just hitting the Mode switch. To change presets, I just hit one of the bank switches to get in the 8 preset view temporarily.

I also tried 8 snapshots and stomp / snap mode. One of them -- I can't recall which -- the bank up/down switches did not go back to preset mode, but instead went to a different preset. I remember it was not intuitive for me as well, because I was using the editor app at the same time. I would have to use the bank up button to switch to the next preset, and bank down to go to the previous one. It was counter intuitive because in the computer editor, the previous one is above the current and the next one is below it.

 

All of this is in the manual, though...

No, it isn't. Some of it is in the manual, not all of it. It seems like the secondary features (post snapshots firmware) are less documented than the initial features (8 presets with stomp and no snapshots). Maybe this has something to do with why it feels bolted on to me.

 

If there are details about how the functionality of the bank, mode, and tap/tempo switches change based on which global config is set, please point me to the page. I have the manuals for both floor and LT, so either would be fine.

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2. You can easily have a Chorus, or any other pedal, or any group of pedals, or any parameter, or any group of parameters, activate momentarily with a footswitch. Simply make the footswitch "momentary" rather than latching. Menu > Bypass Assign

Yes I know this. My question had a subtle difference though, in that I wanted a very specific footswitch to do the momentary -- one that was in the same row as a footswitch that changed to a different scene. Seems like you still can't do that without hitting the mode switch inbetween? Momentary switches seem to only work for stomp assignments, not for snapshot assignments?

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Does it? I don't think it does. For example if I have the global setting configured to "8 snapshots" (yes in the OP if I ever said scenes, I meant to say snapshots) and I have the snapshots set to sticky mode (so that selecting one does not go back), then the mode switch (FS6 I believe) will toggle between 8 presets and 8 stomps. I remember this because I used it a lot in order to be able to get to the looper from 8 snapshot mapping.

 

Yep... The Mode switch always toggles between Preset and Stomp mode. The one wrinkle is you can have Preset Mode set up to be different things.

 

Does it? I don't think it does. For example if I have the global setting configured to "8 snapshots" (yes in the OP if I ever said scenes, I meant to say snapshots) and I have the snapshots set to sticky mode (so that selecting one does not go back), then the mode switch (FS6 I believe) will toggle between 8 presets and 8 stomps. I remember this because I used it a lot in order to be able to get to the looper from 8 snapshot mapping.

 

This is true if you have the global config set to "8 Presets". However, when you change it to something like 8 snapshots or stomp/snap, it does something different. I don't remember at the moment what it does, but it does. It makes sense that it wouldn't in 8 snapshots mode because why would you need to press both bank buttons at the same time to view what you currently see already.

 

I also tried 8 snapshots and stomp / snap mode. One of them -- I can't recall which -- the bank up/down switches did not go back to preset mode, but instead went to a different preset. I remember it was not intuitive for me as well, because I was using the editor app at the same time. I would have to use the bank up button to switch to the next preset, and bank down to go to the previous one. It was counter intuitive because in the computer editor, the previous one is above the current and the next one is below it.

 

 

It still works the same way. The other thing is, though, that there is another global setting that changes the way the function of these switches. You can set them to scroll between presets or snapshots. You can change the function of these switches by holding them down for 2 seconds. Sometimes, I think people accidentally do this when they're trying to get into Snapshot Mode (described on pg 54 of the manual).

 

No, it isn't. Some of it is in the manual, not all of it. It seems like the secondary features (post snapshots firmware) are less documented than the initial features (8 presets with stomp and no snapshots). Maybe this has something to do with why it feels bolted on to me.

 

If there are details about how the functionality of the bank, mode, and tap/tempo switches change based on which global config is set, please point me to the page. I have the manuals for both floor and LT, so either would be fine.

 

Everything is in the manual, it's just not necessarily all in the same place. A lot of this is described in the Global Settings section, and some of it is in the Snapshots chapter, but it's all there... I'm not ragging on you. The manuals are pretty deep. There have been times I've been convinced something isn't covered in the manual, but I've always been wrong when I've double-checked...

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If you say it's there it must be, I will go back & re-read the pages you suggested, thanks for those @phil_m. The fact that "Preset Mode set up to be different things" is probably what was throwing me off.

 

I can say it would be cool to be able to custom assign footswitches per preset, or even the whole preset/stomp/snap config per preset. It does sound like those are things currently not supported with FW 2.21. 

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Yes I know this. My question had a subtle difference though, in that I wanted a very specific footswitch to do the momentary -- one that was in the same row as a footswitch that changed to a different scene. Seems like you still can't do that without hitting the mode switch inbetween? Momentary switches seem to only work for stomp assignments, not for snapshot assignments?

This is mostly true, except, you can have the momentary footswitch in the Snap/Stomp mode or the Preset/Stomp mode, but it will be on the same row as the other Stomps.

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Well I know assigning footswitches is incredibly easy but how do you unassign a block from a footswitch?

I couldn't figure out how to do it.

 

Craig

 

For Stomps, choose/highlight the Stomp you want to un-assign, then, Menu > Bypass Assign > Switch = None

 

For Snapshots, choose/highlight the block you want to un-assign from the Snapshot, then, Menu > Bypass Assign > Switch = None

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For Stomps, choose/highlight the Stomp you want to un-assign, then, Menu > Bypass Assign > Switch = None

 

For Snapshots, choose/highlight the block you want to un-assign from the Snapshot, then, Menu > Bypass Assign > Switch = None

Thanks pbatts, I knew there had to be an easy way somehow.

 

Craig

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@d-flat, also see: HelixHelp.com > Release Notes for features and enhancements added with each firmware release following the introduction of the Helix LT.

 

I have a Helix Floor, so I'm not aware of what version firmware the Helix LT User Manual covers, however, the full Helix 2.0 User Manual PDF was released in July 2016. The Release Notes for subsequent firmware releases contain lots of useful information.

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Finally got back to rtfm again along with the device to check this out, and yeah, I got this mostly wrong. I do still think it would be a nice operational feature to be able to mix / match stomps with snapshots in FS8-FS11 without having to hit mode to swap between stomp and "preset mode". 

 

There were 2 things throwing me off here. It never really clicked that "preset mode" was that symbolic shortcut to the global setting "Preset Mode Switches". Now it feels really obvious and I feel really dumb. I also totally missed the global setting for Up/Down Switches. Not sure how, and feeling even dumber. I had changed global settings to 8 snapshots with manual return, and I remember being confused about how I could then map the up down to take me back to presets. The fact that this is not configurable, and always maps to snapshots, may be why snaps kind of feel "bolted on" to me. They certainly feel like a second-class mode citizen compared to Preset Mode, Stomp Mode, and Pedal Edit mode, which all revolve around FS6. It might help if I start thinking of the up & down arrows as "snapshots within this preset". 

 

So the best compromise at least for me seems to be Preset Mode Switches to Stomp/Snap, and Up/Down Switches set to Banks, mainly because I don't want to have to toggle back & forth between snaps and stomps to get at the looper from within a given preset. Scrolling through banks is slower but that's okay because I can just attach the editor to a laptop via usb to jump between setlists. I prefer using only 4 switches max within any given preset (8-11), so I'll just have to decide whether to do it with stomps or snaps (momentary and toggles probably being the deciding factors).

 

Another thing that I was missing was using stomp switches for controller assignments, this is why I found scenes so useful because of the push knob feature. Digging deeper I see how to accomplish many of the same things by using controller assignments in stomp mode instead (I think). There doesn't seem to be any way to customize the footswitch LED ring or the block color on the screen for controller-assigned switches, they always come up white / gray. Seems you can only control the color of stomps when they are bypass assigned to a fs? I'm sure there is a reason for this it's just not obvious to me, feels like a waste of the color screen. I like how at least the rings are customizable in snap mode. 

 

Thanks again for making me take another look at this, I think I'm getting closer to the right mental model of how to operate it. 

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