Expression pedal to control mix for an internal "loop" path?

[deafen]

Hey, folks. I don't have a Helix yet, but am considering upgrading to at least the LT from my Firehawk.

 

I use the FH expression pedal to control the mix (0-100%) for the external FX loop block return. I've got (physical) distortion and delay pedals in the loop, and the expression pedal controls my level of "solo boost" (which adds level, gain, and delay). After trying probably a dozen different methods of solo boosting, this way has been a godsend for me, so I want to keep this exact functionality.

 

It seems that I should be able to do something similar with the Helix, using internal FX instead of having to carry around a small second pedalboard like I do now. But to do that, I'd need to create a secondary path, and have the expression pedal control the mix between that and the primary path.

 

I know the Helix can do just about anything, but in my reading of the manual I haven't been able to figure out how this would be done. Can it?

[phil_m]

Yes, you could do that. There are number of ways you could go about it, but one way that comes to mind is creating a parallel path with those effects and putting a volume or gain block as the first thing in the path and using the expression pedal to blend that path in.

[jbuhajla]

Or you can control the mix of the FXLoop block with the expression, and control on/off with a foot switch. 

[MonkeyXT]

Most direct way is to make use of the blocks which are present in your signal path already, and tie the values of the effects parameters you want to control to the expression pedal controller, and set their ranges at the same time.

So you'd be, for instance, pushing forward toward toe-down to raise

- level

- gain

- delay level

- on/off status of whatever is required

 

... or if you didn't need that to be a graduated thing via expression, but instead would work as an on/off scenario, you could either:

- assign the above functions to a function on/off switch you could create, or

- create a 'Solo' snapshot with the characteristics you wanted to adjust appropriately bumped in that Snapshot state.

 

... plus the options outlined above, but using what's there without tying up a second audio path is more conservative on the horsepower required to accomplish what you're after.

That's not a big deal if your patch is not heavily populated with processing blocks.

If it is, then taking the approach I've mentioned is easier on the DSP requirements.

[deafen]

Thanks all!

[deafen]

So i got my LT a few days ago, and figured I'd follow up on this. After trying a few different things, I was able to do what I wanted by taking phil_m's suggestion, with one additional tweak.

 

As suggested, I put the solo blocks in the B path, with a volume control at the beginning. The tweak is that I put another volume control in the A path right after the split, with a reverse taper. This lets me have a smooth transition between rhythm and solo tones. And bonus, it lets the delay trail off as I transition back to a rhythm tone.

 

I did try using the controller to adjust the mix at the split block, but that dropped the volume a ton at the midpoint, when both A and B were at -30dB.

 

Thanks again!