brue58ski Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Well while we wait for the big upgrade I though I'd see what you JTV Variax users thought about this subject. Helix keeps whatever tuning it was in if the "Variax Custom Tuning" parameter doesn't have "Custom" selected. If it has "Don't Force" selected it keeps whatever tuning the Variax was in for the last patch. That doesn't make sense to me. I wish if it was in "Don't Force" it would automatically go to whatever tuning is programmed into the model in the Variax itself. I think I get why it's that way. If I'm switching patches, I may want to keep the same tuning. But in my opinion, if that's what you want, the patch you switch to should also have that tuning programmed into it. At the very least have a third option of "Model" which would mean it uses the tuning programmed into the Variax. I have the banjo model tuned to a banjo tuning in my Variax. If I switch to a patch with the banjo model in it that has "Don't Force" selected, it keeps it in last tuning it was in from the last patch and doesn't switch to the banjo tuning programmed into the Variax. That pretty much defeats the purpose of having a tuning programmed in any models in the Variax since if it's on "Don't Force" it keeps the tuning it had on the last patch and if I switch it to "Custom" it doesn't use the tuning programmed into the Variax either. Either way, setting up a tuning in your Variax while using the current version of Helix is just a waste of time. I think if you switch patches and then go to a model with a tuning while staying on the patch it should use the Variax model's internal Variax tuning. Otherwise you always have to have "Custom" selected. Which, by the way, is not what it's normalized to. "Don't Force" is the parameter that shows up every time you create a new patch. This makes one more parameter I HAVE to change in EVERY patch. And let's not forget that when you select input in the HD Editor, it starts out on the input parameters tab, which, after I've selected to turn on the noise gate or not, I rarely use again in that patch. What I do change a lot is the Variax model and to a lesser extent, tuning. So there's one more click I HAVE to do EVERY TIME I want to see what a different guitar sound like in a patch. It seems minor but after constantly going back and forth between blocks and then going back to switch Variax model only to find I also gotta click EVERY TIME on the Varaix tab, it get's a little irritating. I guess I need to put these things in idea scale but I never get around to it. Any thoughts or comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 I agree in general. I think a good start would be to simply change the default setting in the New Preset factory settings to Custom rather than Don't Force, with a string setting of zero for all strings. That way every time you switch to a preset Helix would force a standard tuning unless you have specified a real custom tuning. Don't Force would still be available but not the default. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brue58ski Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 I agree in general. I think a good start would be to simply change the default setting in the New Preset factory settings to Custom rather than Don't Force, with a string setting of zero for all strings. That way every time you switch to a preset Helix would force a standard tuning unless you have specified a real custom tuning. Don't Force would still be available but not the default. I definitely agree with this as a stop gap. Or if they do nothing else. But it does seem silly to me to have a product that doesn't utilize one of the coolest things the Variax does. The ability to have pre-programmed tunings in the Variax. The banjo is a good example. If I want to create a patch using the banjo model I can't save time and use the tuning programmed into the Variax, I have to reprogram every string and switch it to Custom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocco_Crocco Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 I had to go through every Helix preset and turn off the guitar modeling on the Variax, then re-save the patch. I think I even started a thread about it. PITA, but not the end of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brue58ski Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 I had to go through every Helix preset and turn off the guitar modeling on the Variax, then re-save the patch. I think I even started a thread about it. PITA, but not the end of the world. The thing that kind of gets me is that it then completely defeats storing tunings in the Variax. Yeah, not the end of the world. But given these are essentially their flagship products. you'd think the incorporation of the two together would be more seamless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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