Complex routing between paths 1 and 2

[iamtheari]

I finally bit the bullet and ordered a Helix Rack and Control to streamline and modernize my rig. I am waiting for it to arrive but meanwhile I am trying to figure out how to replicate my signal chain in it. I'll try to keep this first post as succinct as possible.

 

My signal chain (and, unfortunately, little else) is borrowed from Eric Johnson: A/B to choose lead or rhythm, then a second A/B to choose clean or dirty rhythm. My lead and dirty rhythm chains are then merged to feed a single Marshall instead of two of them. I want to keep my real amps in my rig and use Helix to get more out of them rather than to replace them. And I am a stompbox guy, not a preset guy.

 

Finally, I want to use Helix's amp/cab models for practice and for situations when I don't want to lug around my amps. To do that without doubling up on my presets, my idea is to use a send to feed each amp and a 100% dry pass-through to feed an amp/cab model, then route the output of the model to Helix's main outputs. Like this:

 

Path 1A: Multi input -> Send 1 (100% pass-through) -> Amp/cab model -> Multi output

 

The challenge I am having is figuring out how to replicate my dual A/B and merge. The ideal would be one of the following:

 

Path 1A: Multi input -> A/B -> lead effects -> Merge -> Send 1 -> Amp/cab model -> Multi output

Path 1B: (from A/B) -> Path 2A

Path 2A: (from 1B) -> A/B -> dirty rhythm effects -> Merge

Path 2B: (from A/B) -> clean rhythm effects -> Send 2 -> Amp/cab model ->  Multi output

 

-or-

 

Path 1A: Multi input -> A/B -> lead effects -> Merge -> Send 1 -> Amp/cab model -> Multi output

Path 1B: (from A/B) -> (footswitch to send to 2A instead) -> dirty rhythm effects -> Merge

Path 2A: (from footswitch in 1B) -> clean rhythm effects -> Send 2 -> Amp/cab model -> Multi output

 

Unfortunately, I can't figure out from the Helix manual a way to make either of those work. The first choice requires a Merge between the end of 2A and the middle of 1A. The second choice requires a footswitchable routing from the middle of 1B down to the input of 2A.

 

My alternative is to abuse Send/Return 3 by putting a patch cord in that loop and routing it like this:

 

Path 1A: Multi input -> A/B -> 2A

Path 1B: (from A/B) -> lead effects -> Return 3 (mixed w/ 'dry' signal) -> Send 1 -> Amp/cab model -> Multi output

Path 2A: (from 1A) -> A/B -> dirty rhythm effects -> Send 3

Path 2B: (from A/B) -> clean rhythm effects -> Send 2 -> Amp/cab model -> Multi output

 

I'm open to other ideas to get this routing to work out. I know I could just have separate presets for the real-amp and modeled-amp scenarios and avoid some of these shenanigans, but if it's possible to do it the way I have in mind I want to at least try it. Thanks in advance!