Helix - More switches?

[Sixto]

So, after spending a lot of time with the Helix plug-in, I've decided to buy a Helix instead of buying individual pedals to use with my amp. I only want to use it in stomp box mode, no presets, and I know there is a mode in Helix that lets you use 10 of the switches as stomp boxes instead of the typical 8. The problem is, I need 15 switches to be able to control all the effects (and loops) I want as stomp boxes. I loaded all of the specific models I want to use in the plug-in, so I know memory is not going to be an issue. My question is, what would be a good, simple MIDI foot controller that would allow me to add at least another 5 stomp box switches to the Helix? Also, being able to control amp channels and boost function would be a huge plus.

[rvroberts]

I just don't understand why you would want to use the Helix in such a way.

If you use 8 stomp boxes in any one song I'd be surprised.

Why wouldn't you want to use a number of patches containing a pile of stomps each?

Then you can vary the gain a little on the overdrive, use a slightly different EQ, a different delay time etc while still being able to jump on a large number of stomps any time you want to.

And you could use as many as your heart desired.  Also, one of the Helix's strengths over a normal pedal board is that one switch can turn on or off a batch of pedals all at once on one switch - again, why wouldn't you want that?

I know people who don't play regularly in a band so setting up songs doesn't interest them - and just want a wide range of stomps for jamming - still, you could just set up 3 or 4 patches with all the likely suspects for each style.

And you wouldn't need another pedal ever.

[cruisinon2]

15 stomp boxes? You playing guitar, or a pipe organ? Actually, I think some organs have fewer pedals than that...;)

[jbuhajla]

Even if you could pull this off in Helix, you will find yourself deviating from that concept. Creating presets are so easy especially if they are just slight variations of a "big" preset with dozens of effects. That is what I currently do. Same preset template, but only stomps assigned that I will be using per song. The two switches on the left scroll up/down presets that correspond to the set list. That's why there are 1024 preset slots to utilize. 

[klangmaler]

Quote

Actually, I think some organs have fewer pedals than that...;)

[phil_m]

It would actually be very easy to add an external controller to add more footswitches. You can assign any free CC to control the bypass state of any block, so as long as you have a controller that allows you to assign CCs to footswitches, you'd be good to go. The Morningstar MC6 comes to mind as one that's relatively inexpensive and gives you 6 (albeit, closely spaced) buttons.

[spikey]

You could buy a Helix Rack and controller (like I use), and then you have the best of both worlds, in that you could just use Helix as a stomp box, and later find out just how nice the modeling is inside Helix and use it normally. 

[phil_m]

3 minutes ago, spikey said:

You could buy a Helix Rack and controller (like I use), and then you have the best of both worlds, in that you could just use Helix as a stomp box, and later find out just how nice the modeling is inside Helix and use it normally. 

 

I got the impression that the OP is using the Helix Floor, so, just to clarify, if that's the case, the Helix Control won't work with that.

[aaronlyon]

I can sympathize with the OP. I play in two classic rock cover bands, with a combined repertoire of 100 songs that continues to grow. Also, we often choose songs based on the mood of the audience, so having a predetermined set list often goes out the window. I also wanted to emulate my old pedalboard with a dozen or so stomps for greatest flexibility. Often there’s no time between songs to go searching for the right preset for a particular song.

 

The Arduino microcomputer is a flexible and inexpensive platform for DIY MIDI stuff. Years ago I made my own foot controller for a 2880 looper.

 

[TRENDKILLCFH333]

1 hour ago, phil_m said:

 

I got the impression that the OP is using the Helix Floor, so, just to clarify, if that's the case, the Helix Control won't work with that.

 

I just wanted to clarify, does this mean the Helix Floor unit is more flexible in usability?  I thought the Helix rack was just a rack version of the Helix floor?  

[wilkinsi]

Just add a second Helix and connect them with MIDI (and FX Loops if you need the extra effects). Or, if you can deal with it, add an HX Effects instead.

 

[d0stenning]

More switches are useful if controlling other gear like loopers or DAW's or Ableton 

[zooey]

Add an external midi footswitch. Gets really wide though, the two of them together.

[rzumwalt]

There are several options without buying an external MIDI pedal. You could theoretically get 20 or 30 different stomps per preset, with a few limitations, using snapshots. It would take a bit of planning, but you would assign at least two effects to a footswitch, and in snapshot 1 the mix control for one effect would be 0% and the other would be 100%, and in snapshot 2 they would be reversed. So each footswitch could have two or more effects attached to it.

The downside would of course be that the effects assigned to a multiple switch couldn't necessarily be used at the same time if they are at 100% on different snapshots. Although, you could make a third snapshot where those two effects are 100%, and I imagine you would still keep several footswitches dedicated to a single effect and not changing per snapshot. I actually do this with expression pedal effects like wah, so one is always at 0% mix and the other is at 100%. It would also involve some tap dancing to get to the "second level" effects.

You could also assign all footswitches to a single effect, and you could have five effects not assigned to a footswitch, but that come on with one of the snapshots. You again have the tap dancing issue, but a reasonable workaround is, when you know the song uses one of the five other effects, you would go to that snapshot before the song started, setting up the 10 footswitch effects to whatever state you need them in when the other effect was needed.

And finally, really, why limit yourself like this and try to re-create the analog world in the digital world but throw out the benefits of the digital. Granted, I don't have the same need to pick out presets on the fly, but I am happy having 4 or 5 presets that cover 90% of songs I'll play and only a few song-specific presets. 

[jbuhajla]

Add an HXFX to your Helix Floor

[Karis_shem]

Although the editing of the footswitches is not as deep as some other controllers (but much simpler too, which is a plus) like LiquidFoot or Gordius, you can do many things by combining snapshots and switches.

 

For example in my main patch i control three different things (Volume/Whammy/Wah) with the single built-in EXP pedal. And i could control way more.

 

That said it could be an idea to add a feature for stomps to add 2 different one on the same switch (i mean not merged) with short/long press. With the scribble strips, and the interface i think it won't be too hard to manage, but on the other hand, i'm quite happy with the 4 Snap / 4 Stomps...    

[codamedia]

Even with 15 pedals, how often do you use "one of those at each time"...

SNAPSHOTS is your answer. 

 

Setup your 15 pedals, then use snapshots to setup the configurations you will use. 

 

Whenever I feel like I am out of foot-switches I re-think the solution using snapshots. Oddly enough, I never need all the foot-switches anymore :) 

[Sixto]

After getting really high on edibles a few days ago, I came to the realization that having that many pedals is really dumb. For me, anyway. I did some "soul searching," as it were, and narrowed it down to like 8 pedals that I really love. Sooooo, now the question is going with a Helix and being done, or getting real pedals. One the one hand, pedals are so cool. And I really would like to go all-analog. The downside is they're gonna get heavy and take up a lot of space and all need to be powered and all the cables...but they're real pedals. The authenticity! The Helix is digital. But boy, does it sound great. Plus it's a neat package and I won't need separate volume and wah pedals, can control my amp channels, can also do really cool things with effects that the originals do NOT do (volume sensitivity on the tremolo and Univibe effects is so much fun!). Plus, I can just take the head to gigs along with the Helix and a reactive load and have my own custom impulses right there in the Helix, straight into the PA. Tough decision to make here.

[PeterHamm]

Google "Morningstar FC6." Add 6 footswitches at a reasonable price.

 

[WickedBluesman]

 I just wanna say thank you to the people that gave a simple response to the man’s question... If I would like 15 switches then I would like 15 switches please. Period. The end. Don’t care about the opinion of my choices for my own personal musical palette. 

[greetriman]

I use an FCB-1010 for all my Midi control needs, this together with the UNO Mod eprom is a great midi tool, for not a lot of money