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Helix as Interface for Rocksmith


jdag
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I have successfully used Rocksmith with a Focusrite 2i2 interface from my MacBook.  To do so, I created an aggregate audio device on my Mac, named it "Rocksmith USB Guitar Adapter", and simply used the Focusrite 2i2 instead of the Rocksmith Real Tone cable.  There were no other settings or hacks, and it worked flawlessly.

 

Now I have a Helix LT and I have been trying to use it in the same manner.  My initial thought and hope was to simply replace the Focusrite 2i2 interface with the Helix LT interface within my aggregate device setup.  I then created a Helix patch with no amps or effects, with the output from the Helix to the USB port.  I tried using all of the Helix USB output options (1/2, 3/4, and 5/6).

 

However, when using Rocksmith I only get static/noise.

 

Has anyone had any success in using this type of setup?

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1 minute ago, roscoe5 said:

Yeah, I run Helix and Rocksmith.  I use the Helix amp models and set Rocksmith to the Mic input.

 

Rocksmith with Helix amp models has almost no lag.  Scores got better too ;)

 

Excellent...to quote Dumb & Dummer: "so you are saying there is a chance!"  You mention using Rocksmith to the Mic input.  Are you using the Rocksmith cable or just USB to the computer?  Any other setup/connectivity?

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USB from Helix to computer, just the standard way you would connect for recording, updates, etc.   No Rocksmith cable.  Heaphones or speakers connected straight to Helix.

 

In Rocksmith, you have the option to change input types.  Mic type wroks best for me.

 

Then all sounds and effects are from Helix models with no latency.  

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2 minutes ago, roscoe5 said:

USB from Helix to computer, just the standard way you would connect for recording, updates, etc.   No Rocksmith cable.  Heaphones or speakers connected straight to Helix.

 

In Rocksmith, you have the option to change input types.  Mic type wroks best for me.

 

Then all sounds and effects are from Helix models with no latency.  

Are you on PC or Mac?  If on Mac, did you create an aggregate device?

 

I did try to use the Mic setting, but did not have any signal reading.  I can try that again.

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Just now, hal3001 said:

My guess is that it's because the actual Rocksmith cable is set to 44.1, 16-bit, and I can't find a way to change the Helix from 24-bit to 16-bit mode.  I'm assuming your old Scarlett supports both?

I believe that the Scarlett does support both...but Rocksmith only accepts 48000 anyhow.  It is the 24/16 bit issue that might be causing the problem here.

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I'd appreciate it if you could give a quick setup.  As in cabling, ASIO drivers, etc.  Normal rocksmith cable's input latency seems kinda bad, even though I can play VSTs in my DAW just fine on another PC.

 

4 hours ago, roscoe5 said:

PC

 

I'll double check my settings when I get home tonight

 

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5 hours ago, jdag said:

I believe that the Scarlett does support both...but Rocksmith only accepts 48000 anyhow.  It is the 24/16 bit issue that might be causing the problem here.

 Not the output bit depth of the interface, the input bit depth. I plugged in a real USB cable and it only has one input and no output (as expected) and it’s hard set at 44.1, 16-bit. 

 

Also, thank you for this btw. I’ve been a Rocksmith player since it’s launch and have been wanting something like this since the initial OSX release and it never occured to me that it was just looking for that audio device name. 

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Uninstalled RS a while back but this thread made me install it again.

 

Works with Helix however apart from the guitar, the entire game volume is super low - I have to put -40db on the Helix Global EQ and crank my mixer volume up to 100%.. 

 

 

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3 hours ago, JimDiGritz said:

Uninstalled RS a while back but this thread made me install it again.

 

Works with Helix however apart from the guitar, the entire game volume is super low - I have to put -40db on the Helix Global EQ and crank my mixer volume up to 100%.. 

 

 

So how did you set up?  Did you use the Rocksmith cable or just using USB?

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I have RS -> Helix -> PowerCab+   

 

I just run USB to the Helix and let the chain take care of RS feed from the USB.   I have a Mac, so all I need to do is route the Audio Output to the Helix or the PowerCab+.   I use the Editors for the Helix and PC most of the time when I am modeling a RS custom tone.  It all works very well.  I don't really have to mess with the Global Setting of the Helix or PC as I seem to have good backing track volume out of the devices.

 

Love the setup.

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@jdag  Admittedly, it's been a while since I made the initial settings Rocksmith 2014.  I think there has been an update since I made the setting changes as I don't see the same options in the UI that I remembered.  But I played RS this morning with Helix + Powercab + PC and it worked fine.

 

I ran some web searches and discovered the rocksmith.ini file.  Like other applications, you can edit this in notepad and affect the startup settings.  The forum wont let me post any more pics (maxed out total size I guess), but here is the text from my rocksmith.ini file located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Rocksmith2014

 

I suggest you make a backup copy of the rocksmith.ini file before editing.

 

[Audio]
EnableMicrophone=0
ExclusiveMode=1
LatencyBuffer=4
ForceDefaultPlaybackDevice=
ForceWDM=0
ForceDirectXSink=0
DumpAudioLog=0
MaxOutputBufferSize=0
RealToneCableOnly=0
Win32UltraLowLatencyMode=1
[Renderer.Win32]
ShowGamepadUI=0
ScreenWidth=0
ScreenHeight=0
Fullscreen=2
VisualQuality=1
RenderingWidth=0
RenderingHeight=0
EnablePostEffects=1
EnableShadows=1
EnableHighResScope=1
EnableDepthOfField=1
EnablePerPixelLighting=1
MsaaSamples=4
DisableBrowser=0
[Net]
UseProxy=1
 

There is also a RocksmithConfiguration.pdf doc in that same folder.  It is dated 2016 and doesn't seem to cover all the rocksmith.ini settings.  But it does state...

 

Although some audio options are accessible through the Rocksmith 2014 menus, for complete control, locate the 
Rocksmith.INI file.

 

Another related thread.

 

https://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/802854-Rocksmith-2014-PC-Configuration-and-FAQ-Forums

 

 

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I appreciate this...but I've tried a number of different settings, and will just use the Focusrite if/when I want to play Rocksmith.  It is not worth any more time or effort.

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  • 6 months later...
On 7/6/2018 at 2:50 PM, Frankg111 said:

I have RS -> Helix -> PowerCab+   

 

I just run USB to the Helix and let the chain take care of RS feed from the USB.   I have a Mac, so all I need to do is route the Audio Output to the Helix or the PowerCab+.   I use the Editors for the Helix and PC most of the time when I am modeling a RS custom tone.  It all works very well.  I don't really have to mess with the Global Setting of the Helix or PC as I seem to have good backing track volume out of the devices.

 

 Love the setup.

 

Hello,

 

I am trying to get this to work with my mac, but I know I'm missing something.  How are you routing the audio output to the helix?  Tried using the sound settings and selecting the output as HELIX Audio, but the only thing i hear out of my headphones is my guitar.

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3 hours ago, iradunkin said:

 

Hello,

 

I am trying to get this to work with my mac, but I know I'm missing something.  How are you routing the audio output to the helix?  Tried using the sound settings and selecting the output as HELIX Audio, but the only thing i hear out of my headphones is my guitar.

 

Are you opening HX Edit? I did this with the Stomp and it worked fine - except my computer would bork sometimes and completely kill the audio.

 

So I abandoned the USB for audio approach. Instead, I ran a 3.55 mm TRS to TS Y cable (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZKM3S4S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) from my PC into the Stomp's effects returns (and set them to auxiliary input instead of instrument) to preserve the stereo sound of Rocksmith. Then I went into the mixer on Rocksmith and turned the guitar down to zero.

 

In the HX Stomp I created a dual path from the guitar. One path was completely clean except a deactivated EQ and it went out into Rocksmith. The other had effects and amps of my choosing and went out into my FRFR speaker (or if I wasn't using an amp, I listened through the headphones).

 

It works exceptionally well and the connections for everything are stupidly easy.  I just have a preset saved on the Stomp called "Rocksmith" that I switch to whenever I am connecting in this way. I just have to remember to change the global conditions on my effects returns.

 

 

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On 7/6/2018 at 3:50 PM, Frankg111 said:

I have RS -> Helix -> PowerCab+   

 

I just run USB to the Helix and let the chain take care of RS feed from the USB.   I have a Mac, so all I need to do is route the Audio Output to the Helix or the PowerCab+.   I use the Editors for the Helix and PC most of the time when I am modeling a RS custom tone.  It all works very well.  I don't really have to mess with the Global Setting of the Helix or PC as I seem to have good backing track volume out of the devices.

 

Love the setup.

 

On 1/24/2019 at 4:56 PM, Kilrahi said:

 

Are you opening HX Edit? I did this with the Stomp and it worked fine - except my computer would bork sometimes and completely kill the audio.

 

So I abandoned the USB for audio approach. Instead, I ran a 3.55 mm TRS to TS Y cable (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZKM3S4S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) from my PC into the Stomp's effects returns (and set them to auxiliary input instead of instrument) to preserve the stereo sound of Rocksmith. Then I went into the mixer on Rocksmith and turned the guitar down to zero.

 

In the HX Stomp I created a dual path from the guitar. One path was completely clean except a deactivated EQ and it went out into Rocksmith. The other had effects and amps of my choosing and went out into my FRFR speaker (or if I wasn't using an amp, I listened through the headphones).

 

It works exceptionally well and the connections for everything are stupidly easy.  I just have a preset saved on the Stomp called "Rocksmith" that I switch to whenever I am connecting in this way. I just have to remember to change the global conditions on my effects returns.

 

 

 

I had given up on this until I saw Kilrahi's recent post.  I've tried again over the weekend, but still no success.

 

The main question I have right now for Kilrahi and Frankg111 is are you using a Rocksmith real tone cable?  Or are you only using the Helix to interface between your guitar and computer?

 

As mentioned in my initial post, I was able to get Rocksmith working perfectly with a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 (and no Rocksmith real tone cable).  But cannot with just the Helix.

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31 minutes ago, jdag said:

 

 

I had given up on this until I saw Kilrahi's recent post.  I've tried again over the weekend, but still no success.

 

The main question I have right now for Kilrahi and Frankg111 is are you using a Rocksmith real tone cable?  Or are you only using the Helix to interface between your guitar and computer?

 

As mentioned in my initial post, I was able to get Rocksmith working perfectly with a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 (and no Rocksmith real tone cable).  But cannot with just the Helix.

 

Wow. I had no idea it was even possible without the Rocksmith tone cable. Is there an advantage to that other than if you lost/destroyed yours?  If for some reason you hate using the real tone cable, then this won't help you. 

 

Keep in mind, I use the HX Stomp, but since that's basically a baby Helix this method should be easy peasy there.

 

1. Guitar in to HX Stomp.

2. Signal split into Path A and Path B.

3. Path A has desired effects and amp.

4. Path A exits out Stomp's left main out to amp of choice (or this step is left off if I'm using headphones). 

5. Path B has a single deactivated compressor block (I did this because the Stomp, unfortunately, won't let you create a blank chain, AND if I needed to boost the signal, but so far I haven't). 

6. Rocksmith real tone cable plugged into the FX Send on HX Stomp.

7. Path B exists out FX Send on Stomp. 

8. (Optional). TRS to TS Y cable going from PC to FX left/right returns on HX Stomp set to auxillary (this way I can hear the game, but I have the game's guitar tone of my guitar turned down to zero in the Rocksmith mixer - I do it this way when I'm using headphones, if I'm not then I use the cable into my flat response speaker system so I can hear the game loud, but again, the guitar signal is reduced to zero in the mixer so I only hear the HX Stomp guitar tone). 

 

That's it.  I think it works amazing, but it does require the real tone cable. 

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I have HX Stomp working with Rocksmith using only USB on osx (using aggregate device named as "Rocksmith USB Guitar Adapter"). I first did encounter the same static noise problem mentioned earlier, but I'm not sure what fixed it. One thing I did for sure is that I downloaded hx stomp drivers from line 6 and installed them, but it might have been something else. I know I experienced inside rocksmith with the audio engine setting. Besides stomp, I have also used to Steinberg UR22mk2 usb audio interface with success.

 

Even though I got this working now, I'm still not perfectly happy. First of all, the Stomp usb volume is way too low. I have stumbled to this while recording as well, and in order to fix it I have to edit the signal chain and set main L/R output "block" level to around +12db. Otherwise the signal is just too low!

 

What I really would like to do is to make Rocksmith see the usb output port 5, which is the dry signal. That way I could use my effects as I wish, and still get clean signal for RS to get perfect note detection. Currently RS only works with usb port 1 (left/mono channel). Even if it would be somehow possible to make Rocksmith see the usb port 5 from stomp, it would definitely still suffer from the audio signal volume problem. I really hope we get a global setting for that in the future!

Edited by glebb
Corrected the number of dry signal usb output port for STomp.
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6 hours ago, glebb said:

I have HX Stomp working with Rocksmith using only USB on osx (using aggregate device named as "Rocksmith USB Guitar Adapter"). I first did encounter the same static noise problem mentioned earlier, but I'm not sure what fixed it. One thing I did for sure is that I downloaded hx stomp drivers from line 6 and installed them, but it might have been something else. I know I experienced inside rocksmith with the audio engine setting. Besides stomp, I have also used to Steinberg UR22mk2 usb audio interface with success.

 

Even though I got this working now, I'm still not perfectly happy. First of all, the Stomp usb volume is way too low. I have stumbled to this while recording as well, and in order to fix it I have to edit the signal chain and set main L/R output "block" level to around +12db. Otherwise the signal is just too low!

 

What I really would like to do is to make Rocksmith see the usb input port 3, which is the dry signal. That way I could use my effects as I wish, and still get clean signal for RS to get perfect note detection. Currently RS only works with usb port 1 (left/mono channel). Even if it would be somehow possible to make Rocksmith see the usb port 3 from stomp, it would definitely still suffer from the audio signal volume problem. I really hope we get a global setting for that in the future!

 

I always have a bit of a balancing act getting the volume of my real guitar signal to match the game's audio too. I think you have some good ideas above, though I think you'll still always have to tweak it. Balancing audio, whether at home, with friends, live, always seems to be required.

 

I connect an expression pedal to control my guitar's volume, and then just use the volume knob to control the PC's, but then again, I don't use the USB cord for audio and instead use a traditional audio jack so that approach wouldn't be helpful to you. Still, the expression pedal part might be.

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6 hours ago, glebb said:

Even though I got this working now, I'm still not perfectly happy. First of all, the Stomp usb volume is way too low. I have stumbled to this while recording as well, and in order to fix it I have to edit the signal chain and set main L/R output "block" level to around +12db. Otherwise the signal is just too low!

 

 

In re-researching this, I stumbled upon a Reddit post that shows getting everything working using a patch with a deactivated block, but with the output set higher to help with note detection.

 

That being said, I still cannot get it working!  Using the Aggregate Device trick yields static (with all different audio engine settings inside Rocksmith).  And trying to get Helix recognized as a microphone input inside Rocksmith has been impossible for me (getting zero signal on the Rocksmith meter, even though I do show signal in the MacOS sound settings app).

 

Here's the Reddit link and the screenshot someone posted: 

 

 

pcfQPSQ.png

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Hmmm. That's almost the same signal path I use with the Stomp, just not the USB out. Maybe I'll mess with it tonight just to see. It would be cool not to have to worry about the real tone cable because then it's one less connection. Not a big deal in my case, but cool.

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On 1/24/2019 at 10:13 AM, iradunkin said:

 

Hello,

 

I am trying to get this to work with my mac, but I know I'm missing something.  How are you routing the audio output to the helix?  Tried using the sound settings and selecting the output as HELIX Audio, but the only thing i hear out of my headphones is my guitar.

 

ok.  using RS cable into USB.  I have the helix plugged into the usb port and use it at the output device for the mac from the sound config in setting.  It works great seriously.   

 

Note:  you can't start RS until this is setup.   RS will use the default output device when it boots.     

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I finally made it work for me. As the Stomp doesn't seem to have the possibility to select USB out in dual chain scenario I needed some other way to route DRY signal from Stomp to RS (again, without using RS cable).

 

I found a software called LoopBack (https://rogueamoeba.com/loopback/) and with that I can create a virtual audio device (much like Aggregated device) but to which I can also assign the ports from the source device that I want (unlike I can do with aggregated device). Unfortunately the signal on Stomp USB was too low still (like I had a feeling before), but then I tried something crazy and I mapped both USB 5 and USB 6 outputs to the virtual device left channel which gives it just enough juice to be detected by RS properly.

 

So now I can enjoy using the sounds from my HX Stomp and at the same time make RS recognize what I'm playing without using any extra cables, just my stomp connected with USB: I'm so happy :D

 

The only downside is that LoopBack is a commercial software. I was actually using it already because of recording/streaming RS stuff so it wasn't a big issue for me. I actually have an older version of the software, but I think the new version works just the same.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

Team,

 

I went back and figured out how to run a helix and rocksmith with the rocksmith cable. It's pretty straight forward with the RS Cable.  Here is the map for using it...

 

Split off the signal at the front route the split to the 1/4" put, plug the RS cable into that.    

 

If you want to use the USB digital feed as the input to RS -- check out Reddit for the no-cable fix.  No guarantee as it's not a supported RS fix.

 

 

Also, if you need to boost the signal on the 1/4" output you can increase the gain.  I hope this helps.

 

1489665619_ScreenShot2019-05-27at5_40.15PM(2).thumb.png.b23aeeaa680a41d70db2b280279e5a80.png

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

I know this is an old thread, but last night I was curious if this would work, using the Helix as an interface to my pc for RS, and I found this thread.  Looking like it was a dead end, I started playing with it, and I got it to work perfectly.

 

I created a "rocksmith" patch with two paths, one with my amp sims and distortion with an output to my XLRs, then a second clean path with output to the USB 1/2 out.  Plugged the Helix LT into my pc with the normal USB A-B cable, selected input microphone in my PC audio settings, speaker output as my tv, and then set up RS to use the microphone instead of the real tone cable.  Worked perfectly.  No lag that I could notice, plus I'm using the Helix for the guitar sounds but I still get the music and background "backing tracks" from RS through to my TV speakers.  I could have also routed the RS to my XLR's by adding a send/return loop to the first path.

 

Maybe this will help someone else looking to do this.

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  • 1 month later...
On 1/27/2019 at 1:57 PM, Kilrahi said:

 

Wow. I had no idea it was even possible without the Rocksmith tone cable. Is there an advantage to that other than if you lost/destroyed yours?  If for some reason you hate using the real tone cable, then this won't help you. 

 

Keep in mind, I use the HX Stomp, but since that's basically a baby Helix this method should be easy peasy there.

 

1. Guitar in to HX Stomp.

2. Signal split into Path A and Path B.

3. Path A has desired effects and amp.

4. Path A exits out Stomp's left main out to amp of choice (or this step is left off if I'm using headphones). 

5. Path B has a single deactivated compressor block (I did this because the Stomp, unfortunately, won't let you create a blank chain, AND if I needed to boost the signal, but so far I haven't). 

6. Rocksmith real tone cable plugged into the FX Send on HX Stomp.

7. Path B exists out FX Send on Stomp. 

8. (Optional). TRS to TS Y cable going from PC to FX left/right returns on HX Stomp set to auxillary (this way I can hear the game, but I have the game's guitar tone of my guitar turned down to zero in the Rocksmith mixer - I do it this way when I'm using headphones, if I'm not then I use the cable into my flat response speaker system so I can hear the game loud, but again, the guitar signal is reduced to zero in the mixer so I only hear the HX Stomp guitar tone). 

 

That's it.  I think it works amazing, but it does require the real tone cable. 

I was doing the same thing and ended up getting the full Helix Floor plus a mixer. 

 

Then I started researching how to use wet and dry because of the limit of splitting once per signal processor.

 

I found a novel and easy way to handle for anyone with peddles.....................and A/B/Y splitter peddle.

 

I now got 

 

1. Guitar in A/B/Y Splitter

2. Rocksmith Cable on path A

3. Peddles, Helix, what ever to path B

4. I then use the mixer to recombine the Rocksmith audio with my Helix

 

I take it a step further because I want to use my existing Marantz receiver

 

1. I set the speakers up so Zone 2 does not use the amp

2. Zone 2 is set to the Xbox/PC

3. Plug Zone 2 Mixer In 1

4. Plug Helix to Mixer In 2

5. Out of Mixer to Stereo in for Zone 1 (CD)

6. I set the volume of Zone 2 to max.

7. I turn the in-game mixer so that Guitar and Bass are at Zero

 

With the mixer I can control how loud my Guitar is.

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