Pedals with effects loops?

[tjbassoon]

Wondering if there is a way to implement something like the Decimator G String noise gate pedal. It's a pedal that's designed to get your clean signal up front, then have the effects in an effects loop, then the output. The idea is that it gates the effects, but gets the gate threshold open from your unaffected signal. The advantage is that the gate stays shut for high gain effects, but opens easily to light picking, without having to slam the gate open. Other effects that I've seen that use an effects loop is the Lovetone Meatball, which is an envelope filter that you can put another effect (like a fuzz) in the loop, so you can have the filter affect the fuzz pedal, but that fuzz pedal is a part of the effect unit, not before or after, so the filter is controlled by your clean guitar signal.

Is there any similar way to route effects in the Helix? Either with a noise gate, or filter pedal? I'm thinking this falls outside of the normal A/B/Y kinds of routing we can get, as it requires an effect "inside" of another effect completely.

 

http://www.isptechnologies.com/portfolio/decimator-ii-g-string-pedal/

 

 

[bishinc]

Hi,

 

I use Boss NS2 that way with Helix. Path: Guitar to NS2 input -> NS2 send to Helix Guitar input -> Helix blocks synth, Fuzz etc. -> Helix loop block (send to NS2 return, NS2 output to loop return). 

 

I use this with Helix 3 Osc synth to get rid of unwanted tail sounds. Downside of this is that it takes two loops from Helix.

[bishinc]

Sidechain option to hard gate would solve this though..

[tjbassoon]

Yes, I understand how I would use a pedal with an effects loop in conjunction with the Helix (4 cable method, basically) but I'm wondering within the helix if it might be possible to do something similar. Maybe a suggestion to put on Ideascale?

[JLondon]

Good question.  Looking forward to hearing what comes of it myself.  I the previous life I used a Boss NS-2 which is worthless in the straight thru mode (as I suspect all noise gates of this level are) but is simply awesome when using its loop function as you described previously.  I have the same problem with the Helix noise gate (the one located within the "input" settings) and would love to see if there's a way to route the Helix chain in a fashion that allows your clean/lower gain signal to pass on through and only effects high gain effects when they are engaged.  I'm thinking this should easily be possible and have some thoughts already but will hold off until I've had a chance to play around with it.  It's definitely going to involve the use of a noise gate in the chain rather than use of the gate located within the "input" setting - which is an on/off - adjustable but "all or nothing" option (I think).

[bishinc]

5 hours ago, tjbassoon said:

Yes, I understand how I would use a pedal with an effects loop in conjunction with the Helix (4 cable method, basically) but I'm wondering within the helix if it might be possible to do something similar. Maybe a suggestion to put on Ideascale?

I have put this on ideascale. I would definitely find better use for those two loop blocks than use them for NS2. A Sidechain gate that triggers from the input signal is a feature that I would love to see in the future!

[analogaddict]

Being able to route audio from the Aux in to functions like sidechaining gates and compressors would be great. It's more common in my world to get a click track than a midi clock send...

[gunpointmetal]

Yeah. Boss GT units had that feature for years. Put the gate wherever and assign its trigger to "input". That would be a cool feature, even if it means just doing a whole new gate with an input-sensing option.