Helix Floor: Auto Engage Wah w/ toe button- How?

[macnevine]

Hi There- I read this forum and this still is not clear to me.  I am a new Helix floor user.  I am leaving my old rig that had a traditional cry baby wah with the toe on/off button.  

 

I see there is this expression pedal made for helix with a toe button.   https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SP1L6H--mission-engineering-inc-helix-expression-pedal-with-toe-switch-black-finish?mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=3157640887&rkg_id=0&product_id=SP1L6H&campaigntype=shopping&campaign=aaShopping - Not In Stock&adgroup=Guitars&placement=google&adpos=1o1&creative=105593157841&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4p3X_vD13gIVChgMCh1CBga6EAQYASABEgKobfD_BwE

 

But see it has 2 female 1/4 jacks on the pedal.

 

From you tube videos, I can see how I can assign an expression pedal w/out a toe button to auto engage the wah by programming it to turn on and off the block via parameters via some learned commands.  I would rather not engage it this way.  I would rather toe forward to push the button to engage like the traditional wah that I am used to.

 

If this pedal above can be used for the toe button to engage the wah on the helix floor would this be accomplished on this pedal by:

 

1.  Using 1 x 1/4 inch jack on the pedal connected with a TS cable to exp. 2 on the helix and the other 1/4 inch jack on the pedal connected via a TS cable to the exp 3  jack on the helix thus using both. ports 2 and 3 on the helix and on the pedal?

 

2. Or would it be connected to the pedal via a 2 x 1/4 inch ring/tip to 1 x1/4 male cable  which would then connect to either the exp. 1 or exp. 2 port on the helix?  With this cable as seen below?   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068O1N/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I am hoping # 2 will work because I need 3 expression pedals in my rig.

 

Also if this does work as described in number 2 above how do I map that button on the helix ?  Does it just get learned to turn the wah block on/off all the other buttons?

 

When I first bought the helix I thought the built in exp. pedal 1 would have that toe button but I can see clearly I was wrong about that. I am also confused because this pedal mentions the helix rack and the helix rack controller but does not mention the helix floor.  

 

Sorry too be so wordy.  I know I can just buy this pedal and trial and error it but I am hoping users before me can clarify this for me.

 

 

 

 

 

[zolko60]

I was thinking long time ago of having two or three EXP pedals, but I realized I have only two feet. Stomping on two pedals can be risky too. Believe me - one is enough.

Patch attached: Here how you go with the three amps , two cabs, and three into one EXP pedals. (supply some IRs)

MachoMesoFreda.hlx

[macnevine]

I mean no disrespect.  I have used 3 exp pedals quite successfully over the years. We all have different use case scenarios.  I use 2 for guitar- 1 for volume and one for delay mix and I control some Ipad synths via midi with the 3rd pedal.  And this video does not address my questions I asked-  I saw that video. Thanks for responding.

 

[zolko60]

So the answer is 1 like in that video 

 

[rvroberts]

Hi Macnevine,

As I understand it, you can't do what you want exactly.  The video above is for the rack not the floor unit.

This pedal model acts exactly as the onboard expression pedal on the floor but for the rack.

So (and you might not notice it if you don't actually stand on it because it's very heavy and needs a bit of body weight) the onboard expression unit is the one with a toe switch.

So if you want it to work just like a typical Wah, the onboard pedal will do this - just put a wah in you chain and by default, using the toe switch will activate the wah.

Obviously in a patch where you don't need wah, it can be anything else you want.

That means you need another expression pedal to take over the job of volume pedal. (somehow, someone must have thought that not having volume control when using wah was a reasonable compromise!?!)

There are 2 line 6 Helix compatible Mission pedals - just to confuse everyone - one is designed for the rack - as above, the other is a general expression pedal.

But it doesn't do the toe switch.  No problem for volume - a bit counter intuitive for wah.

Some would maintain that some of the older heavy duty Volume pedals are actually nicer for volume anyhow (acting as an expression pedal in Helix land).

 

[macnevine]

This is a great response thanks. I had no idea the onboard pedal on the helix floor does this because there is no button.I swear I have looked and looked and this is not printed anywhere in an obvious way.  I will give it a try tomorrow.  Speaking of that onboard exp 1 pedal.  It is too stiff. Is there a way to adjust the tension?

[littleeden]

6 hours ago, macnevine said:

This is a great response thanks. I had no idea the onboard pedal on the helix floor does this because there is no button.I swear I have looked and looked and this is not printed anywhere in an obvious way.  I will give it a try tomorrow.  Speaking of that onboard exp 1 pedal.  It is too stiff. Is there a way to adjust the tension?

Yes.  Your Helix should have come with a hex key in the box (my LT certainly did).  If you look on the side, adjacent to the expression pedal, you should see a recessed hex key bolt - that's how to adjust the resistance in the pedal.

[zolko60]

I am so sorry to mislead you macnevine. No possibility to use traditional expression pedal with toe switch unless you have controller. Let's hope midi exp pedals with toe and heel switches are avialiable soon. In my patch I wanted to show you how to get three EXP pedals out of one existing with hidden toe switch.
Hx Floor EXP pedal tension was discussed here. 

 

[macnevine]

Found the Hex wrench hidden in the USB bag that I had not opened.  I think I am good to go now.  Thanks for your experience!