I/O Question: Multiple instruments and pedals

[tappistrt]

Hi all. First post here.

 

I did a quick search but couldn't find a similar question, so here goes:

 

I'm considering a Helix Floor to play a couple of roles:

1. Full stereo effect chain for a Chapman Stick, direct into powered monitors.

2. Effects for guitar using the 4 cable method into a tube amp and 2x12 cab.

 

Additionally, I'd like to add 4-5 outboard pedals into the send/return loops. I'd prefer if they were in their own loops so I can add each one into effects chains with the full Helix control. One of the pedals is a Meris Enzo, and I want to use it in stereo, so that would occupy two loops. (The reason for this would be to give me the option of using it with the Stick bass or the melody side.)

 

Would this be possible if I added something like a Disaster Area DPC-8EZ? YouTube link below with how it's set up to add two different sets of loops so things can be assigned to pre/post drives.

 

 

 

Is this necessary for this setup? Or is there a better way?

 

I also have a reversed A/B switcher (2 inputs, 1 output) which would allow the Stick melody and guitar signals to share the guitar input on the Helix.

 

At the end of it all, I'm also not sure how I'd go about hooking everything to have these pedals in loops, while using the 4 cable method for the other amp?

 

Any advice/clarification is appreciated. Thanks!

[Cody_smith]

4cm takes up an fx loop, and the meris in stereo takes 2, so that leaves you with 1 loop. So yes you would have to add something like the disaster area to get the additional i/o you need, you just won't have control of the effect order. 

 

Maybe getting an HX stomp (2 loops and amp models)  and an HX fx ( 4 loops no amp models) would work out better if you can rout everything right. And use midi from the HX fx to control the stomp. It might be a bit more convoluted but might actually be cheaper and you might not have to use a midi looper like the disaster area. 

[tappistrt]

2 hours ago, Cody_smith said:

Maybe getting an HX stomp (2 loops and amp models)  and an HX fx ( 4 loops no amp models) would work out better if you can rout everything right. And use midi from the HX fx to control the stomp. It might be a bit more convoluted but might actually be cheaper and you might not have to use a midi looper like the disaster area. 

Yeah I was considering something like this too. And I think you have your descriptions a bit mixed up: Both the HX Effects and the Stomp have 2 loops, and the HX stomp does have amp simulations. Considering the price difference of used Helix LTs, picking up a used one for a couple hundred more seems like a better value to be a standalone unit for one instrument vs. a Stomp.

 

Convoluted setups don't bother me, as long as I can personally figure out how to hook it all together. A divided setup would actually be more simple in some ways, since I'm likely only going to use certain outboard effects (like the Enzo) with Stick and not with guitar. The challenge will come in setting up the MIDI master/slave thing.

 

The other potential challenge with my idea in the first post is figuring out how to route the outputs so the guitar chain goes to my amp and my Stick chains go to my PA speakers.

[Cody_smith]

20 minutes ago, tappistrt said:

Yeah I was considering something like this too. And I think you have your descriptions a bit mixed up: Both the HX Effects and the Stomp have 2 loops,

Yep I'm totally wrong on that, I've been slightly off on stuff I thought I knew today. That means that setup with Stomp and FX makes absolutely no sense. Something to keep in mind if you are looking at LT is that it only has 2 fx loops as well ( I verified this... twice) 

For outputs you could go 1/4 outs to amp and xlr out to PA. You might also be able to do some panning stuff, but then you'll have to run parts of the chain through the same signal path, if you pan everything right it wouldn't bleed together but it might be confusing. I always confuse myself when I'm doing much simpler things with panning in helix.

[tappistrt]

4 hours ago, Cody_smith said:

For outputs you could go 1/4 outs to amp and xlr out to PA. You might also be able to do some panning stuff, but then you'll have to run parts of the chain through the same signal path, if you pan everything right it wouldn't bleed together but it might be confusing. I always confuse myself when I'm doing much simpler things with panning in helix.

Not sure if I want to do any panning, I'd rather keep the signals separated.

 

As long as I can select which splits/chains go to which audio outputs, I'm set.