Thinking about getting a helix LT and have a question

[moonman079]

This will be my first time with a setup like this. I have watched clips and vids for months now. I really like a lot of the sounds I’ve heard so far. But I have a question about switching between presets and patches. 

I play mostly at home but occasionally jam with 2 different bands. My question is is it possible to use 4 of the foot switches to switch between amp models and the other 4 to turn effects off and on? Then in the next bank do the same. 

For example both bands play a lot of covers. Can I set 2 switches for 2 different clean amps the set 2 for lighter gain sounds? Then use the other 4 to switch in delay, chorus and what not as I need them?

then bank up and have 2 switches for more classic rock and hard rock sounds? The other 2 switches for high gain sounds? 

In a 2 hour set I will have to go from crystal clean to ZZ Top then Alice In Chains and heavier stuff like slipknot. The bounce around a lot so I will need something that switches easy. 

I tried researching but couldn’t find a specific answer. 

 

[zolko60]

Let's say you have the preset with volume pedal, wah, whammy, 2 modulations, 2 dirt pedals, 3 amps, 1 IR (8 by snapshots), 2 delays, 2 reverbs and compressor. This is your basic patch for covering almost everything. Of course 8, 10 or even 16 footswitches can't contol everything separately, then snapshots come in handy (I can not see the point of loosing any switch in stomp mode for amps/IR channge).
Then you built patches for some specific tasks.
This is my way. I use 8 stomps/8 snapshots mode.

[datacommando]

1 hour ago, moonman079 said:

This will be my first time with a setup like this. I have watched clips and vids for months now. I really like a lot of the sounds I’ve heard so far. But I have a question about switching between presets and patches. 

I play mostly at home but occasionally jam with 2 different bands. My question is is it possible to use 4 of the foot switches to switch between amp models and the other 4 to turn effects off and on? Then in the next bank do the same. 

For example both bands play a lot of covers. Can I set 2 switches for 2 different clean amps the set 2 for lighter gain sounds? Then use the other 4 to switch in delay, chorus and what not as I need them?

then bank up and have 2 switches for more classic rock and hard rock sounds? The other 2 switches for high gain sounds? 

In a 2 hour set I will have to go from crystal clean to ZZ Top then Alice In Chains and heavier stuff like slipknot. The bounce around a lot so I will need something that switches easy. 

I tried researching but couldn’t find a specific answer. 

 

 

Hi moonman079,

 

Your final line in your post states that you had tried researching but couldn’t find a specific answer.

 

Mmm. Curious. There are many and varied ways to configure the footswitches on a Helix unit.

 

Although, what you have described here is exactly what the “snapshot” function in Helix is designed to do.

 

Have a look at these for a better idea - these vids are from when the “Snapshots” were first introduced. There are many others too.

 

 

 

 

 

[nikoniablue]

Answer, basically, is yes. You can configure switches into two rows, one for patches and one for effects switching. The effects which show up in the effects row is configurable per patch.  

[moonman079]

Thanks guys I don’t know how I missed those videos. They explain it pretty easily. The only experience I have with modeling stuff up to now is the simple vox amps.