Control Whammy 5 via Helix LT

[lcuturic23]

I bought a MIDI cable today, plugged in my Whammy into my Helix LT (with both MIDI and through the FX-loop), set the MIDI CC accodingly to the Whammy 5 manual, but I can't get it to work. I made a test footswitch with FS9 to switch the whammy into Haromny + OCT up (CC 63, Value 127), but it doesn't do anything. Changing from MIDI in to MIDI thru on the Helix didn't help either.

[rd2rk]

You want to connect the MIDI IN on the Whammy to the MIDI OUT on the Helix. Make sure that the RECEIVE MIDI Channel on the Whammy matches the MIDI BASE Channel on the Helix (default Base Ch is ch 1). The Whammy responds to PROGRAM CHANGE (PC) messages, NOT CONTROL CHANGE (CC) messages, to select programs/presets/sounds.

 

Set the LT's Expression Pedal to CC#11 to control the Whammy's pedal position.

[lcuturic23]

Thanks for your reply! I've connected the MIDI from the Whammy to the Helix into MIDI Out/Thru. What setting do I need to put the Command to? Bank/Prog? And do I need to connect my Whammy to my guitar and/or Helix through the FX loop or Guitar in?

[rd2rk]

In command Center, if you want to load and activate/deactivate a Whammy preset immediately when you load the Helix preset, put the PC command in an "Instant Command" (the lightning bolts).

 

If you want to control when/if you load and activate a preset, put it on a Stomp button.

 

This device uses a very odd MIDI scheme. Most devices that allow you to toggle an effect use CC#s with a value of 127 (or 0) for ON, and 0 (or 127) for OFF. You first send a PC# to select the preset, then a CC# to Toggle it ON/OFF.

 

The Whammy uses separate PC#s to Toggle. For instance, in your example, Harmony + Octave Up is PC#21=ON;PC#42=OFF. That means you'll need TWO Stomp buttons for full control, and if you use an Instant Command, you'll either send PC#21 to activate it immediately, or PC#42 to deactivate it (if it's already ON). The Whammy uses the aforementioned CC#11 and 0/127 Values to select (in your example) Octave DOWN (heel down) or Octave UP (toe down).

 

All of the above is my best guesses based on reading the Whammy's manual, I don't own one. YMMV. Play around with it, you can't hurt anything!

REMEMBER to save your preset and, if you're doing this using Snapshots, save each Snapshot before moving on to the next.

 

As for where to put it in the signal chain, try it both ways and see where it sounds best. It may be very dependent on what effects come before and after it.