helix Helix tap tempo is not working correctly.

[Uriel1251]

So A couple weeks ago I noticed my helix floor isn’t reading my taps correctly. To be specific; every time I’m playing a song, the first tap almost always jumps up to 240bpms. I have to give it a couple of taps to get it closer to what I’m playing it. I’ve read that the tap tempo on the helix isn’t the best. However it wasn’t this bad when I first got it. Please help. The tuner seems to work fine. 

 

[codamedia]

8 hours ago, Uriel1251 said:

To be specific; every time I’m playing a song, the first tap almost always jumps up to 240bpms. I have to give it a couple of taps to get it closer to what I’m playing it.

 

Tap tempo always requires at least 2 taps define a tempo.  FWIW.. if I tap twice to define a tempo it is never as accurate as if I tap 4 - 6 times. That's not because the unit is screwing up... it's because I am keeping better time the more I tap my foot :)

 

As for 240bpms (beats per milli second)... that can't be right. I'm sure you just mean bpm (beats per minute)

Even then... I have never seen this with a single click of my tap button. Speculation... maybe a single tap defaults to the tempo of the preset.... do you have the preset tempo set to 240bpm?

[rd2rk]

I'm not positive, as I rarely use Tap Tempo, but from messing around with it a bit just now, it seems that 120 is the factory default. If you reset that in Globals, that becomes the new default (Global) Tempo. If you SAVE a preset with a different Tempo, that preset retains that Tempo, but switching to a different preset without a SAVED Tempo defaults to the Tempo in Global Settings. The first Tap always shows the SAVED preset Tempo, or the Global Tempo if the preset hasn't been saved with a different Tempo. It takes multiple taps to establish a new Tempo. Maybe, at some point, OP changed the Global Setting to 240?

[Aivester]

Any fix for your tap tempo issue? Mine is doing the very same thing (jumping to 240, especially when holding for the tuner)...it will not consistently or correctly match the tempo I’m trying to tap, no matter if I tap it twice or twenty times. 

[phil_m]

45 minutes ago, Aivester said:

Any fix for your tap tempo issue? Mine is doing the very same thing (jumping to 240, especially when holding for the tuner)...it will not consistently or correctly match the tempo I’m trying to tap, no matter if I tap it twice or twenty times. 

 

What firmware version are you running?

[jacobs09]

My tap tempo is REALLY erratic! I have used it a lot, but it is messing up really badly all of a sudden! Even when tapping slow, it’s showing fast tempos. It will eventually get to where I need it, but is is unusable live. Also the tempo won’t save with the preset. HELP! I’m running firmware 2.92

[yellowbarnfilms]

I am also having this issue.  Plus when I hold the tap tempo to enter tuning it doesn't reliably switch to the tuner anymore.  This is new behavior to 2.9 and 2.92.

[thomasDS]

I'm having this same problem for quite some time now. Hoped the 3.0(1) update would've fixed it but that's not the case. Which is a shame. I've owned a DD4, pod xt live, podHD500 and now the Helix. 

 

Although I'm immensely impressed with the Helix, this is the only line6 unit i had that has this kind of problem.

At one point I theorized that the touch sensitivity caused problems but after turning off this function in global settings, the problem remained.

Maybe it's a hardware problem that cause the malfunctioning of the switches on some units... 

 

Nonetheless, it's a pain, so if anyone has a solution, I'm glad to hear it! 

[yellowbarnfilms]

I've had the same problem for a couple of months now.  Holding the tap tempo button does not reliably enter tuning mode and tapping the tap tempo button results in severely high bpm settings.  It's easily double time.  3 slow taps will often return 240 bpm.  Needless to say, its impossible to get delay times to match bpm in a live setting. 

 

Any advice would be really helpful.

[EarRat]

Bump... same problem here. Helix floor 2.92.  Would like to tap in a new tempo for the next song to get the delays to sound right. As described in the related thread, the bpm goes erratic and often just pegs to 240. It often takes retrying multiple times just to get ‘close’ to the tempo I want. If I get even remotely close I find myself afraid to attempt to “fine tune” the tempo for fear it will glitch out again. Quite frustrating for their top tier product... unclear if it’s software related or the foot switch itself may need to be replaced (or recalled... c’mon Line 6, take care of us, please! This is an important bit of functionality that needs to work!)

[rd2rk]

47 minutes ago, EarRat said:

Bump... same problem here. Helix floor 2.92.  Would like to tap in a new tempo for the next song to get the delays to sound right. As described in the related thread, the bpm goes erratic and often just pegs to 240. It often takes retrying multiple times just to get ‘close’ to the tempo I want. If I get even remotely close I find myself afraid to attempt to “fine tune” the tempo for fear it will glitch out again. Quite frustrating for their top tier product... unclear if it’s software related or the foot switch itself may need to be replaced (or recalled... c’mon Line 6, take care of us, please! This is an important bit of functionality that needs to work!)

 

Update to 3.01 (UPDATE TO HX EDIT 3.0 FIRST! FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!).

 

If you still have a problem, open a support ticket.

 

I have no such problems.

[thomasDS]

10 hours ago, rd2rk said:

 

Update to 3.01 (UPDATE TO HX EDIT 3.0 FIRST! FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!).

 

If you still have a problem, open a support ticket.

 

I have no such problems.

 

I'm already on 3.01 since it came out. The tap delay malfunction is still there and has been since day one.

 

As I said, I'm immensely impressed with the helix, but for a new unit of this price, I don't understand how this can be a problem, since the DD4, Podxt live and PodHd500 I've owned never caused any problem with the tap delays.

 

I use delays all the time and this is a real pain in the lollipop.

[PierM]

On 1/26/2021 at 8:47 AM, thomasDS said:

 

I'm already on 3.01 since it came out. The tap delay malfunction is still there en has been since day one. As I said, I'm immensely impressed with the helix, but for a new unit of this price, I don't understand how this can be a problem, since the DD4, Podxt live and PodHd500 I've owned never caused any problem with the tap delays.

 

I use delays all the time and this is a real pain in the lollipop.

 

Has nothing to do with the firmware 2.9 or whatever old firmware. It's the way it works, since day 1....and yes, it's erratic (always been) if you need a tempo change on the fly. Using Helix tap tempo on the Helix Control, or even the button on the front panel, gives very erratic results, doesnt matter if you tap 2 or 3 times. To get the tempo you want, you need to tap a lot LOL. Also, almost impossible to easily move from a mid tempo to a slow tempo, without getting fast tempo jumps in the middle, even if you just tap twice, at the correct tempo. Looks like the code isnt waiting a proper tap cycle to be closed, and starts changing tempo first time you tap, counting from the last current tempo bit. Im using an external clock device, with its own tap FS, for that reason. :)

[thomasDS]

6 minutes ago, PierM said:

 

Has nothing to do with the firmware 2.9 or whatever old firmware. It's the way it works, since day 1....and yes, it's erratic (always been). Using Helix tap tempo on the Helix Control, or even the button on the front panel, gives very erratic results, doesnt matter if you tap 2 or 3 times. Also, almost impossible to easily move from a mid tempo to a slow tempo, without getting fast tempo jumps in the middle, even if you just tap twice, at the correct tempo. Looks like the code isnt waiting a proper tap cycle to be closed, and starts changing tempo every time you tap. Im using an external clock device, with its own tap FS, for that reason. :)

 

exactly

[rd2rk]

Lots of complaining, HAS ANYBODY OPENED A SUPPORT TICKET?

What does L6 Support say about it?

[andrietj]

Yes, 

 

I am having the same problem too. Keen to know if someone has fixed this issue?

Cheers!

[rd2rk]

3 hours ago, andrietj said:

Yes, 

 

I am having the same problem too. Keen to know if someone has fixed this issue?

Cheers!

 

BE A TRENDSETTER! OPEN A SUPPORT TICKET!

 

Then get back to this thread and post the solution.

Your fellow Helixers will praise you for all time!

 

[phil_m]

4 hours ago, andrietj said:

Yes, 

 

I am having the same problem too. Keen to know if someone has fixed this issue?

Cheers!

 

Open a support ticket. People seem to assume that if they have an issue and the see on or two other people with the same sort of issue (which may or may not be actually from the same root cause) that it affects everyone.

 

I've used my Helix and HX Effects for a ton of gigs, and I've never had any issue with tap tempo, and I use it all the time.

[yellowbarnfilms]

Just so everyone knows, I opened a support ticket and was told that I needed to bring the Helix Rack floor controller to a service center for a repair.  I'm going to try to do that next week.  Will report back.

 

[jacobs09]

Looking forward to hearing what is going on with your Helix. Thank-you for sharing!

[studiox19]

On 1/26/2021 at 9:49 AM, PierM said:

 

Has nothing to do with the firmware 2.9 or whatever old firmware. It's the way it works, since day 1....and yes, it's erratic (always been) if you need a tempo change on the fly. Using Helix tap tempo on the Helix Control, or even the button on the front panel, gives very erratic results, doesnt matter if you tap 2 or 3 times. To get the tempo you want, you need to tap a lot LOL. Also, almost impossible to easily move from a mid tempo to a slow tempo, without getting fast tempo jumps in the middle, even if you just tap twice, at the correct tempo. Looks like the code isnt waiting a proper tap cycle to be closed, and starts changing tempo first time you tap, counting from the last current tempo bit. Im using an external clock device, with its own tap FS, for that reason. :)

 

No, this is definitely something new.

 

My band has just got together for rehearsals and i wondered why my delays kept on resetting to too fast -  on nearly every preset. Frustration!

I then realized that is was everytime I used the tuner.

 

The last time i used the Helix with any gusto was about 3 months ago and there was no problem then.

 

What seems to happen now is that the helix takes a random amount of milliseconds to go into tuner mode when the footswitch is held down (maybe the same milliseconds as the preset delay - not tested). Guitar is then tuned. When tapping the switch to come out of tuner mode and back to current preset, the tap function immediately shunts the tempo to "240.0". You then have to come out of the preset and then go back in to get the programmed tempo to reset.

 

I've got a load of gigs coming up from August and this will be catastrophic in a live setting. Hopefully it - and it seems a lot of users are getting a similar problem - will be fixed with a firmware update.

 

I will log it and get a support ticket, too.

[PierM]

47 minutes ago, studiox19 said:

 

No, this is definitely something new.

 

My band has just got together for rehearsals and i wondered why my delays kept on resetting to too fast -  on nearly every preset. Frustration!

I then realized that is was everytime I used the tuner.

 

The last time i used the Helix with any gusto was about 3 months ago and there was no problem then.

 

What seems to happen now is that the helix takes a random amount of milliseconds to go into tuner mode when the footswitch is held down (maybe the same milliseconds as the preset delay - not tested). Guitar is then tuned. When tapping the switch to come out of tuner mode and back to current preset, the tap function immediately shunts the tempo to "240.0". You then have to come out of the preset and then go back in to get the programmed tempo to reset.

 

I've got a load of gigs coming up from August and this will be catastrophic in a live setting. Hopefully it - and it seems a lot of users are getting a similar problem - will be fixed with a firmware update.

 

I will log it and get a support ticket, too.

 

I discovered that the issue is a double click that happens on a single tap travel. This especially happen with "heavy" tapping; as soon as the FS is all down, there there is the first TAP, when FS is released, there is a second TAP. That's why most of the time you get a jump to max tempo. Because two clicks/taps are sent within an extremely short time. Also happens when you hold down to leave the tuner; two taps on release. Dont know if this is an electrical glitch from the switch, or a mechanical problem, engaging the switch multiple times. 

 

To avoid that, you need to be very soft on tapping, or use an external switch/control to tap.

 

I could repro this on my Helix Rack Control, an two Helix floor from friends...so looks like it's there in every unit. HX Stomp seems less affected, I guess hardware and mechanics arent 100% the same.

 

Imho this would be fixable code side, introducing a threshold to clean up the tap triggering.

[studiox19]

OK, so hopefully a sensitivity issue in the software, which can be fixed with a firmware update. I've never had a problem after 4 years of use. I've not used it properly until this last weekend for nearly a year (because of Covid) and in that time the firmware has been updated (twice?), so i've no real idea of when it started. After a firmware update? Or randomly due to hardware breakdown?

[cabrinha78]

My tap tempo used to work good for 2 years after I bought the Helix floor LT. After Firmware update  2.92 appr. a year ago it started to have the problems mentioned here in this thread. I bet, it is a software issue. 

Sometimes it sets the tempo to very high already after the first tap. The only thing, what helps, is to step on the FS very light and quick. I think, Helix interprets a heavy long tap as two beats. 

[theElevators]

I remember seeing posts about bugs with 2.92 regarding tap tempo.  Make sure to update to the latest version. 

[Kyhasumm12]

This happened to me, and its annoying.

 

It has nothing to do with the version you are using... 
Ive took my helix in and the buttons are faulty. You might need to repair it... this happens when i toggle on and off my effects.... its almost like when you press the button down it toggles, then when you release, it is acting as another toggle.

 

You might need to repair .

[Jakobe6string]

I've just started having this tap temp issue with my LT and from reading it seems the only way to fix the issue is by taking it to a service center and having them repair it? I've tried to open a service ticket but can't because I got the LT as a gift a couple years back so I don't have any proof of purchase. 

[datacommando]

On 10/27/2022 at 5:41 AM, Jakobe6string said:

I've tried to open a service ticket but can't because I got the LT as a gift a couple years back so I don't have any proof of purchase.

Hi,

 

I don’t quite understand.
 

I realise this is your first post, but your profile shows that you have one registered product, which I guess would be the Helix with the problem switch. If you are the registered owner you really shouldn’t need any “proof of purchase”, especially as it was a gift.

 

Contact Customer Support directly, and see what they say about this situation. You cannot be the only person ever who was gifted a product. There must be a way to resolve this easily.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.