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Helix 2.9


ponsolle
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2.9 Model Updates:

-Revv Purple (Ch3)
-1x12 Fullerton and Grammatico Cabs
-Red Llama Drive
-Steve Vai Legendary Drive
-Harmonic Antagonizer Fuzz
-Rochester Comp (Billy Sheehan Compressor)
-Small Stone Phaser
-Split Dynamics (Path A/B Routing)

Feature Updates:

-Output Meters
-Gain Reduction Meters
-Clip Indicators
-IR Attachment by Name
-New Switch/Snap/Looper Layout Options
-New Model Subcategory Shortcuts
-Update from HX Edit
-A/B Compare for HX Native

Available “soon.”

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59 minutes ago, welsh7 said:

Any chance of clarification about the Split Dynamics please?

I’d bet it’s just a dual band compressor. 
The frequency is split - low and high and those two sections get different compression settings. You can probably set the split point too.
 

Or... 
 

it’s a way to switch paths via picking dynamics. That’d be cool. 

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23 minutes ago, hideout said:

I’d bet it’s just a dual band compressor. 
The frequency is split - low and high and those two sections get different compression settings. You can probably set the split point too.
 

Or... 
 

it’s a way to switch paths via picking dynamics. That’d be cool. 


It’s the second thing. It’s kind of like a crossover, but rather than the signal being split based on frequency, the signal will be sent one way or the other based on input level.

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23 minutes ago, phil_m said:


It’s the second thing. It’s kind of like a crossover, but rather than the signal being split based on frequency, the signal will be sent one way or the other based on input level.

My Boss GT-8 had that years ago. And I believe I requested the feature in IdeaScale.

 

Yup, I did.  https://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Dynamics-Controlled-Crossfade/891439-23508

 

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10 hours ago, ponsolle said:

Available “soon.”

 

5 hours ago, gunpointmetal said:

Alright! Now everyone can stop blaming their lollipop sound on not having meters! Hmmmm Revv purple...

 

Lol...

 

Instead we'll be subjected to endless philosophical debates regarding what "soon" means, and whether or not "soon" has in fact already come and gone... can't wait! ;)

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1 hour ago, kraftybob said:

Well this should solve the million threads about the need for meters.

 

It should... but I'll bet you twenty bucks that it won't. Instead, prepare for gripping about how the new meters are the wrong color, in the wrong place, not big enough and you can't see them if you're standing up and looking down at the unit, or they don't spit out the same number as some outboard meter and therefore aren't "accurate". It won't end here... it never does. Whining is eternal, lol.

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45 minutes ago, duncann said:

Yea, but are they going to be granular enough?

 

After the whole tuner debate (and subsequent update), I'd be floored if they weren't granular enough.  But in saying all that, the most granular of meters will never be able to account for room acoustics.  Meters will get you in the ballpark, but it is your ears that will make the final decisions.  

 

I can't believe how far Helix has come since I jumped on the wagon at 1.06.5....for you newer peeps, that's before snapshots were a thing.  I was completely happy with the modeler I bought back then.  But then, Line 6 continues to keep rolling out awesome and meaningful updates, for free, 4 years later.  It's a great time to be alive.

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Such a good news.

 

I'm not very curious about new models and meters but rather about the "Split Dynamics (Path A/B Routing)". I guess that, as phil_m said, it's a crossover based on the volume in dB rather than the frequency in Hz. I can easily imagine a parameter called "attack" that fades the signal from A to B and a "release" for the opposite (B -> A).

 

The IR attachment by names is a good addition too and will avoid losts of datas when we want to organise our IR files.

 

I especially like the "New Switch/Snap/Looper Layout Options". I guess the footswitchs will split into three parts: 4 for bypassing blocks, 4 for snapshots and 4 for the looper (or another combination). Maybe will it be possible to choose the number of blocks per function, and potentially blend them with the two preset switches. I really would have liked to sync the looper via MIDI or set number of bars according to the preset tempo (in order to play with a drum machine for example) and have 3 or 4 independant layers instead of overdubbing, but... Wow,  as lungho said, four years of free updates! It's very appreciable. Each addition is welcome and an ice on the cake.

 

Very cool for the "New Model Subcategory Shortcuts". I guess there is now another level in the tree of models. For example, when entering the modulation, we could select "flanger" or "chorus" (idem for distorsion: overdrive, distorsion, fuzz). I'm curious to see how they managed with all the amp and cab models. I admit it needed organisation and I hope that we will have the choice to add this new level or not (for the ones who prefer scrolling with a lot of amps for example).

 

Just my thoughts here,

 

Can't wait to try this update, even if there is a loooooot to do with the current firmware :)

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6 hours ago, khiryos said:

I especially like the "New Switch/Snap/Looper Layout Options". I guess the footswitchs will split into three parts: 4 for bypassing blocks, 4 for snapshots and 4 for the looper (or another combination). Maybe will it be possible to choose the number of blocks per function, and potentially blend them with the two preset switches. I really would have liked to sync the looper via MIDI or set number of bars according to the preset tempo (in order to play with a drum machine for example) and have 3 or 4 independant layers instead of overdubbing, but... Wow,  as lungho said, four years of free updates! It's very appreciable. Each addition is welcome and an ice on the cake.

 

 

 

They're not really new footswitch layouts or modes. They're new commands that will be added to the Command Center, so the commands you assign to footswitches will show up in Stomp Mode (as all commands do now). There will be Preset, Snapshot and Looper commands.


With the Preset commands, you can assign any preset to any footswitch. Or you can assign the Preset Up or Preset Down command to any footswitch.


With the Snapshot commands, you'll be able to assign any snapshot to a footswitch in Stomp Mode, or the Snapshot Up or Snapshot Down. Additionally, you can have different snapshots assigned to the Press and Release functions of a footswitch. So you could program FS3, for instance, to go to Snapshot 4 while you're holding it down and then go to Snapshot 1 when you release it. So, it can kind of be a monentary snapshot if you want.


Then finally, you'll be able to assign Looper functions to footswitches in Stomp Mode. Again, there will be separate Press and Release functions... So you can start recording with pressing a footswitch and then stop recording when you release it.

 

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this is veeeeery exciting update !

Ive never asked for updates (bought my helix way back when only snapshots were introduced) but the additions are super useful, each update has a thing or two for everyone, it seems. Well played, L6 !

Does " Update from HX Edit " mean that there is not going to be a need for "updater" install anymore ?

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6 minutes ago, requietus666 said:

this is veeeeery exciting update !

Ive never asked for updates (bought my helix way back when only snapshots were introduced) but the additions are super useful, each update has a thing or two for everyone, it seems. Well played, L6 !

Does " Update from HX Edit " mean that there is not going to be a need for "updater" install anymore ?


Yes... At least for the Helix/HX products.

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29 minutes ago, phil_m said:

Additionally, you can have different snapshots assigned to the Press and Release functions of a footswitch. So you could program FS3, for instance, to go to Snapshot 4 while you're holding it down and then go to Snapshot 1 when you release it. So, it can kind of be a monentary snapshot if you want.

 

 

 

 

This is cool...I can see it being useful for short fills for which you'd otherwise be switching to your lead snapshot for a couple of bars, then back again. One press instead of two... cuts the tap dancing in half.

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50 minutes ago, phil_m said:


They're not really new footswitch layouts or modes. They're new commands that will be added to the Command Center, so the commands you assign to footswitches will show up in Stomp Mode (as all commands do now). There will be Preset, Snapshot and Looper commands.

 

With the Preset commands, you can assign any preset to any footswitch. Or you can assign the Preset Up or Preset Down command to any footswitch.

 

With the Snapshot commands, you'll be able to assign any snapshot to a footswitch in Stomp Mode, or the Snapshot Up or Snapshot Down. Additionally, you can have different snapshots assigned to the Press and Release functions of a footswitch. So you could program FS3, for instance, to go to Snapshot 4 while you're holding it down and then go to Snapshot 1 when you release it. So, it can kind of be a monentary snapshot if you want.

 

Then finally, you'll be able to assign Looper functions to footswitches in Stomp Mode. Again, there will be separate Press and Release functions... So you can start recording with pressing a footswitch and then stop recording when you release it.

 

Wow! This is beyond what I imagined. I mean, full customisation is really cool. Thanks for the information.

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9 hours ago, gunpointmetal said:

Alright! Now everyone can stop blaming their lollipop sound on not having meters!

 

I have no issues with my tone....

That said, I am looking forward to having the new metering options.

 

4 hours ago, cruisinon2 said:

Instead, prepare for gripping about how the new meters are the wrong color, in the wrong place, not big enough and you can't see them if you're standing up and looking down at the unit, or they don't spit out the same number as some outboard meter and therefore aren't "accurate". It won't end here... it never does. Whining is eternal, lol.

 

Thanks for the heads up that even the mere suggestion of an improvement (if we even feel they need any) will be met with ridicule and shame from certain forum members.

 

 

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45 minutes ago, willjrock said:

Im really a big fan of the drives and compressors added to each update. I wish they would do away with the doubles however.

 

I agree. There are two kinds of duplicates:

- HX exclusive blocks VS legacy blocks. Not all are the same but some few, and I sincerely never heard a difference in terms of tone

- HX blocks of a same category. Here I think about tremolos or delays for example. We could have been for example one tremolo that gathers all tremolo's blocks (excepted the chop trem), just with more parameters in it (and potentially a switch for mono/sterero version). Even if we are very lucky to have all these pedals reproduction, the way blocks are designed and organised don't much suit sound designers needs. But 1) it would be more complicated to manage CPUs and 2) HX products deal about modelisation and are mainly dedicated to guitarists, so...

 

Anyways, the subcategory of models is welcome.

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3 hours ago, khiryos said:

- HX blocks of a same category.

Thats a very valid point. One that hadnt occured to me. Still, id be happy if the HX and legacy doubles were addressed. There must be close to twenty of them? Even if there are sonic differences ( i havent had time nor cared much to attempt to find out which do) it cant be enough to make a huge difference, or something that cant be reproduced pretty easily.

 

 

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13 hours ago, SaschaFranck said:

No global blocks. Let's hope they're hidden somewhere...

As far as I recall, from a programming standpoint, the way the Helix architecture is designed, the concept of a global block would be close to impossible. I say close because there's global EQ, but it's more of a settings menu than a block. 

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7 hours ago, marcaspiteri said:

As far as I recall, from a programming standpoint, the way the Helix architecture is designed, the concept of a global block would be close to impossible. I say close because there's global EQ, but it's more of a settings menu than a block. 

 

Well, I can't agree on "close to impossible", not at all. The reason being that I can kind of fake global blocks already, using an external MIDI knob controller (I'd elaborate if required), an approach that a) just isn't too comfortable and b) impossible to use in case you also like to use snapshots. Otherwise, sending out the same CC values to the same blocks spread over patches is absolutely trivial and should be a piece of cake to implement internally.

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2 minutes ago, SaschaFranck said:

 

Well, I can't agree on "close to impossible", not at all. The reason being that I can kind of fake global blocks already, using an external MIDI knob controller (I'd elaborate if required).

Please elaborate!

 

Sean Meredith-Jones 

www.seanmeredithjones.com 

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17 minutes ago, Smj7 said:

Please elaborate!

 

 

Edited my post already, but here we go for the exact procedure.

All you need is an external MIDI controller allowing you to "send all current values" (or whatever it might be called on whatever controller). I'm using an outdated but still unrivalled and still working Behringer BCR2000 (32 rotary encoders with LED readout rings).

So, as an example: You map, say, all 3 parameters of standard overdrive to CCs. That's all for this demonstration. The rest of the patch could be just anything. Adjust everything on the Helix, just the drive parameters would be adjusted by your external controller (reason: the values on the Helix and the external controller need to match - fwiw, not an issue if this was taken care of internally). Save this patch. Copy the patch. Alter any settings in the copied patch, absolutely doesn't matter. Have your external controller send the currently values - *blam*, your drive will now have exactly the same settings as in the source patch.

So, all that needs to happen would be that a) the globally treated blocks would be excluded from the "save" function (with their values saved somewhere) or b) the blocks would get a value sent that was used before and saved somewhere (in my case on the external controller).

This is really all it'd take and nobody will be able to convince me it'd be all too tough to implement in case a mere hack such as me can easily fake it using a 20y old shoddy plastic MIDI knob box.

 

Fwiw, in case someone has contact to the Line 6 folks, feel free to forward this. Thanks.

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And btw, I actually thought about going the extra mile and having the BCR2000 with me on most gigs (would've even built a case with a larger lid to slap it in) and do all my patch changes from there (even with global blocks, I'd likely not need more than one patch per song, so switching patches manually on the BCR wouldn't be an issue), but then I found out that for this to work, you can forget about snapshots as each and every parameter controlled via external MIDI CCs is automatically set to snapshot control - which I certainly don't want.

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You could also create template patches and "global block" sets in Helix Native, and use these with simple copy/paste to Helix, HX Effects and/or HX Stomp patches using HX Edit. This is just another way of saving the block parameters.

 

 

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11 minutes ago, amsdenj said:

You could also create template patches and "global block" sets in Helix Native, and use these with simple copy/paste to Helix, HX Effects and/or HX Stomp patches using HX Edit. This is just another way of saving the block parameters.

 

 

 

Just that this hasn't gotten anything to do with what I want. I want to change, say, an amp parameter in one patch and have it automatically changed along with that in another patch using the same amp.

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I am looking forward to this update. Just not the process. Lately my PC doesn't want to see my Helix through HX Edit, or L6 update. Though it works for ASIO in my DAW. 

So I will have to go through new usb cables, and bring someone else's laptop into the studio just to update the hardware. Hopefully the new HX EDIT won't be so damn finicky with USB. However, I am not calling on the community for help until I exhaust my troubleshooting on my own. 

 

The content of this update has me excited. It will be easier for me to dial in tones from the front of the unit with the meters/clip indicators.  (I know the meters have been explained, but have the clip indicators been explained?)

I am excited about the Revv purple channel, and I'm intrigued by the dynamic split addition. I am very happy the Helix now has a compressor made with bass guitar in mind. 

The A/B comparison in Native is definitely going to be a welcome for us studio guys! That was a very nice surprise that I didn't even hear being asked for!

 

Honestly the feature/function set with the meters/clip indicators, and now with Native having A/B comparisons... I don't know what features, functions I could ask for out of the Helix at this point. I guess if any new stuff comes I will just be pleasantly surprised. I know I was with the QWERTY update.

 

As far as the models go... There are still some areas I would like to be a bit more saturated. Such as expanding the HX reverbs, and a few more High gain options. Obviously I would like to see a little more of bass guitar goodies especially after the acquisition of Ampeg. That said I have a good feeling that most (if not all) of that is coming down the line. Perhaps some of it will show in FW 3.0. (or the update after to that one) I do expect 3.0 to have some nice things with it since it has a nice new number. (major update and all)

 

Even though we don't have the update in our hands yet, and it is bound to have some headache for some during the update process. I thank you L6 for continued support of a great product line with the Helix. The continued support/updates ARE one of the main reasons I went with the Helix system 3 years ago. If I were to buy it only for what it did at launch, I may have went another route that did have continual updates. Those updates have brought me a lot of good things over the last 3 years. I don't expect it to last forever, but I don't expect it to end with 2.9, or 3.0 either.  The platform is still growing, and is quite popular. HERE'S TO A FEW MORE YEARS!!!

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3 hours ago, SaschaFranck said:

 

Just that this hasn't gotten anything to do with what I want. I want to change, say, an amp parameter in one patch and have it automatically changed along with that in another patch using the same amp.

What would work is block links instead of copy. In a patch, you would add a link to a block in another patch, not a copy. Then any changes to the target block would be see in all the blocks that like to it automatically. Helix doesn't support block links yet. Hopefully it will someday. 

 

In the absence of that, you have to redo the copy paste to propagate changes. That's a pain, but not that difficult with Helix Native and HX Edit open at the same time.

 

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