Helix good problem to have

[cbeattyjr]

I have a Helix Floor Special Edition Floor that I push into a PowerCab Plus.  So far so good.  It's a great rig for blues and Americana that I play.  

 

With the Helix I really like the scribble strips and HX Edit, etc.  i also use Helix Native extensively.

 

My "problem" is that I use one preset for just about everything - Alex Strabala Americana.  The only thing I changed is replaced the chorus with a weeper wah (Moog Expression Pedal).  Otherwise, it's POT and TS808 Overdrive; two levels of amp gain; two levels of tremolo; two levels of reverb; tap delay; into a Grammatico amp.  The preset does use all of the switches.  I love it.

 

I also should mention that I don't put the unit on the floor.  I keep it at waist level with my PA mixer.

 

So I'm obviously not using the Helix to anywhere near its full extent.

 

I'm wondering if a HX Stomp would suit me better with a midi-controller.  I would keep the Stomp at waist level with the midi controller and expression pedal on the floor.  What midi controller is easiest to set up?  Preferably with scribble strips.

 

Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

 

Peace.

 

[zappazapper]

Maybe you need to use the confidence you have in knowing that that one preset is always there for you to fall back on, to allow yourself to go crazy and find out what else the Helix has to offer.

[cruisinon2]

18 hours ago, cbeattyjr said:

So I'm obviously not using the Helix to anywhere near its full extent.

 

Welcome to the club... I'd hazard a guess that the majority of users will never come close to using everything in Helix. I certainly don't... it would be nearly impossible for all but the most well rounded of musicians, playing every genre of music under the sun.

 

But so what? If it ain't broke don't fix it...you'll take a loss on the Floor if you sell it, and then you'll spend money on the Stomp and whatever MIDI controller you end up buying. Then you have to go through the hassel of getting the two devices to play nice together. In the long run I doubt you'll save enough money for it to be worth all the shuffling around. Keep what you have and experiment with it...odds are you'll eventually stumble on something you like better than the patch you're using now.

[DunedinDragon]

You may want to hold off as it's likely you'll find additional things you might want to do with the Helix, or different ways of doing them the longer you use it.  That would be especially likely if you end up playing in different situations or bands at some point, or covering other genres.  It would be a shame to go to the stomp and not have enough horsepower available to do other more sophisticated things.  It's kind of like cutting a board too long or too short.  Cut it too long, you can always use less of it.  Cut it too short and it's a real challenge to stretch it....

[cbeattyjr]

Good input from all.  Thanks!

[cbeattyjr]

I had a lightbulb moment that a FBV-3 foot controller would work with HX Stomp  Then I researched and remembered that it uses an ethernet connector.  Oh well.

[qwerty42]

If you're thinking of a Stomp plus an extra MIDI foot controller, your total setup probably won't be much smaller than the Helix Floor already is. Even moreso, if you ever decide you want an expression pedal. Don't let all the capability of what's inside Helix give you anxiety about it. If the size isn't an issue and it's working well, why fix what isn't broken? FWIW, all those models you never use in Helix are in Stomp too, so they'd still be going unused ;)

[DunedinDragon]

On 10/22/2020 at 3:28 PM, cbeattyjr said:

 

I'm wondering if a HX Stomp would suit me better with a midi-controller.  I would keep the Stomp at waist level with the midi controller and expression pedal on the floor.  What midi controller is easiest to set up?  Preferably with scribble strips.

 

A quick anecdote about the Helix and MIDI that can help differentiate things for you.  I recently began interfacing a Beat Buddy with my Helix floor due to some additional gigs I've been doing that involves a small group with no drummer.  My goal was to be able to do my normal stuff with the Helix and just integrate control over the Beat Buddy via Helix MIDI messages.  I have different songs in different presets so I used the Helix Instant commands from command center to automatically select the appropriate drum song that matches my preset and automatically make any changes to the volume mix with the drums for that song when I select a Helix preset.  I then just added a few buttons along the bottom row of buttons to control the Beat Buddy.  In essence, my workflow really doesn't change other than the additional buttons to control the Beat Buddy.  The end result is I never have to touch the Beat Buddy through the course of the performance.  I just hook it up and it just works seamlessly with the Helix.

You might be able to achieve the individual button control via a midi controller, but what you wouldn't be able to do is have the seamless integration between the selection of a Helix preset and the synchronization with the Beat Buddy song and performance parameters via the MIDI instant commands.

Just one example of something to consider.
 

[spikey]

On 10/23/2020 at 8:56 AM, cruisinon2 said:

I'd hazard a guess that the majority of users will never come close to using everything in Helix. I certainly don't...

 

+1000

[codamedia]

When you have something that works what would the purpose be downsizing to what would become a more complicated setup? 

• If you are willing to put a midi controller and expression on the floor, why not put your Helix there? That's what it's made for. 
• If you really need to have the unit near the mixer.... why not check to see if someone wants to trade their Helix RACK/Controller for the Floor Model? 

You might under utilize the Helix but most of us do!

It doesn't have thousands of features for each of us to use them all... it has thousands of features so everyone has a better chance to find the features they want/need. 

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

 

 

[cbeattyjr]

25 minutes ago, codamedia said:

When you have something that works what would the purpose be downsizing to what would become a more complicated setup? 

• If you are willing to put a midi controller and expression on the floor, why not put your Helix there? That's what it's made for. 
• If you really need to have the unit near the mixer.... why not check to see if someone wants to trade their Helix RACK/Controller for the Floor Model? 

You might under utilize the Helix but most of us do!

It doesn't have thousands of features for each of us to use them all... it has thousands of features so everyone has a better chance to find the features they want/need. 

 

Just my 2 cents.

Many good comments.  It is the footprint of the Helix that concerns me - even at waist level.  But I do like having all the switches.  So I do like the idea of a Rack/Controller trade! 

25 minutes ago, codamedia said:

 

 

 

 

[cbeattyjr]

BTW.  I had a Headrush for a while that liked very much - especially the touch screen.  But since I use Variax 59/69 and Powercab I decided to stick with Line 6.  

 

It's the level of support and literacy of this forum that keep me coming back since the original POD bean and AX2.

[codamedia]

18 minutes ago, cbeattyjr said:

since I use Variax 59/69 and Powercab I decided to stick with Line 6

 

Another consideration to keep in mind....

The STOMP doesn't have a VDI port for the Variax. Only the Floor, Rack and LT are equipped with that. I believe the same applies to Control link for the Powercab. 

 

22 minutes ago, cbeattyjr said:

So I do like the idea of a Rack/Controller trade! 

 

In my market (Winnipeg Canada) I see this offer in local classifieds a few times a year so i believe there is interest. You live in a larger market area so I can't help but think this should be an option for you.

[cbeattyjr]

I forgot to mention that I use a G10 wireless - so the VDI port is not used.