I was watching a Brian Wampler video...

[DBCrocky]

and it gave me this idea...

 

So as I understand it, Helix models are mainly component level sims.

 

Then they should be in a unique position to produce a piece of software that allows you to bring up a circuit, for example a Tube Screamer, and tweak the values of various components, and maybe even make a few simple mods, all the while being able to play through the circuit and hear what it sounds like.  If you get something you like, you can save it and load it into your Helix and use it.

[Falcor77]

Positive Grid already did that with Bias Pedal.  Wasn’t that big of a hit so they ended up abandoning it.  Cool idea but I don’t think this kind of thing would appeal to the average user.  Personally, I do enough fiddling with preset parameters and I'd rather get to the guitar playing part. 

[cruisinon2]

To each their own, but as far as I'm concerned Helix in it's current state already teeters on the brink of becoming an all-consuming parameter tweaking rabbit hole. Last thing I need is a whole other dimension of adjustments to sift through... besides, the farther down you drill into smaller and smaller sub- parameters, the less effect any particular one will have on the final product. At some point it becomes like trying to alter a recipe for beef stew by adding or removing 3 grains of salt... you wouldn't be able to tell the difference with a gun to your head.

 

Just my 2 cents...

 

 

[SaschaFranck]

Not sure I'd like to be fooling around on component level (Fractal Audio already is almost taking things that far as well, fwiwi). I mean, I would - but as has been said by Falcor77, I'd likely find myself fooling around too much instead of playing.

 

Anyhow, what I'd really like to see is a bunch of "freeform" amps and drives. These would then come with the most elementary classic baseline circuits to chose from (such as a Marshall, a Vox, a Fender and a highain circuit) but without any of the bells and whistles of whatever authentic real life models. Instead, they should rather showcase an integrated dual EQ (one pre, one post) for your tone shaping endeavours. You can do this already by using an existing amp model and two EQ blocks (and it can take you *very* far already, too), but having all this embedded into one block would certainly float my boat a lot. Heck, they could even offer amp+drive blocks, with various drives to chose from, still being switcheable, too - but that way, they would be an integral part of your sound straight from the start. The ingredients of such a "super block" might then be: EQ (perhaps selectable types) -> (selectable) drive -> EQ -> (selectable) amp ->EQ.

[waymda]

Absolutely agree with the other posters that I don't want to play around at a component level as an end user.

 

Then I got to thinking about how, in the analog world, we seem to value the work that skilled people put into creating custom versions of pedals amps etc - and started thinking about a 'developers version' that allowed peopled to tweak and build custom variants/models for sale through market place.

 

Imagine digital only versions of some amazing custom amps and pedals.

 

Alas I also thought about how that plays out in the physical domain with people, and even names vendors, doing the equivalent of throwing a new image on an existing model and selling it as their latest and greatest. But who knows, maybe in the digital domain that sort of BS would be much easier to call out and manage - after all L6 could presumably look under the hood of every offering to check. They may well need to and charge for the service to ensure end user safety.

[zappazapper]

I said this as a joke in the 3.0 thread, but this is where a JSFX Wrapper block would come in handy. If you don't know what JSFX is, it's a simple programming language used to code DSP routines that's included with Reaper. I had previously suggested a VST Wrapper block, that time REALLY as a joke, because L6 would never do that, but then I started thinking about it and I think something like a JSFX Wrapper block would actually be a really powerful tool. Coding anything beyond a noise gate is way beyond anything that I'm capable of but on the Reaper forum there is a whole community of people who make great sounding stuff and will even take requests and give tips on how to code and modify code to suit individual needs. So all the people out there who ARE interested in playing with stuff at the component level can get together and design a routine that let's them do that.