HX Effects presets/midi query - help me decide I should buy a hx effect :)

[bigtim1966]

Hi all,  

 

Am very very tempted to push the button on an HX effects but wanted to check one thing about its midi capabilities if I can.

 

So I will be using the HX effects mainly for jamming away from home and its perfect for what I need.

 

I am hoping that I can kill two birds with one stone though and use it to replace my current (custom built and very clumsy to use) footswitch in my home studio.  

 

To do that ideally I need to use the presets and midi capabilities of the HX effects to control other gear.  So here's the question:

 

I think I understand from the manual that by going into command center I can set up  the HX effects to send midi PC/CC messages out to my other gear.  So what I'd like to do is have a number of presets in the HX effects that effectively represent the different songs I play.  So when I change preset in the hx stomp I can send out PC/CC commands to configure my other gear. So far so good I think. 

 

When I select a preset on the HX effects I think I could then have it drop back into stomp mode so I have access to all 6 foot switches to do stuff during the song right?  My query is basically this: is the 'stomp' mode that I drop back to configured per preset or is it just a single instance of a stomp mode.  So if I select preset 2 does it give me 6 different footswitches to those I'd have if I select preset 1 on the HX effects?  I'm guessing this is a dumb question because I think the answer has to be yes.

 

Importantly if the answer to the above is yes, then will the titles on the footswitch scribble strips and the effects that they affect in the HX effects AND the midi commands I assign to footswitches be saved pre preset? OR are the midi commands assigned to footswitches global assignments that stay the same across different presets?

 

So what I want is to be able to send different CC messages from footswitch 1 in different presets in the HX effects if that makes sense? 

 

Hope that makes sense

 

Peace

 

Tim

Edited November 28, 2020 by bigtim1966
spelling mistake

[rd2rk]

The answer to everything you asked is YES, and the Command Center configuration is saved PER PRESET (not global).

In addition, using the Instant Command feature, you can send up to 6 different messages on Preset Load AND per Snapshot.

 

The only flaw with Command Center as far as I'm concerned is that if the footswitches are set to send toggling CCs (vs non-toggling or momentary), ALL of those will be sent on Preset Load. That feature should be configurable per footswitch. FCB1010/UNO has had this for 10 years. Embarrassing for L6 to be behind on the programming skills of a one-man shop like UNO, improving on a BEHRINGER design that they haven't improved on since it was released! I'm pretty sure I posted that on Ideascale YEARS ago, I'll have to check and post it if I didn't already. Actually, I haven't tested this with 3.0, maybe they already fixed it? I'll get back to you...

[bigtim1966]

Thank you so much. I think I am sold

 

 That is annoying about the toggling cc's but I think I can live with it.  So I think what I want to do is have three of the footswitches send cc to a common cc number but have them send different values.  so FS 1 sends #1 to cc27, FS2 sends #2 to cc27 etc.  From what you are saying because they are specific non toggling values, they wont be sent (which would be idea)  if they are sent its a pain but not a show stopper.

 

 

[rd2rk]

1 hour ago, bigtim1966 said:

Thank you so much. I think I am sold

 

 That is annoying about the toggling cc's but I think I can live with it.  So I think what I want to do is have three of the footswitches send cc to a common cc number but have them send different values.  so FS 1 sends #1 to cc27, FS2 sends #2 to cc27 etc.  From what you are saying because they are specific non toggling values, they wont be sent (which would be idea)  if they are sent its a pain but not a show stopper.

 

 

 

I just tested it on 3.0 and nothing has changed. Toggling CCs send on Preset Load, but not on Snapshot Load.

Regular CCs do not send on either, only when the assigned FS is pressed.

[bigtim1966]

48 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

 

I just tested it on 3.0 and nothing has changed. Toggling CCs send on Preset Load, but not on Snapshot Load.

Regular CCs do not send on either, only when the assigned FS is pressed.

 

 

That's brilliant.  Thank you 

[bigtim1966]

One additional question if I may.

 

Can the unit be programmed using hx-edit or is HX edit more of a back up type system.  I have about 40 songs I'd like to set up and doing it in a pc editor would break my back a lot less than doing it on the pedal itself :)

[rd2rk]

7 minutes ago, bigtim1966 said:

Can the unit be programmed using hx-edit

 

Yes, that's HX Edit's primary purpose. Changes made in HX Edit are instantaneously reflected on Helix, but not saved until saved in HX Edit (or on Helix).

[bigtim1966]

41 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

 

Yes, that's HX Edit's primary purpose. Changes made in HX Edit are instantaneously reflected on Helix, but not saved until saved in HX Edit (or on Helix).

 

ordering now :) thank you.

[loonsailor]

Not sure if this is useful to you, but just so you know, using command center you can also get the foot switches to send key strokes.  I use this in my home studio with cubase, mostly when I'm recording.  You'll find that there are a bunch of presets in the factory set for this purpose for various DAWs - cubase, reaper, logic, ...  And, if you plug in an expression pedal, that can also be set up in control center to send data.  I use this when recording electric guitar for things like wah.  I record guitar direct through the interface onto an audio track, and the midi control data from the expression controller onto a midi track, and use helix native on the DAW.