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Logic Pro X recording with Helix


jtuvner
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Hi!

 

I have too many options on how to record the guitar tone to Logic Pro X and dont know what is best practice?

 

I've got an UA Twin Apollo card, a Helix floor and also Helix Native in Logic Pro X 10.5. 

 

1. I started out recording my Helix floor, going out from the XLR outputs on the Helix output straight in to my Universal Audio inputs. Hence, I had to set the sound right and could not tweak the sound with Helix components afterwards. Still good sound though. 

2. I bought Helix Native and tried to record a dry signal straight in to the Universal Audio instrumental input and then tweaked the sound in Logic using Helix Native. The issue I got is that you normally end up with quite a number of guitar tracks (intro, solo, chorus.....) and that caused latency. I could live with that, adjust buffer size when recording and mixing and still be ok. 

3. I accidentally hooked up the Helix floor with USB to the iMac and recorded straight through the Helix floor, without using the UA apollo twin. Also sounded great. 

4. Having experienced the above, I thought I would do a combination, meaning I record both from a normal preset on the Helix (with a ready made sound) and a dry signal at the same time ( to be able to tweak it later with Helix Native, would the need occurr.). 

5. Yes, I've got a Powercab and 57's mics etc but I would prefer not recording that way but would prefer recording straight in to the computer without the need to amplify the sound through the powercab and record through a microphone.   

 

I'm a total beginner in this, what do you guys have as your way to go when recording if you have both a Helix and Helix Native? Is there such a thing as a standard practice? 

 

kind regards, 

 

Joakim

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Fwiw, I also own Helix Native (along with the Floor) and use Logic. I also have another interface that I usually prefer to use over the Helix (a Zoom UAC-2, but that shouldn't matter).
Personally, when recording guitars, I change interfaces (and quite often, I just keep using the Helix out of sheer laziness) because that way I'm gaining ultimate flexibility.
USB Outs 7/8 always record the DI guitar which I may then send through HX Native.
But during the last months, I rather prefered to record the sound just the way it comes out of the Helix (it's reducing option paralysis and makes me more productive).

 

But oh well, that's just kinda true. Because I'm not exactly recording everything the way it's generated in the Helix - but just the signal until it leaves the amp block (and sometimes some other things following). All speaker sim and FX duties are dealt with inside Logic. But I still monitor through them straight inside the Helix (doing so within Logic would cause way too high latency as the Helix' interface drivers are pretty bad regarding that, unfortunately). And that's where the Helix really shines. For this to work, I set the Helix up so that path 2 is split into 2A and 2B. 2A is sent to USB 1/2 whereas 2B is sent to the TRS output (which is what I'm monitoring through). Now, everything I slap into path B is just for my monitoring pleasure. Usually that's the cab (I prefer to keep that decision open) and whatever delay and reverb FX. Hence, the signal recorded in Logic is everything but those.

Works fantastically well for me.

I could post an example patch so you can check it out for yourself.

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36 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

I'm a PC guy, so maybe I don't really understand, but aren't you MAC guys able to create an Aggregate Device, and be able to use BOTH interfaces concurrently?

 

Yeah, even works a treat, but it's usually not exactly efficient. CPU usage goes somewhat up and latency is at least as high as what using the slowest of the devices would result in. There's also chances to run into sync errors in case you're recording through both interfaces simultaneously (even if these are amazingly rare). I have used that option with great sucess already,  but in daily life, I rather just use one single interface.

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I'm in a similar situation: physical HX device (Stomp), Helix Native, separate audio interface (Scarlett 2i2) and Logic Pro.
What worked for me is to mostly use the HX Stomp, connected via USB to my mac.
In Logic, I setup my template so that i'm always recording both the effected signal (HX Stomp outs 1 & 2) and the dry* signal (HX Stomp outs 5 & 6)
This lets me either reamp the dry, or I can run it through Helix Native or whatever other plugins.
Unusually, I also monitor via the HX Stomp headphones out. This monitor is everything out including Logic.
I have the HX & Scarlett set up as an aggregate device and for my purposes have not noticed any performance or latency issues.
I would definitely try to avoid sending HX analog audio out into UA Twin Apollo analog audio in, you're just converting the audio back & forth between analog & digital for no gain IMO.

 

* I have my stomp on a pedalboard, there is compression and a few other pedals before it goes into the Stomp so it's technially not a completely dry signal, but close enough.
 

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