Helix with Logic Pro or any DAW and multiple outs

[ElvtnEdge]

Looking for some advice here. I want to connect the  Helix with a laptop (using Logic Pro X) so that I can output stereo tracks and a click to different outputs of the helix that will essentially be going into a mixer type device. In addition I'll be using the helix for my guitar tone.

So what I've setup in the helix is three paths:

Path 1 - Guitar input with XLR output.

Path 2 - USB 3/4 input to send 1/2 output (tracks)

Path 3 - USB 5/6 input to send 3/4 output (click)

In logic I have all the tracks bussed to a channel and I have it set to output 3-4. I also have the click bussed to a channel and I have it set for output 4-5.

The problem is I'm not getting stereo tracks. I have two 1/4 inch cables coming from the send 1/2 into the mixer and it just seems like it gets louder when panned center in logic. *IF* I change the track strip in logic to "stereo output" only then does it become stereo and I can change the individual channel strips and have it truly pan. The issue with this is that it outputs to multi.

Is there anyone that can make some suggestions or let me know if this is even possible?

thanks!

[rd2rk]

2 hours ago, ElvtnEdge said:

Path 3 - USB 5/6 input to send 3/4 output (click)

 

In logic I have all the tracks bussed to a channel and I have it set to output 3-4. I also have the click bussed to a channel and I have it set for output 4-5.

 

Set the Click Buss Output to 5/6 so it'll hit the Helix Path 3 on 5/6 as configured.

I don't use Logic (PC guy), but that seems LOGICal. :-)

[ElvtnEdge]

Ok but how does that solve the stereo track issue?

[rd2rk]

Did you try it? Like I said, I don't have or use Logic. I can only work at solving the obvious problem

 

BUT...I'll take a shot at what I see happening on the Helix end:

 

Your Paths are more accurately called:

Path 1A

Path 1B

Path 2

 

You have your guitar on Path 1A with XLR Out to the mixer - 1 from L/Mono or 2 from L and R? Doesn't matter unless you're using stereo FX.

Your Tracks are coming into Path 1B (which you call Path 2) on USB 3/4 and being Output on Send 1 and Send 2  to the mixer. That requires 2 Send Blocks, which would need to be in parallel to get stereo. Since you only get 1 split per Path, and you've already split Path 1 into 1A and 1B......

 

Your Click track is coming into Path 2 (which you call Path 3) on USB 5/6, and being output on Sends 3 and 4. Same rule applies as for the Tracks on Path 1B. But do you really need the Click track in Stereo? Send that to Path 1B (what you call Path 2), only one Send Block/physical Send (I'd use Send 3)/mixer input required.

 

Then send the Tracks to Path 2. (what you call Path 3). You should be able to Split that path to put the Send Blocks in Parallel, allowing you to Pan the signals in Helix and keep the stereo to Sends 3/4 (or 1/2 if you use Send 3 for the Click on Path 2B).

 

If you don't want the Tracks and Click outputting to MULTI, set the Output Block Levels on both of those paths to -120db, which is effectively OFF.

 

EDIT: IIRC, In Helix, ODD numbered USB signals are sent LEFT, Even sent RIGHT.

[ElvtnEdge]

Hey thanks for this reply’s it’s great advice!  I didn’t try it yet but I will tomorrow after work when I get home.  (Just an FYI this setup is strictly for jamming with my brothers and we all go direct including Roland drums and output to a jamhub and rock out in a condo wearing headphones lol). 
So looking at your suggestions a couple things I found interesting that I guess I never thought of. At no point during my test did I put a send block or any blocks on path 1b or 2.  I just assumed that I set logic to the output and then run 1/4” cables from the sends into the mixer.  Out of curiosity, if I was getting output from all paths with no send blocks engaged them what does the send block do? Also the click should be in mono.  My guitar will be in mono as well and come out of the xlr left.  I only need the tracks in stereo.

 

I definitely don’t want anything going to multi.  Essentially it would be an xlr out from the helix for guitar , and 3 cables (2 x 1/4” for tracks & 1 x 1/4” for click to jamhub(mixer)

 

again thank you for the help, I will try this out and let you know how it pans out.

[datacommando]

On 7/26/2021 at 5:59 PM, ElvtnEdge said:

Is there anyone that can make some suggestions or let me know if this is even possible?

 

Hi,

 

 Have you fallen into the trap of the awful fact that in Logic Pro what you would think is a stereo pan pot in the channel strip, is actually a balance pot!

 

In order to have true stereo panning, you need to control click on the pan knob, then select from Stereo Pan, Balance, Binaural Pan.

 

Have a look at this video which explains how it works better than I can.

 

 

EDIT:

Your Logic settings should be like this -  Just tested it and it works for me.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

 

Get the Logic Template shown above and the Helix Preset from here:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gbqp86oazih40zy/ElvtnEdge.zip?dl=0

 

Have fun

 

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by datacommando
Added pic and link

[ElvtnEdge]

4 hours ago, datacommando said:

 

Hi,

 

 Have you fallen into the trap of the awful fact that in Logic Pro what you would think is a stereo pan pot in the channel strip, is actually a balance pot!

 

In order to have true stereo panning, you need to control click on the pan knob, then select from Stereo Pan, Balance, Binaural Pan.

 

Have a look at this video which explains how it works better than I can.

 

 

EDIT:

Your Logic settings should be like this -  Just tested it and it works for me.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

 

Get the Logic Template shown above and the Helix Preset from here:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gbqp86oazih40zy/ElvtnEdge.zip?dl=0

 

Have fun

 

 

 

Hey thanks for this!  I already knew about the panning and how I was doing it still didn't work like in the above example.  I will definitely try the suggestion posted above along with what R2drk suggested and post back.

[datacommando]

2 hours ago, ElvtnEdge said:

I will definitely try the suggestion posted above along with what R2drk suggested and post back.

Hi again,

 

I just re-read the post from “rd2rk”, and I thought exactly the same thing about the “click track”. I initially set up Logic to use the ‘Klopfgeist’ for the click, as that is what is generally used for the sound from the metronome. The problem was it is only a simple mono click, so I swapped it out for stereo drum kit, firing off a kick and side stick panned nearer the centre to use as a click track.

 

As noted by “rd2rk” a mono click would be fine, therefore modify my quick and dirty stuff to suit your needs.

 

Hope this helps makes sense.

[ElvtnEdge]

Guys I appreciate all the help and maybe I'm not understanding but it's still not working.  The only time I'm getting true stereo is when I connected the headphones to the Helix, then the pan seems to work.  I've attached two screen shots of HX edit.  One is what I gathered from RD2's instructions and the other is from Commando's template he sent.  Both are very different.  One has send blocks that I thought I needed and the other doesn't so very different and not sure what the right way is.   With RD2's setup I didn't know if having the outputs that I selected will do the job and do those sends need to be in mono and does the parallel path merge at the end?

 

Also for the record I don't want stereo tracks, just mono.  

 

Thanks again!

[rd2rk]

My apologies. Sometimes I need to go to the Helix and actually do it ITRW.

I forgot you can route the Path Output to the Sends without needing S/R Blocks.

 

Here's an actual demo preset.

Guitar Out Main 1/2

Click track on USB 3/4 going out Send 3 in Mono (or stereo)

Tracks on USB 5/6 going out Sends 1/2 in Stereo (5/L, 6/R)

 

I tested this using Reaper, with Helix as AI and outputs to my 18i20 in simple mixer mode, to my Studio Monitors.

It all works fine on the Helix end.

I'll leave it to @datacommando to get it working in Logic. Take it, Commando!

 

 

ElvtnEdge.hlx

[ElvtnEdge]

Thanks  I’ll try out this preset tomorrow.  I have the logic stuff sorted out as needed.  For the test I’m going from the Helix outs into my apogee Quartet that has 4 inputs and that’s connected to my studio monitors. 

[datacommando]

On 7/28/2021 at 4:00 AM, ElvtnEdge said:

I’m going from the Helix outs into my apogee Quartet that has 4 inputs and that’s connected to my studio monitors. 

Hi,

 

Oh, now I’m slightly confused. Helix -> Apogee -> Monitors?

 

I thought that the Apogee Quartet was an audio interface, and it also came with a low latency software mixer? Surely audio signals hitting the front end of the interface will be mono and it’s the software mixer that directs the signal to left, right, centre or whatever.
 

All the sound leaving your Helix is in stereo. If the output of the Helix is going into the Apogee and straight out to the monitors it will be mono and not panned to any specific position. Yes, when you check the phones output on Helix it’s all stereo. Stick your cans into the phones socket on the Apogee and my guess is it will all be mono without the mixer software element.

 

I maybe missing something here, but that’s the way it appears to me. Stick those outputs from the Helix into a regular mixing desk and pan it around as you wish - that just works. 
 

Hope this helps/makes sense

[ElvtnEdge]

Thanks to both of you for the help this finally worked.  I think my test interface was doing something funky with the internal software mixer.  Everything pans just fine using the information above.

 

Thank you again!