Beginner Help - Amp Channel Switching Via MIDI

[spork141]

Hey all. I'm now to the HX Effects and MIDI and was wondering if you guys could help

 

Here is my rig: Guitar > HX Effects > Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander (via midi in) > Mesa Mini Rectifier {1/4 cable into footswitch Jack)

 

Basically the Boss Tube Amp Expander switches the Mega Bogie Rec Mini Channels for me, all i need to do is use the midi from  the HX Effects to tell the Boss TAE to switch its channels (called rigs) and then use the settings of the BOSS TAE to switch the amp channel

 

Trying to figure this all out has been such a chore. Ive been able to at least successfully use command center to switch the rigs but getting those correctly assigned to a button in the way I want is confusing as hell. I think I need snapshots but not sure. Below is how I want this to function

 

• Button 1 on HX Effects = Rig 1 on BOSS TAE - with HX Reverb - and Amp Clean channel 
• Button 2 on HX Effects = Rig 2 on BOSS TAE - with HX Chorus - HX Distortion  -  Amp Clean channel
• Button 3 on HX Effects = Rig 3 on BOSS TAE  - with HX Boost  - AMP Dirty channel

 

So i basically need to have both a midi command sent, and an effect turned on, with each tap of the footswitch (As mentioned I already know how to change the amp channel from the TAE to the amp so that's not a mystery anymore)

 

So what do I do? Are these presents? Snapshots? How do I assign them to buttons? Should I use the editor software or the buttons on the unit?

 

Help?!?!

 

PS. Also I know there is a TRS jack to switch channels on the HX Effects but that wont control my BOSS TAE Rigs because screw me

 

 

 

 

[rd2rk]

Use Snapshots to control what's happening on the TAE, and which HXFX effects are ON/OFF when you load the preset, parameter changes of the FX, etc..

Use the stomps to turn effects ON/OFF on the fly, and control parameters not already being controlled by Snapshots - a parameter can only be assigned to one controller (snapshot or stomp) at a time.

[spork141]

Firstly thanks for helping me out @rd2rk

 

Trying to decipher what you are saying. I'm a bit new and are many terms and the Line 6 "term sheet" actually doesn't cover many of them

 

So my first question is, can it be done at all?  I sense you are saying that I CAN send both a midi command and activate an effect with one button click if I use snapshots. Is that correct?

 

Second is, what is the hierarchy of what i'm trying to do? I think I need a chart like this

 

• Physical Button 1
  • Button Assignment
    • Preset 1
      • Snapshot one: Midi Commend (PC1 CH1)
      • Snapshot two: Reverb(Rate3, decay 12)
      • Snapshot three: Boost (Gain 6)
• Physical Button 2
  • Button Assignment
    • Preset 2
      • Snapshot one: Midi Commend (PC1 CH2)
      • Snapshot two: Reverb(Rate3, decay 12)
      • Snapshot three: Boost (Gain 6)

 

Is the above right or do I have the hierarchy wrong? I know i can get this right but I'm just not sure where to look

[spork141]

So actually i think i found the perfect video below: 

 

To correct my above statement, I think the correct hierarchy is 

 

First Setup:

• Preset 1
  • Snapshot one (Clean) = Midi Commend (PC1 CH1), Reverb(Rate3, decay 12)
  • Snapshot two (Dirty) = Midi Commend (PC1 CH2), , Boost (Gain 6)
  • Snapshot three: (Chugs) = Midi Commend (PC1 CH3), Tremolo (rate 6)

 

Then assign the proper preset > snapshot number to footswitches

 

• Assignments
  • Footswitch 1 (Clean: Preset 1 > Snapshot 1)
  • Footswitch 1 (Dirty: Preset 1 > Snapshot 2)
  • Footswitch 1 (Chugs: Preset 1 > Snapshot 3)

 

So i need to make one preset, with 3 snapshots and then once that's done assign each preset/snapshot to each of the 3 footswitches/ Does this seem right?

 

 

 

[rd2rk]

Have a good look at the CommandCenter section of the manual.

 

Every time you load a Preset or a Snapshot, a number of commands defined in CommandCenter are automatically sent. These are called "Instant Commands (IC)", and are set using the "Lightning Bolt" icons. In addition, any Toggling CCs or Notes assigned to Footswitches are also sent.

If you assign Program Change messages to the ICs, you can assign different PCs, CCs or Notes to different Snapshots, which will be sent when the Snapshot loads.

I'm not familiar with the TAE, but your question implied that it has presets that themselves can be used to initiate actions on the TAE, such as sending Channel Change messages to attached amps. Depending on the amp, that might be an analog switch or a MIDI message. Helix can also do this, so you need to decide which functions need to be controlled from which controller.

 

Helix can send commands on multiple MIDI channels, so if the TAE is on MIDI Channel 1 and the amp is on MIDI Channel 2, separate commands can be sent to each using the ICs.

Here, I would need to know specifics as to what EXACTLY you want to accomplish on each device, and what types of messages are required by each device to accomplish those goals.

 

I'm off to work now and won't be able to respond until Sunday, so take some time to peruse the manuals and think about what you want to do. Also, get a MIDI Monitor program so you will be able to tell what EXACTLY is being sent from/to each device. There are several free programs available, depending on whether you're on a MAC or PC platform (I'm a PC guy). Google is your friend!

[spork141]

Thx again for all your help @rd2rk

 

So in short, I'm not having issues with the midi part of my problem. I have already successfully programed different switches to change the WAZA midi RIgs successfully. I'm having issues understanding how to get my HX Effects to the final setup below. I'm not sure if I need to make multiple presets, snapshots, etc....I have been reading and watching tons of videos and I am making progress, but every time I take a step forward something takes me 2 steps back. 

 

So this would be my ideal set up. I look down at my HX effects and see 6 switches

• Switch #1 - Clean (switch to external amp channel 1 via MIDI + turn on HX reverb)
• Switch #2 - Dirt (switch to external amp channel 1 via MIDI+ turn on HX fuzz)
• Switch #3 - Heavy Distortion  (switch to external amp channel 2  via midi + turn on HX Overdrive)
• Switch #4 - Effects Mix 1 (switch to external amp channel 1 via MIDI + turn on HX digital delay, and HX phaser) 
• Switch #5 - Effects Mix 2  (switch to external amp channel 1 via MIDI + turn on HX Fuzz, and HX phaser) 
• Switch #6 - Effects Mix 3 - (switch to external amp channel 2 via MIDI + turn on HX Flanger) 

 

 

How i want it to operate:

 

• When I tap a switch, the previous switch is turning off all its effects and the next switch replaces it. It's not adding to the sound but swapping it completely. 
• I don't need the switches to switch to a mode where I can see all the individual settings of each pedal in each of the 6 items I listed above. It just needs to fire the assigned MIDI command and output the sound the default settings. I can use the editor later if I need to tweek anything. 

 

I've read a lot of the manual and I've read about the advantages and disadvantages of presets and snapshots and the modes but I'm getting disoriented and lost on how to plan for the above.

 

So what advice I need is:

 

• First you need to create a preset for..... then a snapshot for.... to get all the settings right
• Then you need to enter ____ mode to actually play the songs with the footswitches in that manner
• Here are your limitations. 

 

I don't need help understanding the HX software or how to operate the board. I can look all that up. I just need a birds eye view on how to form a mental model on the above. I hope this all makes sense. 

 

Thanks again

[spork141]

OK so after a morning of reading and trying this is where I think I am......i have the plan in the pervious post working (I think) but if im reading everything right, it doesn't seem like I can use all 6 switches in the plan... I am limited for 4 switches because both preset mode and snapshot mode need to have the bank up and down buttons and you are limited to 4 snapshots anyway. 

 

So in the pic you can see 4 of the 6 things i needed. If this preset was Song 1 for example, then i would bank up to Song 2 preset where I can have 4 more snapshots. Also i switched it to latch mode so it doesn't jump into the the parameter view. 

 

So i guess my remaining question here is, is there any way I can use all 6 buttons to do what I need in the original plan above or am i basically limited to 4? 

[rd2rk]

No, BUT....

 

In Global Settings>Switches you can configure the device to automatically return to Stomp Mode after selecting a Preset.

You can configure (in ComandCenter) any of your (unused) Stomp Mode switches to select a specific Snapshot or Preset - no need to switch to Snapshot Mode or Preset Mode.

So, in Stomp Mode you can go directly to any Snapshots you have set up in that Preset, or directly to any Preset, and use the remaining switches for on-the-fly changes to the Snapshot/Preset.

 

Without adding an external MIDI Controller, that's what you have to work with.

[spork141]

Thx @rd2rk im going to check that out and get back to you. THx so much