Setting up Helix LT for worship service each week

[wepjr]

I just acquired a Helix LT and am learning to use it. I have figured out how to make presets and things like that. But here's my problem... We play 4 or 5 songs each service and those songs vary from week to week... How do you make it easy to create a setlist (say with 4 songs in it) and make them easily accessible during the set? How do you make it easy to go from one song to the next that require different presets? And then, the following week, delete the songs in that setlist and add new songs to it? This is not rocket science but I can't seem to do this without having to jump through hoops to get it done. Makes me wanna sell the things and go back to stomp boxes. Someone please explain how you use and changes setlists each week. Thanks for any guidance you can provide. 

[waymda]

OK - there's a few things in you post and I'll try to untangle what I think you're asking. 

 

First - managing patches. Build a library of patches using one of the setlists and do all editing in that library. Name the setlists so you don't get confused (eg 'library', 'live', 'testing', etc)

 

Assuming your set lists are pre-determined each week, copy the required patches in the required order to another setlist and use that setlist to move through the patches. This could be done on the unit on the day even. You will need to set your footswitches in a way that works for you. For me this is Stomp/Snap - with the ability to move up and down through presets using the far left switches, and a set of stomps along the top row and snapshots along the bottom. See page 66 of the manual.

 

Another way is to navigate your library using a midi controller - I use an app called BandHelper and use blutooth midi on a tablet with a Yamaha wireless midi dongle to move between songs in my library. Takes a while to set-up but is amazing once done. When I first started using modelling I used the library method above and made/overwrote a performance setlist each gig.

 

You should also learn about snapshots so you know how to change 'things' within patches for parts of your song - eg into, verse, chous, solo as a bais example. You can make changes ranging from things being turned on or off, through paramter changes.

 

Yes this is complx at first, however you've moved away from stomp boxes and amps to something closer to a full programable rig that holds those things inside it. It will take time, but it gets easier. If you learn it you will find it very hard to go back to stomp boxes - unless you were already using a programmable rig.

 

I would suggest watching some of Jason Sadites basic how to youtube videos https://www.youtube.com/c/JasonSadites

 

These would be good starters

 

 

[theElevators]

Have a preset for every song. Even if you only use one sound throughout the song, still create a new preset. 
 

I use snapshots to change all my sounds in the preset. Eg: verse, chorus, solo. Some people like the pedalboard approach or a combination of both 

 

Then before each service, arrange the presets in the desired order. It’s very easy to do with HX Edit.  Also you can do it on the Helix: there is a knob that can move the selected preset into a desired place. 

[DunedinDragon]

As the music director at my church I'm in exactly the same situation each Sunday and here's how I do it.

I have a preset for each song and the name of the preset is typically the name of the song or some variation of it.  After I create and gain stage the preset I export it to my computer hard drive into a single directory specifically for that purpose.  I load each song into the same 5 or 6 preset slots on the Helix in the order we'll be playing them each week and simply click through the presets for each song as we play them.  If I have to make any last minute adjustments to my presets at the service I just make sure I export them back to my hard drive overwriting the old version when I get home on Sunday so they always remain current.  Essentially my hard drive directory becomes my archive of song presets we've played.  This has the benefit of being able to sort my library of presets in any order I want by name or date modified which can be quite handy.  I can also see which songs we haven't played in a while and it helps in establishing a rotation.  It also gives me an offline backup of songs so that if something were to happen to my Helix, I just use my spare Helix from my studio and I'm ready to go.

Over time I've developed a few special practices.  I often play the same song on different guitars so that I'm not switching guitars during the service.  So when I save a preset I add a code to the end of the filename of the preset such as -lespaul, -gretsch, -acoust, -tele, etc.  Because these codes are only added when I save a preset, they never actually show up in the actual name of the preset on the Helix which I prefer.  I also have additional subdirectories in my song directory where I move songs we don't play anymore just in case we decide to revive them.

The key advantage to doing it this way is all my presets are relatively small and simple and I'm never in a crunch for DSP power.  I also benefit in that all of my presets have been gain staged in live use so I have some confidence they'll be at appropriate volumes each time they're used regardless of which variation I'm using for different guitars.  I also reserve additional setlist for special purposes such as special events we might be playing where we're playing a larger assortment of songs.

My use of stomps or snapshots is entirely based on what I need to do for each song depending on the needs of the song.