Limited effects on one chain?

[Maurice-Vincent]

Hey There, 

 

Hope all is good! I'd like to put 3 reverbs on the same path but it seems that there is a limit of effects that I can put on one chain? Is there something I forgot or is there simply a limit of effects that I can put on a chain? If you see the image: I'd like to put another reverb on the empty block but all the effect go 'transparant' and I can't put them on the chain. Thanks in advance! 

 

Thanks a lot! 

 

Vincent

 

 

[silverhead]

You are encountering the DSP limit of the Helix device. It is a processing power limitation, not a number of FX limitation. Every device has a DSP limit. When Helix approaches its limit it ‘greys out’ the blocks that can’t be added and prevents you from selecting them. Reverbs are very DSP intensive blocks, and the device is telling you that it can’t add a third reverb. To get the desired block added you will need to remove other blocks in order to make room for ir.

[brue58ski]

I'm not sure how much you know so I'm sorry if you're already aware of this stuff. DSP is essentially memory. Each path has a DSP/memory limit. Each effect/amp etc uses a certain amount of memory. A volume pedal uses very little. The new reverbs use a lot. So your Path 2 is "full" Try doing the single amp/cab block in Path 2 instead of using two blocks for them. That'll save some DSP. Also try moving your EQ to path 1. I know there's no room in Path 1 but there's a way around this.  if there is enough memory left over in Path 1, you can create another path in path 1 by taking, for example, the last mod effect and clicking & draggin it down you will see another path pop up that's been created that will have 8 more slots. I am doing this from HX Edit.

I do know how to do this from the Helix directly. Check out the manual.

This will create a Path 1A and Path 1B. You need to adjust the split point going out of path A, so that all of your signal is going down to path B and then do the same kind of thing for the split point gong back to path A. It's a little convoluted and I'm not sure how well I explained it. The EQ doesn't use a lot of DSP and combining the amp and cab into 1 block won't save a lot of memory but it may be enough. Honestly I don't think it will but it's worth a shot. Some other things.

 

I've never done this but if you control the level parameter of the compressor with the Expression pedal, I think it will essentially work the same as a volume pedal so it could allow you to delete the volume pedal block. Not a lot of DSP savings but it could help.

I do not know what reverbs you are using but if they are not legacy reverbs consider using those, they use less DSP.

You may need to just create two patches. If there are two reverbs you know you will never use at the same time, copy the patch and paste it in another slot, get rid of one of them and put the new one in the new patch

That's all I've got.

 I recommend this

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AndertonHX-e--sweetwater-publishing-the-big-book-of-helix-tips-and-tricks

 

He's got some hints about DSP usage and it's just a good thing.

 

Hope this helps.

[datacommando]

On 5/27/2022 at 9:06 AM, Maurice-Vincent said:

I'd like to put another reverb on the empty block but all the effect go 'transparant' and I can't put them on the chain.

 

Hi,

 

As noted in the previous comments -  when any item is displayed as transparent it is not available to use because you have simply run out of processing power. Each block in your signal chain will use a different amount of DSP depending on the complexity of the effect and whether it is mono or stereo. It's not obvious from your screenshot what particular delays and reverbs you have in the preset but if you can get away with using mono, or legacy, versions of the same type you may be able to add the 3rd reverb. Any effect used before the amp/cab block ideally should be mono.

 

Forum contributor, “Malhavok” (Ben Vesco) has done his own tests of DSP usage, and has been publishing the lists for quite some time. Find the latest updates here:

https://benvesco.com/store/helix-dsp-allocations/

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

[craiganderton]

One way I save CPU power is with EQ-based cabs. Also, for some sounds, you can get away with using a preamp instead of Amp when you make a custom cab with EQ.