HELIX LT - Changing banks with the footswitches...?

[Koldov]

Hopefully this is a simple question and will just get a simple answer...

 

I am not exactly new to the Helix LT, but it is way too complicated for my needs and for my old brain to RTFM or search endlessly on the internet. Showing my age probably but my last Multi-FX unit was a Zoom 8080... so please excuse me if I'm using it wrong or my terminology isn't quite right.

 

Anyway, I see on most answers it shows the full HELIX and that has quite clearly labelled 'BANK UP' or 'BANK DOWN' switches which I presume do exactly that... however on my HELIX LT those are just up and down arrows.

 

I don't gig, I just use it for recording so it isn't really a necessity for me to have this function at my feet, but it would be nice to able to rather than having to fire up the editing software every time just to change banks!

 

I haven't made any presets of my own as I'm quite impressed with the originals for now anyway, however I have chosen some of the ones I like and copied them into other banks, I just don't seem to be able to swap between them without the HX edit software.

 

As an example say I am on 'BANK 5' and I have 8 patches displayed (as I try to keep it to one screen and make everything simple - in fact I probably only use 5 or 6 in each bank), what I would hope is that I press the 'UP' footswitch and get to 'BANK 6' where I have another 8 presets for the next song, but the 'UP' footswitch just scrolls through the other 32 (x4) presets until I end up where I started (still in the same bank)...

 

I know I could have possibly set it up to have the first 8 presets for one song then the next 8 for another song and so on and that 'could' work, but then I'd probably just get confused as to which set of presets are where and would end up having to go through them all, so I'd prefer just to have the footswitches go up and down the banks rather than through all the presets in one bank.

 

I also understand the reason behind the fact that it is set up this way as the default, because if you have 9 presets for a song there would then be no easy way to get to the the 9th preset, so what I'm asking may not be possible, but if it is can someone please let me know.

[rd2rk]

Global Settings>Footswitches>Up/Down Switches

Set it to BANKS (Page 1, Knob 5).

[Koldov]

Hi,

 

Many thanks, I tried using your explanation but it appears this is already set as you suggest...

 

I decided to trawl through the manual to see if I was doing it wrong and found it to be exactly the same 

 

Global Settings > Footswitches

 

4 Up/Down Switches When set to "Presets" or "Snapshots," FS1 (BANK ) and FS7 (BANK ) change to PRESET / or SNAPSHOT / , where pressing either switch instantly selects the next/previous preset or snapshot, without a bank queue. This is useful if you've programmed a fixed set list for your show, and just want to increment through all your presets or snapshots. You can also cycle through all three switch types by pressing and holding both the and switches for two seconds. At any time, press and hold both FS1 and FS7 to cycle through BANK / , PRESET / , and SNAPSHOT / . The inspector will read "FS1/FS7 set to BANK UP/DOWN" (or similar).

 

Am I asking the wrong question or using the wrong terminology for a 'Bank'...? I don't have HX Edit on this computer so I can't see if I am thinking of this the right way!

 

I am on (what I think) is 'Bank 5' (?), I have presets 01A > 01D & 02A > 02D, now I thought I could press the Bank Up footswitch and be on 'Bank 6' 01A - 01D & 02A - 02D.

 

Instead I am still on 'Bank 5' but now see presets 03A > 03D & 04A > 04D...

[rd2rk]

Why do you think that you're on Bank 5 if the presets are 03A-03D?

 

There are 32 banks of 4 presets in each setlist of 128 presets. 32*4=128.

 

Bank 1 contains presets 01A-01D

Bank2 contains 02A-02D

...

Bank 5 contains 05A-05D

...

Bank 32 contains 32A-32D

 

If Preset Mode is set to 8 Presets, you're seeing 2 banks at a time, 1 bank on the Top Row and 1 bank on the Bottom Row.

 

Capiche?

 

 

[PaulTBaker]

I may be wrong, but I believe the poster may be having issues between a preset and a stomp?  The reason I say that is he is saying he has 8 presets.  If he is in stomp mode, that would be 8 stomps(blocks, effects, etc.).  Then he says he wants to 9 for one song.  that may mean a 9th stomp (effect, etc.) that he wants.   Since he has the LT, he can only have 8 stomps per preset.....or you maybe it is the snapshots.  you can only have 8 snapshots.

 

So to the original poster, do you really mean presets?  (it's ok, I'm still calling them the wrong thing!)  A preset (I call it a patch) is what you have in HXEDIT where you add amps, effects, etc to things.  the presets are in banks as rd2 said.   Take a look at that and see if that helps.

 

good luck!

[Koldov]

Hi,

Thanks for sticking with me rd2rk and apologies, now I understand what you are saying! I may have confused myself by diving straight in with HX Edit software and not figuring out the analogue controls first and PaulTBaker I don't think I'm in 'Stomp Mode' or using any 'Snapshots' or edited presets, that would blow my mind even more!

 

My example, was poor but I guess it should have read 'I presumed I'm on Bank 1 when I see 01A > 32D' and I presumed the next 'bank' (Bank 2) would then also have 01A > 32D, now you have explained Bank 1 = 01A > 01D and Bank 2 = 02A > 02D, I can see I'm using the wrong terminology!

 

Only in HX Edit for me it appears like this, I have incorrectly I guess put all my presets for each song into separate User folders  (in the screenshot I have highlighted you can see when you expand this you can see 'Factory 1, Factory 2, User 1, User 2, User 3 etc). I was calling these folders 'Banks'... it just seemed the most logical way for me to do it at the time whilst using the software.

 

So I wanted to know if I could use the manual footswitches to access/cycle through those 'User' folders, but I see now that may not be the way it is intended to be used.

 

I've now searched the forum now I know what terminology to use and found the answer:

 

"Press down on the “Preset” button/knob on the left, then navigate with the joystick."

 

A bit fiddly to do live, so it looks like I will have some reorganizing to do!

 

I know there are lots of options for doing setlists and such, but I will stick to Song 1 = Banks 1 & 2, Song 2 = Banks 3 & 4 etc.... to keep it simple, I've spent many years on 'guitar > analogue pedals > amp' and I know I'll never use even 10% of what this unit is capable of, serves me right for getting something so complicated at my age, but I do love the sounds it makes!.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[codamedia]

On 8/30/2022 at 4:22 AM, Koldov said:

Thanks again for your help.

 

So it's "setlists" you are wanting to shift through? No, that cannot be done by footswitch, but you don't have to open HX Edit to do it either. It's all there within the Helix joystick. The manual will cover it but the page might vary depending on the revision of manual you are looking at. Roughly page 13. 

 

When you approach the Helix without willing to learn how it works, it will be an uphill battle. 

I'd strongly suggest you take the time to learn your way around the unit... or you will forever fight it. 

 

It's not that hard, you just have to be willing. 

[DunedinDragon]

On 8/30/2022 at 5:22 AM, Koldov said:

 

 

I know there are lots of options for doing setlists and such, but I will stick to Song 1 = Banks 1 & 2, Song 2 = Banks 3 & 4 etc.... to keep it simple, I've spent many years on 'guitar > analogue pedals > amp' and I know I'll never use even 10% of what this unit is capable of, serves me right for getting something so complicated at my age, but I do love the sounds it makes!.

 

Thanks again for your help.

I think you may still have a bit of a problem with vernacular and/or understanding.  Generally songs would be assigned to presets within a Setlist.  Generally bank numbers are simply nothing more than a reference number for a preset the most part.  When you cycle up or down most people are simply changing to the next or previous preset, and that preset might have a completely different arrangement of amps and effects.  Also I'm not sure where you're trying to go with Song 1 = Banks 1&2.   Forget about banks which are nothing more than numerical references and just think Presets and you only work on one preset at a time.

Also, age has nothing to do with it.  I was in my early 60's when I got my Helix and I'm closing in on 70 now.  You can learn anything you're willing to learn if you have the desire to do it.  There are literally TONS of introductory teaching videos on YouTube available to you that weren't there when I started so you have all the help you would ever need to learn this unit.

[PaulTBaker]

ok.  So I believe I understand.  you would like to be able to move to a different setlist using foot pedals.  That is a very good thought.  I would like to do that as well!  However, it's not possible (unless somebody could figure it out with the control center or midi?).  I changed what I'm putting in my set list because you can't change setlist without bending down :).... Down is not bad, getting back up is my problem :)    For example, some of my presets (I call them patches) are the same, but have small tweaks based on my Les Paul or my Tele.  I originally had a Les Paul set list and a tele set list.  But I sometimes change guitars in the middle of a set, and I was having to lean over to change to that set list.  did not work well.

[DunedinDragon]

You can move to any preset in any setlist using MIDI.  Just press the Presets knob and select the appropriate setlist and preset and you'll see what MIDI CC value (for the setlist) and PC value (preset) to send to load a given preset.