DELAYS: Why do NONE have hold?

[markwesse]

I really miss the hold button...very much needed...please :-)

 

I did just go through all the models and seems there are literally none that do it. When I first got a digitech DSP128...was the first thing that I actually loved about it...use it for percussion...often...but also for vocals as I use the helix as my vocal fx

[datacommando]

On 11/15/2023 at 9:16 AM, markwesse said:

I really miss the hold button...very much needed...please :-)

 

I did just go through all the models and seems there are literally none that do it. When I first got a digitech DSP128...was the first thing that I actually loved about it...use it for percussion...often...but also for vocals as I use the helix as my vocal fx

Hi,

 

Ah, yes, the “HOLD” button - great fun in the early days of digital jiggery pokery. My old Ibanez DM 1000 provided almost one second of sampling via the hold button facility. I used to grab 900ms of audio and have it playback into a channel with a triggered noise gate on the input to produce odd stuttering rhythmic effects. It was a few years later when I got the AKAI S950 dedicated sampler for even more craziness. 
 

Anyhow - re the Helix. My  guess is they didn’t add a hold button to the delays, simply because you could achieve a similar result by adding a 1 Switch Looper that can provide up to 60 seconds mono, or 30 seconds stereo, of Sample and Hold to mess around with. Also the Shuffling Looper puts it into the realms of silliness that I did with chopping up the playback from the old Ibanez. 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

 

[brue58ski]

You can also set up a footswitch or snapshot time control the feedback and turn it up with a button press. 

[markwesse]

On 11/15/2023 at 11:58 PM, datacommando said:

Hi,

 

Ah, yes, the “HOLD” button - great fun in the early days of digital jiggery pokery. My old Ibanez DM 1000 provided almost one second of sampling via the hold button facility. I used to grab 900ms of audio and have it playback into a channel with a triggered noise gate on the input to produce odd stuttering rhythmic effects. It was a few years later when I got the AKAI S950 dedicated sampler for even more craziness. 
 

Anyhow - re the Helix. My  guess is they didn’t add a hold button to the delays, simply because you could achieve a similar result by adding a 1 Switch Looper that can provide up to 60 seconds mono, or 30 seconds stereo, of Sample and Hold to mess around with. Also the Shuffling Looper puts it into the realms of silliness that I did with chopping up the playback from the old Ibanez. 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

 

Actually you are right...have been chatting about the ol DM1000...actually that was where is originated...but the DSP128 came with a 3 button footswitch where is became a lot more realtime to control the stuff.

 

Yeah, more about tone authenticity. Part of the charm is eg the Echoplex 3 had sound on sound and the repeats keep degrading as you go...same with the DM1000 and the DSP128, they all imparted such a beautiful colour. 

 

On 11/16/2023 at 12:49 AM, brue58ski said:

You can also set up a footswitch or snapshot time control the feedback and turn it up with a button press. 

 

Snapshots are great...but without scope limiting as per feature request...its not ideal as now you can remap other snapshots without going explicitly to each one involved and adjusting them. Its also not the same you need to 'grab' a moment with specific degradation and colour and that becomes the bed.

 

Snapshots would be so much better with parameter scoping

 

Cheers

[datacommando]

On 11/15/2023 at 9:51 PM, markwesse said:

Yeah, more about tone authenticity. Part of the charm is eg the Echoplex 3 had sound on sound and the repeats keep degrading as you go...same with the DM1000 and the DSP128, they all imparted such a beautiful colour. 

Hi,

 

Yeah, I understand what you’re saying about degradation, or the fade on the repeats.
 

This was actually mentioned in one of the “Model Citizens” blogs with Jeff Schroeder discussing ambient, “Frippertronics”. It seems he picked up a trick from Bill Vencil’s “Chords of Orion” on YouTube. Bill’s example shows that by reducing the Helix Looper’s overdub level by -1.70db it lessens the build up of repeats into a fade. Throw in a Retro Reel and see where it goes.

 

If you haven’t seen it, it may be worth checking out:

 

https://blog.line6.com/2022/08/25/jeff-schroeder-ambient-sounds-pt-1-frippertronics/

 

I love this stuff - being a fan of minimalist and ambient- Terry Reilly, Robert Fripp and Brian Eno.

[markwesse]

On 11/16/2023 at 11:33 AM, datacommando said:

Hi,

 

Yeah, I understand what you’re saying about degradation, or the fade on the repeats.
 

This was actually mentioned in one of the “Model Citizens” blogs with Jeff Schroeder discussing ambient, “Frippertronics”. It seems he picked up a trick from Bill Vencil’s “Chords of Orion” on YouTube. Bill’s example shows that by reducing the Helix Looper’s overdub level by -1.70db it lessens the build up of repeats into a fade. Throw in a Retro Reel and see where it goes.

 

If you haven’t seen it, it may be worth checking out:

 

https://blog.line6.com/2022/08/25/jeff-schroeder-ambient-sounds-pt-1-frippertronics/

 

I love this stuff - being a fan of minimalist and ambient- Terry Reilly, Robert Fripp and Brian Eno.

Yeah me too...along with harold budd (plateaux of mirror) etc, kitaro...clannad, the list goes on right through to Faun

Thats what I mean too...simple little tools can yields years of inspiration instead of preset surfing every new plugin...just really solid emulations with ALL of the original stuff...with guidance from those familiar and actually USED that piece for more than a year...

 

The nicest tape echo I had was the italian Mirano which had beautiful tube stuff. Also had a Korg VC10 vocoder which I used as an insert effect...still is the best chorus...EVER! When on to be used on the polysix and many of the hardware units. That (original in stereo) would be amazing to have on the helix. This is exactly why USB should be an FX send/return block ie so you can plug stuff in...I have a great exact emulation of the DM1000 which I still find so much better than the retro digital delay in helix...so frustrating.

[craiganderton]

It isn't the same thing as hold on a delay, but the Poly Sustain's ability to "freeze" sound is pretty cool.

[Schmalle]

Ratchet?!

[theElevators]

I assign feedback to the expression pedal.  So it goes from like 35% to 99%.  99, so that I don't accidentally create a noisy mess inadvertently.