guitargrinder Posted November 3, 2024 Share Posted November 3, 2024 Is "The Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks" at Sweetwater worth it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted November 3, 2024 Share Posted November 3, 2024 For me it certainly is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted November 3, 2024 Share Posted November 3, 2024 First, RTM!!! First, RTM!!! First, RTM!!! Did I mention, First, RTM!!! Then, if you want to dive deeper, get the BBHT&T. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kduck Posted November 3, 2024 Share Posted November 3, 2024 Worth it for the presets alone. Add to that the deep dives on each effect/amp/feature and I'd call it a bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted November 3, 2024 Share Posted November 3, 2024 On 11/3/2024 at 6:13 PM, guitargrinder said: Is "The Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks" at Sweetwater worth it? What a very strange question to post here. Buy it, read it, and then you can tell us what you think. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somebodyelse Posted November 4, 2024 Share Posted November 4, 2024 A Helix costs over a grand. The book costs $20. If you can't afford to waste $20, then you need to rethink your priorities. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiganderton Posted November 5, 2024 Share Posted November 5, 2024 I'm the author. I wanted to give a heads-up that the book has been through four free updates, but there will be another free update after the next Helix firmware becomes available. To obtain the update, all you need to do is download the book again. Whatever you download will always be the most current update. Updates cover the features from new firmware, but they also include more applications for new and existing features. To find out what people think, check out the reader reviews on the Sweetwater site. They've all been extremely positive except for a couple people who expected it to be a "Helix 101" book for beginners. It is not. It's written to cover what's not in the manual, describe applications (e.g., virtual "Nashville tuning"), and provide technical information about the blocks that isn't available anywhere else. The original reason for writing the book was because the manual didn't describe what the block parameters actually do. The only other caveat is the presets. Not all are meant to be "plug and play." Some are simply designed to show a particular technique, so you load them to experiment with something described in the text. Then using what you learned from reading the book, you can modify them for your specific needs. Scroll down the book's landing page and you'll see the contents toward the bottom. The topics that are covered will help you decide if you want to go deep into maximizing the Helix's potential, or need something more introductory. 2 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicLaw Posted November 10, 2024 Share Posted November 10, 2024 @guitargrinder, the answer to your question is: Absolutely Yes! You will discover things that about the gear that will astound you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiganderton Posted November 17, 2024 Share Posted November 17, 2024 I also should have mentioned there's contact info in the book for suggestions and comments. So if the book doesn't include something you want to see, or if something isn't clear, let me know and there's a good chance the next update will accommodate what you want. Many changes in the updates are the direct result of reader feedback. Some readers have even been kind enough to point out the occasional typo so I could fix it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlwinnig Posted November 17, 2024 Share Posted November 17, 2024 On 11/3/2024 at 12:13 PM, guitargrinder said: Is "The Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks" at Sweetwater worth it? ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT! Thorough explanation of features / tips / tricks. Tons of useful presets and how created and how to use and tweak them. Free updates when SW changes. PRICELESS ACCESS TO THE AUTHOR HERE! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladllen1054 Posted December 4, 2024 Share Posted December 4, 2024 On 11/5/2024 at 8:00 PM, craiganderton said: I'm the author. I wanted to give a heads-up that the book has been through four free updates, but there will be another free update after the next Helix firmware becomes available. To obtain the update, all you need to do is download the book again. Whatever you download will always be the most current update. Updates cover the features from new firmware, but they also include more applications for new and existing features. To find out what people think, check out the reader reviews on the Sweetwater site. They've all been extremely positive except for a couple people who expected it to be a "Helix 101" book for beginners. It is not. It's written to cover what's not in the manual, describe applications (e.g., virtual "Nashville tuning"), and provide technical information about the blocks that isn't available anywhere else. The original reason for writing the book was because the manual didn't describe what the block parameters actually do. The only other caveat is the presets. Not all are meant to be "plug and play." Some are simply designed to show a particular technique, so you load them to experiment with something described in the text. Then using what you learned from reading the book, you can modify them for your specific needs. Scroll down the book's landing page and you'll see the contents toward the bottom. The topics that are covered will help you decide if you want to go deep into maximizing the Helix's potential, or need something more introductory. The Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks is a great resource if you want to deepen your understanding of the Helix. However, if you prefer learning through examples and practical applications, other free resources are worth exploring. For instance, I recently came across this page about career essays, like "A Lawyer - My Future Career" which provides great tips on structuring and analyzing complex topics https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/a-lawyer-my-future-career/ While unrelated to Helix, the clear and organized approach can inspire how you tackle learning guides or manuals. Ultimately, if you enjoy detailed insights with step-by-step guidance, the book from Sweetwater could still be a good investment. Thanks for info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLF2007 Posted December 4, 2024 Share Posted December 4, 2024 I think the book was worth it. It had some interesting sound design topics that made me think of some things differently. The content is all relevant. I was a long time user of the Helix before I got it and a mentor on Facebook for it, etc, so I understood the unit well but still got some great insights from the book. I also got the Studio One book Craig Anderton wrote and had a similar experience. However, the Sweetwater update process for new book editions -while is pointed out by the author in this thread as free-there is NO cohesive process or links to do so and @craiganderton and others shouldn't be trying to sell you on that point. His point on going and "downloading the book again" via the links/process doesn't work as there is no obvious process to do so. To be fair, it hasn't meant enough for me to do any Google searches or reaching out to Sweetwater to figure that out, because the base material, in both cases, has given me what I needed from it but they don't make updates easy at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlosvladi Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 V 1.5 is online ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stapani Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Thx for info, carlosvladi And thx Craig Anderton for keeping Helix wheels rollin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiganderton Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 Hmmm...I haven't been told it is, and I don't see it on the site yet. But I sent them the book a couple weeks ago, so if it's not up now, it will be soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 I don't see it yet either - but glad it's coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stapani Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 I downloaded it yesterday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 It just appeared in my browser now. A search showed v1.4 but clicking on it shows v1.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 btw... I find the download procedure to be a bit cumbersome. I have to go into the confirmation email I received when I purchsed the original version, copy the activation code, and paste it into a browser window. Then I can see and activate the Download button. I just did it successfully for 1.5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiganderton Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 On 1/7/2025 at 1:47 PM, silverhead said: btw... I find the download procedure to be a bit cumbersome. Unfortunately, that's what makes the free updates possible. As I understand it, apparently when the system was set up, it was a real challenge to have it "sell" something for $0.00. The workaround was to reference the sale of your original purchase. Even if Sweetwater had charged $0.01 for the update to get around the $0.00 problem, it would still have needed to reference the original purchase since free updates are available only to people who have bought the book (regardless of which version they bought). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 Thanks for the background info. Amazing sometimes how difficult it can be to make something free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datacommando Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 On 1/7/2025 at 6:49 PM, craiganderton said: Hmmm...I haven't been told it is, and I don't see it on the site yet. But I sent them the book a couple weeks ago, so if it's not up now, it will be soon! Hi, Downloaded my v.1.5 copy this afternoon, after seeing the comment from @carlosvladi in the post above - no issues, simply clicked on the link in the original conformation email, as all previous updates. Thank you for all your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiganderton Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 Okay, it's officially out. Here's the link for the landing page. The book now has 551 pages and over 330 presets that showcase the techniques described in the book. Most are HX Stomp compatible. As always, there's a support email given in the book if you have questions, something isn't clear, or you have suggestions for future versions. Quite a few of the additions are a direct result of user feedback (thank you!). 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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