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Line 6 Helix.


fretmeister

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1 hour ago, dannybuoy said:

If you want an approximation to the OC-2, isn't the legacy Bass Octaver closer than the Simple Pitch? That's what I remember from my trial I ran anyhow, seemed a pretty decent emulation of an EBS Octabass, so much fatter sounding than a digital pitch shifter.

I didn't like the Bass Octaver, and used the Simple Pitch instead but prefer the Pitch Ring Mod of the three!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm not a gigging musician, I'm just a bedroom warrior, and this thread is giving me some serious issues. This looks like an amazing piece of kit, and looks like it'll double up nicely for when I'm twiddling on a 6 or 7 string cousin too. Must....resist.....

 

Is anyone willing to share a quick overview of their setups? Whether running into a cab or IEM etc?

Edited by karlbbb
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2 hours ago, karlbbb said:

I'm not a gigging musician, I'm just a bedroom warrior, and this thread is giving me some serious issues. This looks like an amazing piece of kit, and looks like it'll double up nicely for when I'm twiddling on a 6 or 7 string cousin too. Must....resist.....

 

Is anyone willing to share a quick overview of their setups? Whether running into a cab or IEM etc?

 Hi!

There are literally so many options! Here's just a few of my set ups:

1. Basic Board: I run my bass directly in to Helix then direct to my amp. I wear ear plugs. This is a very simple set up where the Helix has the job of just being a super cool morphing pedal board. Helix runs in two 'play' modes basically. The first is that each numbered button selects a patch that could be a program encompassing a whole signal chain with different settings, amplifier sims and pedals. The second mode, once you have selected your patch or program enables you to assign each of the numbered buttons to specific tasks in that patch. For the most part in this configuration it is to activate or bypass individual or multiples of pedals. e.g. one of my buttons will engage both reverb and delay effects whereas another enables a chorus effect. Another button switches on two drive pedals whilst altering the level of a wet/dry mix. 

This set up doesn't use any amp simulations on Helix as the amp behind me is doing that job already.. but I do have a cabinet sim that I can switch on should I take a DI out to the PA via a separate output that I have configured. 

2. No backline: A slightly more complex signal path per patch where I have assigned the different outputs on the Helix to do different jobs when needed. Most of the time I have found that I just run the XLR outputs direct to our digital mixer. The master mix of all instruments fed in to the PA of course goes out to FOH with an array of sound sculpting to makes us sound all lovely. I then have a sub-mix that I can either control by iPad or an external device. I connect to auxiliary outputs on our desk and the audio is fed back to me and my IEMs. I use 64 Audio A8 models. This allows me to have complete control over what I hear verses FOH. I either use a Fischer Stick headphone amplifier to take the signal from the desk to my IEMs or my external 'mixer' has it's own outputs for driving an active wedge or headphones/IEMs.

2.b No Backline, Helix controls IEM and aux mix: Not mine but this is ace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIWlCNhA96E - This is great as you can get away with not needing all the headphone amplifier /mixer stuff, just let Helix do it for you.

 

3. Hybrid: Like above, but a bit of tweaking allows me to send speaker simulated outputs to the PA and direct outputs to an onstage amplifier.

3b. Hybrid b: I thought I'd just note that you can set up external pedals in your programs too using the onboard loops.

4. At home: You can feed audio (MP3 player, youtube whatever) direct in to Helix in stereo and listen to it via headphones plugged ins to Helix then mix in the sound or your bass, effects and amplifier simulations. 

5. At home 2: I haven't tried this one yet but Helix will also work as an audio interface plugged directly in to your computer via USB, so everything you play on the computer can be fed to the outputs on Helix, but also everything you play on your bass could be fed to a recording DAW on your computer etc! Lots of fun.

6. At Home 3: I never seem to find time to mess with it, but it's possible to set up Helix as a crazy loopers board! Layering sounds, beats, rhythms.

7. Tech Corner: I haven't had time to play with this one either, but I did start looking in to Helix controlling Mainstage on my Mac. I've watched 'Worship' players on Youtube demonstrating Helix not only being an effects unit but using key presses to initiate loops, the starting and stopping of backing tracks and even accessing synthesiser sounds / patches by accessing extensive MIDI control.

8. Tech Corner: Can't seem to get it to do the washing up or make coffee. I should probably log on to the Facebook group and start shouting about the next firmware update needing it :):) - The Facebook Helix groups are brilliant and highly recommend as Line 6 staff are active on there and will reach out to you if you are stuck. Absolutely brilliant. 

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Wow, that's more comprehensive than I was expecting! That looks very flexible indeed. I'm currently running an older Zoom B3 for "everything" and I've been eyeing up a B3n to replace it, but to balance out the nicer sounds I'm losing the DI and USB audio (which is how I play at home, bass into Mainstage via the USB on the B3 to play along to songs or backing tracks etc). I know DI and USB interfaces aren't exactly expensive anymore but still bit of a pain turning a £150 pedal into a £260+ purchase.

 

Looks like the dream setup at the moment would be a Helix in a rack with the foot controller, paired with wireless in-ears and an FRFR if needed. I've always been more than happy to play direct where possible as I love the idea of a very low-volume stage. However, I'm not in a band, and play only Harley-Benton basses in the spare room so maybe a £2,500 rig is a touch excessive :$ however this looks like an amazing piece of kit. I'd definitely prefer this over a traditional amp setup if I were to ever find a band.

Edited by karlbbb
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5 hours ago, dood said:

 

7. Tech Corner: I haven't had time to play with this one either, but I did start looking in to Helix controlling Mainstage on my Mac. I've watched 'Worship' players on Youtube demonstrating Helix not only being an effects unit but using key presses to initiate loops, the starting and stopping of backing tracks and even accessing synthesiser sounds / patches by accessing extensive MIDI control.

 

I take a Y cable from the midi out. One side goes to the Strymon Big Sky and changes patches for me, either by a patch change on Helix or a snapshot on Helix. The other midi cable goes to my iPad interface and foot switches on Helix operate record, toggle and clear on the looper app I use. Midi channel 1 goes to iPad and channel 2 to Big Sky. So useful 

I also use a neat trick to play different steps of harmony on the Dual Pitch on Helix. I have setup four foot switches to change the harmony to 4th, 5th, 7th and 9th. Just play one note with the Ebow and hey presto.

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So I'm just trialling the Native plugin and it's running via Mainstage on my Macbook - it seems a touch, overdrivey? Most amps just seem to start overdriving even on my passive (Harley Benton) jazz. I'm guessing this may by due to setup but it's just the Zoom B3 as an audio interface in bypass mode, which is the input for a single channel in Mainstage, which has only the Native plugin. Yet even if I choose the Aguilar modeller (Agua 51) at the default drive setting (2.5) on it's own, it starts distorting the input. 

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Gave Helix Native another trial run today!

Managed to get a reasonable approximation of my Tech21 DP-3X in a short amount of time. I used a crossover block with a compressor on the lows, the highs going to an extra high-pass followed by various distortions/amps, then a low-pass filter.

Tried the OC-2 trick with the Pitch Ring Mod, not bad, with a bit more tweaking you could definitely get a useable solo synth sound from it.

And holy moly did they get the analog delays going into self oscillation right! That would be a lot of fun mapped to an expression pedal.

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11 hours ago, fretmeister said:

There’s an input pad setting somewhere. 

Turn it on and all will be well.

 

also, join the FB Helix group. Every question you might think of can be answered there. The L6 guys are members. 

Would you say that would be needed even if the input signal display shows I never got much above -12dB? The sound is lovely and clear with the Native plugin turned off...

But I'll join that group and have a look. Thanks!

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1 minute ago, CameronJ said:

Is that an adhesive skin? Like a phone screen protector almost?

I believe it is a solid plastic cover and it is held in place with miscro-suction tape.

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8 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

Ah yes, hence the slightly darker corners. Very nice!

Nick's work is just mind-blowing. I'm actually saving up to buy every single product he's sent me prototype pictures of! 

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41 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

How bad are the reflections over the Helix screen area? 

Looks to me like the screen area is either open or been made less reflective/mattified somehow?

Edit: actually, that’s probably just the natural finish of the LT’s chassis beneath

Edited by CameronJ
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1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

How bad are the reflections over the Helix screen area? 

If it's the same material that is used to make the rather cool screen protectors, then I can report there are no reflections as the material sits really close to the screen. That said, I've not played a gig out in mid day sun yet with it.

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It's the same material (3mm cast Acrylic).  The flipside to having great optical clarity is that it does have some reflections but not that you'd notice in any of the playing environments my screen protecctor has been in over the past few months - indoors with lots of stage lights and outdoors.

I'm just finishing off the design for the Helix Floor model as well ready for prototyping

Edited by intime-nick
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