Helix Floor/LT/HX/Stomp/PodGo owners' Club - Tips, Ideas & Patches

[Bigwan]

40 minutes ago, Faithless said:

Bigwan, thanks!

 

I didnt know about the FX loop thing..

I figure, the same can be applied to Line6 POD GO then?

No idea, but I don't think the POD GO allows for parallel processing paths. Could be wrong on that one though!

 

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, Faithless said:

Question regarding HX Stomp:
 

Can it's stereo inputs (L and R) be used to plug in two mono signals (two basses) and by panning hard left and right receive two independent outputs?

 

It has two mono signals, I use that with my chapman stick, as that has two mono outputs. It has two outputs but they aren't independant unless you run no effects on them that join them together, so any stereo effect is not a dual mono effect, but works on the stereo spacing. So effectively 'yes, but...'

 

[Faithless]

Woodinblack,

 

Well since Im gonna play two mono basses, stereo effects are irrelevant anyways, so I take it, the HX stomp is gonna do the job.

 

 

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, Faithless said:

Woodinblack,

 

Well since Im gonna play two mono basses, stereo effects are irrelevant anyways, so I take it, the HX stomp is gonna do the job.

 

True, it will just make sure you know which effects you are using. It will work just fine.

 

Although I must say, if you are playing two independent basses into two independent amplifiers, and you have to use a block to get one of the blocks out, and share the remaining blocks with the two instruments, what is the HXFX bringing to the party that you couldn't get cheaper from two independant chains? I mean two entirely separate B1/4s would cost a third of the price of a HX, and give you a lot more flexability.

[LukeFRC]

4 hours ago, Faithless said:

Woodinblack,

 

Well since Im gonna play two mono basses, stereo effects are irrelevant anyways, so I take it, the HX stomp is gonna do the job.

 

 

At the same time?!

[tauzero]

23 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

At the same time?!

 

[Faithless]

On 02/10/2021 at 13:21, Woodinblack said:

 

True, it will just make sure you know which effects you are using. It will work just fine.

 

Although I must say, if you are playing two independent basses into two independent amplifiers, and you have to use a block to get one of the blocks out, and share the remaining blocks with the two instruments, what is the HXFX bringing to the party that you couldn't get cheaper from two independant chains? I mean two entirely separate B1/4s would cost a third of the price of a HX, and give you a lot more flexability.

 

I'll be running all of them to the same amplifier on stage for monitoring purposes.

 

What do you mean by these?

"separate B1/4s"

[javi_bassist]

I played a gig on Saturday. Small venue, no amps, everything had to go to FOH. Guitarists and I (bass of course) have HX Stomps. While doing the soundcheck, the sound guy asked me if that was my sound, that it was really compressed. I've been using the same preset for many gigs and I never noticed anything. I don't know if the soundguy is not used to receive some "worked" signal or that my signal is not that good (even though it sounds good to me). My preset goes like this:

 

Rochester comp (heavily compressed, ratio 10/1, but 35% of wet signal to have some parallel compression)->Simple pitch->Split at 120Hz (soft Teemah in the bass part, nothing above the 120Hz)->Signal merges again->Ampeg SVT4->IR->LA Comp (peak 2.5, mix 85%).

 

The LA Comp was just not to have great peaks sent to FOH. I've been toying with the LA to set the peak at 1.5-1.6 to be more subtle. How do you use your compressors?

Edited October 5, 2021 by javi_bassist

[acidbass]

34 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

How do you use your compressors?

Two compressors is too many. I use either the Rochester at 4:1 ratio or the LA Comp, slightly favouring the top end on the LA recently tho.

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, Faithless said:

 

I'll be running all of them to the same amplifier on stage for monitoring purposes.

 

Ah, so not separate amps then.

 

2 hours ago, Faithless said:

What do you mean by these?

"separate B1/4s"

 

from what you described which was two basses going to two amplifiers, I would have just had a B1/four for each, but now I see you are connecting them to one amplifier.

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, Faithless said:

I'll be running all of them to the same amplifier on stage for monitoring purposes.

 

What do you mean by these?

"separate B1/4s"

 

"B1/4" = Zoom B1-4 multifx. The cheap-as-chips alternative to a HX Stomp.

[Greg Edwards69]

5 hours ago, acidbass said:

Two compressors is too many. I use either the Rochester at 4:1 ratio or the LA Comp, slightly favouring the top end on the LA recently tho.

Not necessarily, multiple compressors is quite a common studio technique. Gentle, stacked compressors can get more squish whilst sounding natural compared to a single heavily set compressor. Alternatively, it’s quite common to run a compressor into a limiter. One to squash and one to catch the peaks.

 

That said, I think Javi_bassist may be over doing it, running heavy compression into the LA2A limiter. Don’t forget, the SVT amp block also compress as it simulates the natural tube compression that the real amp will do.

 

I’d dial the Rochester back to around 4:1, maybe 6:1 if you like the squish, mind how you set the threshold and take care with the LA2A at the end.

 

I’d also question whether this patch has been created at gig volume or bedroom volume. Compression can sound very different at high volume. A heavily compressed studio tone doesn’t necessarily translate that well in a live environment.

Edited October 5, 2021 by Greg Edwards69

[javi_bassist]

11 hours ago, Greg Edwards69 said:

Not necessarily, multiple compressors is quite a common studio technique. Gentle, stacked compressors can get more squish whilst sounding natural compared to a single heavily set compressor. Alternatively, it’s quite common to run a compressor into a limiter. One to squash and one to catch the peaks.

 

That said, I think Javi_bassist may be over doing it, running heavy compression into the LA2A limiter. Don’t forget, the SVT amp block also compress as it simulates the natural tube compression that the real amp will do.

 

I’d dial the Rochester back to around 4:1, maybe 6:1 if you like the squish, mind how you set the threshold and take care with the LA2A at the end.

 

I’d also question whether this patch has been created at gig volume or bedroom volume. Compression can sound very different at high volume. A heavily compressed studio tone doesn’t necessarily translate that well in a live environment.

I'll try to lower the the Rochester. I tried to set it as I used to run my JHS Pulp'NPeel in the studio for parallel compresion.

The LA2A is set to Compression, no Limiter. And I always create my patches at gig volume. 

[Bigwan]

19 hours ago, javi_bassist said:

I played a gig on Saturday. Small venue, no amps, everything had to go to FOH. Guitarists and I (bass of course) have HX Stomps. While doing the soundcheck, the sound guy asked me if that was my sound, that it was really compressed. I've been using the same preset for many gigs and I never noticed anything. I don't know if the soundguy is not used to receive some "worked" signal or that my signal is not that good (even though it sounds good to me). My preset goes like this:

 

Rochester comp (heavily compressed, ratio 10/1, but 35% of wet signal to have some parallel compression)->Simple pitch->Split at 120Hz (soft Teemah in the bass part, nothing above the 120Hz)->Signal merges again->Ampeg SVT4->IR->LA Comp (peak 2.5, mix 85%).

 

The LA Comp was just not to have great peaks sent to FOH. I've been toying with the LA to set the peak at 1.5-1.6 to be more subtle. How do you use your compressors?

You should have tried flicking the Lee Sklar patented DFA switch and ask if that was better?

[javi_bassist]

I have a question for you guys. Does any of you combine the HX Stomp with an external preamp? How do you do it?

 

I have a preamp that I love and I've been trying with the HX lately. Since it has DI out, I tried it at the end of the chain. However, I have also experimenting with IRs and I like come cab simulation blended with some dry signal. The amps in the HX are great (I've used the SVT4 and the SVT Nrm in many shows) but I still prefer the sound of my preamp. For those of you who uses the HX with another preamp, do you use it at the end of chain or in the FX loop?  

[Frank Blank]

I have a Line 6 HX Stomp tip, albeit a basic one. Don’t sell it then regret it almost instantly to the point that you are cussin’ yourself driving away from the recipient’s gaff.

 

That is all.

Edited October 13, 2021 by Frank Blank

[uk_lefty]

22 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

I have a Line 6 HX Stomp tip, albeit a basic one. Don’t sell it then regret it almost instantly to the point that you are cussin’ yourself driving away from the recipient’s gaff.

 

That is all.

Was pondering selling mine... Then started playing with a pop-rock band and realised how stupendously useful it is. My PC died a few weeks ago so instead of faffing about trying to create patches I've been using a lot of the stock BAS presets, as well as a few decent sounds I'd made, and it just works. In a second audition last night I went from hairy fuzz for songs that are synth bass driven to plummy round vintage bass tone with a bit of reverb at the tap of a few buttons in the next song. The Helix just works and doesn't have to be complicated.

[SumOne]

Do any of you use the Stomp as an effects processor for producing music rather than just using as a live Bass Effects pedal? 

 

I had a Stomp for a while but got rid of it when I realised I prefer individual pedals for the fairly limited amount of effects I want with Bass guitar, but another other use I think it could cover is as a production effects processer: I used Logic as a DAW for years but recently got a Windows Laptop and started using Reaper - which means I now need to buy VSTs (or get free ones), considering VSTs range from free up to £200+ I'm wondering if a Stomp would be cost effective as a production effects processing tool (and also be there as a Bass Effects pedal if needed).

 

From what I remember, the interface is user friendly and there are loads of effects with adjustable parameters that could be useful in production e.g. If I wanted to do something like add distortion and tape echo to a sample I could send the sample into the Stomp to process with it's various distortion and tape echo processing then run a recording of the affected sample out to the Laptop to record......or is that an overly convoluted and inefficient process and I should just stick with VSTs?  

[skidder652003]

2 hours ago, SumOne said:

Do any of you use the Stomp as an effects processor for producing music rather than just using as a live Bass Effects pedal? 

 

I had a Stomp for a while but got rid of it when I realised I prefer individual pedals for the fairly limited amount of effects I want with Bass guitar, but another other use I think it could cover is as a production effects processer: I used Logic as a DAW for years but recently got a Windows Laptop and started using Reaper - which means I now need to buy VSTs (or get free ones), considering VSTs range from free up to £200+ I'm wondering if a Stomp would be cost effective as a production effects processing tool (and also be there as a Bass Effects pedal if needed).

 

From what I remember, the interface is user friendly and there are loads of effects with adjustable parameters that could be useful in production e.g. If I wanted to do something like add distortion and tape echo to a sample I could send the sample into the Stomp to process with it's various distortion and tape echo processing then run a recording of the affected sample out to the Laptop to record......or is that an overly convoluted and inefficient process and I should just stick with VSTs?  

it would be less strain on your PC if you used the stomp for hardware effects.

[SumOne]

1 hour ago, skidder652003 said:

it would be less strain on your PC if you used the stomp for hardware effects.

 

Yeah, about the only thing I play that'd go through the Stomp to process for me to then record to the Laptop would be the Bass. Drums guitar, vocals etc are mostly from the Laptop as samples or played on a DAW/VSTs so I'd need them to be got from Laptop to go through the Stomp as an effects processor then back to Laptop to record. I think that doing things the usual route with DAW/VSTs for effects processing would be simlper and probably more cost effective though.

Edited October 20, 2021 by SumOne

[funkle]

20 minutes ago, SumOne said:

 

Yeah, about the only thing I play that'd go through the Stomp to process for me to then record to the Laptop would be the Bass. Drums guitar, vocals etc are mostly from the Laptop as samples or played on a DAW/VSTs so I'd need them to be got from Laptop to go through the Stomp as an effects processor then bnack to Laptiop to record. I think that doing things the usual route with DAW/VSTs for effects processing would be simlper and probably more cost effective though.

You can also record a dry signal, then send that out to the Stomp for fx, and then taking the signal back in to another track, if you desired, as well. I think there’s a way to do this if you have it connected through USB to your PC and use it as your interface…?

[Elfrasho]

Anyone use their hx stomp as an iem amp? Bass into left input, headphone mix into return/aux in. Put a send in the 2nd last block, then a return in the last. Plug your iems into the headphone output and send your bass output to foh from the send.

 

Would mean you could control the blend between of the bass Vs rest of mix via the stomp.

 

I've not tried it in practice yet, but should work in theory.

 

Obviously the negative is you use up 2 block's but to be honest, the gigs I'd be using this on would be gigs where I'm not doing anything particularly exiting withfx anyway!

 

Any reasons why this wouldn't work?

[SumOne]

My new pedalboard:

 

 

..... although I haven't fully committed just yet - still have quite a few pedals/pedalboard just out of shot. 

 

If I wanted to add one other pedal (M82 envelope filter) would it be fine to just add a daisy-chain connector to the Helix power supply? The supply is 9v 3A but the Stomp uses less than 1A (I guess the XL just slightly more) so it would still get plenty, and as I understand it excessive current shouldn't harm the M82 because only as much current as is needed gets drawn. Is that correct? 

 

 

[SumOne]

The XL seems like a winner. All the usual good stuff of the Stomp but the added footswitches feel like that's what it was always designed for rather than being add-ons:

 

- Stomp mode is like a traditional pedalboard that can have 6x effects each assigned to individual colour coded footswitches and still have the tuner/tap tempo and menu footswitches free (the same as the Helix Effects). (Whereas adding that many non-colour coded external footswitches to the Stomp would require quite a big midi footswitch and could be confusing without the colours). 

- Preset mode means you can have 4x presets as individual switches (e.g Preset #1 a b c d could be used for a single song are all there with a specific footswitch for each change). 

- 4x snapshots per Preset (it's 3x with the Stomp) that are easily accessed - each can have their own footswitch in snapshot mode or can be on the up/down scroll when in Preset mode, it makes using them useful and always quickly/clearly accessible so potentially one song could just use say Preset #1a and you have 4x snapshots for different parts of the song. 

- Edit mode means you can edit all block parameters via footswitches. 

- The extra footswitches means the tap/tuner button can be used for just that rather than being re-assigned (a lot of stomp users re-assign it to get a footswitch and so need to keep a separate tuner pedal). 

- Looper now works well with 6 buttons (rather than the tricky way it's done on the Stomp). 

- It's bigger than the Stomp, but no cables on the sides so it doesn't take up lots more pedalboard space (especially if it means getting rid of separate tuner and additional footswitch add-ons). 

 

The only thing I'd like to see (literally!) is a bigger screen - there's quite a lot going on in a small screen sometimes, especially in parameter editing mode or reading 4x Preset names. 

 

Overall it seems great, I'm going to try and just use it and nothing else so I'll have quite a few pedals for sale (and perhaps even my power brick if I go all in). I think it'll save a lot of money in the long run, and the main push for me to get it was it's much easier/simpler to transport on the tube to practice sessions. 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by SumOne

[SumOne]

Another benefit of the Stomp XL is not wanting/needing to use the expression pedal connection for a dual footswitch - freeing it up for an actual expression pedal. 

 

I've never gone in for expression pedals before but I'm thinking one could work really well with it as it has a lot more control than a normal one: can be set to control different parameters according to Presets/snapshots (e.g. Volume, delay length, Phaser speed, wah) and it has things like being able to merge between effects from heel/toe and the 'auto engage' threshold.

 

Anyone here usung one they would recommend? The Line 6 EX1 seems a reasonable price.