Helix Help transition

Hello everybody,

You may have noticed that helixhelp.com is now officially moved over to the new version.

This is does not mean that I’m completely done with updates. In the near future, look for more enhanced model listings (including images) and more tips and manuals.

If you ever want to get back to the old version of the site to see blog updates like this, it is now linked to as Blog in the top right corner of the site.

If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact me.

Thanks,

Jason

Major Changes Coming to Helix Help

Hey everybody,

When I first started Helix Help, only the floor and rack models were available. As time progressed, Line 6 introduced many more products to the Helix family (Native, LT, HX Effects, HX Stomp) and Helix Help had begun to show its age under the weight of ever increasing models and features.

This left me at a cross-roads. It had become abundantly clear that the original blog-based platform used to host Helix Help simply was not robust enough to keep up with the ever expanding demands of this reference guide. I needed to be able to react more quickly to Line 6 Helix family product releases, increase the amount of information available on Helix Help, and make it easier to search and quicker to use.

This led me to develop the next version of Helix Help (currently in BETA): https://helixhelp.netlify.com

I took some time to research the analytics I received over the years about how everyone has been using Helix Help and discovered that 9 times out of 10, everyone goes directly to the model listings to get quick information about the particular model they are using.

As a result, the first thing I’d like for you to take a look at are the new model listings. You can now filter them quickly and easily with simple query terms (try typing “fuzz” in the distortion effects listing) and you can sort each column of the model listings, either ascending or descending, alphabetically. These new features make the model listings way more powerful and so much easier to use.

The next thing I’d like you to check out is the Helix manual. It is not fully implemented but the amount of information available is ridiculous.

Thirdly, at any time, you can use the search box at the top of the site to quickly access whatever information you are seeking.

Finally, you’re going to notice that the interface of the site has been drastically simplified to make it faster and easier to dive into at band rehearsals/practices.

Again, this new version is still in BETA and probably has some kinks to work out. Much more information and features are planned going forward and I’m excited to get to work. Eventually, others in the community will be able to add and modify information as well.

Once I feel confident that the new version of Helix Help is solid, https://helixhelp.com will become this new version. Don’t worry though, the current version will be re-positioned as a simple blog and will be available from the new version’s navigation menu.

For now, check out the next Helix Help here: https://helixhelp.netlify.com

Thanks,

Jason

Tip: Guitar Amp List

Firmware: 2.21

Thanks to Dariusz

Tip: Helix Cheat Sheet

 

Release Notes 2.70

2.70 (Oct 2018) “The Marketplace Update”

New Features (Firmware 2.70)

• Marketplace support—Marketplace is a new online destination that lets users purchase presets and impulse responses created by select third-party content gurus. From the lower left-hand corner of HX Edit, click “My Account” and then choose “Get More Presets…” or “Get More IRs…”
• Three New Tuner Types—From the Tuner page, turn the Type knob to choose between “Fine” (color-changing needle tuner with fine tuning bar), “Coarse” (color-changing needle tuner with no fine tuning bar), and “Strobe”. SEE IMPORTANT KNOWN ISSUE BELOW*

New Features (Helix Native 1.70)

• Marketplace support—Marketplace is a new online destination that lets users purchase presets and impulse responses created by select third-party content gurus. From the lower left-hand corner Helix Native, click “My Account” and then choose “Get More Presets…” or “Get More IRs…”

New Features (HX Edit 2.70)

• Support for HX Stomp
• Marketplace support—Marketplace is a new online destination that lets users purchase presets and impulse responses created by select third-party content gurus. From the lower left-hand corner of HX Edit, click “My Account” and then choose “Get More Presets…” or “Get More IRs…”
• Multi-device support—HX Edit now opens a new window when multiple Helix or HX boxes are connected. For example, if you have Helix Floor and your bass player has HX Stomp, you can now connect both and quickly and easily copy and paste individual blocks back and forth. Windows can also be manually opened and closed from the Devices pull-down menu

Improvements

• The tuner now accurately tunes notes down to 21.83 Hz (low F) for 5-string basses
• HX Stomp only—Shortcut: If HX Stomp is in Preset or Snapshot mode, or FS3 in Stomp and Scroll mode has been assigned to something other than TAP/TUNER, you can now press ACTION and PAGE> together to open the Tuner screen
• HX Stomp only—Shortcut: Press ACTION and <PAGE together to quickly toggle the Global Settings > Preferences > Snapshot Edits value

Bug Fixes

• Helix Floor, Rack, LT only—A couple of amp models (including Cali Texas Ch 2) have their polarity reversed. When combined with another amp in parallel, this could cause phase cancellation — FIXED
• Helix Floor, Rack, LT only—Amp > Cali Texas Ch 1 could gradually decrease in level when Mid and/or Bass parameters are set to 0.0 — FIXED
• Helix Floor, Rack, LT only—Delay models with two Time parameters could sometimes reset note divisions when changing snapshots — FIXED
• HX Effects only—Clearing or cutting a block on Path B from HX Edit could sometimes HX Effects to freeze when in stomp footswitch mode — FIXED
• HX Effects only—Switching from a preset with a Split > Crossover block to a preset with a Split > A/B block could sometimes cause HX Effects to freeze — FIXED
• HX Effects only—When EXP Position is set to Global, the expression pedal’s position could not be recalled immediately after switching presets, which could cause undesired signals to pass through — FIXED
• HX Effects only—In rare cases, exiting the Tuner could sometimes slightly adjust signal level and tone — FIXED
• HX Effects only—When connecting both left and right inputs, exiting the tuner could sometimes cause the right side of certain effects blocks to not be heard
• HX Effects only—In very rare cases, engaging a certain combination of footswitches while connected to HX Edit and then power cycling HX Effects could clear certain blocks — FIXED
• HX Effects only—From HX Edit, copying and pasting an Output block over itself could sometimes paste Mixer parameters — FIXED
• HX Effects only—Switching Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > Tempo Select values while transmitting MIDI clock could sometimes result in sending incorrect tempi — FIXED
• HX Effects only—After resetting Global Settings, Tap Tempo could become unresponsive while receiving MIDI Clock — FIXED
• HX Effects only—HX Edit would not reflect the Looper > 1 Switch Looper’s bypass status — FIXED
• HX Effects only—Mixer parameter values could inadvertently be copied into new empty presets — FIXED
• HX Effects only—Quickly changing snapshots from HX Edit could sometimes cause hardware and software to disconnect — FIXED

Known Issues

• *IMPORTANT: The three new tuner types only appear for those registered users who didn’t complain incessantly about Helix’s previous tuner on social media. For those who did complain (AND WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE), the new tuner will be unlocked once you perform ONE of the following:
  • Post a photo of yourself on the Helix Facebook Group with the “><” logo written on your forehead in black Sharpie (washable magic marker is acceptable). The admins have been given the authority to unlock units with flagged serial numbers; assuming business hours, please allow 1-2 hours for the new tuner page to be unlocked (NOTE: You may have to restart Helix/HX for the new tuner page to appear)
  • Post a meme of Arnold Schwarzenegger from Kindergarten Cop yelling “IT’S NOT A TUNAAHH!” on either the Line 6 Helix—or—The Gear Page > Digital and Modeling Gear forum. Be sure to use the proper Impact font. Memes will not be judged for their artistic merit, although the spelling must be correct. Again, admins have been given the authority to unlock units with flagged serial numbers
  • If you’d prefer to participate silently, you may instead manually rename 47 presets “Patience is Key” (NOTE: Will not work from HX Edit; nor can you just copy one “Patience is Key” preset into 46 additional locations. You must manually rename each one. Once all 47 presets have been named correctly, the inspector [or FS5 on HX Effects] will read “Tuners unlocked!”)
• HX Effects only—When Tuner Type is set to “Strobe” and your string is waaay out of tune, the graphic tuner nodes may appear a bit glitchy
• HX Effects only—In rare cases, moving an Impulse Response block from Path A to Path B can cause a second IR block to reset its impulse selection
• Importing bundles containing Marketplace assets can take notably longer
• When manually engaging a rebuild presets command (holding FS1+2 or FS2+3), Helix can appear to freeze even though it doesn’t. Wait 15-20 seconds for the rebuild to complete and all is well
• Loading a Distortion > Kinky Boost block can sometimes result in an audible thump
• Wait, are you serious about the sharpie forehead, Schwarzenegger meme, and renaming 47 presets thing? No. This is why you always read the entire release notes

Tip: Controlling input impedance via Snapshot/footswitch

1 From the Input block, press and turn the Guitar In-Z knob. This activates it for snapshot control.

2 Set the value however you want per snapshot.

For example, if you have three fuzzes in a row followed by an amp (?!), leave the Guitar In-Z set to a lower impedance for any snapshots where a fuzz is on, and set it to 1M Ohm for any snapshots where all three fuzzes are bypassed.

If you have a single fuzz and would prefer to just turn it on and off with a Stomp mode footswitch, you can also do this:

1 Press and hold the Guitar In-Z knob. Helix jumps to the Controller Assign page for that parameter.

2 Press Knob 6 (Learn Controller) and then press the fuzz’s Stomp switch.

3 Set the Min Value to 1M Ohm and the Max Value to whatever impedance sounds right for that fuzz. Now turning the fuzz on and off will also change the impedance circuit.

– from Digital Igloo on the gear page forum.

Helix/HX Firmware 2.60 “The Spring Cleaning Update”

New Amp Models (2—Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only)

• Cali Texas Ch1, based on* the clean channel of the MESA/Boogie® Lonestar
• Placater Clean, based on* the clean channel of the Friedman BE-100

New Effects Models (4)

• Distortion > Deranged Master (Mono, Stereo), based on* the Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster—WARNING! Like the real thing, this model can take your head off! Works best before a distorted amp
• Distortion > Deez One Vintage (Mono, Stereo), based on* the BOSS© DS-1 distortion pedal (classic Made-in-Japan version)
• Distortion > Deez One Mod (Mono, Stereo), based on* the BOSS© DS-1 distortion pedal (Keeley mod version)
• Looper > 1 Switch Looper (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 original (doesn’t leave Stomp mode)

* All product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Line 6.

Using the 1 Switch Looper:

1. Add a Looper > 1 Switch Looper block to your preset and assign it to a stomp footswitch. (Adding a 1 Switch Looper to HX Effects from Stomp view automatically assigns it to the selected footswitch.)
2. Press the 1 Switch Looper switch. The LED lights red, indicating the loop is recording.
3. Press the 1 Switch Looper switch again. The LED lights green, indicating the loop is playing back.
4. Press the 1 Switch Looper switch again. The LED lights amber, indicating the loop is in overdub mode. Subsequent presses of the switch toggle between play and overdub mode.
5. While the 1 Switch Looper is in play or overdub mode, press and hold the switch for 1 second. The most recent recording is undone. Holding the switch again will redo the recording. On Helix, Helix Rack/Control, and HX Effects, “UNDO” or “REDO” briefly appears on the scribble strip. On Helix LT, “UNDO” or “REDO” briefly appears in Performance view.
6. Quickly double-press the 1 Switch Looper switch. Playback/recording stops and the LED lights white, indicating a loop is in memory.
7. While Looper playback/recording is stopped, press and hold the switch. The recording is deleted and the LED lights dim white.

Improvements/Changes

• The most recent new HX Reverb models have been tweaked to sound notably wetter (see Known Issues below)
• When changing the Time parameter, Legacy delay models now exhibit a more organic behavior (more like DL4 and Echo Pro)
• The Looper block is now called “6 Switch Looper” (see Known Issues below)
• Synchronizing to incoming MIDI clock has been improved
• The Mix parameter defaults of both mono and stereo HX Reverbs are now consistent
• When loading a preset, its default MIDI program change message would be transmitted after the preset is loaded and any Instant commands were sent. This PC message is now sent immediately when the preset is selected
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: Shuriken Variax bank names now appear in the Input > Multi and Input > Variax block without requiring connection to Variax Workbench
• HX Effects only: On the Signal Flow page, if the Split block is selected and bypassed, it now appears with a different icon than when it’s enabled
• Many under-the-hood improvements

Bug Fixes

• The Filter > Legacy > Obi Wah model is mono (should be stereo) — FIXED
• Modulation > Legacy > Analog Chorus > Mode parameter was mislabeled “CH Vib” — FIXED
• Pitch/Synth > Legacy > Smart Harmony > Key parameter was mislabeled “V1 Key” — FIXED
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: After selecting a different preset, the Tempo > Preset BPM value display would not be updated — FIXED
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: While the Looper (now 6 Switch Looper) is in playback mode, the LED on FS9 (Play/Stop) will go dim when exiting and then returning to Looper view — FIXED
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: When the Tuner > Output routing is set to USB 5/6, the audio can instead be routed to USB 3/4 — FIXED
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: If an Input block on Path 2A or 2B is set to “None,” its Input gate remains active if previously engaged — FIXED
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: If Global Settings > EXP Pedals > EXP 1 Polarity is set to “Inverted,” EXP 2 Polarity could be affected — FIXED
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: If a single Stomp mode footswitch is assigned to a block bypass and more than one parameter assignment, repeatedly touching the switch may not cycle through all assignments — FIXED
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: Saving a preset with a Command Center Note On command can reset the note value to C-1 when quickly changing snapshots — FIXED
• Helix, Helix Rack/Control, Helix LT only: In some cases, Command Center CC Toggle messages are not sent when selecting snapshots — FIXED
• Helix Rack/Control only: In rare cases, if the current preset in Helix Rack is particularly DSP-intensive and an expression pedal is connected to Helix Control, recalling a different preset or snapshot can cause Helix Control to freeze — FIXED
• Helix Rack/Control only: In rare cases, while quickly navigating presets, the preset name displayed on Helix Rack can sometimes not match that on Helix Control — FIXED
• HX Effects only: The Delay > Stereo > Multi Pass block in some factory presets appeared only with the left channel active — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Looper (now 6 Switch Looper) playback/recording can sometimes stop when changing presets, even if the target preset has the same type of looper (mono or stereo) — FIXED
• HX Effects only: In some cases, the Looper (now 6 Switch Looper) can continue to play when selecting an empty preset with no Looper block — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Selecting the Distortion > Thrifter Fuzz model can result in a brief thump accompanied by a high whine — FIXED
• HX Effects only: If a controller is assigned to a Modulation > Pattern Trem block parameter and the min value is greater than the max value, moving the controller can cause HX Effects to freeze — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Under rare, specific circumstances, parameters assigned to Note values could sometimes reset when recalling snapshots — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Loading certain presets can cause some model blocks to appear as None blocks — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Copying and pasting a block with many controller assignments can delete all controller assignments (and cause subsequent errors) after saving and then recalling the preset — FIXED
• HX Effects only: When Global Settings > Switches >  Stomp mode is set to “4 Switches,” the Looper (now 6 Switch Looper) could sometimes fail to display Record and Undo switches — FIXED
• HX Effects only: After a factory reset, recording a loop and then saving the preset could result in the loop being cleared — FIXED
• HX Effects only: The Split block’s bypass state could sometimes not be recalled via snapshots — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Receiving MIDI CC69 messages to recall snapshots can sometimes result in unpredictable block bypass states — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Attempting to assign a block to a footswitch that already has eight assignments can result in clearing one or more original assignments — FIXED
• HX Effects only: In rare cases, assigning the same EXP pedal to the same parameter twice in a row via Learn Controller can cause a scribble strip’s contents to disappear — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Adjusting a parameter with an expression pedal while holding TAP/TUNER can result in the block’s parameters appearing in Tuner view — FIXED
• HX Effects only: When receiving an MIDI CC52, CC53, or CC54 message, HX Effects does not respond as expected — FIXED
• HX Effects only: When a Send 1/2 Output block is selected, parameters in the Controller Assign are incorrect — FIXED
• HX Effects only: After assigning a controller to the Pitch/Synth > Simple Pitch > Interval parameter, it appears as “-2147483” in parameter spill view — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Certain parameters with both positive and negative values can sometimes cause the Controller Assign menu’s Min Value and Max Value parameter sliders to not reflect the correct value — FIXED
• HX Effects only: After assigning a footswitch to parameter control via Controller Assign’s FS3 (Learn), relearning a MIDI CC message results in HX Effects automatically applying CC4, regardless of the CC# received — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Looper (now 6 Switch Looper) Undo function would not undo the most recent overdub — FIXED
• HX Effects only: While performing a Factory Reset, turning knobs 1-3 could cause Global Settings to appear above Footswitch 2 — FIXED
• HX Effects only: If a Wah block is changed to a Looper block, the Looper’s Playback parameter is automatically assigned to EXP 2 — FIXED
• HX Effects only: After clearing three or more Command Center assignments, all saved Command Center snapshot data can be inadvertently cleared — FIXED
• HX Effects only: In rare cases, duplicate Command Center Instant commands can be transmitted when selecting snapshots — FIXED
• HX Effects only: When Global Settings > Pedals > EXP 1 Position or EXP 2 Position is set to “Global”, expression position may not always affect parameters globally — FIXED
• HX Effects only: After saving a preset, HX Effects would sometimes not display the most recently accessed block on a footswitch assigned to multiple blocks — FIXED
• HX Effects only: When the Tuner output is set to Send 1/2, signal flow audio sent to Send 1/2 can be muted — FIXED
• HX Effects only: In rare, specific circumstances, Command Center MIDI Bank/Prog and CC values can be inadvertently altered when changing snapshots — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Assigning 11 (!) parameters to a single controller, copying/pasting the block, and then moving the controller can cause HX Effects to freeze — FIXED
• HX Effects only: If the Mixer block is moved to Path B, moving the block would cause its parameters above Footswitch 3 to disappear — FIXED
• HX Effects only: While in the Save Preset menu, touching the TAP/TUNER switch to open the Tempo Panel will reset any recent custom name or save destination — FIXED
• HX Effects only: In some cases, manually setting a Wah, Volume, or Pitch Wham’s switch assignment can result in odd parameter slider behavior — FIXED
• HX Effects only: In the Command Center, any Bank/Prog message’s CC00, CC32, and Prog parameters could not contain have a value of 0 — FIXED
• HX Effects only: If a block has a dual-state parameter assigned to a different footswitch, copying and pasting the block to another switch can fail to display white controller nodes and sometimes may freeze the UI — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Receiving a MIDI CC68 message does not open and close the Tuner view — FIXED
• HX Effects only: In some cases, Send 1/2 & Main L/R Pan and Level parameter settings are reflected across preset changes — FIXED
• HX Effects only: Snapshot names can sometimes fail to appear on the scribble strips — FIXED
• HX Effects only: EXP 1 and 2 would behave as if it was set to “Per Preset”, even when set to “Global” — FIXED
• Many other minor bug fixes and optimizations

Known Issues

• As the new HX Reverb models have been tweaked to sound notably “wetter”, any existing user presets that use these models will sound different. Although Helix and HX hardware has the ability to compensate for changes made to models when rebuilding presets (and one of our goals is to rarely if ever cause audible changes to existing user presets), the improvements made to the reverb blocks unfortunately cannot be compensated for
• Existing user presets containing Helix’s classic Looper block will continue to read “Looper” instead of “6 Switch-Looper” until the model is changed and the preset is re-saved. This is normal and does not affect operation
• In rare cases, pitch artifacts may be heard on selected delay blocks when the Time parameter is set to Note Sync values higher than 1/2 Triplet

H E L I X 2.54 Release Notes

Bug Fixes

– Pop noise can occur when exiting Tuner in four cable method setup with FX loop block engaged and audio playing upon entering and exiting Tuner -FIXED

– Once every 74 minutes or so, the AES/EBU or S/PDIF digital signal could drop out for several seconds -FIXED

– Other bug fixes and improvements

Known Issues

– No CC Toggle MIDI data is sent when changing between different Snapshots that feature CC Toggle command assignments in Lit state

– In rare cases, a crash can occur when creating an Input or Output in HX Edit (moving split/join to B path) while having a None block selected

– In rare cases, PC messages are sent after Instant Commands on preset load, resulting in perceived delayed response by the device receiving MIDI

– Shuriken Variax bank names will not appear in firmware until Helix is connected to a Mac/PC and Workbench HD is launched

– In rare cases, pitch artifacts may be heard on selected delay blocks when the Time parameter is set to Note Sync values higher than 1/2 Triplet

Getting started

I received an email asking for help getting started with the Helix and it got me to thinking about how I was able to dive in back when I first got this unit.

A great starting place is the Line 6 Helix channel on YouTube. They have a great many videos that are easy to follow and provide nice variety.

From there, check out The Helix Channel and any other video resource that you can find, such as videos by Pete Thorn.

Once you get the basic grasp of moving around the interface (which doesn’t take long), you’ll find yourself more focused on the particular sounds you want.

Once you get to that point, start reading up on how a guitar was recorded on a particular track you like, then, using the Helix, copy it.

Nine times out of ten, you can get the sound you are going for by just reading about how a guitar was recorded then emulating it.

If you want to do less research, lookup your favorite guitar/bass players on EquipBoard and see what gear they use. Now, create a preset with the gear they have listed. You’ll instantly be in the ballpark of the sound you want.

I hope that helps.

How did you all get started with the Helix? Feel free to share your story in the comments below.

Helix Firmware 2.53 Release Notes

Bug Fixes

▪ External Amp commands could not be transmitted when changing snapshots – FIXED

▪ In rare cases, Helix Rack could freeze when updating Helix Control – FIXED

▪ In some cases, an External Amp command (Tip only) could change the internal expression pedal from EXP 1 to EXP 2 (or vice versa) on Helix LT – FIXED

▪ In some cases, attempting to swap footswitch assignments when one switch was unassigned could cause Helix to freeze – FIXED

▪ Other bug fixes and optimizations

Known Issues

▪ In rare cases, a crash can occur when creating an Input or Output in HX Edit (moving split/join to B path) while having a None block selected

▪ In rare cases, PC messages are sent after Instant Commands on preset load, resulting in perceived delayed response by the device receiving MIDI

▪ Shuriken Variax bank names will not appear in firmware until Helix is connected to a Mac/PC and Workbench HD is launched

▪ In rare cases, pitch artifacts may be heard on selected delay blocks when the Time parameter is set to Note Sync values higher than 1/2 Triplet

Helix Native 1.50 Release Notes

New Amps (2)

– Cali Texas Ch2, based on* the drive channel of the MESA/Boogie® Lonestar (Ch1 coming later this spring)

– Placater Dirty, based on* the BE/HBE channel of the Friedman® BE-100 (Clean channel coming later this spring)

New HX Effects Models (7)

Helix Native now includes a library of effects from M13, M9, M5, DL4, DM4, FM4, and MM4. These appear in a new “Legacy” subcategory in the model list.

– Delay > Multi Pass (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original

– Reverb > Glitz (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original

– Reverb > Ganymede (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original

– Reverb > Searchlights (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original

– Reverb > Plateaux (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original

– Reverb > Double Tank (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original

New Legacy Effects Models (77)

– Distortion > Tube Drive

– Distortion > Screamer

– Distortion > Overdrive

– Distortion > Classic Dist

– Distortion > Heavy Dist

– Distortion > Colordrive

– Distortion > Buzz Saw

– Distortion > Facial Fuzz

– Distortion > Jumbo Fuzz

– Distortion > Fuzz Pi

– Distortion > Jet Fuzz

– Distortion > Line 6 Drive

– Distortion > Line 6 Distortion

– Distortion > Sub Oct Fuzz

– Distortion > Octave Fuzz

– Dynamics > Tube Comp

– Dynamics > Red Comp

– Dynamics > Blue Comp

– Dynamics > Blue Comp Treb

– Dynamics > Vetta Comp

– Dynamics > Vetta Juice

– Dynamics > Boost Comp

– Modulation > Pattern Tremolo

– Modulation > Panner

– Modulation > Bias Tremolo

– Modulation > Opto Tremolo

– Modulation > Script Phase

– Modulation > Panned Phaser

– Modulation > Barberpole

– Modulation > Dual Phaser

– Modulation > U-Vibe

– Modulation > Phaser

– Modulation > Pitch Vibrato

– Modulation > Dimension

– Modulation > Analog Chorus

– Modulation > Tri Chorus

– Modulation > Analog Flanger

– Modulation > Jet Flanger

– Modulation > AC Flanger

– Modulation > 80A Flanger

– Modulation > Frequency Shift

– Modulation > Ring Modulator

– Modulation > Rotary Drum

– Modulation > Rotary Drm/Horn

– Modulation > Ping Pong

– Modulation > Dynamic

– Modulation > Stereo

– Modulation > Digital

– Modulation > Dig w/ Mod

– Modulation > Reverse

– Modulation > Lo Res

– Modulation > Tube Echo

– Modulation > Tape Echo

– Modulation > Sweep Echo

– Modulation > Echo Platter

– Modulation > Analog Echo

– Modulation > Analog w/ Mod

– Modulation > Auto-Volume Echo

– Modulation > Multi-Head

– Pitch/Synth > Bass Octaver

– Pitch/Synth > Smart Harmony

– Pitch/Synth > Octi Synth

– Pitch/Synth > Synth O Matic

– Pitch/Synth > Attack Synth

– Pitch/Synth > Synth String

– Pitch/Synth > Growler

– Filter > Voice Box

– Filter > V Tron

– Filter > Q Filter

– Filter > Seeker

– Filter > Obi Wah

– Filter > Tron Up

– Filter > Tron Down

– Filter > Throbber

– Filter > Slow Filter

– Filter > Spin Cycle

– Filter > Comet Trails

* All product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Line 6.

New Features

– Snapshot Support – Helix Native now supports up to eight snapshots per preset. A single snapshot can recall up to 64 parameters and 32 block bypass states.

– Drag block to clear — Click and drag a block out out of the signal flow view to clear it.

– Dragging an amp/effect block nudges neighboring blocks out of the way to allow insertion

– Dragging a split/join block reveals insertion points between amp/effect positions (basically the same as previous behavior)

– Split/join positions can be nudged from any direction at any point along path A

Improvements/Changes

– 12 of Helix’s 17 reverbs originally appeared in M-Class processors and Verbzilla. As such, they’ve been moved into the new “Legacy” subcategory within the Reverb category

– Helix’s tempo no longer responds to pressing TAP at tempo lower than 40.0 BPM (Beats Per Minute). This is to ensure that multiple fast tap entries are recognized properly, as previously, they could be seen as one really slow tap entry. You may still manually select a tempo all the way down to 20.0 BPM and your presets can still be saved with tempi down to 20.0 BPM

Bug Fixes

– If its Mid and Bass parameters are set to 0.0, the Cali IV Lead Amp/Amp+Cab model could sometimes exhibit a decrease in gain.

– The Tempo Host Sync would be lost when reloading a session – FIXED.

– Pro Tools: Latency Compensation broken when Helix Native plugin is bypassed – FIXED.

Known Issues

– Recalling an effect or instrument rack in Ableton Live with Helix Native instantiated can mute the track. Workaround: Uninstantiate and re-instantiate the plug-in.

– When using two 1024 IR’s in a preset, moving the upper IR block before or after a pre/post split block can change the sonic character of the IR block.

– The copy/paste clipboard may be cleared after closing and reopening Helix Native.

HELIX 2.50 Release Notes

New Amp Models (2)

• Cali Texas Ch2, based on* the drive channel of the MESA/Boogie® Lonestar [Ch1 coming later this spring]
• Placater Dirty, based on* the BE/HBE channel of the Friedman BE-100 [Clean channel coming later this spring]

New HX Effects Models (6)

• Delay > Multi Pass (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original bandpass-filtered multitap delay
• Reverb > Glitz (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original
• Reverb > Ganymede (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original
• Reverb > Searchlights (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original
• Reverb > Plateaux (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original
• Reverb > Double Tank (Mono, Stereo), Line 6 Original

New Legacy Effects Models (77)

Helix Floor, Rack/Control, and LT now include a library of effects from M13, M9, M5, DL4, DM4, FM4, and MM4. These appear in a new “Legacy” subcategory in the model list.

• Distortion > Tube Drive
• Distortion > Screamer
• Distortion > Overdrive
• Distortion > Classic Dist
• Distortion > Heavy Dist
• Distortion > Colordrive
• Distortion > Buzz Saw
• Distortion > Facial Fuzz
• Distortion > Jumbo Fuzz
• Distortion > Fuzz Pi
• Distortion > Jet Fuzz
• Distortion > Line 6 Drive
• Distortion > Line 6 Distortion
• Distortion > Sub Oct Fuzz
• Distortion > Octave Fuzz
• Dynamics > Tube Comp
• Dynamics > Red Comp
• Dynamics > Blue Comp
• Dynamics > Blue Comp Treb
• Dynamics > Vetta Comp
• Dynamics > Vetta Juice
• Dynamics > Boost Comp
• Modulation > Pattern Tremolo
• Modulation > Panner
• Modulation > Bias Tremolo
• Modulation > Opto Tremolo
• Modulation > Script Phase
• Modulation > Panned Phaser
• Modulation > Barberpole
• Modulation > Dual Phaser
• Modulation > U-Vibe
• Modulation > Phaser
• Modulation > Pitch Vibrato
• Modulation > Dimension
• Modulation > Analog Chorus
• Modulation > Tri Chorus
• Modulation > Analog Flanger
• Modulation > Jet Flanger
• Modulation > AC Flanger
• Modulation > 80A Flanger
• Modulation > Frequency Shift
• Modulation > Ring Modulator
• Modulation > Rotary Drum
• Modulation > Rotary Drm/Horn
• Delay > Ping Pong
• Delay > Dynamic
• Delay > Stereo
• Delay > Digital
• Delay > Dig w/ Mod
• Delay > Reverse
• Delay > Lo Res
• Delay > Tube Echo
• Delay > Tape Echo
• Delay > Sweep Echo
• Delay > Echo Platter
• Delay > Analog Echo
• Delay > Analog w/ Mod
• Delay > Auto-Volume Echo
• Delay > Multi-Head
• Pitch/Synth > Bass Octaver
• Pitch/Synth > Smart Harmony
• Pitch/Synth > Octi Synth
• Pitch/Synth > Synth O Matic
• Pitch/Synth > Attack Synth
• Pitch/Synth > Synth String
• Pitch/Synth > Growler
• Filter > Voice Box
• Filter > V Tron
• Filter > Q Filter
• Filter > Seeker
• Filter > Obi Wah
• Filter > Tron Up
• Filter > Tron Down
• Filter > Throbber
• Filter > Slow Filter
• Filter > Spin Cycle
• Filter > Comet Trails

Improvements/Changes

– 12 of Helix’s 17 reverbs originally appeared in M-Class processors and Verbzilla. As such, they’ve been moved into the new “Legacy” subcategory within the Reverb category

– Helix’s tempo no longer responds to pressing TAP at tempi lower than 40.0 BPM (Beats Per Minute). This is to ensure that multiple fast tap entries are recognized properly, as previously, they could be seen as one really slow tap entry. You may still manually select a tempo all the way down to 20.0 BPM and your presets can still be saved with tempi down to 20.0 BPM—just touch TAP and turn Knob 6 (BPM)

Bug Fixes

– In some cases, when Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > Duplicate PC Send was set to “Off,” duplicate PC messages could still be sent—FIXED

– In rare cases, MIDI note commands set to momentary could switch to “latching”—FIXED

– If its Mid and Bass parameters are set to 0.0, the Cali IV Lead Amp/Amp+Cab model could sometimes exhibit a decrease in gain—FIXED

– If snapshot names have been cleared, preset names could sometimes appear blank when switching from Snapshot footswitch mode to Preset footswitch mode—FIXED

– Helix LT: After restoring Global Settings from HX Edit, the EXP 1/2 LEDs could become responsive—FIXED

– Quickly switching between snapshots could cause Command Center > CC Toggle messages to send incorrect MIDI CC data—FIXED

– Other bug fixes and optimizations

Known Issues

– Shuriken bank names only appear after connecting a Shuriken Variax guitar to Helix and opening Variax Workbench HD software

– When using two 1024 IR’s in a preset, moving the upper IR block before or after a pre/post split block can change the sonic character of the IR block

– In rare cases, pitch artifacts may be heard on selected delay blocks when the Time parameter is set to Note Sync values higher than 1/2 Triplet