Clarky and the Helix

Clarky

guitarfishbay said:

Fractool won't convert socks so make sure you get a like for like spare.

thanks for this… it has the potential of rescuing me

the MFC though I'd have to config by hand..
about 20 mins of button pushing if I had to do it on the unit itself..

now to contact G66

guitarfishbay

Clarky said:

the MFC though I'd have to config by hand..
about 20 mins of button pushing if I had to do it on the unit itself..

http://shop.fractalaudio.com/MFC_Edit_p/fas-730.htm

guitarfishbay

• Convert between Mk I / II / III models

http://www.fractalaudio.com/mfc-edit.php

Clarky

I've never used the editor for the MFC
probably cos I nailed my config long before it became available..
this could be seriously handy too

btw I've mailed G66.. let's see what they come back with..

in the mean time, I have some new Helix presets to write..

kjdowd

Clarky said:

kjdowd said:

Clarky said:

Drew_TNBD said:

Yeah the limitations of the AX8 just killed it for me tbh. A fully fledged Axe FX II in a foot unit would sell bucket loads.

I could not agree more..
if they did a full-on Axe-II inside an MFC floor unit I'd get one in a heartbeat

Totally agree. I'm seriously thinking of Axe fx II plus mfc. The big limitation is one amp, so I basically use the AX8 like a single channel amp set to overdrive (but not too much) and then ride the guitar volume for cleans with dirt pedals for extra grunt where needed. Love the sounds and the convenience, but ridiculous when you think about the possibilities of a modelling unit. A floor unit Axe fx II I would buy in a heartbeat. 

Even more so if it had an integrated power amp…

I'm not sure an integrated power amp is a great idea..
some folks play at home, others in small bars and clubs, and others in much larger places..
the power amp should be for the user to decide because it's 'needs' based

Fair point, although they could go down the Kemper route of one model with and one without. 

I am of course only thinking about my own specific need, which is why I don't have a job in product development. Well, that and many other reasons...

Jonathanthomas83

@Clarky what expression pedals do you use with your AXE FX? Many thanks. (PS, would love to see a pic of your rig!)

TimmyO

Been following this with interest - insight into how much work a Pro is prepared to put in to crack problems.

 @Clarky will you consider sharing your patches when you're done? 

Clarky

Jonathanthomas83 said:

@Clarky what expression pedals do you use with your AXE FX? Many thanks. (PS, would love to see a pic of your rig!)

I use four Boss FV-500 pedals

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156217104109816&set=a.10156217087124816.1073741837.701189815&type=3&theater

Clarky

TimmyO said:

Been following this with interest - insight into how much work a Pro is prepared to put in to crack problems.

 @Clarky will you consider sharing your patches when you're done? 

patches can be shared no prob..

Clarky

so… I cracked the 3 amp problem..
the solution is use 2 and carve your tone with just those

snap1: Riff = 5150 left / Engl right
these are panned hard and pretty hot

snap2: solo = 5150 panned centre
this gets more gain, compression and more level stuffed into the amp..
it approaches the feel I'm used to

snap3: Clean = 5150 panned centre
gain is real low, the compressor before the amp also sucks out some level to clean things a bit more
the amp's presence and bass get boosted
the overall eq gets a 125Hz boost to keep the tone full-bodied
and jeez I really like this clean tone.. my Strat neck pup [SC] loves it

this clean is not 100% pure clean…
to be honest, many folks looking for 100% pure clean that chimes miss the point..
you need a gnat's of dirt in there to make it chime..
with EQ you cannot create top end that is not there, only boost what exists in the first place
add a gnat's of drive and the hi's get fired up.. new top end is created as if by magic..
in isolation you can make out the dirt.. in the mix it vanished..
this is a clean with a tiny hint of dirt.. something I refer to as an 'aggressive clean'..
you can only really hear the dirt if you really play very hard..
a very low setting on the amp's drive with a low signal level entering it will clean but thin the tone.. 
so I mend it with compression and EQ
and it is fkn lovely…

so… my thinking at the very start of this experiment..
I have two amps and I want 3 tones.. only one is clean..
I clean amp will not naturally go hi-gain without fizzy stomps in front of it..
but a hi-gain amp can be cleaned and the resultant tone can be re-carved and the level put back
this works...

Clarky

finally figured out what was breaking my hi-gain tone…
it was the parallel chains 2a and 2b being up and dry at the same time = sux bad…
easy to sort… I'll go back thru the presets I've made so far and mend them.. see what different it makes

Clarky

Clarky said:

finally figured out what was breaking my hi-gain tone…
it was the parallel chains 2a and 2b being up and dry at the same time = sux bad…
easy to sort… I'll go back thru the presets I've made so far and mend them.. see what different it makes

after a very quick 5 minute play.. this may because of the bad feel I've been getting..
busy today but when I get a mo later I'll investigate further

Jonathanthomas83

Thank you, mate. Sounds like you're having fun! :-)

Clarky

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Thank you, mate. Sounds like you're having fun! :-)

Yes I am. I is inherently a very nice unit.
it'll be even more fun if I can manage to find a way to have it jump through my many and difficult hoops 

fretmeister

You won't be the last person to leave the other path on dry!

Done it myself many times.

gearaddict

fretmeister said:

You won't be the last person to leave the other path on dry!

Done it myself many times.

What does that mean? 

Clarky

gearaddict said:

fretmeister said:

You won't be the last person to leave the other path on dry!

Done it myself many times.

What does that mean? 

When a signal passes through an fx unit there are always 2 paths. One is dry - the signal without the effect on it. The other is wet - the signal with the effect on it. The strength of the effect is a blend of the wet and dry signals. Less dry and more wet means that the effect sounds more strongly. The stomp box may have a knob marked 'depth' to control this mix.
An alternative to this in an fx unit like Helix or Axe-fx is to have the effect run at 100% wet in one signal path (or chain) and have the dry in another parallel path.
in my case I have 2 parallel paths and was accidentally mixing dry with dry.
this is a bad thing and totally explains why I've been struggling with the tone and feel in the Helix.

John_A

gearaddict said:

fretmeister said:

You won't be the last person to leave the other path on dry!

Done it myself many times.

What does that mean? 

You can set up parallel paths in the Helix so for instance you can split the signal before the amp and run a dual amp set-up, or only have reverb on 50% of the mix.  If you forget you can end up with 50% of your signal going through an amp and 50% straight guitar

Drew_TNBD

If you wanna hook up and go over some stuff Paul, give me a shout!

gearaddict

John_A said:

gearaddict said:

fretmeister said:

You won't be the last person to leave the other path on dry!

Done it myself many times.

What does that mean? 

You can set up parallel paths in the Helix so for instance you can split the signal before the amp and run a dual amp set-up, or only have reverb on 50% of the mix.  If you forget you can end up with 50% of your signal going through an amp and 50% straight guitar

Ah. Gotcha. Thanks.