Helix Stadium wishlist

[Sascha Franck]

Complicating matters, there's now a Beta of MIDI Guitar 3 on all platforms. It performs better than MIDI Guitar 2 did in many ways. But, being a Beta, it also brings new problems of its own. Jury's out until the official release.

Aren't they running that beta since 2+ years already?

and I think, this could certainly be corrected with a little internal logic.

Likely. There could be things such as EQs in front of the analysing circuit's input to cut away all harmonics as good as it gets.

Anyhow, let's see whether anything like that is on L6's sleeves at all. Would defenitely make my needle move quite a bit.
I mean, what an incredible piece of a central home/projectstudio unit that'd be. No need to fire up extra tools (let alone grabbing a GK-equipped guitar and running it throught some Boss stuff) if all you wanted is to lay down some chords or a bassline via MIDI. Just select the instrument track and go. That'd possibly also be good to let the keyboard functionalities shine a whole lot more, because given you have your keycommands in check, you could basically create an entire arrangement (perhaps minus drums) just operating your guitar and HXS.
But then, so far they didn't seem to have any MIDI guitar ambitions, not even with the Variax (which would've lent to it).

 

[Sascha Franck]

I've done so many comparisons between various regular digital delay pedals, and there was always something about the Helix one that sounded small, and not in your face enough.

True (at least partially, for me). And I'm not even that much of a delay afficionado.
As said, they should hire Urs Heckmann to develop a helixified version of MFM2 and possibly the Sixth Sense guy doing Deelay (incredible freeware delay IMO). That would sort most people's delay needs.

 

[mbenigni]

Aren't they running that beta since 2+ years already?

It's probably been about that long since the Mac beta came out, yes. The Windows and iOS versions were more recent (and the iOS version was just rev'd a few weeks ago - I haven't had a chance to dive back in yet.)

 

[molul]

Here's another: vocals dedicated blocks section with:

-(Up to 4) vocals harmonizer. Similar to TC-Helicon VoiceLive (it has up to 4 harmonies) or Boss VE500 (up to three). The icing in the cake would be having a place to define custom scales, like the Boss VE500 has.

-Voice Enhancer: this is a game changer in the Boss VE500. It made me quickly forget about the VoiceLive Touch I previously used.

-Pitch shifter with formants (to make it sound natural, unlike normal pitch shifter).

-De-esser.

This, together with the effects Helix already has and the way better UI (TC-Helicon and Boss's are quite outdated), would wipe any current vocals multieffects.

I wouldn't mind about chords detection for automatic harmonies, although I'd expect some people to demand it. But having an instrument input, it would be feasible.

 

[KingsXJJ]

Seconding actual new effects and especially reverbs.

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

A convolution IR loader for reverbs etc
A max. file length of ~60 seconds would be fun, but less wouldn't be grumbled at.

 

[Sascha Franck]

A convolution IR loader for reverbs etc

Yes please.
Could also save some reverb development time. Sure, algorithmic reverbs still have the lead for many applications, but given the IR block is done well, you can still do many amazing things with IRs. Personally, I really love Logic's Space designer as it has a stretch algorithm allowing you to get some things out of IRs that are pretty wild.

A max. file length of ~60 seconds would be fun, but less wouldn't be grumbled at.

Personally, I'd be absolutely fine with 10 seconds. And I possibly wouldn't even need that. I don't think I ever used more than 5 seconds and I also don't think many people need to simulate the Taj Mahal live.
But obviously, as long as feasible is good.

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

Yes please.
Could also save some reverb development time. Sure, algorithmic reverbs still have the lead for many applications, but given the IR block is done well, you can still do many amazing things with IRs. Personally, I really love Logic's Space designer as it has a stretch algorithm allowing you to get some things out of IRs that are pretty wild.



Personally, I'd be absolutely fine with 10 seconds. And I possibly wouldn't even need that. I don't think I ever used more than 5 seconds and I also don't think many people need to simulate the Taj Mahal live.
But obviously, as long as feasible is good.

Yeah there's loads of things one can do with IRs that aren't possible with Algo reverbs, and vica versa.
I love both.

I've not used Logic's Space Designer, but have Convolver by Kilohearts and it has a stretch feature too - very fun.

 

[Chocol8]

Ten seconds would be beyond fantastic. Especially for the first version. I can’t even imagine what I would do with a 60 second max. Hell, I can’t even remember what I played 60 seconds ago.

 

[JCW308]

Add: Expression pedal heel down for tuner

 

[EOengineer]

1. Mark IIC+ Simul Class Head - both channels, all modes including GEQ.
2. Revision F or G Dual or Triple Rectifier w/ EL34s and 6L6.
3. Fender 6g3 Brown Deluxe.
4. Marshall 1959 w/ bright cap options
5. Marshall 2203 w/ bright cap options
6. Mesa 2:90 Power Amp
7. Updated Particle Verb
8. Updated Space Echo
9. Updated Univibe or Dejavibe
10. New fuzz face with ge/si switch - really want to hear how the new engine could handle fuzz.

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

Can we get some Laney amps?

Any classic amps:
Supergroup / Klipp / AOR / LH / GH / VH etc

Even newer ones might be nice too, like Ironheart / Lionheart etc.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Hell, I can’t even remember what I played 60 seconds ago.

That's what delay pedals are for!

 

[the swede]

I've done so many comparisons between various regular digital delay pedals, and there was always something about the Helix one that sounded small, and not in your face enough.

Maybe a thing where we share a common problem. Same for me, not necessarily Helix though… I did found some of their delays to be excellent, especially in the Legacy collection. Also very much enjoyed Heliosphere (the delay+reverb one).

But… I was saying… now that I’m peculiar about my digital delay pedals (clean delays) and how I want them to behave:
The main issue is not having a control over the slope of which the repeats decay. For example the older DD-3 has a prominent repeat that is strong in the beginning and then drops off. Many modern delay has this weird super long and straight fade-out line that starts from the first repeat.

Modelers has the ability at least to incorporate controls over this (I think) so a nerdy delay in Helix would have parameters that could change the curve at different points of the decaying repeats. If I want a flatter curve or even no curve at all for the first 3 repeats before decay starts… as an example…

Maybe this have been done in super super wizardry pedal or even Helix… idk. But for me using simple pedals, I have to try a pedal and decide if it’s right or not and then try another one. Can’t have it all…. Can i

 

[Orvillain]

Maybe a thing where we share a common problem. Same for me, not necessarily Helix though… I did found some of their delays to be excellent, especially in the Legacy collection. Also very much enjoyed Heliosphere (the delay+reverb one).

But… I was saying… now that I’m peculiar about my digital delay pedals (clean delays) and how I want them to behave:
The main issue is not having a control over the slope of which the repeats decay. For example the older DD-3 has a prominent repeat that is strong in the beginning and then drops off. Many modern delay has this weird super long and straight fade-out line that starts from the first repeat.

Modelers has the ability at least to incorporate controls over this (I think) so a nerdy delay in Helix would have parameters that could change the curve at different points of the decaying repeats. If I want a flatter curve or even no curve at all for the first 3 repeats before decay starts… as an example…

Maybe this have been done in super super wizardry pedal or even Helix… idk. But for me using simple pedals, I have to try a pedal and decide if it’s right or not and then try another one. Can’t have it all…. Can i

Totally get what you're saying and I agree with you on your observations, and I used to wish for a parameter like this too.

But it doesn't actually work like that. There simply isn't an underlying DSP control related to any kind of decay curve, because that isn't how delay works.

Your classic digital delay just routes the output of the delay back to the input, via a gain stage. In the digital realm that gain stage can be as simple as a multiplier - take this signal, multiple it by 0.8 (or whatever number) and so the next time you hear an echo, it is the previous echo turned down by 20%.

But more sophisticated designs include compander circuits, saturation, etc. These massively affect the 'decay curve'.

The 'first echo is louder than the others' thing, I'd say comes from the fact that processing exists in the feedback path, but not necessarily in the 'output' path. So the very first echo you hear is not a result of the feedback loop, and so it doesn't go through whatever companding or filtering has been setup.

I'm pretty sure the Boss DD3 used one of these:

https://www.onsemi.com/download/data-sheet/pdf/ne570-d.pdf

 

[Sascha Franck]

But it doesn't actually work like that. There simply isn't an underlying DSP control related to any kind of decay curve, because that isn't how delay works.

Well, you could possibly still somewhat tackle it by modulating the delay feedback level with an envelope modifier. But that would likely not work too well as soon as the delay is retriggered, which obviously happens all the time.

So, to truly adress this would mean having a series of delays, each representing an individual tap. Which is how, for instance, Logic's Delay Designer is doing it. And yes, I defenitely wish something like that would be available on my modeling unit of choice, simply because it's quite a level up from pretty much any other delay type.

 

[2112]

There's a good Strymon white paper on early digital delays they put out when the DiG launched. Nice overview of how & why early digital delays applied compression/expansion, filtering & other tricks.

DIG Digital Delay Technology White Paper - Strymon

DIG unearths the true soul of digital delay and doubles it—two simultaneous, integrated delays with rack delay voicings from the 1980s and today.

www.strymon.net

 

[Orvillain]

Well, you could possibly still somewhat tackle it by modulating the delay feedback level with an envelope modifier. But that would likely not work too well as soon as the delay is retriggered, which obviously happens all the time.

That's pretty much what a compander is doing. You'd have two envelope followers tracking the pre and post signals, and you'd use that to drive a compressor or an expander.

 

[the swede]

Totally get what you're saying and I agree with you on your observations, and I used to wish for a parameter like this too.

But it doesn't actually work like that. There simply isn't an underlying DSP control related to any kind of decay curve, because that isn't how delay works.

Your classic digital delay just routes the output of the delay back to the input, via a gain stage. In the digital realm that gain stage can be as simple as a multiplier - take this signal, multiple it by 0.8 (or whatever number) and so the next time you hear an echo, it is the previous echo turned down by 20%.

But more sophisticated designs include compander circuits, saturation, etc. These massively affect the 'decay curve'.

The 'first echo is louder than the others' thing, I'd say comes from the fact that processing exists in the feedback path, but not necessarily in the 'output' path. So the very first echo you hear is not a result of the feedback loop, and so it doesn't go through whatever companding or filtering has been setup.

I'm pretty sure the Boss DD3 used one of these:

https://www.onsemi.com/download/data-sheet/pdf/ne570-d.pdf

Wow. Thanks for explaining.
And i understand that with most pedals, it is what it is. But for modelers surely they’d be able to “program” a delay to work specific ways? And have additional parameters to control how decay/repeats pan out.

 

[the swede]

There's a good Strymon white paper on early digital delays they put out when the DiG launched. Nice overview of how & why early digital delays applied compression/expansion, filtering & other tricks.

DIG Digital Delay Technology White Paper - Strymon

DIG unearths the true soul of digital delay and doubles it—two simultaneous, integrated delays with rack delay voicings from the 1980s and today.

www.strymon.net

Interesting read! Makes me want to try a Dig.