Digital Igloo (an impressive guy who truly seems to care about Line 6 customers) asked me a question on another forum: "what equipment would you want us to model for acoustic guitar". My initial response was all over the place so I thought I'd try again.
(SIDE NOTE: I tried to post this on the other forum, but apparently posting twice on the same topic triggered some sort of an alarm and they locked my account. I'm trying to sort that out).
Anyway here is my second response:
Digital Igloo:
My initial answer to your question “what equipment would you want us to model for acoustic guitar” was scattered so I thought I’d try again.
Objectives
Today, the process of adding acoustic instruments to a line 6 modeler is not clear.
For electric guitar (I imagine) most people start with an amp or preamp and build out from there. But there are no acoustic amps in Line 6 modelers today so this process does not work for acoustic guitars, and there is limited information on how to proceed.
Below are some ideas on how to improve the situation with these objectives in mind:
1. Learning Tools
There is minimal info on acoustic instruments available from Line 6, and what is labeled as “acoustic” can be confusing.
Searching for the word “acoustic” in the Helix 3.80 manual leads to a bass amp (Woody Blue) and an acoustic sim. At first glance the sim seems like a great starting point for acoustic guitarists but turns out the sim is actually aimed at electric instruments. The only place acoustic guitar is mentioned in the Helix manual is a brief aside under the global EQ section.
The same (confusing) entries for the bass amp and the acoustic sim are also found in the Pod Go 2.0 manual. This manual does have an additional mention of acoustics IR’s under the Cab/IR section but it is just a couple of words and not very helpful.
I search for “acoustic” or “acoustic guitar” on the Line 6 web site you get hits for a couple of IR packages sold in the store and a couple of support responses to various detail questions. No links to the hardware at all.
If I search for “electric” on the Line 6 web site the first hit is the Line 6 Helix models. If you search “electric guitar” these models comes up lower (after Variax) but at least they appear on the first page.
When I search YouTube for “Line 6 acoustic guitar” I find a “Helix Minute” video on acoustic guitars…and that is it. The other top video hits are all about using Variax guitars to simulate acoustic sounds.
I’m sure there is more Line 6 acoustic content somewhere. But the problem is discoverability. People don’t automatically know these videos exist or where to look, and that Helix 1-minute video is - by design - minimal.
It would be nice to have a dedicated “setting up acoustic guitar” entry in the manuals. This entry could talk about IRs, recommend using a multi-band EQ (and give a couple of examples on how you might use one), suggest adding a reverb, and (possibly) suggest a compressor.
A slightly more in-depth Helix video could be made as well, and an additional one for the Pod Go.
2. Modeling of Existing Hardware
Let’s face it - most people just start using a device as soon as they can and only go to manuals or videos as a supplement.
The logical starting point for an electric guitar or bass is to configure an amp or preamp. Then expand out from there. The instinct is to do the same for acoustic guitar; it would be great if this was possible.
If Line 6 wanted to provide acoustic hardware I suggest 2 or 3 popular amps (especially a Fishman) and 2 or 3 popular preamps (these could be pedal preamps). I think that would be plenty.
3. Create a Line 6 acoustic combo amp
A custom Line 6 acoustic amp could be a nice solution, and maybe enough by itself.
Unlike electric guitars, acoustic guitarists are not (normally) chasing the tone and playing feel of a specific amp or cab. Their goal is either a “very good” acoustic sound, or to be as true as possible to the guitar’s native acoustic sound (which is really hard to achieve without using a microphone).
Since “good live acoustic sound” is so often the goal there seems to be opportunity for a generic acoustic amp.
The amp could have a very flat response, but it would include the primary functions an acoustic guitarist should consider using: a multi band EQ (4 knobs maybe?), a single knob reverb, and a single knob compressor. It would be great to also throw in an anti-feedback button.
Next, add a knob (or other control) that selects different sizes of guitar body and string types (nylon, 12 string, and whatever).
As the user moves the control it would adjust the EQ and other parameters, not only giving them a helpful starting point but teaching how to adjust for their instrument. Kind of like focus view on the Helix Stadium does.
An amp like this could be made available on all Line 6 modelers, from the Pod Go up to Stadium XL.
One of the advantages of including acoustic amps (or a single amp) is that the Line 6 modelers would then feel more “ready to use” with acoustic guitars. Right now it almost seems like a requirement to buy an IR in order to use an acoustic.
4. Acoustic IR’s
IR’s are a tricky area.
They are useful with acoustic guitars, and, in the absence of an amp, really valuable. It would be great if Line 6 modelers shipped with a bunch of them, but I can see that doing that may not be practical.
Perhaps a new “setting up for acoustic guitar” section in the manuals could describe the role IR’s play for acoustic guitar, and point to the Line 6 marketplace. Line 6 has done a nice job with the store and it lists a number of acoustic IR packages there.
Line 6 could also make it easier to find and load IRs. Line 6 does an excellent job getting companies to post IRs to there market place - re are currently 3152 Impluse Repsonse SKU’s listed up there - but this is far too many to scroll through. It would be helpful if there were additional selections so you could see just those that apply to acoustic guitar (or bass or electric guitar, etc.).
Once you find and buy one it is not too hard to load it in to a unit. But you could make it extra easy by providing an interface in the unit (or in the Helix HX software) where you could buy and then directly load IRs.
The Fishman Aura pedal is a good example of a pedal that sort of brings all this together, where it both ships with acoustic IR’s, plus it makes it easy to get other IR’s from a library and load them into the device.
Final Caveat
It is clearly possible for people to get great acoustic sound out of a Line 6 modeler today - if you know what you are doing. Lot's of people do, including me: I often play gigs where I use an acoustic guitar going through my Pod Go wireless.
I admit freely I’m not experienced in the use of molders and some (perhaps many) of the things I say may not make sense.
The comments here are really focused on making the process of adding an acoustic and dialing in the sound easier, especially for non-experts.
Finally: I'm impressed with what I've seen online of the Helix Stadium, excited about moving up from my current Pod Go Wireless, and I look forward to integrating the new unit into my band's performances.
Thanks for listening!
(SIDE NOTE: I tried to post this on the other forum, but apparently posting twice on the same topic triggered some sort of an alarm and they locked my account. I'm trying to sort that out).
Anyway here is my second response:
Digital Igloo:
My initial answer to your question “what equipment would you want us to model for acoustic guitar” was scattered so I thought I’d try again.
Objectives
Today, the process of adding acoustic instruments to a line 6 modeler is not clear.
For electric guitar (I imagine) most people start with an amp or preamp and build out from there. But there are no acoustic amps in Line 6 modelers today so this process does not work for acoustic guitars, and there is limited information on how to proceed.
Below are some ideas on how to improve the situation with these objectives in mind:
- ensure people know that acoustic instruments are supported
- make the process of adding an acoustic instrument clear (especially for newer users)
- make it easier and faster (for players of all levels) to dial in a good tone
1. Learning Tools
There is minimal info on acoustic instruments available from Line 6, and what is labeled as “acoustic” can be confusing.
Searching for the word “acoustic” in the Helix 3.80 manual leads to a bass amp (Woody Blue) and an acoustic sim. At first glance the sim seems like a great starting point for acoustic guitarists but turns out the sim is actually aimed at electric instruments. The only place acoustic guitar is mentioned in the Helix manual is a brief aside under the global EQ section.
The same (confusing) entries for the bass amp and the acoustic sim are also found in the Pod Go 2.0 manual. This manual does have an additional mention of acoustics IR’s under the Cab/IR section but it is just a couple of words and not very helpful.
I search for “acoustic” or “acoustic guitar” on the Line 6 web site you get hits for a couple of IR packages sold in the store and a couple of support responses to various detail questions. No links to the hardware at all.
If I search for “electric” on the Line 6 web site the first hit is the Line 6 Helix models. If you search “electric guitar” these models comes up lower (after Variax) but at least they appear on the first page.
When I search YouTube for “Line 6 acoustic guitar” I find a “Helix Minute” video on acoustic guitars…and that is it. The other top video hits are all about using Variax guitars to simulate acoustic sounds.
I’m sure there is more Line 6 acoustic content somewhere. But the problem is discoverability. People don’t automatically know these videos exist or where to look, and that Helix 1-minute video is - by design - minimal.
It would be nice to have a dedicated “setting up acoustic guitar” entry in the manuals. This entry could talk about IRs, recommend using a multi-band EQ (and give a couple of examples on how you might use one), suggest adding a reverb, and (possibly) suggest a compressor.
A slightly more in-depth Helix video could be made as well, and an additional one for the Pod Go.
2. Modeling of Existing Hardware
Let’s face it - most people just start using a device as soon as they can and only go to manuals or videos as a supplement.
The logical starting point for an electric guitar or bass is to configure an amp or preamp. Then expand out from there. The instinct is to do the same for acoustic guitar; it would be great if this was possible.
If Line 6 wanted to provide acoustic hardware I suggest 2 or 3 popular amps (especially a Fishman) and 2 or 3 popular preamps (these could be pedal preamps). I think that would be plenty.
3. Create a Line 6 acoustic combo amp
A custom Line 6 acoustic amp could be a nice solution, and maybe enough by itself.
Unlike electric guitars, acoustic guitarists are not (normally) chasing the tone and playing feel of a specific amp or cab. Their goal is either a “very good” acoustic sound, or to be as true as possible to the guitar’s native acoustic sound (which is really hard to achieve without using a microphone).
Since “good live acoustic sound” is so often the goal there seems to be opportunity for a generic acoustic amp.
The amp could have a very flat response, but it would include the primary functions an acoustic guitarist should consider using: a multi band EQ (4 knobs maybe?), a single knob reverb, and a single knob compressor. It would be great to also throw in an anti-feedback button.
Next, add a knob (or other control) that selects different sizes of guitar body and string types (nylon, 12 string, and whatever).
As the user moves the control it would adjust the EQ and other parameters, not only giving them a helpful starting point but teaching how to adjust for their instrument. Kind of like focus view on the Helix Stadium does.
An amp like this could be made available on all Line 6 modelers, from the Pod Go up to Stadium XL.
One of the advantages of including acoustic amps (or a single amp) is that the Line 6 modelers would then feel more “ready to use” with acoustic guitars. Right now it almost seems like a requirement to buy an IR in order to use an acoustic.
4. Acoustic IR’s
IR’s are a tricky area.
They are useful with acoustic guitars, and, in the absence of an amp, really valuable. It would be great if Line 6 modelers shipped with a bunch of them, but I can see that doing that may not be practical.
Perhaps a new “setting up for acoustic guitar” section in the manuals could describe the role IR’s play for acoustic guitar, and point to the Line 6 marketplace. Line 6 has done a nice job with the store and it lists a number of acoustic IR packages there.
Line 6 could also make it easier to find and load IRs. Line 6 does an excellent job getting companies to post IRs to there market place - re are currently 3152 Impluse Repsonse SKU’s listed up there - but this is far too many to scroll through. It would be helpful if there were additional selections so you could see just those that apply to acoustic guitar (or bass or electric guitar, etc.).
Once you find and buy one it is not too hard to load it in to a unit. But you could make it extra easy by providing an interface in the unit (or in the Helix HX software) where you could buy and then directly load IRs.
The Fishman Aura pedal is a good example of a pedal that sort of brings all this together, where it both ships with acoustic IR’s, plus it makes it easy to get other IR’s from a library and load them into the device.
Final Caveat
It is clearly possible for people to get great acoustic sound out of a Line 6 modeler today - if you know what you are doing. Lot's of people do, including me: I often play gigs where I use an acoustic guitar going through my Pod Go wireless.
I admit freely I’m not experienced in the use of molders and some (perhaps many) of the things I say may not make sense.
The comments here are really focused on making the process of adding an acoustic and dialing in the sound easier, especially for non-experts.
Finally: I'm impressed with what I've seen online of the Helix Stadium, excited about moving up from my current Pod Go Wireless, and I look forward to integrating the new unit into my band's performances.
Thanks for listening!
