Helix to control the Axe-Fx 3

[josephyballew]

I have read on the Helix site that some are using their Helix to Control The Axe 3. I was looking at the implementation on the Helix and the Axe and it will work well together. The Helix will change presets,scenes, tap tempo, and turn stomps on and off. The Helix manual gives you everything but the midi info for the stomps to turn off and on. The presets and scenes are easy but it will a pain to go to each effect and put in the location of each effect. The Helix has several layouts and I selected the 8 scene, bank up, bank down, mode, and tap layout. Once you punch in all the midi info from the Helix manual, you are good to go. The mode switch puts the unit into stomp mode, allowing you to turn stomps on and off. Note that the midi info for the stomps is not in the manual. This will be the pain part of it. If I can't get the info from Line 6, I can put CC numbers consecutive in the Axe, then load up every effect that I want to control by foot controller. Then go to the Helix stomp mode and load up all the effects there, send a Midi cable to the Helix and go effect one by one until I see what the control number are for each. I don't have time until next week sometime, but I will be on a mission. If I can get the stomps CC numbers worked out on the stomps, that is all I need. You can actually use the two units together and can actually have 4 amps at one time. Just another thought.

 

[josephyballew]

You only have 128 control numbers in stomp mode, so it will take time on the stomps. Wouldn't it be nice if they started a 0 and went in alphabetical order. That would make it easy. Another note: Scenes is Snapshots on the Helix

 

[josephyballew]

 

[sb-SG]

I have read on the Helix site that some are using their Helix to Control The Axe 3. I was looking at the implementation on the Helix and the Axe and it will work well together. The Helix will change presets,scenes, tap tempo, and turn stomps on and off. The Helix manual gives you everything but the midi info for the stomps to turn off and on. The presets and scenes are easy but it will a pain to go to each effect and put in the location of each effect. The Helix has several layouts and I selected the 8 scene, bank up, bank down, mode, and tap layout. Once you punch in all the midi info from the Helix manual, you are good to go. The mode switch puts the unit into stomp mode, allowing you to turn stomps on and off. Note that the midi info for the stomps is not in the manual. This will be the pain part of it. If I can't get the info from Line 6, I can put CC numbers consecutive in the Axe, then load up every effect that I want to control by foot controller. Then go to the Helix stomp mode and load up all the effects there, send a Midi cable to the Helix and go effect one by one until I see what the control number are for each. I don't have time until next week sometime, but I will be on a mission. If I can get the stomps CC numbers worked out on the stomps, that is all I need. You can actually use the two units together and can actually have 4 amps at one time. Just another thought.

I will be going down this route - all I need is an Axe FX III........

 

[josephyballew]

I will be going down this route - all I need is an Axe FX III........

All I care about is scenes, presets, stomps, and tap. I won't be paying $700 for the FC-12 unless I am forced to. The only problem I see is figuring out the midi implementation of the stomps.

 

[sb-SG]

All I care about is scenes, presets, and tap. I won't be paying $700 for the FC-12 unless I am forced to.

I haven't figured out priorities to match between devices but be good to config scribble strips to match effects blocks on the III.
I suspect there are a few options to getting to the same operational place ..

 

[AtomicBlaze]

I didn't know Helix stomps send out a Midi command I thought you had to use the Command Center if you wanted to send out a Midi CC.

 

[AtomicBlaze]

I think there is a bug in the Axe-FX III, if the Helix sends a PC to change presets and a CC to change scenes the Axe-FX III will change the scene before changing presets. So the Axe-FX III will just go to the Scene it was saved on instead of the Scene that was sent via Midi.

 

[josephyballew]

I just spent an hour trying to get the Helix to change scenes. The settings in the helix is CC 69 0-7 to change snapshot, so I changed scene select in the axe to CC69. That did not work. Anyone have a constructive suggestion?

 

[josephyballew]

I think there is a bug in the Axe-FX III, if the Helix sends a PC to change presets and a CC to change scenes the Axe-FX III will change the scene before changing presets. So the Axe-FX III will just go to the Scene it was saved on instead of the Scene that was sent via Midi.

It does not work that way. I have my Helix set to 8 Scenes. When I hit the up or down bank button, you can select any 10 presets. You have to press the mode button to change to 10 stomps. That is my favorite way. Presets is CC 0 (0-127), Bank is CC 32 (0-7), Snapshots is 69 (0-7) Stomps is CC49-CC58 if you do change the switch location. Each one of the CCs represents a different switch. I am not having any luck with anything but presets.

 

[AtomicBlaze]

I just spent an hour trying to get the Helix to change scenes. The settings in the helix is CC 69 0-7 to change snapshot, so I changed scene select in the axe to CC69. That did not work. Anyone have a constructive suggestion?

You have to set it up in the Command Center. I don't think the Helix sends Snapshot CCs by default. The Helix settings listed in the manual are for controlling the Helix, not what the Helix sends out.

 

[josephyballew]

You have to set it up in the Command Center. I don't think the Helix sends Snapshot CCs by default. The Helix settings listed in the manual are for controlling the Helix, not what the Helix sends out.

I will look into that. I had forgotten about the command center.

 

[yeky83]

It does not work that way. I have my Helix set to 8 Scenes. When I hit the up or down bank button, you can select any 10 presets. You have to press the mode button to change to 10 stomps. That is my favorite way. Presets is CC 0 (0-127), Bank is CC 32 (0-7), Snapshots is 69 (0-7) Stomps is CC49-CC58 if you do change the switch location. Each one of the CCs represents a different switch. I am not having any luck with anything but presets.

You're very confused about how MIDI works.

The CC# from Helix manual is for other external MIDI controllers to control Helix. If you engage those MIDI CC# from the Helix, it'll do nothing to the Helix.

If you want to control the Axe-Fx III with the Helix, you have to configure/find-out Axe-Fx III's MIDI PC# & CC#, then set the Helix's MIDI control according to the Axe-Fx III's MIDI configuration. You'd have to connect MIDI-out from Helix to Axe-Fx III's MIDI-in.

 

[josephyballew]

I did get Command Center to change

You're very confused about how MIDI works.

The CC# from Helix manual is for other external MIDI controllers to control Helix. If you engage those MIDI CC# from the Helix, it'll do nothing to the Helix.

If you want to control the Axe-Fx III with the Helix, you have to configure/find-out Axe-Fx III's MIDI PC# & CC#, then set the Helix's MIDI control according to the Axe-Fx III's MIDI configuration. You'd have to connect MIDI-out from Helix to Axe-Fx III's MIDI-in.

I have gotten scenes working using Helix Command Center. I am not confused about midi. I have been using it since the 80s. The Axe FX 3 has all midi stuff blank and you can set it up the way you want. I had the Helix set up wrong. The Command Center is the only way that the Helix sends out midi info.

 

[AtomicBlaze]

I did get Command Center to change


I have gotten scenes working using Helix Command Center. I am not confused about midi. I have been using it since the 80s. The Axe FX 3 has all midi stuff blank and you can set it up the way you want. I had the Helix set up wrong. The Command Center is the only way that the Helix send out midi info.

It would be cool if the Helix did the Snapshot Midi by default without the Command Center that would save a lot of hassle.

 

[yeky83]

I did get Command Center to change


I have gotten scenes working using Helix Command Center. I am not confused about midi. I have been using it since the 80s. The Axe FX 3 has all midi stuff blank and you can set it up the way you want. I had the Helix set up wrong. The Command Center is the only way that the Helix send out midi info.

Got it. I might've been reading your comment out of context, apologies. As long as you got it working, all good!

 

[josephyballew]

Got it. I might've been reading your comment out of context, apologies. As long as you got it working, all good!

The problem is I can't get the Helix to change scenes unless I press the mode switch first. All works with preset and scenes will change as long as I press the mode switch. I have the Helix set up in 8 snapshots, if you press the up or down bank, 10 presets appear. If I press the mode switch 10 stomps appear. The Helix is already in the snapshot mode mode to begin with. The manual states that CC 69 is for snapshots so I made that also for scenes in the AXE, but snapshots only work in the stomp mode. In other words I am in the stomp mode on the Helix to make the scenes work in the Axe. The problem is in the mode switch. You can set the mode to all snapshot, all presets or a combination of both when going to the preset. The mode switch in the Helix takes you to all stomps in the Helix but will only change the Axe scenes there. I can do all 8 scenes in the stomp mode on the Helix, It appears that I will have to change the control number to something else. The secret is all in the mode switch and what those CC numbers are.

 

[AtomicBlaze]

The problem is I can't get the Helix to change scenes unless I press the mode switch first. All works with preset and scenes will change as long as I press the mode switch. I have the Helix set up in 8 snapshots, if you press the up or down bank, 10 presets appear. If I press the mode switch 10 stomps appear. The Helix is already in the snapshot mode mode to begin with. The manual states that CC 69 is for snapshots so I made that also for scenes in the AXE, but snapshots only work in the stomp mode. In other words I am in the stomp mode on the Helix to make the scenes work in the Axe. The problem is in the mode switch. You can set the mode to all snapshot, all presets or a combination of both when going to the preset. The mode switch in the Helix takes you to all stomps in the Helix but will only change the Axe scenes there. I can do all 8 scenes in the stomp mode on the Helix, It appears that I will have to change the control number to something else. The secret is all in the mode switch and what those CC numbers are.

I am not sure if I completely understand your issue, but you can set up CC for the lightning bolts on the top row, you can save each Snapshot with different lightning bolt CC messages, so that when you change Snapshots it changes Scenes on the Axe-FX III.

 

[josephyballew]

The best I could come up with is set the Helix up in preset mode, use midi mapping in the axe for the Helix to line up with the 400 user block, and then have the mode switch change to scenes with 8 switches. I did not have any luck with the stomps. I had two switches left in the mode switch setting. That is better than just presets. If anyone knows how to get stomps working from the Helix, let me know. I used Command Center in the Helix to send all to the AXE. I used CC 69 in Command Center in Helix and Set the Axe Scene Select to 69 in global midi remote under other. No stomps but presets and scenes work great. The big downside is Command Center in the Helix is per preset, so you have to do the setting every preset. Be nice to have a global on that.

 

[josephyballew]

For all wanting to know, I set up the Helix in preset mode and used command center to set up scene control changes. Presets work off the bat, but I did use midi mapping in the axe to line up the Helix with my user patches in the 400 bank. Below are settings in command center to get the Helix to do presets and scenes in the Axe Fx3. You do have to select 69 on the axe in scene select in global other. The Helix command center is per preset and do not have a global on that, so I just copied the preset ten times and went from there so everything will work on the first 10 presets. You can do more if you need them. With this setup you will have 10 presets with bank up and back down and then press the mode switch to access the 8 scenes.

CC69 0 for scene one switch 7
CC69 1 for scene two switch 8
CC69 2 for scene three switch 9
CC69 3 for scene four switch 10
CC69 4 for scene five switch 11
CC69 5 for scene six switch 1
CC69 6 for scene seven switch 2
CC69 7 for scene eight switch 3



You have switches 4 and 5 left. I could not get the stomps to work.