Line 6 HX Edit User Manual

HX EDIT

PILOT’S GUIDE

A guide to the features and functionality of the Line 6 HX Edit application

Contents

Workﬂow 2

What’s in it for Me? 2 Marketplace 2 Workow Overview 2 Computer Connectivity 2 Multi-Device, Multi-Window Support 3

Preset Compatibility 4

Preset Compatibility with Helix Native Plugin 4 Preset Translation 4 Feature Compatibility 7

GUI Overview 9

Resizing the Application Window 9 Application Menus 10 Preferences, Help & Account Options 12

Presets Panel 13

Premium Marketplace Presets 13 Selecting, Loading & Saving Presets 13

Importing and Exporting Preset Files 14

Renaming, Reordering, Copying, and Pasting Presets 14 Importing and Exporting Setlists 14

Importing and Exporting Bundles 15

IRs Panel 16

What are Impulse Responses? 16

Importing and Exporting IRs 16

Renaming, Loading, Copying, and Clearing IRs 17

Favorites Panel 20

Adding Blocks as Favorites 20 To Insert a Favorite into your Current Preset 21 Managing Favorites 21

Importing and Exporting Favorites 22

Working in the Editor 23

Naming & Saving the Preset 24 Conguring & Managing Snapshots 24 Undo / Redo 25

Editing the Tap Tempo 26

Creating & Restoring Complete Device Backups 27 Extracting Files from a Backup 28

The Signal Flow Window 29

Moving Blocks & Arranging the Signal Flow 30 Split Path Options 30 Cutting, Copying, Pasting, and Clearing Blocks 31 Drag and Drop Blocks 32 Adding a Block to Favorites 33 Conguring a Model’s User Defaults 33

The Edit Tab 34

Selecting Models 34 Editing Model Parameters 35 Editing Input, Output, Split & Mixer Blocks 36 L6 LINK - Powercab Plus and DT 25/50 Amp

Options 37

The Bypass/Controller Assign Tab 38

Editing an Existing Assignment 38 Creating a Bypass Assignment 39 Creating a Controller Assignment 41

The Command Center Window 44

Creating a Command Center Assignment 44 HX Preset, Snapshot, and Looper Commands 46 Customizing a Footswitch Label 47 Customizing a Footswitch LED Color 47

Global EQ Window 48

Adjusting Global EQ Parameters 48

Preferences and About Box 49

The Preferences Window 49 The About/Legal Box and Help Options 50

Marketplace & Account Options 52

Marketplace 52 The My Account Menu Options 52 Sign In / Sign Out 53 Authorize / Deauthorize Your Computer 54

Model Lists 55

Eects Models 55 Amp Models 61 Speaker Cabinet Models 63 Microphone Models 64

Keyboard Shortcuts 66

Command Center, Global EQ & Preferences Window Shortcuts 74

Additional Mouse Behaviors 77

Updater & Additional Resources 78

HX Edit and Device Firmware Updater 78 Using the Line 6 Updater App 81 Additional Resources 82

Line 6, the Line 6 logo, Ampeg, Powercab, Helix, HX Stomp, and HX Eects are trademarks or registered trademarks of Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other jurisdictions. Apple, Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple, Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple is not responsible for the operation of this product or its compliance with safety and regulatory standards. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Workﬂow

Scream 808

EXP 2

Welcome to the HX Edit Pilot’s Guide. This guide contains details of the HX Edit v.3.11 application’s features and functionality with Line 6® Helix® devices (Helix®, Helix®

Rack, and Helix® LT), as well as with HX devices (HX Stomp™, HX Stomp XL, and HX Effects™). All behaviors are the same on Mac and PC computers unless otherwise

noted. It is recommended that you also read the Owner’s Manual for details on using your particular device.

What’s in it for Me?

HX Edit is a simple, but powerful, editor, preset librarian, and IR manager application. It allows you to easily customize, backup, and manage your tone presets and setlists, as well as manage the Impulse Responses on your Line 6 Helix or HX device.

HX Edit version 3.11 is the editor/librarian software for use with all Helix or HX devices that are running rmware version 3.10 (or later).* For best performance, it is

recommended to use the latest available versions for your HX Edit application,

drivers, and device rmware (as well as for the Helix Native software, if you’re

using it). If for any reason you wish to use an earlier rmware in your device, or an earlier HX Edit software version, you’ll need to be sure the release versions of the rmware and software match for full functionality.

Workﬂow Overview

Once the HX Edit app is launched, it automatically syncs all presets and IRs from your Helix or HX device’s internal memory. You’ll see your device’s presets & IRs displayed in the Librarian panels at the left. This allows you to export presets and IRs to create a virtually unlimited library on your computer, and then import them onto your device at any time. These Librarian panels also allow you to easily rename and reorder your presets and IRs, and the Create & Restore Backup feature makes it simple to create full backups that can be restored to your Helix or HX hardware in minutes.

You will also see your currently loaded preset’s contents displayed in the Editor panels on the right. This allows you to load & fully customize your presets, congure bypass & controller assignments, and create & edit snapshots. While connected, communication between the application and your connected device’s internal memory is instantaneous. Changes you make to any parameters in the Signal Flow or Inspector Windows, as well as any changes to presets, setlists, and IRs within the Librarian, are immediately reected on the device, and vice-versa.

16B Dream Rig Duet

PRESET

Delay Harmony Delay

[37%]

FeedbackTime

BANK

16A

BANK

None More Black

BYPASSSAVE ACTION

0.0dB40%MinorD1/8

PAGE

LevelMixKey Scale

Mystery Filter Ubiquitous Vibe Harmony Delay

16B

16C

Dream Rig Duet

Jimi, Not Jimmy

DAW Remote

16D

H O L D F O R T U N E R

EXP 1

PHONESVOLUME

MODE

H O L D T O E D I T

TAP

*IMPORTANT! Your Helix or HX device must be running a rmware version no earlier than 3.00 to be able to use it with HX Edit version 3.11 (the latest

available rmware and HX Edit version are recommended).

If you’re currently using HX Edit v3.01, simply connect your Helix or HX Device to your computer with an active Internet connection and launch HX Edit. Its integrated Updater will nd and walk you through installing the latest HX Edit and device rmware versions in minutes—see “Updater & Additional Resources”

on page 79.

NOTE: Each Helix or HX device model oers a dierent set of inputs, outputs, and signal ow capabilities. Throughout the following chapters, we’ve indicated HX Edit app functionality that is specic to your Helix or HX device type.

Marketplace

Be sure to visit the Line 6 Marketplace online shop, where you’ll nd 3rd-party add-on assets that further enhance the functionality of your Helix and HX devices, as well as Helix Native plugin! As of this writing, professionally crafted presets and IRs are available—check back often on Marketplace for product news and announcements. An Internet connection is required for the computer on which you’ll be using the HX Edit app to authorize it for the use of Marketplace premium assets. Please see “Marketplace

& Account Options” on page 53.

This interactive communication allows you to tweak your presets and setlists in realtime, without the need to send/receive or manually sync to the device.

WARNING: Be careful when overwriting presets or IRs—these changes cannot be reverted! You can use the Create & Restore Backups feature to back up your Helix or HX device’s contents before making changes. See “Creating & Restoring

Complete Device Backups”.

Computer Connectivity

To put the HX Edit application to work, connect your Helix or HX device to your computer’s USB 2 (or higher) port.

NOTE: If on Windows®, be sure to have the latest Line 6 drivers installed for your device. No driver installation is necessary on Mac computers.

It is highly recommended to install all included drivers when running the

latest Windows HX Edit application installer—all drivers are already selected to be installed by default. The latest HX Edit applications installer is available at

line6.com/software/.

Exit any other Line 6 applications that may be running. With your Helix device

powered on, launch HX Edit.

• Mac: Go to Applications > Line 6 > HX Edit

• Windows: Go to the Start button menu > All Apps (or Programs) > Line 6 > HX

Edit

Upon launch, the application will detect Helix hardware and automatically retrieve and display its onboard presets, IRs, and Favorites. This may take a moment to download all of the preset information.

Multi-Device, Multi-Window Support

The HX Edit application supports the use of multiple-connected Helix/HX devices simultaneously, where each device displays its own full application window. The separate windows can be resized and/or positioned on your screen independently, making it easy to reference and edit presets and settings, as well as copy presets and IRs between the multiple USB-connected devices. Please also see “GUI Overview” on

page 9.

TIP: You can also use the Copy and Paste commands or drag and drop to copy a

block and its current settings from one HX Edit device window to another!

To access the separate application windows for each connected device, simply go to the HX Edit Devices menu, select the desired device to display, and bring its HX Edit window to the foreground—a checkmark at the left of a device here indicates the device window that is currently in the foreground. If any of your devices become disconnected, its entry within this menu displays “Not connected” to indicate this.

Each device’s HX Edit window also includes its own Command Center and Global EQ oating windows as well (for devices that include these features)—see “The Command

Center Window” on page 45 and “Global EQ Window” on page 49.

NOTE: On macOS computers, closing all open device windows does not exit the HX Edit application. As is common with multi-window supporting macOS apps, you’ll need to use the Quit HX Edit command from the main HX Edit menu (or

better, just train yourself to use the Cmd+Q shortcut).

The Devices menu, showing two connected devices, and the Helix Floor window in the foreground

You’ll see an indicator at the bottom of each application window displaying its connected Helix/HX device type—or a warning that no device is detected.

Device indicator at bottom of the HX Edit main window

Preset Compatibility

This guide covers version 3.11 of the HX Edit application. The easiest way to ensure the best performance and compatibility between HX Edit and your Helix or HX device is to make sure to have the latest updates. The HX Edit application will automatically check for, and walk you through installing, the latest rmware update for your connected Helix

or HX device (see “Updater & Additional Resources” on page 79). An active Internet connection is required.

Helix preset les are transferable between Helix devices (Helix, Helix Rack and Helix

LT), as well as with the Helix® Native plugin software.* Additionally, HX Edit and Helix

Native both include Preset Translation functionality, and Helix Native further includes selectable Hardware Compatibility modes. As covered throughout this chapter, these features allow many presets to be shared between any Helix and HX type devices, and with Helix Native.

*IMPORTANT! As of rmware version 3.00, the preset le structure has been

changed to accommodate the new features and functionality on all Helix and HX devices. Presets saved or exported from any Helix or HX device running a previous (version 2.xx) rmware are still fully compatible with HX Edit 3.xx and your Helix or HX device with v3.xx rmware. However, presets saved or exported from Helix and HX devices with v3.xx rmware or Helix Native v3.xx (or later versions) are not compatible with earlier versions. We highly recommend backing up and keeping copies of all your v2.xx-created presets before updating to rmware v3.xx.

TIP: It is also possible to Copy and Paste, or drag and drop individual blocks, along

with their current settings, between Helix Native and HX Edit, as well as between

multiple HX Edit device windows—see “Block Copy and Paste” on page 7.

Preset Compatibility with Helix Native Plugin

All your Helix and HX device presets, setlists, and bundles are compatible between the HX Edit app (v3.00 or later) and Helix Native plugin (v3.00 or later), by way of the Helix Native Hardware Compatibility mode (HC mode) functionality. As noted above, presets exported or saved with Helix/HX device rmware and Helix Native v3.xx are not

compatible with earlier versions.

Once a preset (or setlist or bundle) is exported from your device using HX Edit, upon import, Helix Native determines the device type from which it was created and automatically changes the plugin’s HC mode to match the device, thus fully supporting the complete tone. Likewise, presets exported from Helix Native plugin’s matching HC mode are fully compatible with your Helix or HX device.

Helix Native also oers Preset Translation functionality (also oered in HX Edit—see the next section). When loading a preset into Helix Native as the current tone (such as by dragging a preset from the HX Edit Presets Library or a computer folder directly into the Helix Native Signal Flow), a prompt is oered to either change the plugin’s HC mode to match the preset’s source format, or to attempt to translate to match the current plugin HC mode.

This preset compatibility is the foundation of the Line 6 “Studio to Stage” concept, allowing you to load, edit and transfer your tones between HX Edit and Helix Native plugin! Note that Helix Native plugin maintains its own Preset & IR libraries, independent of the presets and IRs that reside within your Helix hardware. For more information,

please see the Helix Native Pilot’s Guide.

TIP: If you also own Helix Native plugin, be sure to reference the “Helix

compatible” version number (found in the Helix Native software’s About box) to

determine the recommended Helix/HX device rmware version you should use for maximum preset compatibility. It is highly recommended to always use the latest available device rmware and HX Edit and Helix Native software.

Since the dierent Helix device types include dierent physical inputs and outputs, some variances exist among settings, as well as for their support of block types & controllers, which may aect the sharing of presets between devices, or between HX Edit and Helix Native plugin. The following sections in this chapter provide details about

sharing presets and settings.

Preset Translation

When importing a preset into the HX Edit Presets Library, the application automatically detects the source device from which it was created (Helix, HX Eects, HX Stomp, or

HX Stomp XL).

NOTE: As covered in the previous section, if the preset attempting to be imported was exported from Helix Native, the Hardware Compatibility mode of the preset

determines its source device type format.

If the HX Edit app window’s currently connected device is dierent that the preset’s source device, the app will attempt to translate the preset to the current device format. If translation is successful, the preset is imported into the current device’s library.

Presets cannot be translated if created with a source device (or Helix Native HX mode) which includes features or capabilities that exceed those of the current device (e.g., greater signal path count, exceeds maximum block count or type, etc.) If the preset

cannot be translated, an error window lets you know the preset is not compatible and why, and import is cancelled. For example, if attempting to import a Helix exported preset which includes an Amp model into an HX Effects device (HX Effects includes no support for Amp models), translation is not possible and the following error is displayed.

Error message displayed when a preset cannot be translated on import

Feature Comparison Table

The following table shows the primary feature dierences that aect preset translation between the Helix and HX hardware types. Additionally, Helix Native oers a HC mode Off option. When this O mode setting is in us in Helix Native, the preset has fewer restrictions for block types and DSP limits. Therefore, presets exported from this O mode can exceed the capabilities of any Helix or HX device. You can consult this table to determine if a preset from one source device (or Helix Native HC mode) will be able to be translated to other devices. See the Preset Translation Compatibility table for more info.

HC MODE / DEVICE FEATURE COMPARISON

HC Mode or Device Type:

Feature

Off

(Helix Native only)

Helix HX Stomp XL HX Stomp HX Effects

Included

Models*

Blocks Per Path Capacity

Max. Block Type Per Path

Max. DSP Limit

Snapshots

Per Preset

Preset Library

(independent per HC mode)

IRs Library

Favorites Library

(shared between HC modes)

Full set of v3.10 Helix

models

16 16 8 8 9

None

None Same as Helix device

8 8 4 3 4

8 Setlists for up to

1,024 Presets.

4 Presets per Bank

Bundle support

included

Holds up to 128 each

User IRs &

Favorites

Full set of v3.10 Helix

models

2 Amps, 2 Cabs,

2 IRs (1,024 sample) or

1 IR (2,048 sample),

1 Poly Pitch eect*

8 Setlists for up to

1,024 Presets.

4 Presets per Bank

Bundle support

included

Holds up to 128 each

User IRs &

Favorites

Full set of v3.10 Helix

models

2 Amps, 2 Cabs,

2 IRs (1,024 sample) or

1 IR (2,048 sample),

1 Poly Pitch eect*

Same as

HX Stomp XL device

1 Setlist for up to 128

Presets.

4 Presets per Bank

Holds up to 128 each

User IRs &

Favorites

Full set of v3.10 Helix

models, except 6

Switch Looper

2 Amps, 2 Cabs,

2 IRs (1,024 sample) or

1 IR (2,048 sample),

1 Poly Pitch eect*

Same as

HX Stomp device

1 Setlist for up to 126

Presets.

3 Presets per Bank

Holds up to 128 each

User IRs &

Favorites

Full set of v3.10 Helix models, except Amps

& Cabs

2 Amps, 2 Cabs,

2 IRs (1,024 sample) or

1 IR (2,048 sample),

1 Poly Pitch eect*

Same as

HX Eects device

1 Setlist for up to 128

Presets.

4 Presets per Bank

Holds up to 128 each

User IRs &

Favorites

* Poly Pitch type eects are those that utilize polyphonic pitch processing: Delay - Poly Sustain, Modulation - Poly Detune, and Pitch/Synth - Poly Pitch, Poly Wham, Poly Capo, and 12-String.

NOTE: Likewise, if importing multiple presets at once, a setlist, or a bundle, where one or more presets are not able to be translated to the current device, the non-translatable presets display an error window and are not imported, while the eligible presets are successfully translated and imported.

Input and output block options and controller support also dier among the Helix and HX device types (e.g., HX devices include no Variax input or EXP 3 pedal options as Helix devices do). These non-compatible features do not prevent preset translation. Typically, non-compatible input and output block settings are translated to the common Main In or Main Out, and non-supported controller assignments are removed from the preset.

Preset Translation Compatibility Table

The following table provides an overview of the preset translation capabilities from each source device (or each source Helix Native HC mode).

PRESET TRANSLATION COMPATIBILITY

Can Be Translated To:

Created With:

Helix Native

HC mode = Off

Helix

(Rack, Floor, LT)

Helix Native

HC mode = Helix

HX Stomp XL

Helix Native

HC mode = HX Stomp XL

HX Stomp

Helix Native

HC mode = HX Stomp

HX Effects

Helix Native

HC mode = HX Effects

HC Mode Off

(Helix Native)

If does not exceed Helix

�

block count and DSP

� �

� � �

Helix

(Floor, Rack, LT)

limits

HX Stomp XL HX Stomp HX Effects

If does not exceed HX

Stomp XL Block and Path

count, and DSP limits.

Snapshots greater than 4

are discarded.

If does not exceed HX

Stomp XL Block and Path

count, and DSP limits.

Snapshots greater than 4

are discarded.

If does not exceed HX

Stomp Block and Path

count and DSP limits.

Snapshots greater than 3

If does not exceed HX

Stomp Block and Path

count and DSP limits.

Snapshots greater than 3

� � � �

� � �

Snapshots greater than 3

are discarded.

�

are discarded.

�

are discarded.

Path count, and DSP limits.

Path count and DSP limits.

If does not exceed HX

Eects Block type and

Snapshots greater than 4

are discarded.

If does not exceed HX

Eects Block type and

Snapshots greater than 4

are discarded.

If does not exceed HX

Eects Block type and

If does not exceed HX

Eects Block type and

�

Feature Compatibility

The following sections provide details on the compatibility of the major features between device types, and between HX Edit and Helix Native.

HX Edit Backup Files

The HX Edit application includes a feature that creates Helix Backup (.hxb) les to restore a Helix or HX device’s presets, IRs, and global settings (see page 27). Helix Backup les are specic to each device type and, therefore, cannot be opened or utilized in HX Edit when a dierent source device is connected.

Helix Native plugin does not currently include this backup functionality and, therefore, does not support creating or opening Helix Backup .hxb les.

Block Copy and Paste

Using the Copy Block and Paste Block commands, you can copy and paste any block type between any presets within HX Edit, as well as between multiple HX Edit windows (with any Helix or HX device connected) and any instance of the Helix Native plugin. It is also possible to drag and drop any processing block to move it within the current preset, or to copy it into any other HX Edit device window. Restrictions apply when copying, pasting, and moving some block types, depending on the source Helix/ HX device (or source Helix Native HC mode) and the destination. Please see “Cutting,

Copying, Pasting, and Clearing Blocks” on page 32.

Snapshot Copy and Paste

The current Snapshot, along with all its settings, can be copied and pasted using the Copy Snapshot and Paste Snapshot commands either within the current HX Edit

preset or within the current Helix Native preset. Also, see “Conguring & Managing

Snapshots” on page 24.

Command Center Copy and Paste

Within the Command Center window, once a command assignment is created for any footswitch, EXP Pedal, or other controller, you can use the Command Center’s Copy and Paste command options to copy assignments between controllers, as well as between

controllers within other HX Edit presets within the current HX Edit device window.*

Helix Native plugin does not include the Command Center, therefore, it is not possible to copy Command Center assignments between HX Edit and Helix Native. See “The

Command Center Window” on page 45.

Input & Output Block Settings

When Importing a Helix/HX hardware-exported Preset into HX Edit with a different

device type connected - During preset translation, the Input and Output block settings are changed to “Multi” or “Main” if the connected device does not support the original

options (also see “Preset Translation” on page 4).

When Importing a Helix Native-exported Preset into Helix/HX Hardware - All input and output blocks that were set to “Host” will default to the “Multi” setting within the Helix devices, and to the “Main” setting in HX devices. Any input block set to “None” will remain as set to “None” within the hardware.

When Importing a Helix/HX hardware-exported Preset into Helix Native Plugin - All input and output blocks that were set to physical inputs and outputs (other than “None”) will default to the “Host” setting within the plugin. Any input block set to “None” will remain set to “None” within the plugin.

Hardware Blocks (Send, Return, FX Loop & Looper)

When Importing a Helix Hardware-exported Preset into Helix Native - These hardware block types are only functional within Helix/HX devices. Within Helix Native, these blocks oer no routing functionality, and their parameters are not editable.

Impulse Responses

Impulse Response (IR) les are able to be utilized within IR blocks of all Helix and HX devices, as well as by the Helix Native plugin in any HC mode. If you are to be sharing Helix presets between Helix Native plugin and Helix or HX devices, it is a good idea to build and maintain your IR libraries similarly on each to allow the same IR les to be utilized for your presets that include them—see page 16.

NOTE: IRs, including those from the Line 6 Marketplace online shop and 3rd party vendors, are supported by all Helix and HX devices, as well as by Helix Native plugin. Any of your IRs can be imported and exported, as well as dragged and dropped,

between HX Edit and Helix Native IR library windows.

Favorites

Favorites that you’ve created on your Helix or HX device, as well as Favorites les (.fav) exported from HX Edit, are compatible with any Helix or HX device and Helix Native plugin—wherever as the specic model type is supported. See page 20.

*TIP: As of rmware version 3.0, HX Stomp devices include the Command Center

feature too!

Controller Assignments

Controller assignment types vary between Helix and HX devices, for example, a Helix Floor preset may include an EXP 3 controller assignment, which Helix LT and HX devices do not include. Therefore, if a preset is imported and translated to a dierent device in HX Edit, non-supported assignments are discarded.

The Helix Native plugin does not utilize any hardware-based Bypass, Controller, or Command Center Assignments that may exist within HX Edit-exported presets. Any such assignments remain intact within your presets, but are essentially ignored by Helix Native.* Snapshot and MIDI In type assignments, however, are supported in both Helix hardware and Helix Native plugin.) Helix Native plugin includes its own functionality to create plugin parameter - Automation Controller type assignments, which are similarly ignored when Helix Native presets are imported into the HX Edit application.

*TIP: Helix Native includes a Preferences option to show or hide existing

hardware-based assignments within its Assignments tab.

MIDI In Bypass & Controller Assignments

Using HX Edit, you can create MIDI In Bypass Assignments to remotely toggle the bypass state of most block types, and MIDI In Controller Assignments to remotely control most Helix parameters, via external MIDI controller devices or MIDI software. MIDI In assignments saved within HX Edit-exported presets are supported when imported into other Helix/HX devices, as well as in Helix Native plugin. See “Creating a

Bypass Assignment” on page 40.

DSP Limit

In order to maintain preset compatibility with Helix and HX devices, each HC mode within the Helix Native plugin incorporates DSP limits on its presets, matching the limits of the respective hardware devices (also see the following Preset Spillover section). The exception to this rule is when the “O” HC mode setting is in use in Helix Native. This mode eectively removes the DSP limits on presets, as well as several other restrictions. For this reason, presets exported from the Helix Native - HC O mode may not be translatable in HX Edit for any device. See “Preset Compatibility with Helix

Native Plugin” on page 4.

Preset Spillover Mode

Helix Floor, Rack, and LT devices include the Preset Spillover Mode (accessible in the device’s Global Settings > Preferences) which, when activated, dedicates 50% of its DSP to providing full “spillover” for the decay of delay and reverb tails, as well as a

smooth transition across a preset change. To achieve this processing, the device limits

its signal ow to Path 1 (with Path 2 visibly removed). Therefore, if the connected Helix device has Preset Spillover Mode active, when loading any Helix preset, only its Path 1 blocks and settings are visibly loaded and audible (as shown in the following HX Edit image), and any existing bypass or controller assignments for path 2 blocks are nonfunctional.

The Signal Flow shows one main path when Preset Spillover Mode is active

Note that a preset’s existing Path 2 blocks remain part of the preset, even if the preset is saved while Spillover is active, so you’ll see them appear on Path 2 for the preset when Spillover is turned O. Considering this behavior, the best practice is to start with empty New Presets when you have Preset Spillover On and utilize them for the Spillover mode only, and you’ll not need to concern yourself with Path 2 blocks or settings!

NOTE: When in Spillover mode, you’ll need to ensure that your preset’s Path 1A and Path 1B Output blocks are set to physical Helix outputs (i.e., the imported preset

may have a Path 1 Output block set to Path 2A, which will result in no audible output).

Please see your Helix Owner’s Manual for details.

Marketplace Assets

Premium presets and IRs purchased from the online Marketplace are compatible with Helix devices and Helix Native plugin. Marketplace also includes presets and bundles specically for HX devices as well. The import of premium Marketplace assets requires

online license Authorization. Please see “Marketplace & Account Options” on page

53.

NOTE: Version 1.70 of Helix Native and 2.70 of HX Edit and device rmware (or later versions) are required for full support and use of premium Marketplace presets and

IRs.

GUI Overview

HX Edit has a very intuitive, easy-to-use interface. The main application window automatically detects your specic Helix or HX device type and displays all its options

within the main application window.

TIP: As covered in “Multi-Device, Multi-Window Support” on page 3, if you

have more than one device connected, a separate application window is available

for each device.

Within the application window, the navigation is divided into three main sections:

The Librarian Window - For managing presets, Impulse Responses (IRs), and

Favorites.

The Signal Flow Window - Where you can add and move amp, eects & mix blocks, and customize your complete signal path routing.

The Inspector Window - Where you can choose from the huge selection of models, edit their parameters, create bypass & controller assignments, and more.

Presets

Tab

LIBRARIAN

IRs Tab

Favorites

Tab

Show/Hide

Librarian

Signal Flow

Window

Undo/Redo

Buttons

Tempo

Controls

HX Device Owners: With an HX device connected, its application window

displays the single signal ow, just as on your HX hardware screen. As covered in this chapter for Helix devices, you can utilize the application’s

signal ow to bypass, move, clear, copy & paste blocks, create split paths, and more.

The HX Edit signal ow—with an HX Stomp XL or HX Stomp connected

The HX Edit signal ow—with an HX Eects connected

TIP: The Command Center, for creating MIDI control assignments and Global EQ

(Helix, HX Stomp XL, and HX Stomp only) are available as separate windows from

the application’s Window menu.

Resizing the Application Window

The HX Edit main application window is resizable, allowing you to adjust it to best t your screen size and workow. Simply click and drag any corner or edge of the window to adjust to the preferred size, or click the “Maximize” button at the top of the window to use it in full-screen mode. If you have multiple devices connected, each device’s application window is independently resizable.

EDITOR

It is also possible to show or hide the Presets/IRs/Favorites Librarian panel, by clicking on the toggle button at the top left of the Signal Flow window (or via the Window menu’s

Show/Hide Librarian command).

Edit TabMy Account/Preferences

The HX Edit main GUI (Helix Floor device)

Inspector

Window

Bypass/Controller

Assign Tab

The Librarian window Show/Hide toggle button

Application Menus

At the top of your computer screen (Mac) or top of the application window (Windows), you’ll nd the familiar application menu bar for the current device. Note that the available commands dier within the File and Edit menus depending on the application window, tabbed panel, and/or specic control that currently has “focus.” The window focus is indicated by a blue outline appearing around the Librarian, Signal Flow, or Inspector windows.* To change focus, simply click within the desired window, or use the TAB key. To follow are descriptions of the included application menu commands for Mac and Windows. See “Keyboard Shortcuts” on page 67 for additional information.

*NOTE: It is possible that the Librarian’s Presets or IRs tab currently has focus, but if you’ve “hidden” the Librarian panel, you will not see its blue outline focus indicator.

Using the TAB key will advance the focus to the other windows, even when the Librarian

is hidden.

NOTE: On Mac computers, HX Edit has one common, main application menu at the top

of your screen. If you have multiple Helix devices connected and multiple app windows open, available menu commands & keyboard shortcuts act only upon the current “foreground” application window. (Choose the desired device within the Devices menu to bring its application window to bring it to the foreground.)

HX Edit (Mac only)

• About HX Edit - Launches the About box screen, which displays the versions

of the HX Edit software and connected Helix device rmware, as well as legal information.

• Check for Updates - Launches the built-in updater to check for an install any

available software and device rmware updates—see “Updater & Additional

Resources” on page 79.

• Preferences - Launches the Preferences window, where you can select

application and hardware settings—see “Preferences and About Box” on page

50. You can also launch the Preferences window by clicking on the “gear icon”

button or device indicator at the bottom of the application window.

• Quit HX Edit - Exits the application for all connected devices.

File

When a preset within the Presets tab currently has focus (or, when the Presets tab is displayed and focus is within any other window), the following commands are selectable:

• Save Preset - Saves changes for the currently loaded preset to the device’s

Preset Library.

• Save Preset As - Displays the Save As window, allowing you to choose the

desired Setlist and Preset Library location where to save the current tone. Note

that choosing an occupied preset location will overwrite the existing preset

within the location on your device.

• Import Preset - Imports any .hlx preset le (or les) from your computer,

replacing the currently selected library preset(s).

• Export Preset - Exports the currently selected preset (or presets) and saves

each to your computer as a .hlx le.

• Import Setlist - (Helix devices only) Imports any .hls setlist le from your

computer, replacing the current setlist on your Helix.

• Export Setlist - (Helix devices only) Exports the current setlist and saves it to

your computer as a .hls setlist le.

• Import Bundle - (Helix devices only) Imports any .hlb bundle le from your

computer, replacing all setlists and presets within the Helix.

• Export Bundle - (Helix devices only) Exports all the current setlists and their

presets from your Helix and saves them to your computer as a .hlb bundle le.

When an IR slot within the IRs tab currently has focus, the additional following commands are available:

• Import Impulse - Imports an Impulse Response le (or les) from your computer,

replacing the currently selected library Impulse(s).

• Export Impulse - Exports the currently selected Impulse (or IRs) and saves

each to your computer.

When a Favorites slot within the Favorites tab currently has focus, the following commands are available:

• Import Favorite - Imports a Favorite le (or les) from your computer.

• Export Favorite - Exports the currently selected Favorite (or Favorites) and

saves each to your computer.

TIP: Please see “Presets Panel”, “IRs Panel”, and “Favorites Panel” for details on these menu command behaviors.

The following, additional File menu commands are available regardless of window focus:

• Create Backup - Launches the Create a Helix Backup window, where you can

export a full backup of your device’s Presets, IRs, Global Settings, Favorites, and User Defaults—see page 27.

• Restore From Backup - Launches the Restore From Backup window, where

you can restore your device’s Presets, IRs, Global Settings, Favorites, and User Defaults from a previously created backup—see page 27.

• Extract Files From Backup - Launches the Extract Files From Backup window,

where you can choose one of your saved Helix Backup les, and choose to extract the Favorites, IRs, and/or Presets from the backup—see page 28.

• Preferences - (Windows only) Launches the Preferences window, where you

can access application and hardware settings—see page 50. You can also

launch the Preferences window from the “gear icon” button or the connected device indicator at the bottom of the application window.

• Quit - (Windows only) Exits the application.

Edit

Regardless of tab focus:

• Undo - Reverses the last supported edit action.

• Redo - Reverses the last performed Undo action.

TIP: Please see “Undo / Redo” on page 25 for details.

When the Presets tab has focus:

• Copy Preset - Copies the selected Preset(s) to the clipboard.

• Paste Preset - Pastes the last-copied preset(s), replacing the preset(s) within

the selected preset library location(s).

• Select All Presets - Selects all Presets within the current Setlist.

• Rename Preset - Renames the currently loaded preset.

When the IRs tab has focus:

• Copy IR - Copies the selected IR(s) to the clipboard.

• Paste IR - Pastes the last-copied IR(s), replacing the IR(s) within the selected

IR library location(s).

• Clear IR - Deletes the selected IR(s) from the IRs library.

• Select All IRs - Selects all IRs within the IRs library.

• Rename IR - Renames the currently selected IR.

• Clear Block - Deletes the selected block.

• Rename Preset - Renames the currently loaded preset.

When the Command Center window has focus:*

• Cut Command - Copies the currently selected (instant, footswitch, EXP pedal,

or Variax knob) controller’s command settings to the clipboard and clears the command settings from the controller.

• Copy Command - Copies the currently selected controller’s command settings

to the clipboard.

• Paste Command - Pastes the last-copied controller’s command settings to

the selected controller.

• Clear Command - Deletes the selected controller’s command settings.

*NOTE: When working in “The Command Center Window” you can access these Edit commands as follows:

Mac - These commands are available within the main application’s Edit menu at

the top of your screen when the Command Center window has focus.

Windows - The Command Center window itself includes an Edit menu with these

commands.

TIP: Copy Block and Paste Block, as well as drag and drop of processing blocks, can be also used between multiple HX Edit windows, and back and

forth with Helix Native plugin! See “Cutting, Copying, Pasting, and Clearing

Blocks” on page 32 for details.

When the Favorites tab has focus:

• Copy Favorite - Copies the selected Favorite(s) to the clipboard.

• Paste Favorite - Pastes the last-copied Favorite(s) and displays a prompt to

copy as new or replace the selected Favorite.

• Clear Favorite - Deletes the selected Favorite(s) from the library.

• Rename Favorite - Renames the currently selected Favorite.

When the Signal Flow window has focus:

• Cut Block - Copies the currently selected block and its settings to the clipboard

and removes the block from the Signal Flow.

• Copy Block - Copies the currently selected block and its settings to the

clipboard.

• Paste Block - Pastes the last-copied block’s model and its settings to the

selected block location. When an existing block is selected as the paste location, this replaces the existing block.

• Paste Block Before -

When an existing block is currently selected, pastes the

last-copied block’s model and its settings to the location before the selected block.

• Paste Block After -

When an existing block is currently selected, pastes the

last-copied block’s model and its settings to the location after the selected block.

Snapshots

• Copy Snapshot - Copies the currently loaded preset’s snapshot to the

clipboard.

• Paste Snapshot - Pastes the last-copied snapshot contents, replacing the

currently loaded snapshot’s contents.

• Rename Snapshot - Allows you to edit the title of the currently loaded snapshot

(Helix and HX Eects devices only).

• Snapshots - Any of the current preset’s snapshots can be selected directly

here. (Note that Helix devices oer 8 snapshots, HX Stomp XL and HX Eects oer 4, and HX Stomp oers 3.)

*NOTE: When working in “The Command Center Window” you can access the Snapshots commands as follows:

Mac - These commands are available within the main application’s Snapshots

menu at the top of your screen when the Command Center window has focus.

Windows - The Command Center window itself includes a Snapshots menu with

these commands.

TIP: Please see “Conguring & Managing Snapshots” on page 24 for details.

Window

• Show / Hide Librarian - Toggles the Presets/IRs/Favorites librarian panel

between shown and hidden for the current device window.

• Command Center - Displays the Command Center window (Helix and HX

Eects devices only)—see page 45.

• Global EQ - (Helix devices only) Displays the Global EQ window—see page

49.

• Close - Closes the Command Center, Global EQ, or main application window

(whichever has focus). Note that the main HX Edit window can be re-opened using the Devices menu commands.

Help

• HX Edit Online Help - Takes you to the Line6.com Support site where you can

nd the helpful info on HX Edit and Helix & HX devices.

• HX Edit Application Pilot’s Guide - Launches the PDF you are reading now.

• Check for Updates - (Windows - this command is found within the Apple menu

on Mac) Launches the built-in updater to check for an install any available software and device rmware updates—see “Updater & Additional Resources”

on page 79.

• About HX Edit - (Windows only) Launches the About box, which includes the

software version and legal credits.

Devices

Displays a selectable option for each connected Helix or HX device’s individual HX Edit application window. Choosing a device within the menu will bring its HX Edit forward, if it is currently not in the foreground, and re-displays the window if it is currently minimized or closed. A checkmark appears to the left of the device window that is in the foreground. See “Multi-Device, Multi-Window Support” on page 3.

Preferences, Help & Account Options

At the bottom left of the application window, click on the menu buttons to access the app’s Preferences, Help & About Box, (see page 50) and My Account options (see

page 53)

Preferences Help/About Account Options

Presets Panel

The Librarian’s Presets tabbed panel provides functionality for importing, exporting, and managing presets & setlists.

Presets Tab

Setlist Commands

Setlist Menu

Preset Commands

Loaded Preset

Selected Preset

Premium Marketplace presets are otherwise able to be utilized just like any other Helix presets. When imported, these premium Marketplace presets are indicated by guitar pick “badges” to their right within the Presets panel.

Premium Marketplace presets are indicated with golden guitar pick badges

The Presets panel

You’ll nd the same commands for copying, pasting, renaming, importing, and exporting within the application’s File & Edit menus. These commands are also accessible via

“Keyboard Shortcuts”.

TIP: Helix device presets, setlists, and bundles can also be imported and utilized

within other Helix devices and the Helix Native plugin! Please see “Preset

Compatibility” on page 4 for more info.

HX Device Owners: All functionality described in this chapter is the same for use with all Helix and HX devices unless otherwise noted.

Premium Marketplace Presets

If you’ve purchased and downloaded premium Helix or HX presets from the Marketplace, you must be Signed In to your Line 6 account within HX Edit and have your computer Authorized to allow HX Edit to initially Import or Export these presets (as well as for any

setlists or bundles that include premium presets).*

*NOTE: Once you’ve initially imported your Marketplace assets to sync their

licenses with your account, you don’t need to have HX Edit actively Signed In to use

them—and it is not necessary to even be connected to the Internet once your computer has been Authorized, except to Deauthorize the computer. Please see

“Authorize / Deauthorize Your Computer” on page 55.

Selecting, Loading & Saving Presets

It is important to note there is a dierence between the selected and loaded preset within the Presets panel.

To Select a Preset - Click once on a preset location in the Presets panel and you’ll see it become highlighted in gray. This indicates the preset is selected, meaning that a preset command (Copy, Paste, Import, etc.) will act upon this preset (even if a dierent preset is the one currently loaded within the Signal Flow).

To Load a Preset - Double-click on any preset (or click once to select it and then hit your Enter/Return key) and you’ll see the preset highlighted and with ambercolored text, indicating it as the preset currently in use. If no other preset is currently selected (highlighted in gray), menu commands will act upon this loaded preset, since it is eectively also the selected preset.

To Save a Preset - Once a preset is loaded from the Presets Library and edited, you’ll most likely want to save the preset to retain your changes.* To save the Preset to your device’s library, choose the Save or Save As option from the app’s File menu, or click the Preset Save button that appears at the top of the

Signal Flow panel (see “Naming & Saving the Preset” on page 24). See the

next section for the option to Export a preset to save it to your computer.

*TIP: Before editing a preset you may wish to rst copy it to another location in the

Presets panel, or export it, to be sure you have an original version of the preset

before making changes.

Importing and Exporting Preset Files

Presets are able to be exported to your computer as individual (.hlx) les, allowing you to create a limitless collection of tones that can be imported back onto your device’s internal preset library at any time.

To Import a Preset File - It is recommended to select an empty “New Preset”

location within the Presets panel and select the Import Preset command. A

brief dialog will inform you that importing will overwrite any preset information in the selected location. Click Yes to continue. A system window will display a le browser for selecting the preset you wish to import. Once imported, the preset will reside on your Helix or HX device’s internal memory, within the selected

preset location.

To Export a Preset File - Select the preset by single-clicking on it in the Librarian

- Presets panel and select the Export Preset command. This creates a copy of the preset in its last-saved state from your Helix or HX device’s memory and saves it to your computer. The familiar “save” window is presented, in which you can edit the lename and choose a destination folder.

TIP: If you happen to own both a Helix (or Helix Native plugin) and HX device, it is

recommended to export your HX devices’ presets into their own, individual

directories to avoid mixing them up with Helix and Helix Native plugin preset les. Note that presets are exported in the format of the specic device you are using, which

determines its behaviors for use with HX Edit preset translation and Helix Native’s Hardware Compatibility modes—see “Preset Compatibility” on page 4.

Renaming, Reordering, Copying, and Pasting Presets

These functions allow you to customize your presets within the Presets panel. Choose Rename, Copy, or Paste from the row of preset command buttons or application’s Edit menu and it will act upon the selected (highlighted) preset. You can also right-click

on a preset in the list to open a context menu with these same commands. For most

commands, it is also possible to multi-select a number of presets by using Shift+Click to select a contiguous set of presets, or Cmd+Click (Mac) or Ctrl+Click (Windows) to select a non-contiguous set.

TIPS: There is no command to “delete” a preset, but you can right-click on a block

within the signal ow and use the Clear All Blocks command.

NOTE: Copy/Paste of presets and IRs between HX Edit and Helix Native, or

between multiple HX Edit device app windows is not currently supported. However,

you can use drag and drop for these actions! See the next section.

Drag and Drop Presets

It is possible to drag and drop any preset (or multi-selected presets) directly from the Presets panel to perform the following actions.

• Import - Drag a .hlx preset le from any computer folder and drop directly onto

a Presets panel slot to import it into the device’s Presets Library.* This import action replaces and overwrites the slot’s existing preset.

• Import and Load - Dragging a preset from a computer folder and dropping

it directly into the currently loaded preset’s slot within the Presets Library, or dropping it directly into the Signal Flow window, will both Import the preset and load it as the new current tone, replacing the previous tone. (Note that if you drag and drop a preset into a slot that is not that of the currently loaded preset, this will import the preset into the library, but not also load it.)*

*NOTE: If you import a preset that was created with a dierent source Helix/HX device (or created with a dierent Helix Native HC mode) than currently in use, HX Edit will attempt to translate the preset for the current device. (See “Preset

Translation” on page 4.)

• Export - Drag one or multiple presets from the Presets panel and drop into any

folder on your computer to export a copy of the .hlx preset le(s) there.

• Reorder - Drag vertically to another location within the Presets panel to reorder

the presets within the setlist as desired. When the preset is dropped into the new location slot, the surrounding presets are shifted upward or downward accordingly.

• Copy Between Two Devices - If you have multiple devices connected, it is

possible to drag and drop presets between the multiple HX Edit device app

windows’ Presets panels, or directly into the Signal Flow, assuming the presets can be translated between the device types. (See “Preset Compatibility” on

page 4.)

• Copy To/From Helix Native Plugin - (Helix devices only) Drag a preset from

the plugin’s Presets panel and drop directly into the Presets panel of the HX Edit app to import and load the preset on your Helix device, replacing and overwriting the previously loaded preset. Likewise, you can also drag and drop presets from HX Edit into Helix Native plugin (see “Preset Compatibility” on

page 4).

Importing and Exporting Setlists

The Presets panel allows you to instantly save the currently loaded setlist, including all its saved presets, to a Helix setlist le (.hls). This is very handy for making a backup of all presets within a setlist, so that a group of presets can easily be loaded back into your Helix in a single action.

HX Device Owners: A Setlist for your HX device consists of all presets within the device’s preset library. Similar to the steps described here for Helix devices, you can use the HX Edit Import Setlist and Export Setlist

commands, found within the app’s File menu.

To Import a Setlist - Select the Import Setlist command. This will prompt you to ensure that you wish to replace the currently selected setlist and the presets therein. Continue through the Open window to select the setlist you wish to load onto your connected device.*

*NOTE: If you import a setlist that was created with a dierent source Helix/HX device (or created with a dierent Helix Native HC mode) than currently in use, HX Edit will attempt to translate its presets for the current device. (See “Preset

Translation” on page 4.)

To Export a Setlist - Select the Export Setlist command to display the Save As

dialog.

Changing Setlists

(Helix devices only*) To change the active setlist shown in the Presets panel, click on the Setlist menu and choose from among your device’s setlists. The currently-selected setlist will be indicated with an “open folder” icon in this menu.

*HX Device Owners: With an HX device in use, there is no Setlist menu, since these devices’ Presets Libraries include only one setlist. However, you can use the Import Setlist option to replace the current setlist with

one saved on your computer.

Renaming Setlists

To rename the current setlist, right-click on the setlist name within the Setlist menu and type in your desired title.

HX Device Owners: The single Setlist on your HX device displays no name on the hardware or within HX Edit. However, you can edit the Setlist’s lename when Exporting the le to your computer.

The Import Bundle and Export Bundle options are found in the application’s Preferences > Presets/IRs tab (see “Preferences and About Box” on page 50).

Bundle options within the Preferences window (for Helix devices)

To Import a Bundle - Click the Import Bundle button and a prompt is displayed to replace all setlists and presets within your Preset library. Continue through the File – Open window to select the bundle you wish to import. Note that it is possible to optionally import any bundle that was exported from the Helix Native plugin or any Helix device.

To Export a Bundle - Click the Export Bundle button to create a copy of all presets and their last-saved settings that exist in all setlists as a Helix bundle (.hlb) le.

NOTE: (Helix devices) On the next power-up after importing multiple presets, or importing any setlist or bundle, you may see your device perform an additional “Rebuilding Presets” process during boot up. This process is normal and optimizes

preset loading times on the hardware.

Importing and Exporting Bundles

A Bundle le (.hlb) includes all 8 setlists’ contents of your Helix device, including all their presets and saved settings, wrapped up in a tidy package.* This makes it

easy to export to create and store a backup of your Helix device’s complete Preset library, and easily restore your device’s Presets library to your device (or to the Helix Native plugin) by importing the bundle.

NOTE: Bundle les do not contain any of the Helix device’s Global Settings or Impulse Response (IR) les. To include all these Helix items, use the Create & Restore Backups feature—see page 27.

*HX Device Owners: HX devices do not support Bundle les, therefore, you will see no available Bundle options.

TIP: Wanting to restore the Factory Presets & settings for your device? You can do

so by performing a Factory Restore—please see your Helix or HX device’s Owner’s

Manual for details (and remember to use HX Edit to rst do a backup of your current

presets!)

TIP: Visit the line6.com/customtone site to share your tones and download from

the huge online library of artist and user presets!

IRs Panel

The Librarian’s IRs panel provides a list of all Impulse Response les (along with respective ID numbers in the left column) that currently reside on your Helix or HX device. Initially, this IRs panel is empty, awaiting your import of Impulse Response les.

IRs Tab

IR Commands

Selected IR

IR Index Numbers

The IRs panel

HX Device Owners: IR les can be used by all Helix and HX devices. All functionality described in this chapter is the same for use with all devices unless

otherwise noted.

What are Impulse Responses?

Impulse Responses (or “IRs”) that can be used in Helix & HX devices are audio les that are the result of capturing the sound of a test tone (frequency sweep) through a guitar or bass amp speaker cabinet, which has been de-convolved with the original tone signal. This represents the frequency response of the miked cabinet itself and can be used to simulate the way it alters the sound. This is similar to a convolution reverb, but with much shorter decay.

Add an IR block to your preset as an alternative to using one of the Cab blocks to provide speaker cabinet simulation. Several companies now oer large selections of professionally recorded IR les that can be used in Helix devices, or you can even do some research on how to record and create your own. Feel free to jump on your favorite guitar gear forums and join the ongoing, sometimes heated, discussions about the best

and most realistic IRs, and methods to create them.

You can also nd some IRs that were created using this convolution process to capture the properties of acoustic guitar bodies, guitar pickups, and other sources. These IRs can certainly be used in the Helix IR blocks as well, to allow even deeper tone sculpting!

TIP: Line 6 oers a free pack of IRs from Allure. You can grab them now at http://

line6.com/allure/.

You can also nd a great selection of IRs, specically created for Helix products, on the Marketplace—see page 53.

IR Formats and Restrictions

For all Helix and HX devices, as well as Helix Native plugin, the following IR le types

are supported.

• Helix Impulse Response (.hir) - This is the proprietary Line 6 IR le format.

All IRs purchased through the Marketplace are of this le type. (Please also see

“Marketplace & Account Options” on page 53.)

• WAV (.wav) - Most IR producers and vendors typically oer IRs within the .wav

format. It is possible to import a mono or stereo .wav le IR, regardless of its bit depth, length, or sample rate frequency. While this is very convenient, please be careful to import only .wav les that were created specically for use as IRs, not just any audio .wav le, or you may experience unexpected sonic results.

Importing and Exporting IRs

To access the IRs stored on your Helix or HX device, click on the IRs tab. From here you will be presented with a list of up to 128 IRs and their index numbers.

NOTE: Premium Helix IRs purchased from Marketplace are also imported &

exported using the following steps. It is required that you have Authorized your computer and that you are Signed In to your Line 6 account in HX Edit to initially Import or Export them. Once imported into HX Edit, no active Internet connection is necessary to utilize your Marketplace IRs. Please see “Marketplace & Account Options” on page

53 for details.

To Import an IR, select the desired index location in the application’s IRs panel and

select Import. Select the desired IR .hir or .wav le you wish to load onto your device. It is also possible to select multiple IR les and all will be imported in one action.

When premium Marketplace IRs (.hir les) are imported, they are indicated by a golden guitar pick “badge” to their right within the IRs panel.

Premium Marketplace IRs are indicated with a golden guitar pick badge

To Export an IR, click Export to display the Save As dialog.

You can also drag and drop to and from the IRs panel to export and import IRs—see the following section.

TIP: Use the File menu’s Create Backup & Restore From Backup options to

create a backup of your IRs panel’s contents, and restore from the backup, at any

time—see “Creating & Restoring Complete Device Backups”.

Renaming, Loading, Copying, and Clearing IRs

Several actions can be performed by clicking the commands above the IRs list view, which will act upon the selected (highlighted) IR. You can also right-click to choose these options from the context menu (or use the app’s “Keyboard Shortcuts”).

NOTE: Copy and Paste of presets and IRs between HX Edit and Helix Native, or between multiple HX Edit device app windows, is not currently supported. However, you can use drag and drop for these actions! See the next section.

Drag and Drop IRs

There are several drag and drop options that allow you to import and export single or multiple IR les between your computer’s directories and HX Edit, as well as load IRs into your current tone.

• Import - Drag one or more IR les from your computer folder directly into the

IRs panel. When multiple les are being dragged in, they are imported starting

with the selected IR index slot.

• Export - Select one or more IR index locations and drag from the IRs list view

directly to your computer to export the IR les to the selected hard drive folder.

NOTE: When exporting IRs from the HX Edit IR panel, any Marketplace purchased IR is saved to your computer as a Helix IR (.hir) type le. The .hir les are proprietary to Line 6 products and licensed to you via the Line 6 account on which you purchased them. Any IR that was originally imported as a .wav le is exported as a .wav le.

• Copy - It is also possible to drag and drop IRs within the IRs list view to create

a copy of the IR in a new index location.*

*NOTE: There are no options oered to move or reorder IRs in a single operation. Use the Copy, Paste, and Clear functions to rearrange IR within the

IRs list as needed.

• Copy Between Helix / HX Devices - If you have multiple devices connected,

it is possible to drag and drop IRs between the multiple HX Edit device app

windows’ IRs panels to copy them between devices.

• Copy To/From Helix Native Plugin - With an instance of the Helix Native

plugin open, drop IRs from the HX Edit application’s IRs panel directly into the IRs panel of the Helix Native. It is also possible to drag IRs from Helix Native directly into the IRs panel of HX Edit to import copies of the same IRs.

• Load into Current Tone - Once you’ve imported one or more IRs into the IRs

Library, you can drag any IR from the Library window and drop it directly into

the desired position within the Signal Path in the Edit window to create an IR

block loaded with the IR le. See the next section.

Loading an IR in an IR Block

When you insert an IR block within your preset’s Signal Flow from the Model

Menu, it initially defaults to referencing the IR that resides within the #1 IR index location (if you have not yet imported any IR le into the referenced index location, the “empty” IR block has no eect on the signal).

To follow are a few methods for loading an IR into an IR block, which determines the IR le that is associated with the IR block (also see “IR File Reference” on page 18 for

additional behaviors).

Use the Edit tab’s IR Select slider - Select the IR block within the Signal Flow, then, in the Edit tab, use the IR Select parameter slider (or its menu at the right) to select the IR index number (1-128) that includes the desired IR.

Choosing an IR by its Library (1-128) index number within the Edit tab

Double-click in Library - Select the IR block within the Signal Path and then double-click on the preferred IR within the IRs Library list to load into the IR

block—replacing any currently referenced IR. Note that no action is performed

if you do not have an IR block selected.

Drag and drop - As mentioned in the preceding section, you can also add an IR block already loaded with an IR by dragging the desired IR from the IRs Library panel and dropping it directly into an empty location within your Signal Path. (Drag and drop from the IR Library always adds a 1024 Sample type IR block.)

You can use the other IR block parameter sliders in the Edit tab to further shape the IR’s tone and level—see “Editing Model Parameters” on page 36. Once done selecting

an IR and its parameter options, be sure to save the preset to retain your IR block

settings.

TIP: Optionally, you can create a Snapshot assignment (see page 44) on the IR

Select parameter, which then allows you to change the IR within the block as

desired, per snapshot!

Whenever you load a preset that includes one or more IR blocks that reference an empty IR index location, a pop-up is displayed to alert you. For example, the alert shown below is telling you that the preset includes two IR blocks, on Paths 1A and 1B, which cannot locate their originally associated IR les. The “Position” denotes the block position of each IR block from left to right on the path, starting with “0” for the left position. Please see the next section for more related IR behaviors.

Missing associated IR(s) alert pop-up

IR File Reference

Once an IR block is congured to utilize an IR index slot that includes an imported IR (.wav or .hir) le, and the preset then saved (using HX Edit and device rmware version

2.90 or later), the preset creates a “reference signature” to the imported IR from its le name. Likewise, if you save your IR block as a Favorite (see page 20), or set the IR block’s current settings as the User Model Defaults (see page 34), the IR bock also creates a reference to the specic IR le within your IR library. Therefore, if you happen to change the order of your IRs within the IR library list, your preset (or IR Favorite or IR User Model Default) will still intelligently reference the originally associated IR le, even if it now resides in a dierent IR Library index location. The following behaviors apply:

• If you Clear or Replace the IR le within the IR index slot for which the preset’s

IR block is congured to use, upon the load of the preset/IR Favorite/User Model Default IR, the IR block will rst attempt to locate another instance of the missing, associated IR le within the IRs Library and automatically utilize it and

its residing index slot.

• If the congured IR index slot is currently empty, you’ll be alerted that the IR

block’s associated IR le cannot be found (see the previous section). The IR block continues to utilize the same (now empty) IR index slot. You’ll want to congure the IR block to utilize an occupied IR index slot (or import an IR into the currently referenced slot) and re-save the preset (or recreate a new Favorite or User Model Default for the IR block).

• If the original IR le is cleared from the Library and the IR index slot now

includes a dierent IR le, you’ll be alerted that the associated IR cannot be found, and the IR block utilizes this new IR le within the congured index slot. You’ll need to save the preset (or recreate a new Favorite for the IR block) with this reference to the new IR le, or congure the IR block to use a dierent, occupied IR slot, to avoid seeing the alert pop-up on future loads of the preset/Favorite.

• Once an IR block is congured with an IR Library index selection, and the preset

then saved (or the IR Favorite or IR User Model Default then created), the IR le retains this reference signature when exported from the library—thus, even if you import the exported IR le again into any index slot within your IRs Library, the IR block will still be able to locate and utilize it.*

Yes, the above rules all sound a bit complicated. But in typical use, all this really means is that if you happen to import your IRs into dierent IR library slots than where they used to be, your saved preset, IR Favorite, or IR Model User Default will not lose its IR

le reference!

*NOTE: The IR le reference functionality is also incorporated in the Helix Native

plugin. Therefore, presets and IR Favorites exported from Helix Native v3.0 will exhibit the same behaviors and attempt to locate their referenced IR .wav les from within the HX Edit IR library upon loading. Likewise, presets and IR Favorites exported from HX Edit will attempt to locate their IR blocks’ referenced IR .wav les when loaded within Helix Native. The moral of the story here is simply to import the same IR .wav les into both HX Edit and Helix Native if you plan on sharing your crafted presets and/or Favorites between them, and the proper IRs will automatically be utilized from your IR library, regardless the IR slots where they reside.

NOTE: We highly recommend using the Create Backup feature in HX Edit to make

it easy to restore your complete preset and IR libraries (see page 27). Immediately after performing a Restore From Backup, it is also best to power your device o and on again and allow all presets to “rebuild,” for best preset performance and IR le reference functionality.

Favorites Panel

The Librarian’s Favorites panel provides a list of all blocks you’ve added to your Helix/ HX device’s library as Favorites. This functionality allows you to customize any Helix/HX amp, cab, IR, eects, send/return/fx loop, or looper block’s settings, and then optionally name and store it within the Favorites library of your device, where it is easily accessed for adding to presets. Additionally, you can export your Favorites to your computer as (.fav) les, allowing you to create a massive collection, import into other Helix/HX devices, and share with others!

TIP: The Helix Native plugin also oers the same Favorites functionality—which means you can freely import, export, and even drag and drop your Favorites

between HX Edit and Helix Native!

Initially, this Favorites panel is empty, awaiting your creation or import of up to 128 Favorites. Once added, Favorites appear within the panel as shown below and can

be renamed, copied, exported, reordered, and cleared as desired—see “Managing

Favorites” on page 21.

Favorites tab

Favorites commands

View By menu

NOTE: If you don’t want a Favorite to be recalled with a stored bypass

assignment, add the block to Favorites before you create an assignment (or remove any existing bypass assignment before proceeding). Controller and snapshot type assignments are not stored as part of Favorites.

2. With your block still selected within the Signal Flow, click on the “star” button at the top right of the Inspector’s Edit Tab.

3. Alternatively, right-click on the block within the signal ow and choose Save As Favorite.

Selected Favorite

The Favorites panel

Adding Blocks as Favorites

Once you’ve dialed in a processing block exactly the way you like it, you can save it as a Favorite so the block can be accessed very quickly when building presets, complete with your stored parameter settings, bypass state, and existing bypass assignment.* Input, Output, Split, and Merge block types are not available to be saved as Favorites.

*NOTE: For HX Eects devices, existing bypass assignments are not saved with

Favorites.

There are several ways to add a block to your Favorites library:

1. Add or select any amp, cab, IR, eects, send/return/fx loop, or looper block in

the Signal Flow and tweak its parameters and block bypass state as desired.

4. The Save As Favorite window appears.

At the top of the Save As Favorites window, you can choose to either Add as a New Favorite or Replace an Existing Favorite.

To Add as a new Favorite, choose this option.

• Type in a custom name for your Favorite, if desired.

• If your Favorites panel’s View By sorting option is set for Device List (which

displays Favorites in the same order as you see on your Helix/HX device), you will see the “Choose where to add in favorites list” text in the Save As Favorites window, as shown in the preceding image. Optionally, click in a dierent, desired position where you would like your new Favorite saved.

• Click Save to add the new Favorite, or Cancel to exit without adding the Favorite.

To Replace an existing Favorite, choose this option at the top of the window. Note that if the block you selected is already an existing Favorite, this option will be selected as the default, with the existing Favorite highlighted in the list below.

• You can optionally edit the name of the Favorite you are replacing.

• Click Save to add the new Favorite, or Cancel to exit without adding the

Favorite.

Once a Favorite is inserted into your preset, you can optionally edit its settings further, add bypass, controller, and snapshot assignments, and move, copy, paste, or clear it just as you can with any other block. Note that the same preset rules apply to Favorites as they do for blocks of the same model type (e.g., a maximum block number and type limits, DSP limit, etc.).

The Model Menu - Favorites Category

NOTE: If you replace and overwrite an existing Favorite that is already in use within your presets, the presets remain unchanged.

5. You’ll see the Favorite now added to the Favorites lists within both the Library panel’s Favorites tab and the Edit tab - Model menu’s Favorites category.

Within the Model menu’s Favorites list, you can also right-click any Favorite and choose to Rename or Clear—see “Adding a Block to Favorites” on page 34.

TIPS: You can also import Favorites (.fav) les into your Favorites library, as covered in the following sections.

When you add an IR block as a Favorite, the IR le you have it set to use is automatically recalled, even if moved to a dierent IR slot in the IR Library (see “IR File Reference”

on page 18).

The contents of your Favorites library are included when you a create a backup (see

“Creating & Restoring Complete Device Backups” on page 27).

To Insert a Favorite into your Current Preset

Double-click on the desired Favorite within the Favorites panel to insert it into the currently-selected block location within the Signal Flow. Note that if an existing processing block is currently selected, this replaces that block with the Favorite. Or, you can alternatively drag from the Favorites panel directly into an empty block location within the signal ow (also see “Drag and Drop Favorites” on page 22).

You can also choose a Favorite from the Edit tab - Model menu - Favorites category, much like choosing any other category’s model, to add it to your tone.

TIP: You can also right-click on any Favorite within the Model menu - Favorites category list to Rename, Clear, or change the View By sort order.

Managing Favorites

The row of commands at the top of the Favorites panel allows you to Import, and Export (see the next section), Copy, Paste, or Clear the selected Favorite(s) within

the panel. You can also access these commands via the application’s Edit menu or via right-click on any Favorite. Note that the following commands are not available for Undo/Redo.

• To Copy and Paste - Select one or multiple Favorites within the panel and

choose the Copy command. Select the Favorite within the panel above which you want to position the copied Favorite(s), and choose the Paste command.

• To Clear - Select one or multiple Favorites within the panel and choose the

Clear command to delete them from the Favorites library.

NOTE: Clearing any Favorite from the Favorites panel does not remove instances of the Favorite block that is in use within any preset—your presets

simply retain the block and its existing settings.

• To Rename - Select the Favorite within the panel and choose the Rename

command to type in your own custom name. It can be extremely helpful to name your Favorites descriptively!

NOTE: The name of the Favorite within the Favorites panel/model menu is also the name that is displayed on your device’s footswitch scribble strip if you have

a bypass assignment created for the block.

• To Reorder - When the View By option is set to Device List, it is possible to

drag Favorites within the panel to reorder them (also see the next bullet point).

Click on one or multiple Favorites and drag up/down within the panel. A blue line appears while dragging to indicate the target “drop” location.

• To Change the List Sorting - Choose the preferred View By option from the

menu to change the sorting order. This View By option can also be changed by right-clicking within the Model menu - Favorites category list, or within the

“Preferences - View Tab”. The View By options are:

• Device List - The same order as displayed on your device’s Favorites list.

Note that when this option is in use, you can reorder Favorites in the panel or on your device, and the lists remain in sync.

• Category - By the model’s original Model menu Category (Distortion,

Modulation, Amp+Cab, etc.)

• Name (A-Z) - Ordered alphabetically by the Favorites’ names.

Importing and Exporting Favorites

Any of the Favorites within the panel can be exported as Favorite (.fav) les to your computer. These les can then be imported into HX Edit for any Helix or HX device.

To Import a Favorite

1. There are a few ways to access the Import Favorites command:

- Click the Import command at the top of the Favorites panel

- Choose Import from the application’s File menu

- Right-click on any Favorite within the Favorites panel and choose Import

Then browse to the folder on your computer containing your .fav les, and choose the le(s) to import.

TIP: You can also import via drag and drop—see the following section.

2. If the panel’s View By menu is set to the Device List option, the Import Favorites

window appears, where you can choose to insert the imported le(s) as new

Favorites (the default option), or you can choose to Replace the currently selected Favorite(s) within the list. Click OK to import.

NOTE: It is possible to Import the same .fav le more than once within the Favorites

panel. The best practice is to avoid creating duplicate Favorites, and use unique

and descriptive names for your Favorites within your library!

To Export a Favorite

1. Click to select the desired Favorite(s) within the Favorites panel.

2. There are a few ways to access the Export Favorites command:

- Click the Export command at the top of the Favorites panel

- Choose Export from the application’s File menu

- Right-click on any Favorite within the Favorites panel and choose Export

3. Browse to or create a folder on your computer where you wish to save your .fav

les.

TIPS: You can also import via drag and drop—see the following section.

Once a Favorite is inserted into the signal ow, you can copy the block and

paste it into the current, or another preset. You can also paste it into another HX

Edit device’s window, or into Helix Native (in which case it is pasted as a regular, non-Favorite block type, but with all settings intact).

It’s a good idea to create a single “Favorites” folder on your computer, especially if you own more than one Helix/HX device and/or Helix Native, and export all your Favorites there to make them easy to nd!

Drag and Drop Favorites

You can also drag Favorites to perform the following tasks:

• Drag from the Favorites panel directly into the Signal Flow to insert the Favorite

block into your current preset.

• Drag one or multiple Favorites (.fav) les from your computer directly into HX

Edit to import them. Drop directly into the Favorites panel, on top of an existing Favorite within the list to import the Favorite(s). The Import Favorite window

appears where you can choose to import before the Favorite you dropped onto,

or to replace it.

• Drag from the HX Edit - Favorites panel to your computer to export as Favorites

le(s).

• If you have multiple Helix or HX devices connected, drag from one HX Edit

window’s Favorites panel into the other HX Edit Favorites panel to import it there.

• Drag either direction between the HX Edit and Helix Native plugin Favorites

panels to import Favorites.

• Drag from another device’s HX Edit (or the Helix Native) - Favorites panel

directly into the HX Edit Signal Flow to add the block to your current tone. Note that this adds the block along with its settings as a standard block type (not as a Favorite) into the preset—no new Favorite is imported into the library of the

receiving device.

Working in the Editor

The Editor portion of the HX Edit user interface consists of the Signal Flow and Inspector windows. The Signal Flow window is where you’ll see the signal paths for your currentlyloaded preset, appearing much like the Home screen of your Helix, or Signal Flow screen of your HX device. The lower Inspector window contains 2 tabbed panels, Edit & Bypass/

Controller Assign, where you can select models, tweak parameters, congure controllers, and more. Regardless of which of these tabs you have selected, the current preset’s Name Field, Save, Snapshots, Undo, & Tempo options are always available at the top of the window. Additionally, there are dedicated windows for the Command Center for MIDI assignments

(see page 45), and the Global EQ (Helix, HX Stomp XL, and HX Stomp only—see page 49), accessible from the application’s Window menu. If you have not already done so, be sure to read through the in-depth information in your device’s Owner’s Manual to get an understanding of the features we’ll be covering in the following sections.

HX Device Owners: HX Edit application functionality described within this chapter is the same with Helix or HX devices, except where noted.

Librarian Show/Hide

Button

Signal Flow Window

Inspector Window

Preset Name Field

Preset Save Button Snapshots Menu Undo / Redo Buttons Tempo Controls

Edit & Bypass Controller Assign Tabs

Naming & Saving the Preset

The Preset Name eld at the top of the Editor displays the title of the currently loaded preset. Double-click on the text here to optionally rename the preset. Whenever you see your preset’s title appearing in the italicized text at the top of the Signal Flow window, it indicates that the preset has been edited from its last-saved state.

The Preset Save button at the top of the Editor launches the Save To Library window, where you can optionally re-title the preset in the Name eld, and then choose the desired Setlist and Preset location to save the currently-loaded tone, overwriting the preset that resides within the selected location. (The currently loaded preset is selected by default, so you can overwrite it simply by clicking the OK button.)

The Preset Save To Library window

Alternatively, you can choose the Preset Save or Preset Save As command from the HX Edit – File menu. As covered in “Presets Panel” on page 13, there are also the Librarian window options, Copy and Export, to create & store copies of your presets.

Conﬁguring & Managing Snapshots

Your device oers the ability to congure the 8 snapshots within a Helix preset (or 3 snapshots of HX Stomp preset, or 4 snapshots of an HX Stomp XL or HX Eects preset), allowing you to recall a customized set of options for your current blocks instantly, without the brief lag time associated with changing presets! A snapshot is capable of storing the bypass state of any amp or eects block, up to 64 assigned parameter values, tempo settings, and more (please see your device’s Owner’s Manual for specics).

There are two ways to select a snapshot within HX Edit: by clicking on the Snapshots menu at the top of the Edit window, or by using the commands within the application’s Snapshots menu. To edit its settings, select the numbered snapshot you want as your destination, then congure the desired tone options for this snapshot.*

The Edit window’s Snapshots menu The menu bar’s Snapshots menu

*NOTE: You can use your device’s Global Settings > Preferences > Snapshot Edits to choose between Recall (automatically stores your changes to the current

snapshot) versus Discard (does not store changes to the current snapshot).

The camera icon within the Edit window’s Snapshots menu is displayed in red when the hardware’s option is set to Discard.

Once your desired destination snapshot has been selected, use the following steps to congure your settings.

To Store a Block’s Bypass State Per Snapshot - Click on the Bypass button above any block within the Signal Flow and set your desired bypass state for the block (or you can toggle the block’s Bypass button within the Edit tab). Any amp or eects block’s Bypass state will, by default, be remembered and recalled per

Snapshot.

If you prefer to exclude a block from being controlled by Snapshots, select the block and set the Snapshot Bypass option from the block’s right-click menu to “o” (so that no checkmark appears at the left of the menu option). Or, you can right-click on the block’s Bypass button within the top right of the Edit tab and access the Snapshot Bypass command from its menu. Choosing the Snapshot Bypass option from the menu again (so that the checkmark appears at the left of the menu command), returns the block to the default Snapshot behavior.

Edit tab - Block Bypass button right-click menu

Block right-click menu

The Snapshot Bypass option

To Store a Parameter’s Values Per Snapshot - Select the desired block within the Signal Flow, then right-click directly on the desired parameter’s slider within

the Edit tab and choose the Snapshots controller option. This creates the

snapshot assignment for the parameter. You can then simply load a snapshot and adjust the snapshot-assigned

parameter to the desired value. Repeat this step for each snapshot as desired, and the parameter values are stored and recalled with each snapshot. We cover more about conguring controller options in “The Bypass/Controller Assign Tab”

on page 39.

To Store a Command Center Messages and Command Values Per Snapshot

The Value parameters of any instant MIDI CC, Bank/Prog, and MMC message, plus the state (Dim or Lit) of any CC Toggle and Ext Amp messages are always stored and recalled when selecting a snapshot. Therefore, there is no need to manually set any of these parameters to a snapshot assignment within the Command Center—see page 45.

Attention Helix Native Plugin Users: Snapshot settings are compatible within

presets between Helix, Helix Rack & Helix LT devices, and the Helix Native plugin!

Copying, Pasting, Renaming & Customizing Snapshots

The Copy and Paste Snapshot commands are available within the app’s main menu. Or, right-click on the Edit window’s Snapshots menu to access these commands as well as the snapshot Rename and LED color customization options. These snapshot name and LED color options aect the scribble strip names (or names in Performance View on Helix LT) and footswitch LED colors when the footswitches are in Snapshot

Select mode.

NOTE: The action of pasting a copied snapshot is not tracked by the HX Edit Undo / Redo feature (also see next section).

To Rename a Snapshot - Right-click the desired snapshot from the Snapshots menu and select Rename Snapshot. Type in your new name, then press Enter/ Return on your keyboard.

To Customize a Snapshot’s LED Color - When your device is set to Snapshot footswitch mode, each footswitch LED defaults to a red color. If you prefer to customize the LED color for the current Snapshot, choose the desired color from the right-click menu. Or choose Auto to restore the default behavior, or Off for no LED.

NOTE: Remember that you’ll need to Save before switching to another preset to retain your edited snapshot settings & customizations within the current preset! The

snapshot that is in use when you save your preset is the one that is recalled when the

preset is loaded again.

Undo / Redo

The HX Edit application supports Undo and Redo for most editing actions within the Signal Flow and Edit tab of the current preset, whether the edits are made within HX Edit or directly on the connected Helix/HX hardware, accessible via the Undo and Redo buttons at the top of the main window (or from the Edit menu).* The Undo / Redo history is tracked individually per device window (if you happen to have more than one Helix/HX device connected). Your Undo / Redo history is retained until you load a dierent preset, exit the application, or disconnect or power o your connected Helix

or HX device.

*NOTE: See “Software Edits vs. Hardware Edits” on page 26 for additional behavior details.

The context menu for the Snapshots menu name eld

To Copy & Paste a Snapshot - It is possible to copy all the settings of one

snapshot and paste them to another snapshot within the same preset. Select

and load the snapshot you wish to copy and select Copy. Then select and load the snapshot you wish to overwrite and choose Paste to paste the clipboard contents, replacing the currently loaded snapshot.

The Undo and Redo buttons

Undo is available for most actions performed within the Signal Flow and Edit tab

in HX Edit, including:

• Parameter changes

• Snapshot selection

• Block model changes

• Signal path changes (block bypass states, adding/cutting, clearing blocks,

changing path structure, etc.)

• Hardware edits and edit actions performed via external controller and MIDI

CC & PC messages (see “Software Edits vs. Hardware Edits” on page 26)

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