Line 6 HX Edit User Manual
®
PILOT'S GUIDE
A guide to the features and functionality of the Line 6 HX Edit application
Rev. F (v2.70) www.line6.com/manuals © 2018 Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents
Workflow 2
What’s in it for Me? 2
Helix Marketplace 2
Workow Overview 2
Computer Connectivity 3
Multi-Device, Multi-Window Support 3
Preset Compatibility 4
Preset Compatibility with Helix Native Plug-in 4
GUI Overview 6
Resizing the Application Window 6
Application Menus 6
Presets Panel 9
Premium Helix Marketplace Presets 9
Selecting & Loading Presets 9
Importing and Exporting Preset Files 9
Renaming, Reordering, Copying and Pasting Presets 10
Importing and Exporting Setlists 10
Importing and Exporting Bundles 11
Impulses Panel 12
What are Impulse Responses? 12
Importing and Exporting Impulse Responses 12
Renaming, Copying, Pasting & Clearing IRs 13
Working in the Editor 14
Naming & Saving the Preset 15
Conguring & Managing Snapshots 15
Editing the Tap Tempo 16
Creating & Restoring Complete Device Backups 16
The Signal Flow Window 18
Moving Blocks & Arranging the Signal Flow 18
Split Path Options 18
Cutting, Copying, Pasting & Clearing Blocks 19
Adding & Bypassing Blocks 20
The Edit Tab 21
Selecting Models 21
Editing Model Parameters 22
Editing Input, Output, Split & Mixer Blocks 22
The Bypass/Controller Assign Tab 23
Editing an Existing Assignment 23
Clearing Existing Assignments 23
Creating a Bypass Assignment 24
Creating a Controller Assignment 26
The Command Center Window 29
Creating a Command Center Assignment 29
Customizing a Footswitch Label 30
Customizing a Footswitch LED Color 30
Global EQ Window 31
Adjusting Global EQ Parameters 31
The Preferences Window 32
The General Screen 32
The About Screen 32
The Legal Screen 32
Helix Marketplace &
Account Options 33
Helix Marketplace 33
The My Account Menu Options 33
Sign In / Sign Out 34
Authorize / Deauthorize Your Computer 34
Keyboard Shortcuts 36
Command Center, Global EQ & Preferences Window
Shortcuts 43
Additional Mouse Behaviors 45
Line 6 Updater & Additional
Resources 46
Using Line 6 Updater 46
Additional Resources 46
© 2018 Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Yamaha Guitar Group, Line 6, the Line 6 logo, Helix, HX Stomp, and HX Eects 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 v2.70
application’s features and functionality with Line 6® Helix® devices (Helix®, Helix® Rack
and Helix® LT), as well as with HX devices (HX Stomp™ and HX Eects™). All behav-
iors 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 is the editor/librarian software for use with all Helix or HX devices that are running rmware version 2.70 (or later). For best performance, it is recommended to
use the latest available version of both the HX Edit application and device rmware. 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.
NOTE: Each Helix or HX device model oers a dierent set of inputs, outputs and
signal ow capabilities. Throughout the following chapters, we've indicated HX
Edit app functionality that is specic to your Helix or HX device type.
Helix Marketplace
Now open for business is the Helix Marketplace online store, where you'll nd 3rd-party
add-on assets that even further enhance the functionality of your Helix and HX devices,
as well as Helix Native plug-in! As of this writing, professionally crafted presets and IRs
are available - check back often on Helix Marketplace for product news and announcements. An Internet connection is required for the computer where you'll be using the
HX Edit app to authorize it for the use of Helix Marketplace premium assets. Please see
"Helix Marketplace & Account Options" on page 33.
NOTE: HX Edit version 2.70 and device rmware version 2.70 or later are required
for full support and use of premium Helix Marketplace presets and IRs.
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 Backup & Restore 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, congure 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
reected 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
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
This interactive communication allows you to tweak your presets and setlists in real
time, without the need to send/receive or manually sync to the device.
WARNING: Be careful when overwriting presets or Impulse Responses - these
changes cannot be reverted! You can use the use the Create & Restore Backups
feature to backup 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 3 port.
NOTE: If on Windows®, be sure to have the latest Line 6 driver installed for your
device: Helix (Helix Floor/Rack/LT Driver), HX Stomp (HX Stomp Driver), or HX
Eects (WinUSB Driver). You can download the driver installers at http://line6.
com/software/, or simply choose to install the included drivers when you install the
HX Edit application.
2
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 on-board presets & Impulse Responses. This may take a moment to download all of the preset information.
You'll see an indicator at the bottom of each application window displaying its con-
nected Helix/HX device type and the device's rmware version - or a warning that no
device is detected.
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. This allows
you to more easily reference and edit presets and settings, as well as drag and drop
presets and IRs between multiple USB-connected devices.
TIP: You can also use the Copy and Paste commands or shortcuts 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 and select the desired device to display or hide its window
- a check mark at the left of a device here indicates its app window is open. You can
choose to have multiple device windows open simultaneously, making it easy to copy
and paste blocks, or drag and drop presets and IRs between them. The separate windows can also be resized and/or positioned on your screen independently. Please also
see "GUI Overview" on page 6.
The app's Devices menu, showing two connected device's windows
Device indicator at bottom of the HX Edit main window
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
Cmd+Q).
3
Preset Compatibility
This guide covers version 2.70 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 latest HX Edit application installer is always
available free at line.com/software. Use the free Line 6 Updater application to check
and update your device's rmware (see page 46) .
Helix preset, setlist and bundle les are compatible and transferable between Helix
family devices (Helix, Helix Rack and Helix LT), as well as with the Helix® Native plug-in
software (see next section).* Note that, since Helix LT devices include a more limited
set of features (smaller I/O set, up to two EXP pedals rather than three, etc.), presets
created for Helix & Helix Rack devices and Helix Native plug-in may include some unavailable functionality when loaded on a Helix LT device. However, all aspects of the
preset are retained and available on the other Helix products even after saved with a
Helix LT device. Please be sure to consult your Helix LT Owner's Manual for its com-
plete feature set.
*NOTE: Presets, setlists & bundles exported from Helix devices (Helix Floor,
Rack & LT) and Helix Native plug-in are not compatible with HX devices (HX
Stomp and HX Eects). Likewise, at this time, presets and setlists exported
from HX devices are not able to be imported into Helix devices or the Helix
Native plug-in.
It is possible to Copy and Paste individual blocks, along with their current settings,
between Helix Native and HX Edit - including with the use of any Helix or HX device.
See the following Block Copy and Paste section.
Helix presets that were originally created using the earlier Helix editor application and
Helix device rmware versions are still supported. Note that, once loaded and saved
with the newer HX Edit application, your presets will have new information added to
them to support the latest models and functionality - full backward compatibility with
the Helix application and earlier Helix rmware versions, therefore, cannot be guar-
anteed. It is advised to keep a backup all your earlier presets if you plan on possibly
returning to these previous device and application versions.
Preset Compatibility with Helix Native Plug-in
With a Helix Floor, Rack or LT device, your presets, snapshots, setlists and bundles
are compatible between the HX Edit app and Helix Native plug-in. This compatibility is
the foundation of the Line 6 "Studio to Stage" concept, allowing you to load, edit and
transfer your tones between Helix hardware and Helix Native plug-in! Note that Helix
Native plug-in maintains its own Preset & IR libraries, independent of the presets and
IRs that reside within your Helix hardware. To share presets from either the HX Edit app
or Helix Native plug-in, use the export & import features within each.
TIP: If you also own Helix Native plug-in, be sure to reference the "Helix compat-
ible" version number (found in the Helix Native software's About box - see page
32) to determine the recommended Helix family 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
Due to the obvious dierences of Helix hardware devices' physical inputs and outputs,
there are some settings, block type and controller support variances when sharing presets between a HX Edit and Helix Native plug-in. To follow are tips for sharing presets
and settings. Please also refer to the latest Helix Native Pilot's Guide for details regarding the use of Helix hardware-exported presets within the Helix Native plug-in.
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, impulses and global settings (see page 16).
Helix Native plug-in does not currently include this 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 HX Edit (with any Helix or
HX device connected) and any instance of the Helix Native plug-in. Restrictions apply
when copying and pasting some block types, depending on the Helix hardware in use
and the paste destination - please see "Cutting, Copying, Pasting & Clearing Blocks"
on page 19.
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 the current Helix Native preset, but not between the HX Edit app and Helix
Native plug-in. Also see "Conguring & Managing Snapshots" on page 15.
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. Helix Native plug-in does not include the Command Center, therefore, it is not possible to copy Command Center assignments between
HX Edit and Helix Native. Also see "The Command Center Window" on page 29.
Input & Output Block Settings
When Importing a Helix Native-exported Preset into Helix Hardware - All input and
output blocks that were set to "Host" will default to the "Multi" setting within the Helix
family devices. Any input block set to "None" will remain as set to "None" within the
hardware.
4
When Importing a Helix hardware-exported Preset into Helix Native Plug-in - All
input and output blocks that were set to physical inputs and outputs (other than "None")
will default to the "Host" setting within the plug-in. Any input block set to "None" will
remain set to "None" within the plug-in.
Impulse Responses
Impulse Response (IR) les are able to be utilized within IR blocks of the Helix Native
plug-in just as they are within HX Edit, by way of each application's Impulse Library
panel. If you are to be sharing Helix presets between Helix Native plug-in and Helix
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 12.
NOTE: IRs, including those from Helix Marketplace and 3rd party vendors, are sup-
ported by all Helix and HX devices, as well as by Helix Native plug-in. Any of your IRs
can be imported and exported, as well as dragged and dropped between HX Edit and
Helix Native IR library windows.
Controller Assignments
The Helix Native plug-in does not utilize any Bypass, Controller or Command Center
Assignments that may exist within Helix hardware-exported presets. Helix Native plug-
in simply ignores these assignments, therefore, any such assignments remain intact
within your presets. (Snapshot controller assignments are supported in both Helix hardware and Helix Native plug-in.) Helix Native plug-in includes its own functionality to
create plug-in parameter - Automation Controller type assignments, which are similarly
ignored when Helix Native presets are imported into the HX Edit application.
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 Helix Native plug-in. Likewise, MIDI In Bypass and Controller assignments
saved in Helix Native-exported presets are also supported when the preset is imported
into HX Edit. Also see "Creating a Bypass Assignment" on page 24.
Helix Marketplace Assets
Premium presets and IRs purchased from the online Helix Marketplace are compatible
with Helix devices (Helix Floor, Rack and LT) and Helix Native plug-in. (Some Helix Marketplace items may be compatible with HX devices, as indicated on the Marketplace
site.) The import of premium Helix Marketplace assets requires online license Authorization - Please see "Helix Marketplace & Account Options" on page 33.
NOTE: Version 1.70 of Helix Native and 2.70 of HX Edit and device rmware (or
later) are required for full support and use of premium Helix Marketplace presets
and IRs.
DSP Limit
In order to maintain preset compatibility with Helix devices, the Helix Native plug-in incorporates similar processing management as the DSP management system utilized on
Helix hardware. That is, the Helix Native plug-in includes a built-in, maximum computer
processing limit equivalent to the Helix hardware's DSP limit for each preset. This way,
any preset created and exported from the Helix Native plug-in is ensured to be able to
be imported and used on Helix hardware devices.
5
GUI Overview
HX Edit has a very intuitive, easy-to-use interface. The main application window automatically detects your specic 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 preset and Impulse Response (IR) les.
The Signal Flow Window - Where you can add and move amp, eects & 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
Impulses
Tab
Show/Hide
Librarian
Signal Flow
Window
EDITOR
HX Stomp & HX Effects 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 connected
The HX Edit signal ow - with an HX Eects connected
TIP: The Command Center, for creating MIDI control assignments (Helix and HX
Eects only) and Global EQ (Helix 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 workow. 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.
It is also possible to show or hide the Presets & Impulses Librarian panel, by clicking on
the toggle button at the top left of the Signal Flow window.
Menu
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 dier within the File and Edit menus depending on the application
window, tabbed panel and/or specic 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. Also see "Keyboard Shortcuts" on page 36 for additional
information.
6
*NOTE: It is possible that the Librarian's Presets or Impulses 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, all available menu commands & keyboard shortcuts act only upon the current
"front" application window. (Click on the desired application window to bring it to front.)
HX Edit (Mac only)
• About HX Edit - Launches the About box screen, which displays the versions
of the HX Edit software & connected Helix device rmware.
• Preferences - Launches the Preferences window, where you can select applica-
tion options and reference the app's version & legal information - see page 32.
You can also launch the Preferences window from the My Account menu or from
the connected device indicator at the bottom of the application window.
• Quit HX Edit - Exits the application for all connected devices.
File
When the Presets tab currently has focus (or, when focus is within any window or tab
except the Impulses tab):
• Save Preset - Saves changes for the currently loaded preset to the device's
Preset Library.
• Import Preset - Imports any .hlx preset le (or les) from your computer, re-
placing 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 com-
puter, replacing the current setlist on your Helix.
• Export Setlist - (Helix devices only) Exports the current setlist and saves it to
your computer as an .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 an .hlb bundle le.
When the Impulses tab has focus (or, when focus is within any window or tab except
the Presets tab):
• Save Preset - Saves changes to the currently loaded preset.
• Import Impulse - Imports an Impulse Response le (or les) from your com-
puter, replacing the currently selected library Impulse(s).
• Export Impulse - Exports the currently selected Impulse (or Impulses) and
saves each to your computer.
TIP: Please see "Presets Panel" on page 9 and "Impulses Panel" on page
12 for details these File menu commands.
The following 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, impulses & global settings - see
page 16.
• Restore From Backup - Launches the Restore From Backup window, where
you can restore all your device's presets, IRs & global settings from a previously
created backup - see page 16.
• Preferences - (Windows only) Launches the Preferences window, where you
can select application options - see page 32. You can also launch the Preferences window from the My Account menu or the connected device indicator
items at the bottom of the application window.
• Quit - (Windows only) Exits the application.
Edit
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 Impulses 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 the IR(s) from the Impulses library.
• Select All IRs - Selects all IRs within the Impulses library.
• Rename IR - Renames the currently selected IR.
When the Signal Flow window has focus:
• Cut Block - Copies the currently selected block and its settings to the clip-
board and removes the block from the Signal Flow.
• Copy Block - Copies the currently selected block and its settings to the clip-
board.
• Paste Block - Pastes the last-copied block's model and its settings to the
selected block location.
• Clear Block - Deletes the selected block.
• Rename Preset - Renames the currently loaded preset.
TIP: Copy Block and Paste Block can be also used between multiple HX Edit
windows, and back and forth with Helix Native plug-in ! See "Cutting, Copying,
Pasting & Clearing Blocks" on page 19 for details.
7
Snapshots
• Copy Snapshot - Copies the currently loaded preset's snapshot to the clip-
board.
• Paste Snapshot - Pastes the last-copied snapshot contents, replacing the cur-
rently loaded snapshot's contents.
• Rename Snapshot - Allows you to edit the title of the currently loaded snap-
shot.
• Snapshots - Any of the current preset's snapshots can be selected directly
here. (Note that Helix devices oer 8 snapshots, HX Stomp oers 3 and HX
Eects oers 4.)
TIP: Please see "Conguring & Managing Snapshots" on page 15 for de-
tails.
Window
• Show / Hide Librarian - Toggles the Presets/Impulses librarian panel between
shown and hidden for the current device window.
• Command Center - Displays the Command Center window (Helix and HX Ef-
fects devices only) - see page 29.
• Global EQ - (Helix devices only) Displays the Global EQ window - see page
31.
Help
• HX Edit Online Help - Takes you to the Line6.com Support site where you can
nd the latest product documentation.
• HX Edit Application Pilot's Guide - Launches the PDF you are reading now.
• About HX Edit - (Windows only) Launches the About box, which includes the
software version and legal credits.
Devices
Displays a selectable option to open or close an individual HX Edit application window
for each connected Helix or HX device. A check mark appears to the left of each device
here to indicate when its window is open. Also see "Multi-Device, Multi-Window Sup-
port" on page 3.
8
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 Helix Marketplace presets are otherwise able to be utilized just like any other
Helix presets. When imported, these premium Helix Marketplace presets are indicated
by a guitar pick "badge" to their right within the Presets panel.
Premium Helix Marketplace presets are indicated with a golden guitar pick badge
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 plug-in! Please see "Preset Compat-
ibility" 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. At this time, preset
and setlist les are not compatible between HX and Helix devices or Helix Native
plug-in - see "Preset Compatibility".
Premium Helix Marketplace Presets
If you've purchased and downloaded premium presets from the Helix 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 Helix 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 com-
puter has been Authorized, except to Deauthorize the computer. Please see "Autho-
rize / Deauthorize your Computer" on page 34.
Selecting & Loading Presets
It is important to note there is a dierence 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 dierent 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 with an amber colored highlight,
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
eectively also the selected preset.
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.
9
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 Ye s 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. By default, .hlx preset les are exported
to the following directories.
• Mac - /Documents/Line 6/Tones/Helix folder
• PC - \My Documents\Line 6\Tones\Helix folder
TIP: If you happen to own both a Helix (or Helix Native plug-in) and HX device, it is
recommended to export your HX Stomp and HX Eects presets into their own, individual directories to avoid mixing them up with Helix and Helix Native plug-in
preset les, since they are not compatible at this time.
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.
• 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 - Drop to another location within the Presets panel to reorder the pre-
sets within the list 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
are compatible between both device types. (See "Preset Compatibility" on
page 4.)
• Copy To/From Helix Native Plug-in - (Helix devices only) Drag a preset from
the plug-in'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 plug-in (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 Stomp/Eects 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.
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 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 and Load - Drag a .hlx preset le from any computer folder and drop
directly onto a Presets panel slot, or onto the Signal Flow window, to import
and load it in the app as the current preset. This import action replaces and
overwrites the previously loaded preset.
• Load - Drag any individual preset from its Presets panel location and drop it
within the Signal Flow window to copy it into the currently loaded preset's slot
location, overwriting the currently loaded preset.
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.
To Export a Setlist - Select the Export Setlist command to display the Save As
dialog. By default, setlists are saved to:
• Mac - /Documents/Line 6/Tones/Helix/Setlists folder
• PC - \My Documents\Line 6\Tones\Helix\Setlists folder
Changing Setlists
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.
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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 Stomp/Eects displays no
name on the hardware or within HX Edit. However, you can edit the Setlist's le
name when Exporting the le to your computer.
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 plug-in) 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 16.
*HX Device Owners: HX Stomp/Eects devices do not support Bundle les,
therefore, you will see no available Bundle options.
The Import Bundle and Export Bundle options are found in the application's Prefer-
ences > General window (see "The Preferences Window" on page 32).
To Export a Bundle - Click the Export Bundle button to create a copy of all pre-
sets and their last-saved settings that exist in all setlists as a Helix bundle (.hlb) le.
By default, all .hlb les are saved to:
• Mac - /Documents/Line 6/Tones/Helix/Bundles folder
• PC - \My Documents\Line 6\Tones\Helix\Bundles folder
NOTE: On the next power up of your device 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.
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 cur-
rent presets!)
TIP: Visit the line6.com/customtone site to share your tones and download from
the huge online library of artist and user presets!
Bundle options within the Preferences window (for Helix devices)
To Import a Bundle - Click the Import Bundle button and you'll be prompted
to replace all setlists and presets within your Preset library. Continue through the
“Open” window to select the bundle you wish to import. Note that you can optionally import any bundle that was exported from the Helix Native plug-in or any Helix
device.
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Impulses Panel
The Librarian's Impulses tabbed 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 Impulses panel is empty, awaiting your import of Impulse
Response les.
Impulses Tab
IR Commands
Selected IR
IR Index Numbers
The Impulses panel
HX Device Owners: IR les can be used by all Helix and HX devices. All func-
tionality 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 a
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 oer 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.
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 oers a free pack of excellent IRs from Allure - you can grab them now
at http://line6.com/allure/.
You can also nd a great selection of IRs, specically created for Helix products, on the
Helix Marketplace - see page 33.
IR Formats and Restrictions
For all Helix and HX devices, as well as Helix Native plug-in, 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 Helix Marketplace are of this le type. (Please also
see "Helix Marketplace & Account Options" on page 33.)
• WAV (.wav) - Most IR producers and vendors typically oer 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 specically for use as IRs,
not just any audio .wav le, or you may experience unexpected sonic results.
Helix Native Plug-in Users: If you plan on utilizing your Helix presets on both a
Helix device and Helix Native plug-in, the best practice to import the same exact IR
les into both, and in the same IR list order. This allows all IR blocks to reference and
load the same indexed IR les for all presets that use them. Please also see "Preset
Compatibility with Helix Native Plug-in" on page 4.
Importing and Exporting Impulse Responses
To access the IRs stored on your Helix or HX device, click on the Impulses tab. From
here you will be presented with a list of up to 128 IRs and their index numbers. Your
presets will access these IRs by their IR list index number only. The IR les themselves
are not directly associated with presets, only the IR's index number, as shown at its left,
is referenced.
NOTE: Premium Helix IRs purchased from Helix 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 Helix Marketplace IRs. Please see for "Helix Marketplace &
Account Options" on page 33 details.
To Import an IR, rst select the desired index location in the application's Impulses
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.
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When premium Helix Marketplace IRs (.hir les) are imported, they are indicated by a
golden guitar pick "badge" to their right within the Impulses panel.
Premium Helix Marketplace IRs are indicated with a golden guitar pick badge
To Export an IR, click Export to display the Save As dialog.
By default, IRs are saved to the following directories.
• Mac - /Documents/Line 6/Tones/Helix folder
• PC - \My Documents\Line 6\Tones\Helix folder
You can also drag and drop to and from the Impulses panel to export and import IRs see the following section.
• Export - Select one or more IR index locations and drag from the Impulses 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 Helix Market-
place 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 Impulses list view to
create a copy of the IR in a new index location.*
*NOTE: There are no options oered to move or reorder IRs in a single operation, thereby reducing the risk of unintentionally breaking the link between IRs
and the Helix presets that may be referencing them. Use the Copy, Paste and
Clear functions to rearrange IR within the Impulses 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' Impulses panels to copy them between devices.
• Copy To/From Helix Native Plug-in - With an instance of the Helix Native
plug-in open, drop IRs from the HX Edit application's Impulses panel directly
into the Impulses panel of the Helix Native. It is also possible to drag IRs from
Helix Native directly into the Impulses panel of HX Edit to import copies of the
same IRs.
TIP: Use the File menu's Create Backup & Restore From Backup options to
create a backup of your Impulses Panel's contents, and restore from the backup, at
any time - see "Creating & Restoring Complete Device Backups".
Renaming, Copying, Pasting & Clearing IRs
These actions can be performed by clicking the commands above the Impulses list
view and 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 listed below.
• Import - Drag one or more IR les from your computer folder directly into the
Impulses panel. When multiple les are being dragged in, they are imported
starting with the selected IR index slot.
Loading an IR in an IR Block
When you insert an IR block within your preset's Signal Flow, 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 eect on the
signal).
To choose which IR index is referenced by the IR block, 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 IR index number (1-128) that includes the desired IR.
Choosing an IR by its Library (1-128) index number within the Edit tab
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 22.
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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 Inspector Window below contains 2 tabbed panels, Edit & Bypass/
Controller Assign, where you can select models, tweak parameters, congure controllers and more. Regardless which of these tabs you have selected, the current preset's Name Field,
Save, Snapshots & Tempo options are always available at the top of the window. Additionally, there are dedicated windows for the Command Center for MIDI assignments (Helix & HX
Eects only - see page 29), and the Global EQ (Helix & HX Stomp only - see page 31), 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 Tempo Controls
Edit & Bypass
Controller Assign Tabs
The Editor portion of the HX Edit application (Helix device)
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