TC-Helicon VoiceLive 3 Quick Guide

Getting started – English quick guide

VoiceLive3

Important safety instructions 1

Before you begin 3

Introduction 5

Making connections 6

Inputs 6
Outputs 6

1. Vocals and guitar using
guitar/headphone cable 7

2. Stereo vocal and stereo guitar
(2 channels) 8

3. Stereo vocals and stereo guitar
(4 channels) 9

4. Mono vocals and mono guitar
(dual mono mode) 10

5. Stereo vocals and guitar amplifier 11

6. Mono vocals and guitar amplifier 12

7. Stereo vocals and MIDI keyboard 13

Let’s get going! 14
Auto Gain 14
Setting input gain on your mixer 14
Time to have some fun! 14
Explore the sounds 14
VoiceLive3 for acoustic guitar players 15
Let’s make it a HIT! 15
Are we there yet? 15

Technical specifications 16

Getting started – English quick guide 1

VoiceLive3
Getting started – English quick guide

2 VoiceLive3

Important safety instructions

Caution

Important safety instructions

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. In­stall in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such
as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
apparatus (including amplifiers) that pro­duce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the po­larized or grounding-type plug. A polarized
plug has two blades with one wider than
the other. A grounding-type plug has two
blades and a third grounding prong. The
wide blade or the third prong is provided for
your safety. If the provided plug does not fit
into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10. Protect the power cord from being walked
on or pinched, particularly at plugs, con­venience receptacles, and the point where
they exit from the apparatus.

11. Only use attachments/accessories speci­fied by the manufacturer.

12. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod,
bracket, or table specified by the
manufacturer, or sold with the ap­paratus. When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning
storms or when unused for long periods of
time.

14. Refer all servicing to qualified service per­sonnel. Servicing is required when the ap­paratus has been damaged in any way,
such as power-supply cord or plug is dam­aged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, the appara­tus has been exposed to rain or moisture,
does not operate normally, or has been
dropped.

You are cautioned that any change or modifi­cations not expressly approved in this manual
could void your authority to operate this equip­ment.

Service

– All service must be performed by qualified

personnel.

– There are no user-serviceable parts inside.

Warning

– To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do

not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture
and objects filled with liquids, such as vases,

should not be placed on this apparatus.
– This apparatus must be earthed.
– Use a three wire grounding type line cord like

the one supplied with the product.
– Be advised that different operating voltages

require the use of different types of line cord

and attachment plugs.
– Check the voltage in your area and use the

correct type.

Voltage Line plug according to standard

110 to 125V UL817 and CSA C22.2 no42.
220 to 230V CEE7 page VII, SR section 107-

2-D1 / IEC83 page C4.

– This equipment should be installed near the

socket outlet and disconnection of the device

should be easily accessible.
– To completely disconnect from AC mains, dis-

connect the power supply cord from the AC

receptacle.
– The mains plug of the power supply shall re-

main readily operable.
– Do not install this device in a confined space.
– For use at an altitude of 2000m or lower.
– Do not open the unit – risk of electric shock

inside.

Getting started – English quick guide 1

Important safety instructions

EMC / EMI

Electromagnetic compatibility /
Electromagnetic interference

This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digital de­vice, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules.

These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in resi­dential installations. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instructions, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation.

If this equipment does cause harmful interfer­ence to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following
measures:

Explanation of graphic symbols

The lightning bolt triangle is used to

alert the user to the presence of unin­sulated “dangerous voltages” within
the unit’s chassis that may be of suffi­cient magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock to humans.

The exclamation point triangle is used

to alert the user to presence of impor­tant operating and service instructions
in the literature accompanying the
product.

– Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
– Increase the separation between the equip-

ment and receiver.

– Connect the equipment into an outlet on a cir-

cuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.

– Consult the dealer or an experienced ra-

dio / TV technician for help.

For customers in Canada

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Ca­nadian ICES-003.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est
conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

2 VoiceLive3

Before you begin

Before you begin

About the VoiceLive3 quick guide

This quick guide will help you learn understand­ing and operating your VoiceLive3.

You can download the most current version of
this quick guide from
tc-helicon.com/products/voicelive-3/support/

To get the most from this quick guide, please
read it from start to finish, or you may miss im­portant information.

Be sure to download the
VoiceLive3 reference manual!

Please note that this document is just a quick
guide – not the full manual! It is intended to get
you up and running with your VoiceLive3, but we
really just skim the surface here.

For information on all of the functions and fea­tures in your new VoiceLive 3, make sure you
download the complete reference manual from
tc-helicon.com/products/voicelive-3/support/.

VoiceSupport

VoiceSupport is the application that allows you
to fully unlock the potential of your TC-Helicon
product and stay in touch with the latest news,
tips and tricks.

VoiceSupport key features include:

– Professionally authored preset libraries
– Direct access to product manuals
– Update messaging – helping you stay up to

date with the latest software
– Drag & drop preset management
– Customizable content about your products
– VoiceCouncil feeds for the latest advice for

singers
– Firmware upgrading
– Account management
– Access to support.

You can download VoiceSupport for Microsoft
Windows and Mac OS X from
tc-helicon.com/products/voicesupport/

Please register your VoiceLive3

Getting support

If you still have questions about the product af­ter reading this quick guide and the reference
manual, please get in touch with TC-Helicon
Support:
tc-helicon.com/support/

Getting started – English quick guide 3

To register your VoiceLive3 using the VoiceSup­port software, launch VoiceSupport and click on
the ACCOUNT button.

! Please note that registration of your product is

NOT required to use VoiceSupport, download

presets, update firmware or contact support.

Before you begin

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

Power Input

Mini USB

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

USB Type A

USB Type B

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

Power Input

Mini USB

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

USB Type A

USB Type B

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

Power Input

Mini USB

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

USB Type A

USB Type B

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

Power Input

Mini USB

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

USB Type A

USB Type B

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

Power Input

Mini USB

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

USB Type A

USB Type B

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

Power Input

Mini USB

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

USB Type A

USB Type B

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

Power Input

Mini USB

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

USB Type A

USB Type B

Power Input

XLR Male XLR Female

Power Input

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

XLR Male XLR Female

Combo Jack

MIDI Jack

1/4 inch jack

Power Input

Mini USB

1/8 inch jack GRND Lift

USB Type A

USB Type B

Diagrams

Live3 in a particular setup. This means the “what
you hear” section in the lower right corner does
not show guitar sounds coming from the PA –
even though they might at a gig.

Legend

The following symbols are used in the setup ex­amples section of this quick guide:

3

5 5

4

To give you clear and concise representations of
what goes where, we have provided several con­nection diagrams in the “Making connections”
(page 6) section. There are a few things we
would like you to keep in mind as you follow
these diagrams:

– Signal sources that go into your VoiceLive 3

(e.g. microphone or guitar) will always be
shown to the left of the back panel image (1).

– “Downstream” devices (mixers, speakers) will

always be shown to the right of the back panel
image (2).

– The box in the lower left corner shows what

signals you will hear from the VoiceLive 3
headphone output.

– The box in the lower right corner shows what

you will hear from your mixer / PA speakers.
This could be anything from a “stick system”
or a portable/all-in-one loudspeaker system
to powered studio monitors or even a DAW
recording interface.

In many cases, what you hear from the Voice­Live3 headphone output and your PA will be the
same (5) – but it can also be different.

Microphone

Acoustic guitar

Electric guitar

Keyboard or other instrument

Mixing desk

P. A .

Guitar or keyboard amp

Monitor mix

Important

XLR cable

TRS cable

TS (guitar) cable

1/8” cable

Please note that we do not account for other in­puts or instruments in these diagrams – so you
won’t see pictures of drums (4) etc. When a set­up example includes a connection to your guitar
amp, we do not show that amp being miked and
sent through the PA (which often is the case) –
we are just showing you how to connect Voice-

4 VoiceLive3

Introduction

VoiceLive3 key features

Introduction

Just to whet your appetite, here is a basic over­view of VoiceLive3’s many exciting features!

Thank you for purchasing
VoiceLive3!

Your new Vocal, Guitar and Loop processor is
quite an amazing piece of technology. With liter­ally thousands of effect combinations and many
versatile controls, you can completely customize
your sound.

VoiceLive 3 replaces stand-alone vocal pro­cessors, guitar multi effects units and phrase
loopers – reducing your “gig weight” to what
you can throw in a backpack.

We’re really excited to get you up and running
quickly, so let’s get started!

In the box

The VoiceLive 3 box should contain the follow­ing items:

– 1 VoiceLive3 vocal processor
– 1 power adaptor
– 1 USB cable
– 1 guitar/headphone cable
– this manual.

If you are missing an item, please contact your
retailer immediately.

Inspect all items for signs of transit damage. In
the unlikely event of transit damage, inform the
carrier and supplier.

If damage has occurred, keep all packaging as it
can be used as evidence of excessive handling
force.

Vocal Effects Suite

– Adaptive Tone
– EQ
– Compression
– De-ess
– Reverb
– Delay (Echo)
– Double
– Harmony
– Choir
– Vocoder / Talk Box / Vocal Sy nth
– Rhythmic
– µMod (pronounced “micro mod”):

Flanger / Chorus / D etune
– Transducer
– HardTune
– Whammy

Guitar Effects Suite

– Amp Simulation
– Reverb
– Delay
– µMod: Flanger / Chor us / Detune
– Drive
– Compressor
– Rhythm / Tremolo
– Wah Wah
– Octave Down

Multi-Phrase Looper

– Loop Assist™ quantization
– Swap Mode

For ea sy verse / chorus / br idge style loopin g.
– Onboard loop storage

– Customizable button layout

Completely remappable footswitches
– Easy Top-Level Editing

Deep controls when you’re ready
– HIT function

Add multiple effects to Vocals, Guitar or both

with one button press.
– Direct guitar out – go straight to your amp.
– Independent headphone mix

Perfect for in-ear monitoring without an ex-

pensive transmitter/receiver system.

Getting started – English quick guide 5

Making connections

Making connections

4

SWITCH-3

2 3 6 57 1

Inputs

1. Connect the supplied power adapter to the
12 V DC jack of your VoiceLive3 and plug the
adapter into a wall outlet. Do not power up
your VoiceLive3 yet.

2. Plug your microphone into the MIC / LINE jack
using an XLR cable.

3. Connect your guitar to the GUITAR IN jack us­ing a ¼” Tip Sleeve (TS) cable (i.e., a regular
guitar cable).

4. Connect your MP3 player or smartphone to
the AUX jack using a 1/8” cable.

5. Connect your MIDI master keyboard or syn­thesizer to the MIDI IN jack using a MIDI cable.

6. Plug your Switch-3 into the FOOTSWITCH
jack using a ¼” Tip Ring Sleeve (TRS) cable
(the cable that came with the Switch-3).

7. Plug your Expression pedal into the EXPRES­SION jack.

! Do you have a condenser, MP-75 or e835FX

microphone? When the unit is powered up
(there’s a few more steps before that hap­pens), you’ll need to enable Phantom Power.
To enable Phantom Power, press SETUP and
navigate to the INPUT tab using the < and >
buttons below the large control knob. Find the
Mic Type parameter and change it to Con­denser. Press SETUP to exit. These instruc­tions are also printed on the bottom of your
VoiceLive3.

Outputs

Depending on what kind of amplification system
you are using, there are lots of options. We cover
a few common setups on the following pages.

In the reference manual, we’ll show many more
connection options, including incoming monitor
mixes.

6 VoiceLive3

Making connections

1. Vocals and guitar using guitar/headphone cable

This setup utilizes the included guitar/headphone
cable, which is perfect for personal monitoring in
any setup. You will see that the two smaller ends
of the cable are different. One end has a male
headphone jack beside the guitar jack. Connect
these to the GUITAR IN and HEADPHONE jacks.
The other end plugs into your guitar and has a fe­male jack for your headphones/in-ear monitors.

Getting started – English quick guide 7

Making connections

2. Stereo vocal and stereo guitar (2 channels)

This is a very common setup for both live per­formances with a stereo PA (double-check that
the venue PA system is actually in stereo!) or for
basic 2 channel recording.

8 VoiceLive3

Making connections

3. Stereo vocals and stereo guitar (4 channels)

L R

VoiceLive 3 features “jack sensing” on several
inputs and outputs. With this connection setup,
all guitar signals are removed from the XLR sig­nal path when ¼” Guitar OUT connections are
made. This gives you separate stereo channels
for your vocals and guitar. This is a great setup
for connecting to a 4 channel audio interface.

Getting started – English quick guide 9

Making connections

4. Mono vocals and mono guitar (dual mono mode)

If you are not using a guitar amplifier, this is a
common connection setup for most live venues,
since the PA is typically in mono. It also allows
a sound tech to control the overall balance be­tween your vocals and guitar.

Output modes can be changed in the Setup/Out­put menu.

10 VoiceLive3

Making connections

5. Stereo vocals and guitar amplifier

Keep in mind that your guitar amp may be miked
and come out through the PA. That part of the
signal flow isn’t shown in this setup example.

Guitar output is automatically muted in the XLR
signal path when a 1/4” guitar out connection is
made.

Getting started – English quick guide 11

Making connections

6. Mono vocals and guitar amplifier

Keep in mind that your guitar amp may be miked
and come out through the PA. That part of the
signal flow isn’t shown in this setup example.

Guitar output is automatically muted in the XLR
signal path when a 1/4” guitar out connection is
made.

12 VoiceLive3

Making connections

7. Stereo vocals and MIDI keyboard

VoiceLive3 is not a synthesizer and cannot con­vert MIDI note messages to audio. The MIDI con­nection is only used for NaturalPlay chord detec­tion and other control data. You will still need to
connect your keyboard to the PA or an amplifier
for it to be heard!

Getting started – English quick guide 13

Let’s get going!

Let’s get going!

Make all connections as seen in “Making con­nections” (page 6).

Before you power up VoiceLive3, make sure that
the amplifier or PA it is connected to is muted or
turned all the way down!

Press the POWER switch on the back of the unit.

! Booting will take a few seconds – so it is nor-

mal if you see a blank screen for a short while.

Auto Gain

The easiest way to set the input levels for your
microphone and guitar is to press and hold the
Setup button.

For additional information on input trim, please
refer to your PA or mixer’s instruction manual.
If you need a bit more guidance, check out this
“Craig’s Corner” video explaining mixer setup:
youtube.com/watch?v=qq0AOtafIjs

Time to have some fun!

It’s time to hear what your VoiceLive3 really can
do! Set the VoiceLive 3 channel faders on your
mixer to 0 or “Unity”, whichever applies.

. Slowly turn up the master/main volume on your
PA/Mixer (and on your guitar amp if you are
hooked up to one).

You will see a series of on-screen instructions.
When you are done, gain settings will be opti­mized for your microphone and guitar.

You should only have to use Auto Gain once.
There is no need to go through this procedure
each time you power on the unit.

If you have a condenser, MP-75, or e835FX mic,
this is a good time to enable it. Follow the in­structions printed on the bottom of your Voice­Live3.

Setting input gain on your mixer

While singing and playing at your loudest vol­ume, slowly turn up the input gain/trim knobs
of the mixer channels your VoiceLive 3 is con­nected to. When the clip indicator on your mixer
lights up, reduce input gain/trim slightly.

14 VoiceLive3

If you encounter feedback, turn the master vol­ume down until it goes away. For more informa­tion on feedback and how to overcome it, check
out this “Craig’s Corner” video:
youtube.com/watch?v=VlN1RJ4gcAo

Explore the sounds

The best way to get an idea of your VoiceLive3’s
potential is to browse the presets. The factory
presets have tons of great sounds, so we sug­gest you carve out a little time to go through and
listen to them.

Sing and play!

Let’s get going!

To browse presets, press the footswitches with
the up and down arrows on the far left.

Note which presets you enjoy the most – you can
use them as a starting point for creating your
own presets later.

VoiceLive3 for acoustic
guitar players

VoiceLive 3 comes with pristine reverbs, mod­ulation effects, EQs and delays to make your
acoustic guitar sound better than it ever has.
However, you may not want heavy overdrive or
radical flanging applied to the output of your
handmade masterpiece…

If you have a nice effects setup for your acous­tic guitar that you want to use for all your songs,
press SETUP, go to the SYSTEM tab and set ALL
GUITAR FX GLOBAL to ON. This will “lock” the
guitar effects so they won’t change when you
switch presets.

Let’s make it a HIT!

When you are checking out presets, be sure to
press the HIT button.

Editing HIT settings is covered in the reference
manual.

Are we there yet?

Frankly, we haven’t even started…

By now, you have probably realized that we have
merely scratched the surface of what you can
do with your VoiceLive3 – there is a lot to learn
and do!

If you really want to know how deep the rabbit
hole goes, download the full reference manual
for your VoiceLive3. It will show you how to…

– use vocal, guitar and loop “layers”
– edit presets
– turn individual effects on and off
– remap effect buttons
– use Harmony modes effectively
– tweak all effect parameters
– create and edit loops
– Global effects assignments
– browse presets by genre
– adapt audio signal routings to your needs
– mix audio signals
– set up MIDI controls
– … and much more!

You can download the VoiceLive 3 reference

manual from

tc-helicon.com/products/voicelive-3/support/.

HIT allows you to add (or remove) multiple ef­fects for both your vocals and/or guitar with a
single button press. It can be used as a flex­ible “A/B” feature for two variations of a preset,
or as a “turbo”. E.g., HIT allows you to bring in
Harmony at just the right time, or you can use it
to turn off the Delay and activate the Vocoder in
the bridge of a song. Be adventurous – HIT re­ally brings out new and interesting facets of the
presets.

Getting started – English quick guide 15

Technical specifications

Technical specifications

Inputs
Voice connector Combo Balanced XLR/

Balanced TRS ¼”phone jack
Input impedance
balanced
Mic input level @
0dBFS
Line input level @
0dBFS
EIN @ max mic gain rg
= 150ohm
Mic SNR >100dB at typical Mic Input

A to D conversion 24 Bit, 128 x oversampling

Guitar connector ¼” phone jack
Guitar input impedance 1 MOhm
Guitar input level @
0dBFS
Guitar input SNR >10 8  d B
A to D conversion 24 Bit, 128x oversampling

Monitor connector Balanced XLR
Input impedance
balanced
Monitor input level @
0dBFS
Aux
Aux connector 1/8” stereo mini jack
Aux input level @
0dBFS
Analog outputs
Voice out connectors balanced XLR
Output impedance
balanced/unbalanced
Output range @ 0dBFS Line Level: +14dBu; Mic

Dynamic range >109dB, 20 Hz to 20kHz
Frequency response +0/-0.3dB, 20 Hz to 20kHz
D to A conversion 24 Bit, 128 x oversampling

Guitar out connectors 1/4” TRS phone jack
Output impedance
balanced/unbalanced
Output range @ 0dBFS Line Level: +14dBu;

Dynamic range >101dB, 20 Hz to 20kHz

3.08kOhm

-52dBu to +7dBu

-40dBu to +19dBu

-127  dBu

gain

bitstream, 110dB SNR

A-weighted

-2dBU to 14dBu

bitstream, 110dB SNR

A-weighted

25kOhm

+16  d B u

+2dBu

300/150 Ohm

Level: -2dBu

bitstream, 115dB SNR

A-weighted

442/221 Ohm

Mic Level: - 2dBu

D to A conversion 24 Bit, 128 x oversampling

bitstream, 106dB SNR

A-weighted
Headphone out
Headphone out
connector
Guitar thru
Buffered guitar input
connector
Output impedance
bal/unbal.
Monitor thru
Direct connection to
monitor input connector
Control
USB USB-B, USB-A
MIDI in 5 Pin DIN
Pedal 1/4” TRS phone jack
Power
External power supply 100 to 240 VAC,

Power consumption < 14 W
Safety
EMC Complies with EN 55103-

Safety Certified to IEC65, EN

Operating requirements
Operating temperature 32° F to 122° F

Storage temperature -22° F to 167° F

Humidity max. 90 % non-condensing
Size & weight
Dimensions 9” x 4” x 7” (230 x 100 x 180)
Weight 5lb. (2.3kg)
Warranty
See www.tc-helicon.com/support for warranty
information.

1/8” Mini stereo jack, 50

Ohm, +14dBu max

1/4” TRS phone jack

270/540 Ohms

Balanced XLR

50 to 60 Hz (auto-select)

1:2009, EN 55103-2:2009,

FCC CFR 47 Part 15B and

ICES-003:2004 4th Ed.

60065, UL6500 and CSA

IEC65, EN 60065, UL6500

and CSA

(0° C to 50° C)

(-30° C to 70° C)

16 VoiceLive3