just some info that others might find useful. I’ve been using a Line6 HX Stomp multi-fx pedal for a while and only just discovered it has a MIDI command centre feature that lets you program it to send MIDI notes or CC commands via 5-pin cable. (I should have RTFM sooner!) Works really well for hands-free recording with pickup machines (or flex machines) on the Octatrack.
Obviously it has a ton of great effects and amp simulation which is why I got it, but this adds a whole lot more possibilities.
The HX Stomp has many other functions that look promising but I haven’t explored yet:
has MIDI in to sync delays with the OT
can receive to Prog Change so you could change effects with pattern changes
has a 2nd set of stereo audio inputs that could be used for a separate synth or as an FX loop from OT CUE outs
it has USB audio so you could send things to/from your DAW
Hope that is useful!
OK line6 you can send the freebies to me now haha
(not sponsored)
Good point! I use that as the main pedal for gigging (we’ve continued rehearsing online since March with Jamkazam) and it completely slipped my mind about its midi capabilities as I was recently shopping for a foot controller for the OT. Great little box that Stomp.
Yes, with OS 3.0 the switches can send midi, and even control HX Stomp looper’s functionalities, not available otherwise (a midi cable between in and out).
Btw I didn’t try the Hx looper since last update, but the beginning of overdub was truncated (confirmed by another user).
I had freezes sending CCs and clock to HX (from OT). I decided to disable clock receive…
I hope this has been solved, so no hurrah for me if not…
yes I set up 2 switches to send 1 Midi note each for Pickup Rec/Dub/Rep and Play/Stop. I dont think you can send more than one Note or CC that way…
But the manual says “up to six “Instant” commands can be transmitted automatically
when an HX Effects preset is recalled” So you could perhaps use that function and have several presets with different CCs. (midi command settings are saved per preset, not globally)
what magic can you achieve by sending several CCs at once??
This thing has been under my radar because Line 6 stuff doesn’t look as exotic as Poly Beebo, Pladask, etc. I was just reminded of its existence when I got spam from Line 6 about the HX Stomp XL. Time will tell how much i will use the looper but I think the poly pitch FX (Capo, etc.) sound better than anticipated and the acoustic guitar simulator blows away anything I’ve heard from Boss/Roland.
HX Stomp and Helix are popular with electric violinists so I guess I’d look cooler to them if I got this too.
Yes, from the online research i have done, existing HX Stomp owners are not happy with the XL, particularly because there no change in processing power.
I haven’t bought a Line 6 product since the DL4 (which i still curse, but that’s another topic). From my perspective, it looks worth the extra $100 to get more footswitches and put all connectors in the back. I don’t like the side connectors of the HX Stomp - especially the MIDI DIN
Yes, I admit it’s more practical, as I may use it next to other gear in a stand, but it’s not a big deal. Enjoying the really compact size with extra switch pedal abilities…
Part of the attraction is the XL weighs only 3.3 lbs/1.5 kg. When I travel to Philadelphia to meet with the bandmates, I usually park about 10 blocks away from their apartment, and thus carry my pedalboard and violins from the car to the apartment. I feel like I’ve reasonably trimmed down the weight of the pedalboard, but I see I can take my tuner pedal, drive pedal, even the Condor EQ/Drive pedal off of the pedalboard and just have the XL and my MOOD and Gamechanger Plus pedals… and save even more weight. And also have MIDI control of the MOOD if desired.
yeah connectors on the back is much better. I wish they had added another encoder and made the screen a bit wider so its not so fiddly tweaking sounds. I certainly wont be trading in my HX stomp for one. Maybe they will add more stuff in firmware, but if processing is the same that maybe unlikely
Received the Line 6 HX Stomp XL a couple of days ago. Not sure if it should have its own thread - OP and others, just me know if you don’t Stomp XL posts mixed with Stomp posts and I’ll create a new thread. There’s another Stomp thread from 2019 but it seems to be dead.
There was initial weirdness in that all the presets were labeled “New Preset” or something like that, even though one was clearly a clean guitar one, another was a metal distorted one, another was an experimental reverby one, etc. This was fixed by installing downloading HX Edit and updating to Helix 3.11. I think I lost some of the factory presets, particularly the acoustic guitar simulation ones
for electric guitar.
Helix 3.10/3.11 has a bunch of bug fixes. I didn’t go through the list to verify they’re all fixed.
They also added a new amp and new effects. Euclidean Delay is the only one I’ve tried so far - it’ll take a while to get a feel for this one. Comments on various other effects:
1-switch and 6-switch Loopers - Easy enough to plug in to any preset that has an available slot. 1-switch is best suited for quick, no-fuss looping. 6-switch is almost as easy - you have to tap the switch for it in Stomp mode, then you get the screen with the 6 switches. 6-switch has the half-speed and reverse switches. No double-speed though like on the DL-4.
Shuffling Looper - Fun but a bit limited in that there’s no overdub. You trigger it to record, then it auto-slices the sample, and plays back the slices in various ways. Not sure how much I’d use it because I also have an Octatrack and Chase Bliss MOOD. One of the Youtubers though likes it enough to consider selling his NightSky.
Glitch Delay - Sounds good enough to leave the MOOD and other standalone glitchy delay devices home when traveling to band rehearsal. Just for fun, I tried running Glitch Delay into Shuffling Looper.
Poly Capo - I think this is what Matt Bell used for his cello simulation preset, in combination with a cello IR for a bit more realism. Seems to work fine. With semi-hollow and hollow guitars though, the loudness of such guitars might be distracting when trying to use this effect.
Poly Sustain - Sounds good enough to leave the Gamechanger Audio Plus at home. The Plus has more functionality but also requires some practice, because if it’s engaged too soon with guitar, it will sample the string pluck sound. Poly Sustain does not seem to be as picky - I can stomp on the switch any time and it will sustain without complaint
I eventually plan to use it to send MIDI commands to Octatrack. But having Octatrack LFOs modulate some HX Stomp parameters over MIDI could also be useful.
Thanks for the detailed info on the new effects. no problem from me to include your post here! Especially as all the HX/Helix boxes use more or less the same software right? Good that you regained your lost presets, I havnt come across anything like that, and Ive been through 2 firmware upgrades. cheers
I tried two options for onboard (no HX Edit/computer) control of parameters in Glitch Delay and Shuffling Looper:
Pedal Edit Mode is very useful for hands-free tweaking of preset settings. It’s activated by holding the Mode switch. Once you enter Pedal Edit Mode, you press the switch corresponding to the Effect Block that you want to edit. Then you can select the parameter for that effect that you want to edit, and use switches FS5 and FS6 to increment/decrement the parameter value. This mode is obviously not as fast as tweaking knobs/faders on your favorite MIDI controller, but I think it’s a cleverly implemented option for when you really don’t want to take your hands off your instrument and/or don’t have space for 3 expression pedals or whatever
Edit View is useful when you have a moment to take a hand off your instrument and tweak with knobs. This is great for Shuffling Looper, which does not allow you to overdub anyway. After you’ve sampled whatever you want into Shuffling Looper, it’s a quick enough process to squat down, press the Home button, and tweak away with the knobs. You may have to scroll through some pages to get to the parameter you want, because the display shows only 3 parameters at a time, and this looper has 11, but it’s not too bad.
I’m still struggling to see if the HX stomp can be used to help looping with the OT.
It seems it can send only one CC per switch. I also understand you can send multiple messages when switching to the preset but i’m having hard time to see how it can help for looping.
So how one would configure the switches to trigger a recording and have it played on the OT?
Is that even doable even adding 2 extras foot switches?
Also possible to sync HX STOMP Looper with Elektron sequencers. I didn’t try with OT, but you may be able to quantize plays free midi tracks midi messages. And be able to override so stupid OT limitations as a regular looper. It could be the best looper, but it is barely usable if you want free length, direct playback and overdub.
Each of these is possible separatly with Flex. Free length is impossible with Pickups, because it changes tempo, and you CAN’T disable Timestretch.
So I bought a decent looper again…
