MIDI tap tempo button and boost button for Musicom lab FXlite 64m

Hello,

Instead of using the H&K floarboard to control the GM40, I'd like to use my Musicomlab FxLite 64M midi controller and effect looping switcher.
It's a great unit, but it lacks a few buttons/function for the GM40:

GM40 specific:
- Tap tempo button
- Button for boost function

General to FxLite:
- No dedicated bank up/down buttons.

Is it possible to add a tap tempo and boost switching device in the MIDI loop? Any suggestions what device this would be?

I'd just bought a Line 6 Helix for this purpose. I guess I just going to use the effects in the Helix and switch channels of the GM40

tilma800 wrote:I'd just bought a Line 6 Helix for this purpose. I guess I just going to use the effects in the Helix and switch channels of the GM40

I also use a Helix with my GM40. It works really well.

So how are you hooking up Helix with the GM40?

Thanks

spikey wrote:So how are you hooking up Helix with the GM40?

Thanks

I am using 4cm and utilizing Helix snapshots to send MIDI CC messages to change channels, turn on/off noisegate, engage boost etc.

I use a preset on the Helix for each song. I set up evry stomp/effect I'll need for that song. Then I use snapshots to control everything I need on the amp.

Example:

Snapshot 1 - Sends CC command to switch to GM40 clean channel, turns off noisegate. Engages Delay 1 and Chorus 1 on the Helix.

Snapshot 2 - Sends CC command to switch channel on GM40 to Ultra, turns on noisegate. Turns off Delay 1 and Chorus 1 on the Helix.

Snapshot 3 - Sends CC command to engage boost on GM40. Turns on Delay 2.

Because you aren't switching Helix presets during any of this, you never get any kind of dropouts when turning things on/off, switching channels, etc.

Ok so the 4CM path is...

guitar into GM40
send of GM40 to return 1 in on Helix
send 2 of Helix to return on GM40
midi out of helix to midi in on GM40

is that about right?

Also, do you use any kind of editor and is this a part of your hookup too?

spikey wrote:Ok so the 4CM path is...

guitar into GM40
send of GM40 to return 1 in on Helix
send 2 of Helix to return on GM40
midi out of helix to midi in on GM40

is that about right?

Also, do you use any kind of editor and is this a part of your hookup too?

Guitar goes into Guitar IN on the Helix.
Send 1 goes to the front input of the GM40
GM40 Send goes to Return 1 on Helix
1/4" Output on Helix goes to GM40 Return
MIDI OUT on Helix goes to MIDI IN on GM40.

In the Helix effect chain, add a FX LOOP block. Preamp effects(wah, overdrives) go before the FX block. Postamp effects (delays, chorus, reverb) go after that block.

I use the Helix editor primarily for all editing. I also have the Grandmeister editor to validate levels on the GM40 presets when i change the "song" presets on the Helix.

OK and thanks for that.

So then to use the GM40 editor, all you need to do is unhook the midi in cable from Helix and connect a midi in cable from your computer midi interface, yes?

Or are you using the "wireless" editor on an iPad?

If that's what you are doing that's pretty cool because it means you can have the Helix editor up and the GM40 wireless editor up at the same time to adjust both "real time".

spikey wrote:OK and thanks for that.

So then to use the GM40 editor, all you need to do is unhook the midi in cable from Helix and connect a midi in cable from your computer midi interface, yes?

Or are you using the "wireless" editor on an iPad?

If that's what you are doing that's pretty cool because it means you can have the Helix editor up and the GM40 wireless editor up at the same time to adjust both "real time".

I believe to get the best results, the GM40 needs to be connected to the editor with both MIDI send and receive. If I remember correctly the last time I hooked it up, I did the following:

HELIX MIDI OUT --> AUDIO INTERFACE MIDI IN
AUDIO INTERFACE MIDI OUT -- > GM40 MIDI IN
GM40 MIDI OUT --> Helix MIDI IN

You can also just hook the GM40 to your computer interface directly, but it's hard to know which preset on the Helix coincides with the GM40 preset numbers, So I connect everything together.

I see it now- THANK YOU for the midi info!!!


Do you have the "Send/Return" level set in Helix to "Instrument" or line" level going into the guitar in of the GM40?
I am assuming its set to "instrument" to go into the guitar input on the GM-40 so you don't overload the input.

Manual states the nominal level on the GM-40 send is -10dBv (Line Level).

So far we can not split the individual aux send/return levels in Helix, as they are either Inst or Line (per aux), not both.

So if you set the send #1 level as Instrument in Helix, wouldn't you need to use a separate return (for Line level input) for Helix?

Or does that even matter when using a Helix FX-Loop?

So far I have this...

OK here is an updated audio and midi block diagram that should allow me to use the FSM-432 MK III midi board, the WMI-1 wireless interface, and also run either the Mac or iPad GM-40 editor.

I'm using Helix as an effects loop inside of the GM-40. Note the "double arrow" midi 7 pin cables are bi-directional (& power) ones.