How To get a Realistic Acoustic Tone with Piezo Pickups - Line 6 Helix

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Hello everyone! The download for my Line 6 Helix / HX Stomp Complete Preset Library with over 50 presets (including the ones in this video) has now moved to my website. Use this link - bit.ly/3hkkTCh As of July 2020, there have been over 300 downloads of my preset library. Many have written back and expressed their satisfaction and it’s my hope that you’ll enjoy these presets too. While I was working on cruise ships, I refined each of these presets over the course of countless rehearsals and performances with a live band, not to mention the hours I spent sitting at the front of house desk in the main theater after-hours. These presets have been meticulously tuned to suit professional use and I believe you’ll find that they’re versatile and incredibly reliable across whatever Helix unit and amplification device you decide to use. The Complete Preset Library exists in a Google Drive folder that I am constantly adding new presets to so check back frequently! I appreciate your support and your donation is good for life. I’m looking forward to building this community together and would love to hear from you if you have any questions at all. By going through my website, you're now able to pay with credit card and will receive the preset library instantly. If you’d prefer to use PayPal, just send $15 to www.PayPal.me/AlexanderPriceMusic and make the note “Complete Preset Library” so I know what to send you! This requires me to reply individually by email so please be patient. You may find all of my Helix preset bundles at www.AlexPriceMusician.com/helix

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Check out this recent recording I had made from a gig last weekend. I used this preset and my Eastman PCH. With the HX Stomp I'm able to plug directly into my computer and use it as an interface for a super easy setup: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYXNqad-h7aLhLs

[@rickygomez2316]

Congrats in advance on the wedding! Enjoy it. It goes by quickly.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Ricky Gomez thanks! It definitely did go by quickly. The last few days have been nuts

[@basmoza8455]

Dude, thank you for the looper tip. I am so sick of playing open strings while adjusting parameters. Great idea!! Also, can you do this with an electric guitar piezo. I'm always shocked that no one has posted a video that that. It would be interesting if you can make an electric guitar with piezo sound authentically like an acoustic. I guess kind of like Variax does. BTW you probably would have gotten a much more authentic piezo plus IR tone compared to the SM57 if you didn't cut so much of the bass out with the EQ. And lastly I think the Eastman guitar sounds better than the Martin outright based on your recordings haha. Strange huh?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Bas Moza to each their own! I personally think the Martin sounds better on its own, but when combined with the IR in this video - the difference between the Eastman and Martin is very minimal. The Eastman really is a great guitar. Stay tuned for the electric guitar piezo topic as you had mentioned. I’m having a custom guitar made right now with both magnetic and piezo pickups. I think a great comparison video is to come.

[@yunowot]

Hey, every guy leaves a load of junk behind when he gets married - just don't tell the new Mrs.

[@onionpierogi3038]

The microphone still sounds more natural but your setup with the HXS is a massive improvement over the normal sound of a piezo pickup going straight in impressive

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Onion Pierogi My thoughts exactly. The microphone is still better, but for the convenience and in general in most situations, the piezo/IR combo will be your best bet.

[@ShreddingFinn]

Good suggestion, for $10 you cannot go wrong buying one set of impulse responses, makes any piezo sound like a 5 figure guitar, just got one of the cheap Martin acoustics and this saved the day

[@JuanPabloVeTV]

Great video! I think you can improve the sound a lot with a not so extreme eq on the low end.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks Juan. Everyone’s guitar is going to sound a bit different through these settings so I think it’s useful to start here with my preset, but ultimately rely on your ear and make small adjustments to optimize it for your own use.

[@blownspiritofficialchannel]

nice video....but the capture via an external mic is the way to go.

[@Darkkerauneus]

Thanks for the video. The Mic sound is the best in my view. That's the real sound of the guitar. But you are right for the convenience the patch is very good. Normal piezo sounds really bad.

[@hockeyman2274]

The tip about the looper in front of everything to adjust parameters was simple genius.

[@albertogaytan4619]

I think a mix of both the piezo/preset with the sm57 would be perfect. I love the articulation and attack of the pickup and I think it would mix really well with the body and warmth of the sm57 mic

[@AlReidphoto]

Looper at the front 👌🏻 Genius! So grateful for that tip dude 🙏🏻

[@MrBradHendrickson]

Not trying to bust chops, just to clarify what we're hearing... are the 'dry piezo pickup' at 8:54 and the 'piezo with IR and preset' at 8:59 perhaps mislabeled as opposite from what was intended?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Good ear! Sounds like you’re right. No way for me to check officially though since the final cut file is long gone

[@MusicOnTheDLo]

Great vid, Alex! Have you tried placing the IR first in your chain? I know that's what 3 Sigma recommends, then following it with any effects/corrective EQ, etc.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Music on the D Lo that’s a great point actually - one that I hadn’t considered. I thought the EQ sounded fine before so I never thought to try it after but actually I’m pretty sure that it would be way more effective that way now that I think about it. Thanks for sharing

[@joshbeer414]

Thanks dude really helpful

[@exltd001]

The sad thing is the 57 actually sounds the best

[@AlexPriceMusician]

It always will. That was just provided as reference to the actual tone of the guitar. A pickup is a compromise - you trade tone for the ability to play on a loud stage without feedback. This video shows one way to try and achieve a slightly more natural tone out of a pickup.

[@PatrickCebulla]

Nice Demo -Thanx!

[@casey17w]

Nice work on the vid. Would you recommend using this with an electric amp or acoustic guitar amp for band situations? Thanks

[@AlexPriceMusician]

An acoustic guitar amp will have a flatter response and be more full range so that’s sound better.

[@KHfilmin]

Nice tips man, thanx! ;)

[@LucianoFerreiraOfficial]

Awesome Bro . I'm using IR from hx stomp too It make my sound better

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I love this part about the HX Stomp

[@2fitzie]

Followed your advice. In my case downloaded IR for a classical guitar tone from same site, loaded these up, used looper like you said. to audition tomes and frequencies, most importantly stepping back on overall IR mix to blend original. Now my solid body, slightly quacky nylon string is suddenly sounding like a masterbuild classical guitar. through my HX Stomp and headphones! So your advice is a game changer for me. Many Thanks! People who dont have instant success maybe need to remember that small tweaks of the HX edit dials get massive changes, especially using the looper audition method rather than being distracted by playing guitar. For me the IR "mix" dial set to around 60% or just below brought everything to life.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yeah the IR mix parameter is huge. Too much IR can sound boxy. Glad this video was helpful!

[@onzkicg]

Thanks for the tutorial. I have a question- Since I already own a soundhole active pickup (3V Fishman Rare Earth Humbucker). Is it still essential to add another like undersaddle or or piezo, then have a separate box to mix/ blend them? I’ll be using it live in stage. Thanks!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Hi! I would just run into both input of the Stomp, then apply IRs, EQ, compression, etc. as you wish and mix them back together as you like. You should be able to do everything "in the box" so to speak. When you plug only one cable into the output of the HX Stomp, it'll sum everything to mono for you.

[@uzl829]

My fav sound is the IR on the Eastman.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks for your thoughts!

[@mattiefuller]

Nicely done. Thanks for this video, it was helpful!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful Mattie!

[@matiascrisaffulli1663]

Do you think it will work with k&k pure mini? Thanks

[@AlexPriceMusician]

That’s hard to say. The K&K Pure Mini is a multi element system that picks up vibration from different areas on the top of the guitar while this preset was specifically designed with an under-saddle piezo pickup. I would expect them to sound very different at their core so my initial thought is that it might not sound good. If you decide to try it, please let me know how it comes out!

[@zamarpraisejames7619]

I recently saw a PRS Guitar video that had. Guitar that can switch sounds from electric to acoustic to a mixture of both. Have you tried this preset with an electric?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Hi Zamar - There are a few ways of doing this. Those PRS guitars you’ve seen most likely have a piezo pickup that you can turn on and off with a switch. You can also use the Helix along with an Impulse Response to get a fake acoustic tone out of magnetic pickups. I have a recent video on this subject: “Acoustic Tones from an Electric Guitar // Line 6 Helix” kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIrbZYx3aLGSerc

[@zamarpraisejames7619]

Alex Price Thank you! I will definitely check it out.

[@secreswallowtail7435]

Can't you just use the IR alone? It sounds nice in their site.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

You can, but I feel that some additional work is needed to get the best results. Most importantly, play with the mix control in the IR block. The IR can sound a bit tinny on its own and blending in some of the dry signal will restore a bit of bass end to your tone. A slight compressor is always a good thing on acoustic too.

[@secreswallowtail7435]

@@AlexPriceMusician it doesn't sound exactly how it sounded in their site? I was looking at mart 45, it sounds so nice on their site.

[@PierLim]

Does this work only with piezo, or a blending pickup like Anthem would work?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

The Impulse Responses are made to work with piezo pickups. Try it just with your piezo tone and then maybe try and fade a bit of the mic tone in. If it sounds good, it IS good :) I haven’t checked myself, but you may be able to find IRs that are idealized to work with a microphone.

[@AbitLippy]

You can try the Tonedexter pedal. Not cheap but works on every pickup system.