Applying the Sag, Hum, Ripple, and Bias controls - Line 6 Helix Tips

[@briansardinha5396]

Came for the tips, stayed for the cat

[@bones2532]

Finally a demo that makes the difference in sound of those parameters clearly noticable. Theoretically I already knew a lot of the technical background of those parameters and how they effect the way power tubes work in real amps, but playing around with them in the Helix the changes always were quite subtile to me. I think I have to spend some extra time with the bias-x settings. This was really helpful.Thanks a lot!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I'm glad to hear that! Thanks for commenting

[@rubenbarbosa4635]

Dude you are awesome! Perfect way to talk, be humble, nice playing, straight to the point, you have a cool real vibe. And we can notice the love for music, guitars and amps... youre not here just for the likes and shares! Congrats, youre a real one.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thank you Ruben! That compliment means a lot.

[@ghost79ish]

These all sound a bit more modern at lower settings. That's a huge simplification, I know, but that's the best way I can describe the overall characteristics. Thanks, now I have several hours of experimenting to do that no one else is going to notice. Joking, great vid as always... I'd actually be pretty stoked if you revisited this sometime in a bit more depth. Cheers!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Great idea! I’ve been slow on the helix videos lately since it seems like firmware 3.0 is so close. Once that comes out I have a bunch of ideas to share 😎

[@vurnt22]

Sag -YES Hum - NO. Ripple - MAYBE Bias & Bias X - YES Cat - YES

[@josuesamaniego182]

Perfect explanation. I love how you got to the point and explained what each setting means in easy to understand terms. I have the HX Stomp and it’s amazing. I know my tone can only get better with these tweaking tips. Thank you!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad this was helpful Josue!

[@RonEMarks]

“Sag” is not in preamps tubes. It’s in the power section of a tube amp. Specifically the rectifier and transformer.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Correct

[@steveliberty]

I love the kitty playing with your stuff.

[@sboy1955]

Definitely some food for thought here, thanks. In the past, per my ears, I typically bump the bias up a bit on most of my presets… but don’t touch the the other controls discussed here.

[@JohnShalamskas]

For a clean tone, I have put some effort into eliminating hum and noise from my pedal board. I was a little surprised that I liked how the hum modified the heavily overdriven tone in your demo.

[@KristohanongBisdakMusic]

Great content! Very informative. I was wondering why you didn't use a mouse, then a few moments later Jackie came. 😆

[@steveo44]

Thanks so much for this. After quite some time fiddling I didn't really realise what exactly they were doing,!

[@randysmith7682]

Great video, thank you, it was very helpful. The Sag, Hum, Ripple, Bias, and Bias X controls I really haven't messed with much because the individual functions weren't very evident to my ears. I love the Stomp and I think this will help me take my tones to a better place.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful Randy! Thanks so much for commenting

[@StratsRUs]

I usually raise the Sag to around 7 and slightly lower the Bias for a nice slightly spongey driven sound. Initially I thought Bias would have to be raised to sound 'hotter' but it doesn't seem that way. I still can't hear much difference when playing with Bias X.Hum and Ripple are very cosmetic too. I love the Helix but feel a bit dumb when it comes to the controls outside of Sag and Bias. Thanks for showing me that the subtlety can be _very_ subtle.Still very happy with my sounds.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful. I’ve also noticed that depending on the model, sometimes these controls seem slightly different or actually work backwards from this model

[@weedeeeter]

Most useful video on HX Stomp XL so far

[@rickschneider3887]

Thank you for the tutorial. I have the POD HD500X and this helped me alot trying to dial in the right Amp tone for me!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was useful!

[@onionpierogi3038]

Perfect video. Thanks for spending the time being so detailed. It was worth watching

[@Intraphase1]

I was hoping to learn these controllers yesterday and found this today. Very helpful, thanks Alex. Bookmarked.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@jackprice7828]

Good video Alex. One of the best I seen on the amp parameters. Sometimes people talking about HX tweeting get way too much into the technical weeds.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thank you Jack! My goal with a lot of these videos has been to keep them focused solely on the end result and precise enough to be worth your time

[@Snookidoo1]

greetings to ur cat. My cat earlier ever tried to attack me, when I was playing guitar...Ty for explaining these points, helped a lot.

[@angrybuzzy]

Very helpful, Alex. Love that you were quoting classic blues rock riffs.

[@JoshuaSkaja]

Damn, that Ripple control is probably what’s driving me nuts about some of the things I hear when using in ears. Thank you.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

It’s weird for sure if you key into it! Probably not something we’re supposed to hear so much as “feel” if you know what I mean

[@jazztitch8286]

Not bad - but you need to turn the gain down to demonstrate sag. I'd like to know if Line 6 will accurately emulate a Fender Deluxe 5e3 where the sag initiates, I think, just around breakup. That sounds more like AC/DC.

[@BassBaseBerlin]

Thanks very much! I'm not a good guitarist but playing bass and doing mixing. So for the latter understanding amp simulation is great. So it was clearly audible when you played that one well-known riff - and you put the settings sound "like a real driven tube amp" ... and then turned them down and it sounded like a "pedal into a transistor amp" ... in comparison. Great, will try that with my HX! Got a new subscriber, see you soon. Thanks again! Stefan

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thank you Stefan! I appreciate it

[@streamofconsciousness5826]

The ripple sounds like the reverb tank has bottomed out when you crank it. The Sag and Bias are very important, good lesson. Going from Zero to 100 is the best way to find out what things do. they threw a commercial just as you went for the cat the second time... 7:22

[@picksalot1]

I'm a new HX Stomp user, and I think your video tips will help me dial in a more present, immediate, punchier tone. I find a lot of the Presets sound weak and distant. Thanks

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I appreciate that! It’s definitely a skill, learning to work with modelers. With a bit of practice, I think the Helix can be incredibly powerful

[@emg8581]

Jackie : "peep" *adorable

[@nofuneral1790]

Great video. Appreciate the timestamps and amount of playing vs talking.

[@nofuneral1790]

Okay, honestly, this video completely changed the game with my Helix, which I already liked, but these controls go SO far towards matching real amps tones holy shit.

[@alexhelemskyy1432]

Also need to be noticed that ripple's subharmonic addition also affects that ground tone that comes over with ''hum'' involving. So you need to be carefull tweaking those parameters

[@n.mcdaniel6658]

Very helpful…thank you Alex. Jackie you kick ass!

[@DanielTorres-dz1oi]

Nice video, now i understand a little more about that parameters. Only remais to try now. Thanks

[@dwightpeters]

Excellent video! This video has some great tones that are more convincing than most any other video I've seen

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful! This preset is free on my site if you want to pick it up.

[@TheDilligan]

My understanding... Sag Low = More compressed. Faster response. Less Dynamic. High = Less compressed. Slower response. More Dynamic. Hum Literally the volume of 60hz hum from an amp. Ripple The amount of undertones and extra harmonics generated from a cranked tube amp. Bias Low = Lighter sound. Thinner. sharper. More fizz. Tight High = Darker sound. Rounded high end. Smoother. Loose. Bias X This seems similar? But a google search says it effects the bias when the amp is driven much harder.

[@stevendevries1395]

..and I'll need to conclude this video before my cat knocks the laptop off the table! Awesome cat

[@derrickm5013]

you rock and you're a good teacher. You seem nervous, understandable. No need homie.

[@Kinskis-Eyes-music]

Great explaination of this things…. Thanks a lot for this

[@EdBMetal]

Your cat is hilarious🤣. Great video man. You explained it well. Much appreciated! 🙏

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful! (and entertaining, lol)

[@IndyRockStar]

I have 594 McCarty too. It's my favorite guitar.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

They're incredible instruments! This is actually an old standard model McCarty. Scale is slightly longer than the 594.

[@guitarjonn7103]

Late to the party for this vid, Alex, but well done. This is quite helpful and I'll come back to it for reference purposes, I'm sure. Like your Magnatone and Dumble presets, as well. Wishing you well, sir.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thank you for the support John! Glad it was useful

[@robertstapleton3598]

Helpful, thanks. Love the kitten.

[@johnkruton9708]

Great content. Thanks for the Helix tips. Kitty needs to learn some licks......(lol)

[@tano5401]

Very helpful but here is the best part 10:53

[@stevefearon9337]

Another great video, so much quality info and well explained, I thought I new most things about my helix .... but NOOOOO! Thankyou

[@theweazel]

One thumbs up for you, 50,000 thumbs up for Jackie

[@chronicmango]

Easily the most helpful Helix vid I’ve seen. Also, lol’d cause of your cat at the end of the video.

[@mahmam3128]

Thanks man, really appreciate it

[@JohnSpo]

Sag, hum, ripple, bias, and bias x go a long way in making stock cabs as usable as IRs; especially when trying to make a natural sounding slightly overdriven tube amp.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Even more useable than IRs in my own opinion 😎 I actually prefer to use stock cabs because they can be modified so easily

[@JohnSpo]

@@AlexPriceMusician I didn't know how much DSP IRs ate up until I got a Pod Go, which forced me to think economically in terms of DSP and learning to use these last 5 or so parameters in the amp settings, along with the early reflections in the cabinet settings has really helped satisfy my ear. Now I mostly use stock cabinets when building presets in my Helix because I do like the control.

[@kjrimple]

The cat is hilarious. Good tips

[@greglake7069]

Great video Alex!

[@bulldogzzzify]

Thanks for this, very informative and helpful 😀

[@joshualove6586]

Thanks for the vid and info!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johanndaart7326]

Great vid and a funky cat!

[@MJCGuitar]

Thank you for this! Great explanations😺

[@leehanson1416]

kitty knows who's boss. Don't they all.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

She really does run the place 🐱

[@alpertuncer1583]

Thanks. Clear great explanation, good content

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rockkstah2550]

Thank you for doing this...

[@AlexPriceMusician]

glad it was helpful!

[@dy6697]

Thanks for this video

[@amaurychavepeyer1114]

Very well explained :) Thanks !

[@thedavegoodman]

Awesome! This video also made me like cats more... I’ve always had dogs. So, good job with that too 😆

[@craigharper3941]

Great video Alex

[@artcamp7]

Hey Alex. I really appreciate your content. Have you tried the Two Notes Torpedo Cab M? I'm getting that or the Helix for recording. Already have the Captor load box

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Sorry, no direct experience with that particular piece of gear but I've heard good things! I'm sure you'll experience great results with either. My suggestion would be to get the 15-day trial of Helix Native (plugin version for your DAW) and see if you think spending the extra money to have access to the Helix effects would be worthwhile to you.

[@srenfriisalexandersen9423]

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing! Hopefully, curiosity didn't kill the cat! :-D

[@AlexPriceMusician]

She’s actually become a pretty chill cat! Still likes to sit between my laptop and the wall though - that’s her favorite spot in the house. Must be warm

[@srenfriisalexandersen9423]

@@AlexPriceMusician Yes could definitely be the warmth from the laptop. And probably like the vibes all around 😊

[@xxstevenicholxx8732]

Great video.. Cat is to cute!!

[@tothefinlandstation]

Is there a good video that does go in to the technical details?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yes! John Cordy posted an excellent one 3-4 months back. It’s long and detailed.

[@mattg1094]

Thanks foe a great great great video!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ModernGuitar]

Great! Very informative

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thank you !

[@danielvought1802]

So bias sort of sounds like switching between 6L6 to EL34

[@MusicdocMT]

Nicely done ...

[@StressfulMusicOfficial]

don't know why i didn't look this up a year ago, ffs, always wondered what ripple is. I like ugly darker distorted tones so like... yeah... i'll be fuckin with that ripple now hahaa

[@OliverReviloTheReal]

Very GOOD Video!!!

[@alvaroaguirreguitarrista6625]

great job man!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks Alvaro! Glad it was helpful

[@barebones3892]

Amazing video

[@Weily_Alcequiez]

great tips!! thanks

[@PickDifferent]

In some way, the Cat parameter is boosting the high end 😊

[@菅野龍馬-z4c]

That was a very good video. what is the song at 9:29??

[@monkisaurus6374]

Variation on "The Lemon Song" I think. Zeppelin II

[@菅野龍馬-z4c]

@@monkisaurus6374 Thanks!!

[@rickygomez2316]

LOL THE CAT

[@user-sn3cs2hd8r]

Alex my issue that I can’t solve is the sound/tone that I hear at home is not what I get when live - volume is off as it is compared to other presets - help bro!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I always like to leave the final volume control in the output block that is always there for adjusting preset volume to match others. I just try to compare the preset volume to the volume of the HX Stomp when it’s bypassed. Also keep in mind that out of context, distorted and compressed tones tend to sound louder than they actually are. The best thing to do is to create the preset at least 85db, then bring it to band practice and make fine adjustments before you use it live. I also like to advise that different guitars with different output levels will affect the gain stages differently. So although my presets always have a humbucker and single coil version, if someone is using humbuckers that are good deals hotter than what I had designed the preset with, they’re going to find that the cleaner sounds are louder than the overdriven ones.

[@tombauer6751]

Thanks for this! I haven't really experimented with these controls yet because I didn't understand what they did but I'm going to give it a shot this weekend. Cheers.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting Tom

[@greek42069]

in hx edit on your amp settings to the left of the drive 1 setting there is a number 1 icon , what is that icon ?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

It’s showing that there is a parameter change assigned to footswitch 1.

[@robmlisanti]

Nice PRS too ;)

[@lillone0]

very helpful video. thanks Alex.

[@justin.johnson]

😻

[@chrisparker5278]

Bias X is a mystery to me

[@Glensully]

would I be safe to assume the POD GO would work the same way?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yep! Exactly the same

[@Glensully]

@@AlexPriceMusician thanks i am tossing up buying one. i keep my tones pretty simple so i dont need twin routing and heaps of pedals in a line.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Sounds like the Pod Go is the perfect choice. The UI is incredibly intuitive

[@themikeporter]

Thumbs up for the cat :)

[@funkystudiocat]

The cat is awesome!

[@christianboddum8783]

To my knowledge sag is Not preamp but poweramp behaviour, tight or loose bottom end control.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

That’d be correct

[@vivz5075]

I don't like muddy/vintage tones, can't imagine fitting in a mix with keyboard, a second guitar with that kind of tone. I always set my amps like that : SAG : 10 HUM/RIPPLE : 0 BIAS/BIAS X : 10 Cleans up my tone and helps me to cut thru the mix. I don't say I'm right, it's just the way it works for me.

[@gwvest]

ya the cat was more entertaining

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yes

[@GtrMan863]

That amp sounds too muddy no matter where you have the parameters set

[@oxnegative]

Give me this cat please.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

@@oxnegative $20

[@Timrobrus]

This video, whilst laudable, would have been much more helpful with clean tones as well as heavily overdriven ones.

[@swardmusic]

They effect mainly driven tones. Pay attention. 😂

[@jerbear1601]

That isn't a clean sound, that is actually breaking up actively. Clean is sparkly and pristine. What you have there is cranking pretty good.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Your definition is practical, mine is relative. It’s not a big deal really

[@Tiler-ju9zl]

They must Think every one is rich. I mean really have alook at these prices. And still come no where to compare to a real Valve amp

[@torotrac3919]

JFC twice w/ the Fin cat? I'm out. No like, no Sub. Enjoy your filthy cat.

[@swardmusic]

Are u a serial killer?

[@torotrac3919]

WTF. Get rid of the stupid cat or close your door.

[@paulschlachter4313]

"this is a really useful way to tune the digital amps and make them feel and respond a little bit more like an actual tube amp would" -Wrong! This implies that by tweaking those controls you increase the realism of the simulation. But in fact you just alter the behaviour.

[@davidbourne4912]

Isn't a simulations behavior the single determining factor in its "realism"? Unless you're going hardcore realism in that only the "analogue" or physical world in front of me is real. The mind hallucinates reality to your awareness, you see it through the doorways of your senses and have an image presented to you. You never see "true" reality. In fact your brain constantly filters out erroneous information and only presents to you what is deemed "important" Because of this we can be easily misled and fooled. Which is exactly how these amp simulations fool us. If you can alter its behavior in a way that fools the listener, then its an accurate simulation of "reality" - that is, its doing what your brain does in simulating reality accuratly. I encourage you to go listen to "real vs modeled" and do your best to do a fair blind test and see just how well you can pick "real" amps again and again. You may be suprised

[@paulschlachter4313]

@@davidbourne4912 My point is: A real amp consists of electrical components such as capacitors, transformers, resistors etc. These were measured by the Line6 engineers in their lab. Changing bias voltage on a real amp is normally changing a resistor value (most amps have trim pots for this). Changing the sag is more complicated. It would need a redesign of the amps power supply, at least changing the transformer to one of a different size. Changing the ripple would probably force one to change the sizes of the bypass caps. So changing those values in the Helix gets you away from the sample amp Line6 has (objectively) measured in the lab - the one that physically exists in reality.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

In my opinion, the stock settings that come on certain amp models can sound pretty cold and lifeless. The concept I tried to present is that we’re focusing on the end product - the sound - and not so much on what the parameters are trying to simulate. If I find that the digital amp simulation is missing a certain degree of compression that a real amp would have for example, I will aim to achieve that feeling with whatever controls are available to me. I’m not really worried about what the fine controls are trying to simulate so much as I am about the end product. At the end of the day, digital amp simulation and physical tube amps are entirely different beasts. They’ll never be completely indistinguishable, but we can do our best to come up with the best possible tone on each platform.

[@paulschlachter4313]

@@AlexPriceMusician ​ @H Kay Take a listen to this clip kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKfNk4OIipyMotE That bit is pretty much what the Helix stock settings on the Devided Dou sound like. You may call it cold and lifeless, but it is what that actual tube amp sounds like. You may tweak it to become more like the tube amp sound you desire which is awesome, but that was not my critique.

[@paulschlachter4313]

@H Kay See my anwer to Alex.