Finally figured out Helix control of Beat Buddy Functions :)

BeatBuddy
1

I just thought this may save some others a lot of time:

I was hoping to use the Helix to control my BEAT BUDDY and leave the BEAT BUDDY in my floorboard case behind the HELIX. I struggled with the Beat Buddy Manual & Midi guide, but didn’t get anywhere. I then began scrolling through the BEAT BUDDY menus on the Pedal & searched quite a while online to find answers.

Here is my set up that works:
BEAT BUDDY: midi settings: midi in: system real time (all 3 settings disabled)
BEAT BUDDY: midi channel number (set to 10)
BEAT BUDDY: note on (disabled)
BEAT BUDDY: control change (enabled)
BEAT BUDDY: program change (enabled)

HELIX: command center footswitch 1: (command bank/program, channel 10, bank cc00 set to 0, bank cc 32 set to 0, program set to 0)=this will select Folder 0 song 1 on the BEAT BUDDY

HELIX: command center footswitch 2: (midi cc, midi channel 10, cc number 114, value 1)=starts intro & then goes into first drum loop part 1

HELIX: command center footswitch 3: (midi command cc toggle, channel 10, cc number 113, dim value is 0 & lit value is 1, foot switch type set to momentary)= this will make BEAT BUDDY continuously play part 1

HELIX: command center footswitch 3: (midi command cc toggle, channel 10, cc number 113, dim value is 0 & lit value is 2, foot switch type set to momentary)= this will make BEAT BUDDY play my transition fill & then continuously play part 2. (then I can use the footswitch set above to go to part 1 again)

HELIX: command center footswitch 4: (midi command midi cc, channel 10, cc number 112, value 1)=this will play a fill

Still experimenting…

8 Likes
2

Take a look here, maybe this can help you!
This is with a PoD HD 500X, maybe this can help

3

I’ve been running my BB from my Helix for several months now in live performances and it works great. However, I’ve just recently switched over to using a Morningstar MC8 MIDI controller that controls both my Helix and my BB. The problem I ran into with the Helix is the limitations of coordinating Helix actions with BB actions. For example, pressing a single button that runs starts a transition on the BB, executes a snapshot, and then ends the transition and starts playing the second part.

It’s all doable typically using the Command Center and combining Instant Commands with MIDI commands, but it’s not very intuitive and has it’s limitations. That forced me, in many cases to use two buttons on the the Helix to accomplish a combined action involving the BB and the Helix.

The MC8 is very powerful and flexible and each button press or movement between different banks can generate multiple Helix and BB actions making it very easy to create synchronized complex actions between the two units.

For example, I can use the pre-defined Bank UP facility in the MC8 to coordinate selecting the appropriate Preset on the Helix as well as the matching drum song on the BB. If I wanted to I could go a step further and immediately start the drum intro. Swapping between a verse and a chorus is very easy in that one MC8 button can be defined to execute a fill or transition and select a different snapshot. And because the buttons on the MC8 can have their own titles it provides all the functionality of the scribble strip with the added benefit that I have two pages of buttons in can switch between with the built in toggle footswitch action giving me a total of 16 buttons I can access on any song. It also has a built in pause command so you could issue a pause to the BB, have the MC6 wait for a specified count and release the pause on the BB.

It really does open a whole new world of functionality in a combined Helix and BB environment.

New Pedalboard 1
New Pedalboard 14032×3024 2.7 MB

New Pedalboard 2
New Pedalboard 24032×3024 3.04 MB

New Pedalboard 4
New Pedalboard 44032×3024 3.13 MB

1 Like
5

Hey GuitarBot: I was wondering if you were able to finalize/update your control of your Beatbuddy through the Helix. I am just going down this road(Right now I just have the Helix sending BPM to BeatBuddy). I would love to see what you came up with as your final layout, and if possible share your Helix preset that has all the Command center functions and layout.

6

Thanks so much for this post! I was floundering until I found this! You guys have been very helpful!

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Hi @Guitarbot and @DunedinDragon
Really appreciate the detail you have put in above. However, I am a MIDI newbie using Beat Buddy and Helix LT and have one additional request.

Can I control the Helix looper using EITHER of your setup(s) above?

It appears on many other posts that Helix have dropped the ball with midi commands to do that but because I am a rookie, I am not sure…?

Ideally there would be a nice easy chart of config from a Helix point of view for what @guitarbot has done. The only thing I can find is this, but from a BEAT Buddy perspective:

Any clarification or pointers to other links would be much appreciated (please go easy on the tech stuff :).
Thanks

8

DunedinDragon! Thanks for this post. I just abandoned my boutique Strymon pedals for a Helix but am loathe to abandon my MC8. Those who say the Helix run midi have never experienced the hands-off relationship between the MC8 and the BeatBuddy. I NEVER need to touch my BB and I have access to to full library, drums, song parts, etc. by using several banks in my Morningstar MC8. So your post answers the question I have been searching for this morning re “Use Helix midi or abandon my MC8.” Thank you!

1 Like
9

Hey, David!

Please share the brand and model of pedal board you display in the posted pics.

thanks!

Bill

10

In case he does not reply: looks like Temple Audio 24"

11

Thank you!!