Bypass Assign

Helix, Rack, LT

Aside from the BYPASS button, there are a variety of additional methods for turning blocks on and off.

Quick Bypass Assign

1. From the Home screen, use the joystick to select the block you wish to assign to a footswitch.

Input, Output, and Merge blocks cannot be assigned to footswitches. Any Split block type can be assigned to a footswitch; when bypassed, the signal is split and routed equally to Path A (upper) and Path B (lower).

2. Step on FS6 (MODE) to select Stomp mode (if not already there).
3. Touch and hold (but don't press) the desired footswitch until the following dialog appears:

If you want to replace any other blocks that may already be assigned to the footswitch, turn Knob 3 (Assign) to "Replace." Otherwise, leave it set to "Merge," which allows for multiple blocks to be assigned to the same switch.

If you want to change the way the switch behaves, turn Knob 4 (Type) to "Momentary" or "Latching."

• Momentary - The block is bypassed (or enabled, if already bypassed) for as long as you hold the switch.
• Latching - The block is bypassed (or enabled, if already bypassed) every time you press the switch. This is the default.

4. Press Knob 6 (OK).

Manual Bypass Assign

A Stomp mode footswitch is the most obvious method for turning blocks on and off, but you can also engage or bypass a block automatically when moving an expression pedal or the Volume or Tone knob on a Variax guitar. For example, moving EXP 1 forward past the heel down position can enable a Wah or Poly Wham block, and returning EXP 1 to the heel position will bypass it again.

1. Press MENU to open the Menu.
2. Press Knob 1 (Bypass Assign).

The Bypass Assign screen looks very similar to the Home screen:

3. Move the joystick to select the block you want to bypass.

Input, Output, and Merge blocks cannot be bypassed or bypass assigned. Any Processing or Split block type can be bypassed or bypass assigned; when a Split block is bypassed, the signal is split and routed equally to both Path A (upper) and Path B (lower).

4. Turn Knob 1 (Switch) to select the desired footswitch, expression pedal, or Variax knob. (Optionally, you can also use Knob 4 to control the block's bypass via MIDI—see step 5.)

NOTE

Each footswitch can have up to 8 assignments. If you attempt to add a ninth, "Can't assign any more blocks to this footswitch!" appears in the header:

5. If desired, turn Knob 4 (MIDI In) to assign an incoming MIDI CC message to turn the block on and off.

Incoming CC values 0-63 turn the block off; values 64-127 turn the block on. Note that some MIDI CCs are reserved for global functions and cannot be selected— see "MIDI" on page 74.

Clearing Bypass Assignment(s)

While in the Bypass Assign screen, press ACTION and then press Knob 1 to clear the currently selected block's assignment(s). Or, press Knob 2 to clear all the assignments from all blocks within the preset.

Customizing a Footswitch Label

1. From the Bypass Assign screen, use the joystick to select a block whose bypass is assigned to a footswitch and press Knob 5 (Customize).

The Customize screen appears:

• Move the joystick left or right to move the cursor.
• Turn the joystick (or move it up/down) to change the selected character.
• Press Knob 2 (Delete) to delete the selected character and shift all following characters to the left.
• Press Knob 3 (Insert) to insert a space and shift all following characters to the right.

• Press Knob 4 (Remove) to remove the custom label, after which the footswitch label displays its normal assignment. Remove is grayed out until a custom name is applied.

2. To customize the footswitch's LED color, turn Knob 5 (Switch LED) to select the desired color (or turn it off).

Normally, you should leave this set to "Auto Color".

3. Press Knob 6 (OK).

Swapping Footswitches

If you want to change the location of Stomp mode footswitches (especially those with multiple items assigned or custom labels and LED ring colors), instead of manually reassigning everything, you can quickly swap all assignments between two footswitches.

1. Touch (but don't press) any two Stomp mode footswitches until the following dialog appears:

2. Press Knob 6 (OK).

HX Stomp, HX Stomp XL

Aside from pressing the Upper Knob from Edit view, HX Stomp and HX Stomp XL have a variety of additional methods for turning blocks on and off:

• Pressing a Stomp mode footswitch
• Moving a connected expression pedal (sometimes called "auto-engage")
• Sending a MIDI CC message to the device's MIDI In (or via USB)

Quick Footswitch Assign

1. While in Edit view, turn the Upper Knob to select the block you wish to assign to a footswitch.
2. While in Stomp footswitch mode, touch and hold FS1 or FS2 (or FS3 if Global Settings > Footswitches > FS3 Function is set to "Stomp 3") until the following dialog appears:

If you want to replace any other blocks that may already be assigned to the footswitch, turn Knob 2 (Assign) to "Replace." Otherwise, leave it set to "Merge," which allows for multiple blocks to be assigned to the same switch.

3. Press Knob 3 (OK).

Manual Bypass Assign

A Stomp mode footswitch is the most obvious method for turning blocks on and off but HX Stomp and HX Stomp XL can also engage or bypass a block automatically when moving an expression pedal or via external MIDI. For example, moving EXP 1 forward past the heel down position can enable a Wah or Poly Wham block, and returning EXP 1 to the heel position will bypass it again.

1. Press < PAGE and PAGE > together to open the Menu.
2. Press Knob 1 (Bypass Assign). The Bypass Assign screen looks very similar to the Edit screen:

3. Turn the Upper Knob to select the block you want to bypass. Input, Output, and Merge blocks cannot be bypassed or bypass assigned. Any Processing or Split block type can be bypassed or bypass assigned; when a Split block is bypassed, the signal is split and routed equally to both Path A (upper) and Path B (lower).
4. Turn Knob 1 (Switch) to select the desired footswitch or expression pedal. Optionally, you can also use Knob 4 to control the block’s bypass via MIDI—see step 5.)

5. If desired, press PAGE > and turn Knob 1 (MIDI In) to assign an incoming MIDI CC message to turn the block on and off.

Incoming CC values 0-63 turn the block off; values 64-127 turn the block on. Note that some MIDI CCs are reserved for global functions and cannot be selected - see "MIDI CC".

Clearing Bypass Assignments

1. From the Bypass Assign screen, select the block whose bypass assignment you want to clear and press ACTION.
2. Press Knob 1 (Clear Assignments).

Clearing All Bypass Assignments

1. From the Bypass Assign screen, press ACTION.
2. Press Knob 2 (Clear All Assignments) to clear all blocks’ Bypass assignments.

The following dialog appears:

3. Press Knob 3 (OK).

Swapping Stomp Footswitches

If you want to change the location of Stomp mode footswitches (especially those with multiple items assigned), instead of manually reassigning everything, you can quickly swap all assignments between two stomp footswitches.

1. Touch (but don’t press) any two Stomp footswitches until the following dialog appears:

2. Press Knob 3 (OK).

Tips for Creative Bypass Assignment

• If you assign a footswitch to more than one block or other item, "MULTIPLE (X)" isn't very descriptive. Don't forget to custom label it - See "Customizing a Footswitch Label"
• If you find yourself constantly toggling one switch off and another on, assign both blocks to the same footswitch, and while one is selected, press BYPASS. Now pressing the footswitch will toggle one off and the other on simultaneously. A footswitch can have up to simultaneous eight blocks assigned.
• Assign a Wah block to be engaged only when moving an expression pedal past 1%. Set the Wait time long enough so that natural foot movements don't turn the wah off every time you reach the heel-down position.
• Different blocks can be enabled or bypassed at different locations of an expression pedal or Variax knob's travel. Experiment with turning on multiple overdrive blocks—one at Position 5%, another at Position 30%, another at Position 70%, and so on.
• When using a footswitch to toggle between two Amp or Amp+Cab blocks, the amp models may sound notably different from one another (just like real amps!). Use an EQ block to make one Amp block sound a bit closer to the other Amp block and assign its bypass to the same footswitch.
• Assign a delay block with very high feedback to be turned on only when reaching the toe position of an expression pedal (or fully clockwise Variax knob). Squeals galore.