Newbies guide to applying high/low cuts with your Helix

Introduction

Every helix user should read the owner’s manual...twice, but it gives little detail on
parameter values on the many tone shaping tools within the Helix. When talking about
tone, it is subjective and there are many, many things that impact one’s sound (like your
playback system and volume). Also, tone depends on how (and where) you use it (in a
mix within a recording or live with a band). It remains true that your ears are your guide
and the best way to explore cuts (or any tone shaping tool) is to change values while
listening to your guitar (or a loop for hands free) and HEAR how it affects the tone,
landing on the parameter that sounds best to you.

Players new to modeling (or new players with little history of dialing in tones with amps)
can get easily overwhelmed when trying to “reproduce the sound in their head”. Surely
there must be some general advice, some guidelines that would be helpful when
learning about high/low cuts?

As someone new to guitar modeling myself, in February of 2023, I posted in two

different Face Book Helix users groups asking for advice for beginners on the topic of
using high/low cuts. Within one day, over 30 comments were provided. Some of the
feedback had to do with the different variables that effect tone. For example, if you play
live, changes to your presets should be done while the full band does a sound check or
at live volume while playing with a backing track to better gage your sound within a mix.
Also, if you play live and you have a sound guy (that you like?), you can talk with them to
make the necessary changes either at the board or using the Helix’s global EQ.

Helix has several great user communities, so here is a summary of the advice freely
given. It helped me and I hope it does you as well.

High/Low Cuts

Sounds have high, mid, and low range frequencies. The filters in the Helix cuts sounds
above or below the specific parameter chosen. To hear this, get yourself in front of your
Helix with whatever system you are using and whatever guitar you want and pick any
preset. Bring up the Cab and find the High cut. Turn it off. Play some full chord tones
and begin to move the slider of the high cut and hear what it happening to the treble
end of your sound. By the time you get to the high cut fully engaged, your tone may
sound distant or muffled, like there is a blanket over your sound system.

Adjustments can be made to the high/low ends of your sound several ways when using
the Helix. We will cover cuts made in the global settings, in the cab, and by using a block
that has hi/low parameters.

Hi/Low cuts in Global settings

The Helix owner’s manual says this: The Global EQ has ... low and high cut filters and is
used for compensating for the wide disparity in acoustic environments on tour or when
traveling from studio to studio. Global EQ is applied to all setlists and presets and can be
heard from the 1/4" outputs, XLR outputs, or both.

Advice from Helix users fell into two schools of thought: 1) setting minimum cuts to
address the mud/bass distortions and the thin/trebly harsh sounds and then if further
hi/low cuts are needed, do that in the cabs or with EQ blocks or 2) leave the Global EQ
off and only use it for adjustments at the specific gig/venue you are playing. Some
specific parameter suggestions included.

When live, make a low cut between 100-200 for a little less rumble and more
clarity, and make a high cut somewhere around 8k-10k.

I found that on my PA or at higher volumes, I have to lower my high cut. I use 5k

when playing live.

Hi/Low cuts within Cab parameters

Things to consider at the cab level:

▪ There are default high/low cut settings in the Helix for each cab
▪ High gain amps will affect the highs and lows of your sound different then
low gain amps
 ▪ There is a less “dramatic cut-per-octave” when using cab parameters
compared to EQ blocks

Comments included a lot of support for the “80/8 range”, meaning a low cut @80Hz and
High cut @8khz.

Nothing usable over 8k for guitar. Drop low @ 80Hz.

80Hz and 8kHz applied at the cabs/IR has been consistently great for my needs –
Country band, wedding band, worship band, Stage pit.

I'm also in the 80-100hz/8-10k camp as well. A LOT of it depends on the amp that
you're using and what sort of music you're playing, but those are ballpark starting
points. I typically start with the cab/IR block itself and if I'm still not happy I'll add
an EQ block.

Additional comments on other parameter settings included:

I personally love cutting range I don’t need. For rhythm, I usually cut as high as
100 hz. For any other guitar part, I’m cutting up to 150 or 200. On the high end, I
cut highs down to 7k depending on the guitar I’m using. I’ve seen people cut
down to 5k. Side note, using hi/lo cuts on reverbs and delays will clean up your
wet tones really nicely.

If I'm doing rhythm- I cut lows 80Hz/8kHz and leads sometimes I cut lows at 100
Hz and highs at 4-6 kHz depending on the tone I want to reach.

High cuts can be done more aggressively the louder you get. I usually am around
3.7khz - 5.7khz depending on the type of gain/distortion I am using. Higher gain=
higher cuts in most cases. Low cuts are usually around 80- 120hz. All of this may
vary slightly from speaker to speaker.

I like fluidic tone for solos where I use a lot of legato or tapping arpeggios using
just the left hand. For this I have found a high cut on the cab to be very helpful
(around 4khz). Low cuts are generally around 80-100 hz. Values will depend on
the amp, guitar, etc. but this can be a starting point.
 High/Low cuts using EQ blocks

Something to consider at the block level is the rate of the cut is more
“aggressive” than the cuts being made at the cab level (12dB versus 6dB per octave
slope in the cab). Comments included:

I use a high/low shelf at the end of every chain right before the comp block at
80hz and 3 kHz. I lower the gain on the shelf to -1db and that (along with the
following compressor to round out the chain) seems to sweeten everything up
quite a bit and I don’t have to tweak amp settings so much I have also noticed.

I have found when using a block with filters that anything around the 80-100hz
really cleans up the bottom end.

To some extent, where you set the low-pass filter will depend on your tone/amp,
how much drive you're using, etc. - but just move it around 'til it sounds smooth,
and the harshness is gone.

I want the guitars frequency range to be an output and not frequencies that may
be attributable to digital artifacts or other components. So, I cut low at 100 and
high at 6k at the end of my chain.

After I set my cab parameters to around 90Hz and high at 10kHz, any EQ I use in
the blocks is strictly for minute adjustments to tone shaping.

After setting cab parameters using a parametric EQ to boost your mids is useful
when doing leads - then I set my mids to 750 Hz-1kHz or even 1,5kHz depending
on the tone and then boost them a couple of + dBs.

After I set cut in the cab, I also have a parametric where I remove a little bit (hi) a
round 4 or 5k

I like to add a shelf eq- setting - high shelf at 650hz and shelving lows about -1-
2db and shelving highs to +1.2dbs.
 Most of the usable harmonics for guitar purposes reside between 1,500Hz and
maybe 6,000Hz, give or take. Beginning at around 2,000Hz I start tapering levels
down until about 8,000Hz at which point I completely eliminate everything above.
Between 80Hz and 1,200Hz is where you can make adjustments for the loudness
of fretted notes. Above is where you can make adjustments for harmonics.
There's a lot more to this subject and it takes time to learn but that should give
you a basic understanding to get you started.

So there you have it. To continue your learning on this subject, YouTube is a treasure
trove of amazing players and teachers sharing their knowledge. I have handpicked a few
of my favorites that helped me when exploring this High/Low cut topic!

How to Tame Harsh High End /Gigging With The Line 6 Helix 2 Minute Tip- Steve
Sterlacci

Do we really need to do this to every preset- Jason Sadites

The most powerful tone shaping technique in helix- Johnathan Nathan Cordy

How to avoid digital clipping and harshness in the helix- Hey Worship Leader

Paul Lilley@. Lilley.consult@gmail.com