Planetshakers – Line 6 Helix Patch

Guitar used in this demo:

• PRS (Paul Reed Smith) DGT

ARTIST SERIES PATCH

This patch re-creates the sounds made popular Planetshakers. This is a more rock-oriented patch. They tend to use more gain and classic rock type amps (sounds like Marshall to us).

IMPORTANT NOTES

1. UPDATE YOUR FIRMWARE: Please upgrade the firmware on your Helix and the HX Edit software from Line 6 to the latest before installing this patch. Even if your Helix is up to date, the ‘HX Edit’ app needs to be updated as well. If you get an error importing a patch, the problem is most likely outdated firmware on your Helix/HX Edit.

2. REVERBS: The 2.6 Firmware update changed the mix levels of the new (HX) reverbs. This patch accounts for those changes, so if you are not updated to 2.6 or later on your Helix, the reverbs will not sound right.

3. IR CAB INCLUDED: This download includes premium IRs from Tone Junkie. We matched these specific IRs to this amp, but feel free to experiment with other IR’s for different tonal options. We’ve also included a stock cab version of the patch, but we urge to try the IR – it really does sound better – and it’s included for free :).

Here are the specific IRs included, and their location in our Helix:

• TJ 31 MATCH 30 R121+57 (TOP ROW) . In our Helix, it’s in IR slot 31 (this will always correspond with the number after ‘TJ’ in the file name).
• TJ 26 MATCH 25 Fathead 2 (BOTTOM ROW) . In our Helix, it’s in IR slot 26 (this will always correspond with the number after ‘TJ’ in the file name).

To purchase more IR packs, visit the Tone Junkie store here

HOW TO IMPORT THIS PATCH AND IR

1. Connect your Helix to your computer using a USB Cable
2. Download and instal the ‘HX Edit’ app from Line 6
3. In the ‘HX Edit’ app, drag and drop the patch into a slot in the ‘PRESETS’ column
4. To import an IR, switch to the ‘IMPULSES’ column (next to the PRESETS column), and drag & drop the IR into the appropriate slot (see note above). The image below shows the IR column and IR Block selection.
5. PLEASE NOTE: If you do not have the IR loaded into the ‘IMPULSES’ column, the patch will not sound correct, even if you have the IR block on – you must drag and drop the IR into the IMPULSES column.

SIGNAL FLOW AND EFFECTS

Here is the signal flow and effects:

1. Input
2. Volume (log curve) – mapped to EXP 2
3. Deluxe Comp – not mapped to a switch, always on
4. Deluxe Phaser – mapped to switch labeled ‘Phaser’
5. Vetta Wah – mapped to EXP 2 and controlled with the expression pedal
6. Teemah! – Timmy drive – mapped to switch labeled “Timmy”
7. Scream 808 – Tube Screamer – mapped to switch labeled “808”
8. Amp – Brit Blexi Brt
9. Cab/IR’s
10. Elephant Man Delay – mapped to switch labeled ‘Short DLY
11. Adriatic Delay – Quarter note delay – mapped to switch labeled ‘Quarter DLY’
12. Vintage Digital Delay – Dotted 8th note delay – mapped to switch labeled ‘Dotted 8th DLY’
13. Multitap 4 – big ambient delay mapped to button labeled “SWELLS’
14. Plate Verb – acts as an always on verb – mapped to switch labeled ‘Short Verb’
15. Glitz Verb – big modulated verb – mapped to switch labeled “Big Verb”
16. Glitz Verb – big(ger) modulated verb – mapped to switch labeled “SWELLS”
17. Cali Q Graphic

USAGE

This patch is designed for rock tones. There is really no ‘clean tone’, but cleaner sounds can be achieved by rolling your volume back on your guitar and playing lightly. The patch is designed to be used in stompbox mode.

DRIVE TONES – DIRT PEDALS:

The base tone without any drives engaged will give you a basic rhythm crunch tone. Hit the 808 for more saturation and gain, and the Teemah for a solo boost type or big rhythm sound.

‘GO TO 11’ BUTTON:

This button turns the amp gain all the way up. Most blokes  will be playing at 10. But when we need that extra push over the cliff – you know what we do – we go to 11. Technically the Plexi actually only goes to 10, but you know…

WAH:

Switching to EXP 1 will turn on the wah block and give you control of it with the expression pedal.

SWELLS:

If you want to go really ambient with swells, the ‘Swells’ switch turns on the Multitap Delay and the 2nd Glitz reverb. It will sound huge and create big pad type sounds, especially when used in combination with the other big reverb.

SNAPSHOTS:

There are eight snapshots included in this patch to get different sounds. They are:

• Snapshot 1: CLEAN-ISH. As clean as this one gets
• Snapshot 2: DRIVE 1. Turns on the 808
• Snapshot 3: 11+: This turns the amp gain all the way up with the 808 on.
• Snapshot 4: LEAD: Big drive with delay, and verb.
• Snapshot 5: AMBIENT – Ambient clean tone.
• Snapshot 6: PHASE LEAD – Lead tone with phaser.
• Snapshot 7: THE EDGE – Dotted 8th delay
• Snapshot 8: SWELLS – this uses the ‘Swells’ stomp button plus more verb and delay.

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS FOR YOUR SETUP

SETTING THE PATCH UP FOR YOUR GUITAR

This patch is really built for a guitar with humbuckers (we used a guitar with humbuckers to build it). If you’re using a guitar with single coils, you may want to turn the treble or presence down on the amp if it’s too bright (or up if it’s too dark), and turn up the gain if it’s not dirty. Your guitar may react differently, so you may want to tweak it to suite your guitar(s) and playing style.

Another way to reduce or increase the level of gain if your guitar has higher output pickups is to lower the output level on the compressor. This will keep all the amp settings intact but hit them amps with less signal.

We recommend making a copy of the patch and changing the copy just in case you want to revert back to the original.

EQ Changes. Adjust the EQ controls on the amp to suite your tastes with the base tone. From there, adjust the tone knobs of the drive pedals if desired. You can also adjust the Cali Q Graphic EQ to brighten or darken the amp.

VOLUME CHANGES

If you would like to make this patch louder or quieter without affecting tone, the following adjustments can be made:

“Ch Vol” control on the amp module. This will increase or decrease volume without affecting the tone of the amp. This is the primary level adjustment tool I use for changing patch volumes.

Output block level. Changing the level control on the output block (the very last thing in the signal chain) will increase or decrease overall volume. We typically have this set at zero, but feel free to adjust this as you see fit.

Version 3.0: 2019-10-18

• Changed: Amp model to the Plexi
• Changed: Delay and verb settings (better tone and stereo spread)
• Added: End of chain EQ
• Added: Tone Junkie IR’s

Version 2.0:

• Changed: Reverb settings (FW 2.6 fix)

Version 1.0 (Initial release): 2018-06-04