The Plugin Window

Once Helix Stadium Native is inserted on your DAW track and launched, it appears in the host app’s plugin window. The main plugin Signal Flow view is displayed by default, as described in the following sections. This page provides an overview of the main plugin window’s Toolbar controls and panels.

1. Toolbar: Several plugin options are available in the top-right toolbar.

• Log In/Account Menu: Log In or visit Line 6 - Account to manage your Line 6 account. You must be logged in to your Line 6 account for computer authorization and deauthorization for the plugin license. See the following Account Options section.

• Tuner: Click to display the included Tuner, which provides Needle and Strobe modes for easy and accurate tuning of your instrument. See Tuner.

• MIDI Learn: Enable MIDI Learn to quick-assign a software or hardware MIDI controller to a plugin parameter. See the MIDI Control page for details.

• Automation/Controller Panel: Displays of the Automation/Controller panel in place of the Edit panel on the lower portion of the plugin window. This panel provides options for creating Automation, MIDI, and Snapshot control assignments for plugin parameters, as well as a table for easy reference of all the presets’ assignments. See the Automation/Controller Panel page.

• Help/About: Opens a menu containing the following commands.

About: Provides the installed plugin’s version number and legal information.

Online Manual: Opens this online Owner’s Manual that you are now reading.

Support: Takes you to the Line 6 online Support page.

• Plugin Settings: Open the Settings window to configure various plugin options. See the following Plugin Settings section.

2. Plugin Controls: Several primary plugin controls are available on this toolbar row.

• A/B Compare: Use to quickly compare your recent edits versus the current preset’s previous state. See the following A/B Compare section.

• Undo/Redo: Use the buttons to undo or redo the most recent edits to the current preset. See Undo/Redo.

• Preset Menu and Browser: Open the Preset Menu to create a New Preset, select a Preset Template, or Save, Rename, and Open presets. Click the arrow buttons to instantly load the next/previous preset. The name of the currently loaded preset is displayed in the field. Click the preset name to open the Preset Browser. See the Presets page for details.

• Snapshot Panel: Click to open the Snapshot panel where you can select any of the current preset’s snapshots 1~8, as well as manage them. See Working with Snapshots.

• Preset Clip: For factory presets, click to open the Preset Clip player panel. Every factory preset includes a unique dry guitar or bass riff so you can hear it in context. You can also set the clip to repeat-play and adjust preset parameters to audition your changes in real-time. See Preset Clips.

• Preset Info: Click to display the Preset Info text window. All factory presets include notes on how to use them best. Freely type in info for your own presets, such as the guitar/pickup selection, creative snapshot assignments, tips/tricks, gear diatribes, haiku lines, etc. See Preset Info.

• Tempo Controls: The current plugin tempo is displayed here in the BPM field, to which effects' delay repeats and modulation rates can be synced. Click the control to open its menu to select the preferred Tempo option. By default, the plugin tempo is set to Host, where the tempo follows your DAW project’s tempo. Optionally, a tempo can be set manually as Per Preset or Per Snapshot. See Tempo Options below.

3. Input & Output Level Controls and Meters: Use these controls and meters to adjust and monitor the plugin’s input (on the left) and output (on the right) to optimize the signal. Note that the clip indicators at the top of each meter light red if the signal is too high. See the Input & Output Meters section below.

4. The Home - Signal Flow Panel: This main area of the window offers two main stereo paths, each with multiple split and parallel stereo path options, for adding amp, cab, effect, and mix routing blocks to create your preset. All blocks can be dragged to change their positions in the paths, with numerous editing options available. See Building and Creating Tones.

5. Edit Panel and Automation/Controller Panels: This lower area provides an Edit Panel, including the Model Browser for loading models into your presets (see the Edit Panel page), and a parameter display for editing the selected block. When the Automation/Controller control at the top of the window is enabled, the Automation/Controller is displayed in place of the Edit panel, where Automation, MIDI, and Snapshot control assignments can be created and managed (see the Automation/Controller Assign Panel page).

Account Options

Clicking the toolbar’s Account button expands the menu, which offers log in/log out, computer authorization, and management options for your Line 6 account.

• Log In/Log Out: (An Internet connection is required for sign-in and authorization.) When not currently logged in, select Log In and enter your Line 6 account username and password (or you can choose to create an account if you haven’t already). Creating an account and logging in are necessary to initially authorize your computer to use Helix Stadium Native. Please see Installation and Authorization for details.

  • The account button displays a green check mark to indicate when logged in to your Line 6 account.

  • When logged in, you can select Log Out to log out of your Line 6 account.

• Authorize/Deauthorize Computer: Once logged in, your computer is automatically authorized; authorization is necessary for the Helix Stadium Native plugin to run. While logged in, the Deauthorize Computer option is selectable. Deauthorizing is only necessary to free up one of your four available authorizations, such as if removing the Stadium Native plugin from your computer to use on another.

• Manage Account: (Appears in the menu when logged in only.) Takes you to the Line 6 account web page, where you can view and manage your account, purchases, authorizations, and more.

Plugin Settings

Click the toolbar’s Settings button to open the Settings dialog, where you can configure several plugin options to best suit your workflow. The Settings dialog includes two tabbed panels: Presets/IRs/Clones, which includes directory paths for these file assets, and Hardware Compatibility, which includes options for preset handling between Helix Stadium Native and Helix Stadium family devices. Settings reset options are also available.

Presets/IRs/Clones Tab

These options allow you to set the designated folder for User Presets, User IRs, and User Clones asset files. You can optionally click the button to the left of each path and change each to a different computer directory.

Wherever you have these paths set is where Helix Stadium Native defaults to saving Preset, IR, and Clone asset files. These files must be saved in the designated folders to appear in the Preset, IR, and Clone file browser lists. If you are exporting these types of files from Helix Stadium/Helix/HX/Helix Native for Helix Stadium Native to use, you’ll want to export or copy them directly into each of these folders.

• User Presets: Defines the path where Stadium Native uses to save and locate User Preset files. Also, see Presets.

• User IRs: Defines the path where the Model Browser - Cab block - IR Selector references. Also, see Cab IRs.

• User Clones: Defines the path where Helix Stadium Native Proxy Clone files are saved, and where the Model Browser - Amp, Preamp, or Distortion block - Clone Selector references. Also, see Proxy Clones.

• Check for Updates: Checks the Line 6 website for updates to Helix Stadium Native. (This button appears in both tabs.)

• Restore Factory Settings: Opens a dialog with options to reset various plugin settings to factory defaults, as shown below. (This button appears in both tabs.)

Check the desired options in the dialog and click to apply them:

• Remove all Favorites: Clears all current Favorites from the plugin’s Favorites library. Note that you can do an export of your current Favorites to create a backup before choosing to remove them.

• Remove all Model Defaults: Clears all User Model Defaults you have created, returning all models to their factory default parameter settings. Also, see Creating User Model Defaults.

• Restore Preferences to Factory Defaults: Resets all settings in both the Presets/IRs/Clones and Hardware Compatibility tabs of the Settings dialog to their factory defaults.

Hardware Compatibility Tab

This tab allows you to enable or disable the Helix Stadium Native plugin’s hardware limits to maintain preset compatibility with Helix Stadium family devices. Basically, keep the default settings so the presets you create in Helix Stadium Native can be imported and used on both Helix Stadium and Helix Stadium Native devices. Setting the Compatibility Mode to “Off” allows you to exceed the Stadium hardware minimum and maximum block-type limits in your Helix Stadium Native presets.^*

Compatibility Mode: Sets the Helix Stadium Native’s Hardware Compatibility mode (or “HC Mode” for short).

• Helix Stadium / Helix Stadium XL mode (the factory default): Presets saved in the plugin are fully compatible with Stadium devices. Please refer to the Hardware Compatibility DSP Limits page for details of the block, path, and preset limits.

• Off mode: All limitations on the maximum counts of Amp, Cab, Poly Pitch, and Clone-type blocks inherent to Stadium hardware are removed for presets in the plugin.^* Just remember, this also makes it possible to create a preset in a single plugin instance that can place significant CPU demands on your computer system. Creating a preset that exceeds the Stadium hardware limits also means the preset cannot be translated and imported onto a Helix Stadium family device.

• Set As Default button: Optionally, click to set the current Compatibility Mode setting as the default for all plugin instances. (Not available on the Intro plugin version.)

Incompatible Blocks: Sets the behavior when attempting to load a preset that does not match the current HC mode. For example, if you save a preset in Helix Stadium Native with HC mode Off that exceeds hardware limits (or attempt to load an original Helix Native preset of this type) while the plugin currently has Helix Stadium/Stadium XL HC mode enabled.^†

• Prompt (the default): A prompt is displayed (Full Helix Stadium Native License version only) with options to either change the HC mode to match the preset file or to attempt to translate the preset to the current HC mode, as shown below. (Note that checking the prompt’s lower box labeled “Don’t ask me again” allows you to configure either of the following two options as a constant behavior.)

• Change to match file: No prompt is displayed, and HC mode automatically changes to match the preset file.

• Translate file to current mode: No prompt is displayed, and it attempts to translate the preset to match the current HC mode. (Note that, depending on the content of the preset, it may not be able to be translated, in which case an error is displayed and the preset is not loaded.)

Non-Functioning Blocks: Presets exported from Helix Stadium hardware, including those within exported Setlists, may include Send, Return, FX Loop, and/or Looper-type blocks, all of which are non-functional in Helix Stadium Native. When set to Enabled, these block types are removed when opening any preset that includes them. Also, when importing a Setlist exported from a Helix Stadium device, the Enabled setting automatically removes these blocks across all its presets on import.^‡ (Disabled is the default setting, where it does not remove hardware blocks.)

Show Hardware Assignments: Presets that include Helix Stadium hardware-specific bypass and controller assignments (e.g., an EXP Pedal for a Wah or a Footswitch for a block bypass) are non-functional in Helix Stadium Native. Setting this option to Show assignments displays the assignments within the Automation/Controller Assign panel for reference. When set to Hide assignments, these assignments remain hidden (the default setting). Also, see Automation/Controller Assign Panel.

Auto Assignment: When set to Enabled, any time a “pedal-based” model (Wah, Volume, or Pitch Wham) is added to a preset’s Signal Flow, a hardware, EXP pedal controller assignment (plus a toe switch bypass assignment, for a Wah) is automatically created, following the auto-assignment behavior of Helix Stadium devices, for greater hardware compatibility. If you prefer not to have these auto-assignments created, keep this as Disabled (the default setting).

A/B Compare

The set of A/B Compare controls allows you to temporarily store all your current plugin preset’s parameter settings as a starting point for further fine-tuning and then easily compare new, edited settings with the original settings. To follow is an example of using the A/B Compare.

1. Start with the A button selected (the A or B button that appears “lit” is the one currently selected . Once you have loaded a preset or created a Helix Stadium Native tone to your liking, click the arrow icon button to Copy To B—you’ll see the B button blink.

• This copies all the plugin’s current parameter settings to the B location, providing you with a stored “starting point” for further adjustments.

2. Select the B button and edit your tone as desired . Make any edits you like within the plugin—adjust sliders, bypass/move/add/clear blocks, add/edit/remove automation & controller assignments, or even load a different preset.

3. You can now switch between both settings by clicking the A or B button while playing your track and audibly comparing them.

   • Optionally, while the B button is selected, you can make further adjustments and continue comparing to your original A settings.

4. If you still prefer your original settings, simply switch back to setting A.

5. If you prefer your edited settings with the B button selected, copy the B settings to the A location by pressing the Copy To A button.

These settings are now stored in both A and B as your new “starting point,” from which you can repeat steps 3-4 for further fine-tuning. All your current A and B settings remain stored within the plugin instance.

Undo/Redo

Undo and Redo are available for most edit actions performed within the current plugin instance, accessible via the Toolbar's Undo and Redo buttons . The Undo/Redo history is tracked per loaded preset and per plugin instance; it is cleared when a new preset is loaded, when the plugin instance is removed, and when your host project is closed.

Undo/Redo is available for most edit actions, including:

• Parameter changes

• Snapshot changes

• Changing block models

• Signal Flow view changes (adding/clearing blocks, changing path structure, etc.)

• Plugin Input and Output Level knob changes

• A/B Compare functions (see preceding section)

Actions not available for Undo/Redo include the following:

• Preset loading

• Tempo mode (Host Sync, Per Preset, Per Snapshot) selection

• Adding, editing, and clearing automation, MIDI, and snapshot controller assignments

• Edit actions performed via automation controllers and MIDI CC messages

• Pasting a copied snapshot

• Changes to any settings within the Plugin Settings dialog

Input & Output Meters & Controls

The Input & Output Meters on the left and right sides of the main plugin window provide real-time measurements of the signal levels entering and exiting the plugin, and the knobs above each meter adjust the corresponding levels.

• The peak level value is displayed at the top of each meter for reference; click on the value to reset it.

• Use the Input Level knob to adjust the signal entering the plugin, from -120 to +18dB.^* Please also see the Getting Started > Optimizing the Input Level section.

• Use the Output Level knob to adjust the signal exiting the plugin, from -120 to +18dB.^*

• Clipping, as indicated by the Clip Indicator at the top of the meter lighting up red, should always be avoided for both the plugin’s input and output.

Tempo Controls

Use the toolbar’s Tempo controls to configure the desired plugin Tempo options, to which Delay and Modulation effects can follow. The current plugin tempo is displayed in the BPM field.

By default, the plugin tempo is set to Host, where the tempo follows your DAW project’s tempo. Click the control to open its menu to select the preferred Tempo option. Choose Per Preset or Per Snapshot, then manually enter a specific tempo to save with your preset, as shown below. When these options are selected, the BPM field is editable, or you can use the TAP button to its right to “tap” in the desired rate.

Delay (Time), Modulation (Speed, Rate), and some Reverb (Decay) effect parameters can be optionally set to sync to the plugin tempo. Choose a specific note division value for these parameter types using its Edit Panel slider or knob. See the Effect Blocks > Parameters section.