I have just finished setting up my Variax and Helix LT with the settings I want to use this morning and I’ve discovered another neat trick – I can control one of the effects using the tone knob on the guitar.

I was trying to figure out how to assign all the different tricks to foot switches on the Helix. You only get eight but you can have a lot more effects and I had already stacked up a couple (delay and chorus for a massive ambient sound; wah and univibe for unleashing psychadelic wobbles (*)). However, I still had tremolo, rotary speaker and chorus to go, each of which I wanted to be able to turn on and off separately, and only two switches unassigned.

Then I spotted the ‘Variax tone knob’ option. I’ve now got the tremolo on that. Initially, it was only off when the knob was all the way down but, after some experimentation, I’ve tweaked it. I’ve got most of the range for the regular purpose of controlling tone but, if I open it all the way up, the tremolo also comes on, adding another dimension to the sound.

All I need to do now is remember that while I’m playing this morning, so I don’t forget to use it – or don’t activate it when it wouldn’t fit!

(*) No, I probably won’t be using that one much at church this morning but you never know…