I have my guitar modeler connected over USB to my laptop running Windows 10. I followed all of the directions below but got errors. The only way I can successfully record in Audacity is to play the backing track through other hardware while playing guitar and recording in Audacity. Any attempt to play the backing track on the laptop, either in the same Audacity recording session or in a separate player like VLC generates these errors. Audacity is set to use Windows Direct Sound, line 6 asio driver for playback and recording, stereo channels. I’ve also set the sample and bit rates in windows control panel to match Audacity.
Unanticipated host error
unable to connect to recording device
Ok, here’s how to make it work with Audacity:
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Make sure your Helix is connected via USB first. Then open up the Windows sound settings. On the first tab, “Playback”, select the entry for Speakers that says “Line 6 Helix” and then click the button make it default. It should say it is the default device after doing so. Then click the “Recording” tab, select “Digital Audio Interface Line 6 Helix”, and again click the button to make that the default as well. Then with this same entry selected, click Properties. Go to the Advanced tab and make sure it is set to one of the 2-channel options (on my PC it defaulted to mono). It’ll work fine as 2-channel 16bit 44.1khz, but you may want it higher. Just make sure it matches the settings you have in Audacity. Now click ok and close all those sound settings windows.
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Open Audacity. In the dropdown box for Audio Host, pick Windows DirectSound. In the next dropdown for Recording Device, select Digital Audio Interface (Line 6 Helix). In the next dropdown, set it to 2 channels for stereo recording. For playback device select “Speakers (Line 6 Helix)”.
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Plug your headphones or speakers straight into the Helix. Don’t use any audio ports built into your PC. You should be able to hear all of your computer audio as well as your guitar through the Helix headphone out now. In your Helix patches, just have the output set to “Multi”, and keep monitoring turned off in Audacity or else you’ll hear your guitar straight out of the Helix and also looped back through Audacity. You can make a new stereo track in Audacity, click record and it should all work fine. You can play backing tracks, external audio, etc either inside Audacity or with an external player – seems to all work simultaneously for me, no problem.