Triggering Live butons with Beat
Posted: 18 April 2020, 22:01So I am sending midi data to ShowXpress to have a very pricise light show track exactly to the music.
When I monitor the data, it is coming in exactly as expected and on time. I'm watching the Midi logger window. So it is getting the MIDI data perfectly.
BUT, the buttons and the 3d rendering often miss triggers. It is most apparant for one song where there is lightening. The lights are set to blue and on queue with the sound FX the MIDI calls for a quick switch to bright white and back again. It does this three times in a row. Sometimes it flashes once; sometimes it flashes twice; often it messes them all and doesn't flash at all; and rarely does it 'catch' all three messages and flash three times.
It is not limited to these fast switches either. Sometimes it misses a note-on message for a simple color change. I can also see that it is a split second off the beat sometimes too.
I obvioulsy need this to work reliably.
I know the file is perfect because if I use my old system (a C-2 footswitch) the lilghting is dead-on perfect.
So all of this makes me think there is something weird about the midi clock in the background. If so, why can't it just be passive when it listens and react to the MIDI data as it comes in? The Midi logger is certainley exact...
This is a game stopper if this can't be reliable and accurate.
The only thing I haven't tested yet is using actual lights. I'm waiting for my XPress calble to arrive next week. Hopefully the delay is ONLY in the rendering of the 3D and the rendering of the buttons on the screen but the USB/DMX is on time? I kind of doubt it, but I have my finders crossed.
Here is a video of my screen: https://youtu.be/fG2iJ92IMAc
When you watch keep one eye on the Midi Logger, and with your other eye watch both the buttons and the 3D rendering.
The lighting happens about 10 seconds into the video. Note that the first 'strike' makes the buttons flicker, but not the 3D render. The second flash, nothing happens, and the third one the 3D render flashes but not the buttons.
Then at about 20 seconds in the light switch to the Red/Blue mix. Her you can easily spot the split seond delat from the midi message in the logger screen and the button/3D change.
When I monitor the data, it is coming in exactly as expected and on time. I'm watching the Midi logger window. So it is getting the MIDI data perfectly.
BUT, the buttons and the 3d rendering often miss triggers. It is most apparant for one song where there is lightening. The lights are set to blue and on queue with the sound FX the MIDI calls for a quick switch to bright white and back again. It does this three times in a row. Sometimes it flashes once; sometimes it flashes twice; often it messes them all and doesn't flash at all; and rarely does it 'catch' all three messages and flash three times.
It is not limited to these fast switches either. Sometimes it misses a note-on message for a simple color change. I can also see that it is a split second off the beat sometimes too.
I obvioulsy need this to work reliably.
I know the file is perfect because if I use my old system (a C-2 footswitch) the lilghting is dead-on perfect.
So all of this makes me think there is something weird about the midi clock in the background. If so, why can't it just be passive when it listens and react to the MIDI data as it comes in? The Midi logger is certainley exact...
This is a game stopper if this can't be reliable and accurate.
The only thing I haven't tested yet is using actual lights. I'm waiting for my XPress calble to arrive next week. Hopefully the delay is ONLY in the rendering of the 3D and the rendering of the buttons on the screen but the USB/DMX is on time? I kind of doubt it, but I have my finders crossed.
Here is a video of my screen: https://youtu.be/fG2iJ92IMAc
When you watch keep one eye on the Midi Logger, and with your other eye watch both the buttons and the 3D rendering.
The lighting happens about 10 seconds into the video. Note that the first 'strike' makes the buttons flicker, but not the 3D render. The second flash, nothing happens, and the third one the 3D render flashes but not the buttons.
Then at about 20 seconds in the light switch to the Red/Blue mix. Her you can easily spot the split seond delat from the midi message in the logger screen and the button/3D change.