How I use the software
Posted: 08 May 2011, 18:22
I work with the same bands regularly so I get to write custom programming for each song on the set list.
I have only once "busked" with the software.
I write my programming in as high an address as I can and then patch the programming to the lighting I get in each theatre. I do this because the patch program likes to be 1 for 1 as well as whatever it is patched to. Therefore I avoid 1 for 1 conflicts with the house lighting plot in all but the larger theatres. changing the hard patching is an avoidable option whenever possible.
As such I have built a number of pallets of common frequently used lighting behaviours for the basic lighting groups:
Footlights, Cyc, US and DS conventional with snap, 2 sec and 4 sec rise and decay times.
I also have focus positions for movers I use as "spots" to the block marks of the performers for vocals and instrument solos. In sound check I block the performers and then go through each of my "spot" scenes in editor and update their positions. Sometimes the performers will pose for me during sound check. If not I get a "focus dummy" or LX2 to pose for me after sound check.
I then build custom scenes for transitions between standard pallet behaviours. If I have a multiple step scene that I don't want to loop but I want to freeze at the end of the steps I program the last step as a copy of the previous step but give it a 10 minute step time.
My last button on any page for a song is almost always not a macro but a scene button. I take over control of every fixture in the previous macro, program their decay and make it a "no-loop" button. I then let it run the course of whatever steps I programmed into to it to while I am changing pages for the next song. When the steps are complete the button releases and then I have no "hanging" buttons in Live causing me trouble down the road.
I used to use "Ctrl Z" religiously in V5 to clear all buttons before I change pages but for the life of me I can't seem to make that short-cut work any more.
I use a number of keyboard short-cuts but mostly for "Flash" scenes of features like a strobe, instant colour change or even a flash global blackout.
I have only once "busked" with the software.
I write my programming in as high an address as I can and then patch the programming to the lighting I get in each theatre. I do this because the patch program likes to be 1 for 1 as well as whatever it is patched to. Therefore I avoid 1 for 1 conflicts with the house lighting plot in all but the larger theatres. changing the hard patching is an avoidable option whenever possible.
As such I have built a number of pallets of common frequently used lighting behaviours for the basic lighting groups:
Footlights, Cyc, US and DS conventional with snap, 2 sec and 4 sec rise and decay times.
I also have focus positions for movers I use as "spots" to the block marks of the performers for vocals and instrument solos. In sound check I block the performers and then go through each of my "spot" scenes in editor and update their positions. Sometimes the performers will pose for me during sound check. If not I get a "focus dummy" or LX2 to pose for me after sound check.
I then build custom scenes for transitions between standard pallet behaviours. If I have a multiple step scene that I don't want to loop but I want to freeze at the end of the steps I program the last step as a copy of the previous step but give it a 10 minute step time.
My last button on any page for a song is almost always not a macro but a scene button. I take over control of every fixture in the previous macro, program their decay and make it a "no-loop" button. I then let it run the course of whatever steps I programmed into to it to while I am changing pages for the next song. When the steps are complete the button releases and then I have no "hanging" buttons in Live causing me trouble down the road.
I used to use "Ctrl Z" religiously in V5 to clear all buttons before I change pages but for the life of me I can't seem to make that short-cut work any more.
I use a number of keyboard short-cuts but mostly for "Flash" scenes of features like a strobe, instant colour change or even a flash global blackout.