Sound Effects Control

[mikepoll]

Hi,

 

Just a question of what people generally use to run sound effects off, whether its just a straight cd or if you prefer a computer or other for whatever reasons.

 

Asking this mainly because I have a show comming up that has a long list of effects and wondering what others use.

 

____

Mike

[bruce]

Hi Mike, welcome to the Blue Room.

 

A quick search through the archives comes up with THIS.

 

 

I was involved in a show just before christmas which had about 50 very short sound tracks, which I was intending to play back from minidisk. However, on the day of the show, the minidisk player failed. Plan B was CD, but cueing was very awkward on that particular CD player- there were about 50 qs, which were in 3 batches of about 15, most only a few seconds long, in some cases coming in about 1 or 2 seconds apart. A standard CD player wasn't up to it.

 

So I imported them to SCS, about an hour before curtain up, and it was a revealation - extremely easy to use, didn't miss any qs, and the screen interface was very nice.

 

Since it was all done at very short notice, we used the SCS demo version, which is limited to 25 cues, and a maximum runtime of 20 minutes, and re-started SCS several times during the performance. But I'd have no hesitation about buying it in future - it's a very nice package.

 

Bruce.

[mikepoll]

Thanks for that bruce, I'm just going through the various recommendations from that other thread and SCS does look quite good from what ive used of it so far.

[dbuckley]

Just a question of what people generally use to run sound effects off, whether its just a straight cd or if you prefer a computer or other for whatever reasons.

 

A rushed answer, before Bryson wakes up and calls G-O on the locks

 

Advice1: Dont use CDs, use a computer.

 

Advice2: Read my comparison of several popular sound playback tools a few posts down on this thread.

[d_korman]

Another vote for SCS. Since I introduced them to it, both my local theatres have got it, so I can now prepare all the audio files (using Adobe Audition) and set up the SCS cue file at home, and dump the whole lot on my USB stick.

 

All I have to do when I get to the theatre is plug it in and away we go.

[James]

I use soundplant on small uncomplicated shows with simmple sound effects plots.

 

Since I started using Stage Research's SFX software I have found I can be a lot more creative and adventurous with my sound designs. I have once run a show off CD and don't want to go back there again.

 

I've had the tape snap on a B77 mid show

I've had CDs jump and skip mid show

I've had MD corrupt the TOC

I've had computers crash.

 

Still I prefer to use SFX with sensible precautions in place.

 

James

[Loz]

Until November last year, I would always have said MD, unless you have great numbers piled up, then multiple MDs. That is until, I went into work one day and found that my theatre's technical manager had bought a computer with Stage Research's SFX, I love it! It is so reliable, can be eaasily use by anyone in a few minutes, rather than spending hours teaching all your technicians the cues, and makes life much easier, with all your cues, in order, with wait, autofollow, pause, play, continue and other special functions at ONE finger tip - oh and my friend the space bar!

 

Lawrie

Luminaires Theatrical Company

[Bobbsy]

Computer...no question.

 

I run Soundplant for simple/unpredicable shows and SFX for more complex, totally scripted things. I've also been impressed by SCS but don't own it.

 

Bob

[mac.calder]

If you are only after simple, playlist style operation - the free version of Q-Manager is good. I recently used it for a 'stylised reading' and provided you want nothing fancy, and you have a mixer handy, it works well. The pro version would be even better as it has multi-channel support etc.