lifeisacabaret Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 Hi guys, I am designing and running my first proper show next week, and I will be using these two desks, which I am presently unfamiliar with. I was wondering, are there any easy and quick ways to program scenes, so I can just press the 'go' (or whatever its called on those boards) to get from scene to scene? Any and all help greatly appreciated! JG PS- these shows will be all conventional, with no scrollers or movers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GridGirl Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I was wondering, are there any easy and quick ways to program scenes, so I can just press the 'go' (or whatever its called on those boards) to get from scene to scene? There most certainly is :huh: Set up your state, then when you've got something you like, just hit either [CUE] # [RECORD] for direct modes, or [RECORD] [CUE] # * for command line mode. Use whole numbers, because then if you need to add cues betweenother cues you can just record the new cue as 5.1 or 5.2 or whatever without having to renumber everything. Get hold of the QuickStart guide (it's pretty much identical for both desks, as they run the same software) and have a read, it'll tell you what you need to know. Do you have a house tech who knows the desks at the venue, or are you being thrown in the deep end?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeisacabaret Posted May 17, 2006 Author Share Posted May 17, 2006 I havent been told im getting a house tech, so im assuming the deep end! Ive been asked to provide the plan for a pre-rig, which ive done (some par 64s, cantatas and quartets, S4pars etc, + 2 profiles- we are taking our own gels), so im hoping they'll do the patch as well. argh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 Everything you need is here and here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicktaylor Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I dont know anything about these desks, but why are you haveing to use two? It seems odd that for your first show that you have to think about two different ones at the same time. I know sometimes people use one to do wigglies, keeping the other for generics, but yoiu say that is not the case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattladkinlx Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I would assume one is being used as a backup desk but that would mean only one would have to be programmed. Which venue is it at? Otherwise it does seem a bit strange to use a 520i and 300 series to run the same show! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeisacabaret Posted May 17, 2006 Author Share Posted May 17, 2006 Oopss...forgot to say, im talking about a mini-tour, hence the different desks. Any more help?:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mattladkinlx Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 As both the 520i and 300 series run on the smae software (Genius Pro) the show files are transferable between the two and so you only need to use one desk. As long as everything you are using is either DMX or have a DeMUX attached all can be controlled through the one desk. Either that, or just use your desk and re-patch as neccessary I.e if your channel 1 (on the plot) refers to dimmer 87 at the theatre, you can patch 87@1 to make dimmer 87 be controlled by channel 1. Therefore whichever venue you go to twith your desk (which I assume is the 300 series) you simply plug in your desk, repatch to the house dimmers and then you have the same show for all of the venues. Just out of curiosity what show is it and where is the tour running? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeisacabaret Posted May 17, 2006 Author Share Posted May 17, 2006 Ah right, sorry, I thought my last reply was obvious- the post is about a mini tour with a couple of venues, hence the different desks- obviously this means different venues have different desks. Why would I take different desks on the same tour unless I was separating out DMX universes (which ive already said im not doing).? Anyway, good to know about the patching etc. Im terrified! :-) xx Forgot to say, the venues are the Arc Theatre, Trowbridge, The Tacchi Morris Arts Centre Studio, Taunton, and the Rondo Theatre, Bath. Its a three venue tour of a piece my uni has done in the PA dept, called 'A Cool Billion', inspired by the Nathaniel West novel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 'A Cool Billion', inspired by the Nathaniel West novel. I see inflation is rife in the west country........(apologies for off topic nature of post) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeisacabaret Posted May 18, 2006 Author Share Posted May 18, 2006 Indeed! The source book is 'A Cool Million' but the director/course leader thought that a million, although a large sum of money, was not all that impressive to a modern audience, hence the multiplication to 'Billion. Its a great piece, but he's asking an awful lot of me, and I quote "learn a Strand 520i inside out in a week'. Ive got no prior experience of such a large console and its rather daunting, but I guess its the best way to learn, being thrown in at the deep end! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GridGirl Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 and I quote "learn a Strand 520i inside out in a week'. Ive got no prior experience of such a large console and its rather daunting, but I guess its the best way to learn, being thrown in at the deep end! The trick is not to think of it as a large console. Yes it has lots of buttons and things, but if you think of it as a desk where instead of pushing a fader up to control a light, you just type in a number instead, then it won't seem quite so daunting. Same principle as a Sirius or anything like that, just a different method of bringing lights up and down, and a lot more channels. The onboard help on the desk is really useful, it's got me out of a lot of trouble more than once! Being thrown in the deep end is indeed a good way to learn, and you should pick up the basics pretty quickly, I've always thought the Strand desks are quite intuitive. Are you likely to need effects (chases and the like) or anything, or is it going to be just cues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeisacabaret Posted May 18, 2006 Author Share Posted May 18, 2006 In a previous production of the show in march at the uni I had some cross-stage flashes at certain points. Ideally id love these to be timecoded to the video-content (which runs throughout the show), but thats not gonna happen, so I guess ill have to do them live, if I manage to do them at all! The show will just be state to state, with hopefully the addition of some flashes. Argh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 Ideally id love these to be timecoded to the video-content (which runs throughout the show), but thats not gonna happen, so I guess ill have to do them live, if I manage to do them at all! The show will just be state to state, with hopefully the addition of some flashes.I'd agree that the programming of the desk it pretty easy once you grasp the principles. As for your flashes, program them onto one or two submasters and use the bump buttons. Job done. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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