Audio Playback with timeline for Midi

[skipzoid]

HI,

 

I'm looking for some software that I can use to playback MP3's that also has the facility to generate midi control so it can drive the cues on a lighting controller.

 

ideas suggestions of software please ?

 

Lighting controller is a Strand 300 (not that I think that's relevant)

[paulears]

Cubase would work quite well - plenty of versions available that have good midi integration with audio

[Charlie Jeal]

Also depends on how far you want to send the MIDI line as there is a finite distance for standard MIDI cables to work as specced, there are "booster" boxes available which use a 9vdc wallwart psu to extend the transmission distance. All things being equal any of the usual suspects i.e. cubase, logic, sonar etc should work for you.

 

Charlie

[Killyp]

Cubase should do the trick as Paulears said, but I'm more of an advocate of Logic which I consider to be better all round - and cheaper too.

[skipzoid]

<br />Also depends on how far you want to send the MIDI line as there is a finite distance for standard MIDI cables to work as specced, there are "booster" boxes available which use a 9vdc wallwart psu to extend the transmission distance. All things being equal any of the usual suspects i.e. cubase, logic, sonar etc should work for you.<br /><br />Charlie<br />

<br /><br /><br />

 

Distance it not an issue, as the audio will be right next to the lighting console.

 

as for the 'usual suspects' that's my question, I have no idea who or what they are, I've come from traditional back ground where we have sound engineers running equipment, have not attempted to put a lighting/sound op into a single role before.

 

I'd like a simple app that will play audio and allow me to define points where midi control can be generated to fire the cues on the lighting desk, I've heard of cubase but I think its overkill for what is trying to be achieved.

[mac.calder]

I'd like a simple app that will play audio and allow me to define points where midi control can be generated to fire the cues on the lighting desk, I've heard of cubase but I think its overkill for what is trying to be achieved.

 

There are a few threads about this - but basically there are three main ways to do "midi control" for lighting desks. Time Code, Midi Show Control and Midi Notes. Implementation really depends on the lighting console but a basic overview follows.

 

Time code, you plot your lights and tell them at what time to fire each cue and the audio track has a second "hidden" track which is SMPTE time code - advantage is you can master a CD and use left channel for house and right channel for SMPTE. That and most audio DAW's have the ability to output timecode in one form or another (either encapsulated in MIDI - usually called midi timecode, or as an audio source - usually labled LTC or SMPTE)

 

Midi Show Control is generally a feature of "Show control systems" and not all DAW's will send MSC, but many can respond to it (in cases where lighting desk fires audio system). It involves sending the MSC version of "GO LIST 1 CUE 1", "GO LIST 1", "STOP", "LOAD LIST 2" etc.

 

Midi Notes is basically "I play C5, Fader 1 is put up to the note" and "I play D5, fader 2 is put to the velocity of the note". Upside is you can basically "play" the desk using a synth. Downside is that MIDI has a max velocity of 128 - DMX has channel values up to 255 - so you loose a lot of resolution. Many desks also do not allow you to use notes to advance cue lists. Some do.

 

Before advice can be given, we need to know what your lighting desk is (so what type of automation it can handle) and how you see this being operated. Show automation is not as simple as "click here to make this do that" - it is an area of the industry that is only in the last 5 or so years becoming an "in" thing, and there are so many ways of doing things. Price, Ease of Use, Feature Set - pick 2.

[skipzoid]

<br />

I'd like a simple app that will play audio and allow me to define points where midi control can be generated to fire the cues on the lighting desk, I've heard of cubase but I think its overkill for what is trying to be achieved.

<br /><br />There are a few threads about this - but basically there are three main ways to do "midi control" for lighting desks. Time Code, Midi Show Control and Midi Notes. Implementation really depends on the lighting console but a basic overview follows.<br /><br />Time code, you plot your lights and tell them at what time to fire each cue and the audio track has a second "hidden" track which is SMPTE time code - advantage is you can master a CD and use left channel for house and right channel for SMPTE. That and most audio DAW's have the ability to output timecode in one form or another (either encapsulated in MIDI - usually called midi timecode, or as an audio source - usually labled LTC or SMPTE)<br /><br />Midi Show Control is generally a feature of "Show control systems" and not all DAW's will send MSC, but many can respond to it (in cases where lighting desk fires audio system). It involves sending the MSC version of "GO LIST 1 CUE 1", "GO LIST 1", "STOP", "LOAD LIST 2" etc.<br /><br />Midi Notes is basically "I play C5, Fader 1 is put up to the note" and "I play D5, fader 2 is put to the velocity of the note". Upside is you can basically "play" the desk using a synth. Downside is that MIDI has a max velocity of 128 - DMX has channel values up to 255 - so you loose a lot of resolution. Many desks also do not allow you to use notes to advance cue lists. Some do.<br /><br />Before advice can be given, we need to know what your lighting desk is (so what type of automation it can handle) and how you see this being operated. Show automation is not as simple as "click here to make this do that" - it is an area of the industry that is only in the last 5 or so years becoming an "in" thing, and there are so many ways of doing things. Price, Ease of Use, Feature Set - pick 2.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

 

Very informative, thank you.

 

The desk is a Strand 300, and able to be controlled via midi, the way in which I see it being controlled is simply firing off the cues already set for the different lighting states, this has been done before but I cannot remember what the name of the sofware was. We basically plotted the show, setup the different FX's built them into a cue list and simply kept pressing go at the desired point to drive it manually or mapped the midi and had it fired from the show control, it did mean during rehersals when we wanted to go back to a selective piece of audio etc, the lighting state automatically was returned also with a simple point and click on the show control. This would be nice but not if it comes at a high price.

 

Someone else has suggested CDC show control, this looks okay is, espcially in its free variant, as it seems to drive midi and play wav files, although had a CD option cannot seem to get this to play from the clue list, but works manually, and if started in the free mode will allow the show to be saved, but at the cost of networking and other features we will not need, so it can be proven in reharsals before money is spent for the shows.

[chatterbox]

Hi,

 

I think that the software - "sound cue systems" would do what you need. It plays back audio and midi. We use it for live shows and play back audio ( multi tracks) and also send midi cues for changing reverbs and other midi devices.

http://www.soundcuesystem.com/.

 

CHATTERBOX

[dbuckley]

Unless I've misunderstood SCS's capabilities, it cant do what the OP requires. It can do both audio and MIDI, but not MIDI syncronised to audio.

 

ShowMagic can do this as can PCStage, as can RSD's show controller, or in fact most show controllers can but not most audio playback tools.

[Sound Juice]

CSC showcontrol (even the free version) will do this for you, fairly simple to use and FREE!

 

Link

[d_korman]

Unless I've misunderstood SCS's capabilities, it cant do what the OP requires. It can do both audio and MIDI, but not MIDI syncronised to audio.

 

ShowMagic can do this as can PCStage, as can RSD's show controller, or in fact most show controllers can but not most audio playback tools.

 

Depends what you mean by syncronised.

 

SCS can fire multiple cues at once, so you can run audio and midi cues in parallel and has wait, link, offset and follow capability (to use the Lx terms) So you could start an audio cue and program mutiple midi cues to start at different preset times after the start of the audio cue.

 

To do what the OP wants, you just program a single master cue to initiate the sequence(s) and then offset many other cues/cue trains from the time that that cue starts. The master cue can end immediately as it will already have triggered the timers for all the other cue trains.

 

If you mean sound-to-light, then no, it can't do that.

[DangerMouse]

Another vote for showmagic.... get rid of the lighting controller and just use its timed sequences to run the lighting...much more flexible than the midi solution and you don't have the problems with long midi runs.

 

Free version will run 24 channels....

[mac.calder]

I have to disagree with "More flexible" - using timecode (whether MIDI or not) is by and far a more flexible way to run a show. It makes every link in the chain able to be replaced with another item with more power/"flexibility" and gives you the full power of the multi-track playback software, whichever LX desk is being used, and if you are using video, it easily expands.

 

MIDI Show Control is almost as flexible - you are slightly more reliant on your audio software being able to output it though.

 

Properly programmed MIDI responses to notes is also quite powerful.

 

So whilst a fully integrated system like ShowMagic may be a lot simpler and easy to use, it also limits you. As I said, Ease of Use, Features and Price - pick two.