Adam_Dawson Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I am a guitarist and singer in a rock band, and have long used MIDI to control elements of my guitar rig. I've recently bought a TC Helicon Voicelive 2 for vocal harmonies and effects and am now controlling that from the same midi foot controller (Fractal Audio MFC 101). I'm also a lighting engineer and have a number of DMX fixtures (mainly Abstract twister 4s) and PAR 64s with t-bar mounted digital DMX dimmers. So, what I'm looking to achieve is to trigger pre-programmed scenes from the same midi switch that I use for other parts of the show. Let's say for example that I go into a guitar solo; I press one of the midi switches, it calls up my Fractal Audio Axe-Fx amp's settings, changes the vocal effects (where needed) and turns on the twisters to do a preset scene, all with the one press that I'd be pressing anyway - no extra 'riverdancing' required! This must be possible I'm sure, but has anyone had any experience of doing this sort of thing, and is there a preference for software-based control or rackmounted hardware. I have a rack for guitar stuff anyway so hardware is certainly an option, but it'd be good to know what the pros and cons are. If software, I would be using a Macbook Pro so would need mac-compatible software. From what I've read, it seems that most midi controlled lights are done through midi notes, rather than CC messages or Program Change commands. My foot controller can also send custom 16bit midi message strings (whatever they are?!) so perhaps this is relevant? Thanks for any advice... Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henny Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Take a look at the lanbox LCX The LanBox-LCX is an extremely versatile DMX controller suited for nearly any DMX-512 lighting application. Whether it should run a show stand-alone, controlling up to 6 universes (3072 DMX channels) using an Ethernet network, synchronized via MIDI or connected to a notebook via USB, with the LanBox-LCX it's all possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard CSL Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 for what you are trying to acheive, have you looked at a DMX operator 16-12. there are meny on the marked, just pop into your local disco shop, and they should have one for you to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam_Dawson Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 for what you are trying to acheive, have you looked at a DMX operator 16-12. there are meny on the marked, just pop into your local disco shop, and they should have one for you to see. Thanks Richard, do you know if a DMX operator would respond to MIDI program change/CC messages from a footcontroller, or is it just MIDI notes (from a keyboard)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Seonding the Lanbox. Dont forget to put a microswitch on the drummers kick pedal and link it to the contact inputs of the lanbox, then you can step to the beat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam_Dawson Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Seonding the Lanbox. Dont forget to put a microswitch on the drummers kick pedal and link it to the contact inputs of the lanbox, then you can step to the beat... It does look good - am I right in assuming that it stores a number of preprogrammed scenes, which can be recalled by a MIDI program change? That is exactly what I want, so that I can run it from my foot controller. As for the switch on the kick pedal idea - is that to set a bpm tempo or just to move the chase on by one increment in a 'sound-to-light' situation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard CSL Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I am looking at the manual for the Soundlab version of the DMX operator. and it offers Midi note numbers for all the stored individual scenes, the memory is divided into 30 banks of 8 scenes . and the midi note numbers go from 00-119 for the scene memories, or banks of stored chases can be run from 120-125, blackout can be activated with 126. pr the individual banks of 8 can be set to auto run, and to access select a midi note number within the bank. for example bank 2 on auto run (with or without sound, set on controller) send note 08. so fairly flexible, the only draw back is the cross fade, and speed,(hold time) functions can only be activated on the controller. so if you go from fast chases for a fast beaty song to a slow song you will need to activate the cross fade slider to give slow sweeping changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam_Dawson Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 I am looking at the manual for the Soundlab version of the DMX operator. and it offers Midi note numbers for all the stored individual scenes, the memory is divided into 30 banks of 8 scenes . and the midi note numbers go from 00-119 for the scene memories, or banks of stored chases can be run from 120-125, blackout can be activated with 126. pr the individual banks of 8 can be set to auto run, and to access select a midi note number within the bank. for example bank 2 on auto run (with or without sound, set on controller) send note 08. so fairly flexible, the only draw back is the cross fade, and speed,(hold time) functions can only be activated on the controller. so if you go from fast chases for a fast beaty song to a slow song you will need to activate the cross fade slider to give slow sweeping changes. Hmm, interesting. Sounds promising, but the only drawback is that we're still working with MIDI notes rather than program changes or CC messages. I only have a MIDI footcontroller at my feet to run everything. As it doesn't send MIDI notes (it isn't an instrument in its own right like a keyboard is) I only have Program changes and CC messages to play with. If the DMX operator doesn't respond to Program changes or CCs then it wouldn't work for my purposes. I'm now looking into running Ableton Live on a laptop and controlling this with my MIDI footcontroller. Overkill? Possibly, but it would allow us to move into the exciting world of video projection and audio sampling fairly easily... Has anyone used this sort of system on stage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 The other option is to run something like midi yoke on your mac (is midi yoke mac friendly?) which can take a midi input and remap and reinterpret it to a different output. So midi CC1 to full = midi Note 1 to full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 It does look good - am I right in assuming that it stores a number of preprogrammed scenes, which can be recalled by a MIDI program change? That is exactly what I want, so that I can run it from my foot controller.Yep, its a very complete big lighjting console with huge capability. It just doesn't come in a big box covered in buttons and encoders. You programme it using a PC or Mac, and recall stuff by, well, lots of things, but MIDI is certainly in there. Cant remember on the contact closures, its been a long long time since I looked... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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