Jamtastic3 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Hi guys.Thinking about getting a MIDI keyboard/pad and hooking it up to a Pearl 2000 (04 software) as it has the MIDI in and out ports. Thinking of controlling cues or palettes on it or if I can get a MIDI accessory that has faders, I could maybe have more playbacks...? Just needing a bit more of an accessible layout (almost like an extra wing) rather than flicking through pages and scrolling the rollercue. I've not got a clue as to how this side of lighting works so any info would be great. How does the Pearl know what functions the keys/buttons do? How do you set up the MIDI keyboard with the desk and is a computer needed in the equation? What can I achieve or is it doable? Help most welcome!Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Dunc Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 See here for some referencing and eye candy ref MIDI and lighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 You won't be able to get more playbacks on a Classic board. 15 is the limit. MIDI will allow you to control the 15 playbacks with level and change roller page (as in 1-3) but not roller facet (A-J). Command mapping is fixed & the controlling device must be setup accordingly. The details for this are in the manual. Titan consoles provide fully customisable mapping and the ability to expand control surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 MIDI will allow you to control the 15 playbacks with level and change roller page (as in 1-3) but not roller facet (A-J).Actually I believe you can change both roller facet and page... the "set playback page" MIDI command (MIDI program change) allows you to select 30 pages, where 1-10 are the roller facets A-J on page 1, 11-20 are A-J on page 2 and 21-30 are A-J on page 3. The manual is not very clear on this though. You can't recall palettes from MIDI on the Pearl 2000/4/8. You can start/stop and step through a chase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitlane Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 On the classic Pearl the 15 playbacks are mapped to MIDI note messages where a note-on will trigger the corresponding playback and the note-on velocity is mapped to the playback intensity. So you would need some way of mapping a continuous controller to a note on and velocity message. MIDI OX could probably do this. To switch between pages of playbacks you must send a MIDI program change message. There are only 15 notes mapped to the playbacks i.e. if you trigger note 16 (or is it 15? Depends on if you count from zero or one) you won't get playback handle 1 page 2 - I think you'll get nothing. I think a system to do what you want would be a bit too complicated and clunky to be practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Thanks Tim. I did wonder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamtastic3 Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 Grrr! OK thanks guys, you've been a big help.Yeah, I'm finding that having LED cans, movers and conventionals all onto only 15 playbacks at the one time is really difficult to manage and hinders creativity. Just an extra few more faders and buttons would have been great.... I think I'll need to leave the MIDI controller idea then as I thought I would be able to effectively make a wing (as such). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 The old Pearl Graphics tablet would do exactly what you want - it had a large number of buttons for extra palettes, fixtures and groups which you just clicked on with the pen.You write your palette legends on the tablet overlay. It was just like the touch wing but a bit more low-tech.You may be able to find one on ebay or maybe Avo could help.http://www.avolites.org.uk/products/images/tablet.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamtastic3 Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 Yeah I knew about the graphics tablet but obviously there's not many of them out there I don't think. I'll ask Avo though and see if I can find a tablet from somewhere.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Yeah I knew about the graphics tablet but obviously there's not many of them out there I don't think. I'll ask Avo though and see if I can find a tablet from somewhere.... It was just a standard serial tablet (though I think the connector was modified to provide power down the 9-pin D), they are still sold for CAD applications. You could probably make your own if you can find one of a similar size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 It was just a standard serial tablet...Hmmmm, since tablet protocols are fairly well documented, something like an Arduino and some switches ought to be able to emulate a tablet. Or convert from MIDI to tablet. Or DMX to tablet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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