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Sequenced MIDI control from another PC

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sc_r
Knows how to turn Lights ON
Posts: 2
Joined: 30 Sep 2009, 22:48
FreeStyler Version: 3.01
I Use FreeStyler for: Just for the Fun of it.
Twitter: twitter.com/

Sequenced MIDI control from another PC

Post by sc_r »

Puting this out there after a thorough search of the forum - firstly, hello all.

I am trying to control a number of parcans in a sequenced show from an external MIDI input. This will be from another computer running Logic 8.

Basically, I am trying to trigger 'go' from midi notes in a 24 minute show and reckon this is the best way to go about it.

Thoughts would be appreciated :)

nice


fijit2000
Knows how to turn Lights ON
Posts: 4
Joined: 07 Oct 2009, 00:26
FreeStyler Version: 3.0.1
I Use FreeStyler for: Theater
Twitter: twitter.com/

Re: Sequenced MIDI control from another PC

Post by fijit2000 »

Hi, I am wanting to use midi triggering the "go" button for a short theatre show.
I'm using a 12 channel dimmer for birdies, soon to be using a velleman usb-dmx, which i have not yet finished putting together......
i usually use a leapfrog desk, and program the shows as scenes, use a midi controlled relay switch to operate the go button remotely, which takes midi "beeps" from Cubase which also plays the sound and video, all in beautiful synchronised harmony. simple.

BUT i want to make a smaller compact travelling show without the need for desks and huge dimmer packs.
just a computer/sound equipt./ dimmer and lights.

I need to have around 60-70 scenes each triggered by a midi beep.

I kind of hit upon something possible.
open new sequence, record scences as steps 1-#?, save and add to cue list.
when you click the blue play button on the cue list it will cycle through the recorded steps, use the manual trigger to stop it playing automaticaly, then click for each new step/scene in the sequence.
the manual trigger can be operated by a midi signal. thus kind of fixing my problem, i think, not that i have tried it yet......no dmx interface yet.....
This might be a really long winded random way around it but thats all i could come up with so far.
You can increse the number of steps in a sequence to whatever by going to the folder where you installed the program, open the freestyler.ini (config settings) and changing "[number of scenes]" from 15 to whatever you want, i changed mine to 100.
(i haven't seen if it will cause my computer to have a nervous breakdown yet, but 100 sounds better than 15!)

If you or anyone else comes up with a better solution please let me know, as my method might be shit!!

best of luck! :)
fijit2000
Knows how to turn Lights ON
Posts: 4
Joined: 07 Oct 2009, 00:26
FreeStyler Version: 3.0.1
I Use FreeStyler for: Theater
Twitter: twitter.com/

Re: Sequenced MIDI control from another PC

Post by fijit2000 »

Hi, just thought i'd update,
I now have a working velleman dmx usb interface!
I tried my method (above) for setting up a show triggered by midi, which seems to work pretty well, i only have 1 fixture, (12 ch dimmer) so i don't know about using more than one, but i don't see any reason why it shouldn't work.

Another thought... I noticed that i had to have a midi input device, as my computer only had a default microsoft output device. I had wanted to use just 1 computer running Cubase or Ableton live, with a soundtrack playing through my audio, and a midi track with 'beeps' being sent to freestyler.
I managed to find a Virtual midi device called LoopBe1 freeware (for non-commercial use). It is simple to set up and works a treat. now when i go to my freestyler setup page, midi, it is listed under midi input devices, so i set my ableton to use it as a midi output device, sending the assigned note (c3).
One thing to bear in mind is, in the freestyler config .ini file it will specify midi volume at the bottom of the page, mine is set at 127, (maximum level) so i have to set my beeps to be outputing at 127 volume, i didn't do this at first and it didn't work, now i have adjusted my beeps, Sorted!

hope this comes in usefull!

Fijit2000 :)
sc_r
Knows how to turn Lights ON
Posts: 2
Joined: 30 Sep 2009, 22:48
FreeStyler Version: 3.01
I Use FreeStyler for: Just for the Fun of it.
Twitter: twitter.com/

Re: Sequenced MIDI control from another PC

Post by sc_r »

Thanks for comments..

I have got my setup working - tech as follows:

I am running Logic Pro sequencer software that plays an audio sound scape. I made a MIDI file within that and that is connected to my second computer via a MIDI cable from sound card to a USB MIDI interface.

So.. I have built a load of cues and have them triggered via MIDI. I have come across one problem in that when I want one 'Cue' to stop running - I can't seem to find an automatic way of doing it. When I try to get new cues running, the light outputs are affected by the 'old' cues that are still running. I have tried making a 'blank' sequence at the end of each cue to stop the cue controlling any lights but that doesn't seem to work.

My 'fix' for this so far is manual 'stopping' of each cue afterwards - not ideal but seems to work.

A tad frustrating - have definitely found 'nuances' in the software - sometimes things seem like they need to be done in a certain way to make it work properly.

I will document this more fully when I have a little time after my installation is finished.

Cheers
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