Getting Started help

[UniCav]

Hi I'm the lead singer of an 80's tribute band and we're trying to improve our stage show by converting from an SCX-101 floor controller to a pc-based light show. All we're using at the moment is 5 dimmer packs running about 20 PAR cans. Our other effects are all sound activated stand alone devices at the moment. What we're trying to figure out is if this is possible to do using Freestyler and an inexpensive USB interface without having a dedicated light tech. Currently I switch the light patterns while I'm singing, and use the speed wheel and hit the pattern button again to sync things. I use the master button to bring all lights up at once for emphasis or I switch to scenes to black everything out then go back to patterns. Not the greatest system but it's OK.

With FreeStyler we were hoping to be able to program a song's light sequences and save them, then be able to create a 'playlist' of sequences based on our set list for the show, then trigger a sequence to start using a key on the laptop or a trigger button. But it's beginning to look like that's not really possible as I've worked with the program for a few hours. Can anyone offer some advice on if this is actually possible or is it going to take days of programming and still not be able to really sync this with the show?