Support Forum

Hi everyone,

This is my first post in the forum. I've been getting quite frustrated because I thought that I had finally found a way that I would be able to trigger lights in a highly controlled manner, with rapid specifics automated via computation (i.e. quick beats flash synchronised between colours red and blue - before the chorus where a slow white fade could occur). The context will almost always be with some synchronization to sound/music.

I have a background in video editing / motion graphics, and have a comfortable usage the 'SoundKeys' plugin from TrapCode from Adobe After Effects. This is used in order to choose sections of audio frequencies to create keyframes that I would be able to apply in other contexts (e.g. the position of a video layer could move to the bass drum). I was hoping I could apply similar concepts into a lighting setup.

I have bought a uDMX cable (USB to DMX), and a cheap 7-channel DMX par light [for testing purposes].

These channels on this Par Light are as follows:
1 rgb dimmer (intensity)
2 r red
3 g green
4 b blue
5 h dimming from bright to dark??? (the manual is not clear - I have never noticed any effect)
6 function choice**
7 speed (corresponds w 6)
**0-50 strobeflash, light-dimmer
51-100 jump change
101-150 gradient change
151-200 pulse change
201-255 voice change

What I am looking to achieve is:
Ch1 - Remain static. Full brightness.
Ch2 - be affected by the lower frequencies in the music (hopefully as a slider of 0-255 value rather than simple on-off trigger)
All other channels can remain off for now, but I would like to apply this concept onto other channels based on other frequencies.

Of course, I aim to change the lights to how the song progresses, rather than just have flashing lights for a whole song (or I would have just turned it onto the sound mode and be satisfied). I want to be able to record this sequence so that it could be played without my intervention, and I could layer these concepts and extend into other songs, add more lights (inc. lasers, moving heads) etc.

How would I achieve this? I don't understand why I should have to buy any more hardware when I have a powerful PC directly connected to the light.

I have tried the Sound 2 Light plug-in within FreeStyler, but I am frustrated that I haven't seen anything that clearly states where I can actually direct what the triggers... trigger. Where do I input that I want these measurements to affect numbers 0-255 in ch2?

I have additionally tried to use Q Light Controller +; but similarly all I've found is inputs for OSC or MIDI - but I want to use portions of the audio wave; not an external controller or instrument. I have even exported keyframes from SoundKeys, converted this information into 0-255 values with a corresponding timecode. However, the software could not transmit this data to the light at the speed I wanted to control.

I'm very new to this, but very keen.

PLEASE help me. This is a passion project I've wanted to get involved in for a long time.

Thank you in advance
Rhys

You do not NEED any more equipment (controller not needed but sometimes desired). You are trying to get in depth programming out of the simplest and most basic feature of the software.
In order to get the results you are wanting you will have to build sequences that do exactly what you are wanting to happen THEN have them triggered by the S2L module. The S2L module has a slider that determines what frequency the module reacts to and there are also buttons to determine how many beats it takes to trigger. You can then stack the sequences and run them in various ways with different modules of the software. Which way to run the software will be determined by what is most comfortable for you. There is no right or wrong way, only the way YOU prefer.
If you are wanting a simpler way to create a diverse show I would suggest using the DMX400 module. It is very powerful and can create very diverse shows with little setup.

Rusty

Thank you for your post.

I am essentially just wondering if there is any way that I can have frequencies of the audio act as values of 0-255 for a single channel (based on volume).

I take it this is not possible in FreeStyler?

that is not an available feature.

rhysie21 wrote: 09 Mar 2019, 04:02 Thank you for your post.

I am essentially just wondering if there is any way that I can have frequencies of the audio act as values of 0-255 for a single channel (based on volume).

I take it this is not possible in FreeStyler?

No.
Although S2L internally has all kinds of different states and values (including frequencies and volumes), the communication between S2L and FreeStyler is based upon a simple trigger. Meaning: S2L can tell FreeStyler: next sequence step. Or flash this button. Thats it, and that happens when S2L detects a beat in the music.