So, I’ve been into automating the heck everything I can lately, playing the last gig without using any foot controllers whatsoever, which brought me to the issue of controlling lights. However, I don’t want to use a hardware controller or carry any new hardware apart from a MIDI/DMX converter.
Now, I sort of understand how it works in general, I totally understand how to write automation in my DAW, I know which cables to use etc.
But. What I don’t get is how it works in practice. And whether it is possible to run some simulations before connecting to actual hardware.
Let’s say I’m happy to leave a lot of lighting decisions to the house engineer. But want to control several things:
1. Have some spotlight on for a guitar solo (assuming I can physically direct it to a right place prior to the gig). Or focus on the singer, drummer, etc. With some variability depending on house hardware.
2. Have those bright fill flash type thingies in the back flash with kick drum at certain moments.
3. Make the stage dark.
4. Maybe some other basic things I don’t know yet. Strobes?
My understanding is that I can pre-program this and, at the venue, just select the channels to fit the specific setup.
That wouldn’t work for movement though, as I would need to know the coordinates.
Right?
Or maybe I’m missing something?
Does anyone do something similar? Without owning and carrying your own hardware?
Also, can someone point me to some good tutorial on some basic rules and concepts? Most I’ve seen talk a lot about protocols etc., which is the easy part. But I haven’t seen any good ones about how specific lights are called, what they are good for, how to emphasize something with lights - that kind of stuff.
Oh, and what about simulation software?
Now, I sort of understand how it works in general, I totally understand how to write automation in my DAW, I know which cables to use etc.
But. What I don’t get is how it works in practice. And whether it is possible to run some simulations before connecting to actual hardware.
Let’s say I’m happy to leave a lot of lighting decisions to the house engineer. But want to control several things:
1. Have some spotlight on for a guitar solo (assuming I can physically direct it to a right place prior to the gig). Or focus on the singer, drummer, etc. With some variability depending on house hardware.
2. Have those bright fill flash type thingies in the back flash with kick drum at certain moments.
3. Make the stage dark.
4. Maybe some other basic things I don’t know yet. Strobes?
My understanding is that I can pre-program this and, at the venue, just select the channels to fit the specific setup.
That wouldn’t work for movement though, as I would need to know the coordinates.
Right?
Or maybe I’m missing something?
Does anyone do something similar? Without owning and carrying your own hardware?
Also, can someone point me to some good tutorial on some basic rules and concepts? Most I’ve seen talk a lot about protocols etc., which is the easy part. But I haven’t seen any good ones about how specific lights are called, what they are good for, how to emphasize something with lights - that kind of stuff.
Oh, and what about simulation software?