Disappointed

[shfr26]

Thompsol,

If it helps, there are times that I sit down to do sequences and can only spend 15-30 minutes at at time before I say enough, other times I can sit here for hours with no problem. If you have your layout of your lights in your head, play the song, with headphones on, close your eyes and think what you want your lights to do. Now go back and start sequencing. You can do it! Do not say "I have to do this in three days", just do it when it feels right, it will come to you.

[jimswinder]

I could not imagine any of us giving ourselves just one week to do sequencing...even for one song.

I have been working on this years display since January. And when I say that, I mean pretty much every night and usually all day, every weekend (and I have 3 day weekends!) And I haven't even BEGUN to sequence (come on Dan...release that new software!!) :cool:

I don't say that to boast, but to help you realize that this "hobby" is very time consuming, especially if you want to do a half way good job and one that you can be proud of.

So, not to sound mean...but if you only have a week to devote to this...don't even start. You'll just get frustrated and end up hating all the things that are good about Christmas...

[PaulXmas]

Only one week to sequence...your first time! Ouch, talk about being under pressure.
It is fun but it takes a LONG long long time.
In one week I could do maybe 2 or 3 songs (am proud if I can have one done in 2 days). But sometimes it will take me months.

I am sure some people are willing to help out.

It is like art.

If everyone on this forum was given the same number of controllers and the same layout, no two sequences would be the same.

Don't give up !

[Guest Don Gillespie]

maybe you can give us some ideas as to what you are trying to do once you have that solved there might be some help out here in the wonderful world of whacky lights, we all get frustrated sometimes and when that happens I just shut down my computer and play golf untill my wife reminds me that there are around 120 days to light up then I panick and wonder do I have enough extension cords and how are the sequences going to look this year, then I think who cares the people come from all over the place because my display is the only display that dances to music, do not panick everything will work out great trust me

[lightzilla]

PaulXmas wrote:

O
In one week I could do maybe 2 or 3 songs (am proud if I can have one done in 2 days). But sometimes it will take me months.

If I convert the 20 days I spend (2 hours per day on the avg.) doing timing marks, I would say that I could get my timing marks done in one 7 day week (6 hours a day).

My timing marks are in-depth. Works for my set up.

I do 1 sequence in a month for the most part, sometimes 1.25 sequences in a month.

Your Speedy Gonzales in sequencing 112 channels.

This year my sequences need to be special since folks across Canada are helping me out with videos, and artist granting me permission for song use, and then wanting videos.

I agree with Jim..............."I think of it as being an artist, and the Sequencing cells are my canvas."

[jeffl]

No need to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of examples out there. I have to have something to start with.

Sequencing can make a display. Too bad I stink at it. I do know how to use Google however so I can find examples to start with.

This isn't college. Copy with pride.

[jem5136]

jeffl wrote:

No need to reinvent the wheel.  There are plenty of examples out there. I have to have something to start with.

Sequencing can make a display.  Too bad I stink at it.  I do know how to use Google however so I can find examples to start with.

This isn't college.  Copy with pride.

True dat! Lol

[Bob Wingert]

Like said above, dont reinvent the wheel if need be. This is my 1st year, musically challenged @ that. I've been working since Jan 3rd - Everyday! ... In being my 1st year, I've taken A LOT of people's sequences and worked them into my own, so they are now my own! They took the time to get the timing down, thats probably the longest most tedious part, IMO.

What I've done is take 1 segment @ a time. IE: I take someone arches, copy & paste that part into mine. Then I watch it and modify it. Most people use 7 or 8 CH arches, I use 6. So I've got to edit them for a 6ch display (no problem). Once that section is up to my standard, I goto the next...so on...so on...It works for me! And now I can call them my own


What ever you do, DONT give up! Its frustrating! I know! ... But when I throw the switch in late Nov, it will all be worth it.... Fingers crossed

[lightzilla]

Using shared sequences is nothing to be ashamed of. If nothing else use the timing marks from a shared sequence and save yourself time.

There may be 100's of sequences on David Foster's "Carol Of The Bells" & like some why make another one that may have at least 1 same effect.

I do new sequences to songs that have not yet been done, or rarely been done..........and a number of folks do not share.

Since you are in a pressure cooker for time go the shared sequence way and touch them up to fit your display.

A thought to consider.

[PaulXmas]

lightzilla wrote:

PaulXmas wrote:

O
In one week I could do maybe 2 or 3 songs (am proud if I can have one done in 2 days). But sometimes it will take me months.

If I convert the 20 days I spend (2 hours per day on the avg.) doing timing marks, I would say that I could get my timing marks done in one 7 day week (6 hours a day).

My timing marks are in-depth. Works for my set up.

I do 1 sequence in a month for the most part, sometimes 1.25 sequences in a month.

Your Speedy Gonzales in sequencing 112 channels.

This year my sequences need to be special since folks across Canada are helping me out with videos, and artist granting me permission for song use, and then wanting videos.

I agree with Jim..............."I think of it as being an artist, and the Sequencing cells are my canvas."

I have gone from 32 channels to 112 but I am not using them anywhere near their full potential. I probably could do any one song with 64 channels but then I would have to move things around for the next. I still have a bunch of other non squencing things to do before fall only 1, 2, 3, ...... geesh only about 4 months before we throw the switch! get busy!

[Brad]

I'm at work and do not have time to read all of the replies, so I don't know if someone suggested this yet. You can get sequences from others and/or lorsequences.com and rearrange them to fit your layout. This will help you out on getting more songs done for the upcoming Christmas, and give you more time to learn for next year.

[Guest wbottomley]

And... links to many sites here that offer them for free: http://www.christmascarolina.com/forums/links/sequences-free-34/

[Guest guest]

thompsol wrote:

You are certainly right that all software takes learning but those programs sort of made sense to me I guess. I was using Pinnacle software, Studio, M-powered tools, etc in a day and had created my first video clip for a choir in an afternoon. I learned desktop editing in a day and had a brochure done in a few hours. This stuff is very different. It's not like anything I've used before. I just can't figure out where I am in song and where to make the breaks for the various lighting functions. I thought this was supposed to be fun but it's really not...at least not yet. "Are we having fun yet?" I welcome any help you can offer.

Hi Thompsol,

This is my FIRST YEAR with LOR too. I had the same mindset you have, this should just be plug and play, right?

Well after some discussions and questions I asked about why does it take so long to program a sequence and now having done a total of 9 Halloween and 6 Christmas songs, both muscial and vocal, this IS DEFINITELY NOT a plug and play area. At first I was getting really frustrated with trying to figure this all out as well and I'm sure there are quite a few folks that can testify to that here too (Right Tim F? LOL).

But what I did was do what many others had recommended, find a short song of about 1 minute or less (my Munsters Theme instrumental is 43 seconds) and try sequencing that, using the visualizer isn't for me, I just could not watch it and do the sequencing, so when I finally got some hardware to play with, added some actual lights and blow molds to the hardware and started sequencing and watching the lights, that helped me get to where I am now. Now I'm still no expert, but I have successfully programmed a lot of songs and still working on more for my 2010 Halloween and Christmas displays, again, this is my first year with everything LOR and it sure beats the heck out of the Mr. Christmas Wireless unit I had used for the last 2 years!



But it takes time and a LOT of time, if you don't have a lot of free/spare time to sequence, like others have stated, you may be better off with using "canned"/"pre-made" sequences for your display.



But nothing and I mean NOTHING beats the great feeling you get when you actually see your own sequence come alive, and even so, after you watch your sequences and listen intently to the music, you'll soon start doing what just about everyone here does that creates their own sequences, and that is go in and tweak them even further. I know I've had to tweak at least 13 of the current 15 songs I've done!

List of songs I've worked on and consider complete (albeit tweaking still pops up, it's inevitable!):

Halloween:

Midnight Syndicate - "The Apparition" and "Shadows"

Judy Pancoast - "Good Times Goose Bumps Motel"

Sorry can't name the artists for the following tunes:

"Munsters TV Theme", "Shake Your Bones", "Wake the Dead", "Witches, Witches, Witches", and "No One Lives Forever"

From Disney: "Grim Grinning Ghosts"

----------------------------------------------

Christmas:

Trans Siberian Orchestra (From their "Lost Christmas Eve CD") - "Christmas Bells, Carousels and Time", "Christmas Jams", "Queen of the Winter Night", "Siberian Sleighride"

Mannheim Steamroller (Whoville Christmas CD) - "Welcome Christmas"

Don't recall the artist (wife has the CD somewhere) - "Where Are You Christmas" and this one was the most challenging to synchronize the Mrs Clause blowmold to appear to be singing the song, once I got that down, went back and tweaked quite a few of my Halloween songs to my blowmold characters.



But it does take time to sequence, it is something that is "extremely time consuming" and I started these back at the end of December 2009, beginning of January 2010 and I still have a LOT of music to get done before Christmas and a few for Halloween that I'd like to use this year.

Good Luck, but a week to be quite honest isn't really enough time to even get one song completed, but depending on the song, and for some, is possible.



Since I'm unemployed currently I have used any spare (prertty much ALL my) spare time to do the sequencing. I know the Munsters theme is only 43 seconds of instrumental music, but I would guess took me at least a week and a half to complete and then quite a few more hours tweaking it. So yes, IT IS EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING!

Good Luck!

[jimswinder]

If you have time to read Orvilles posts...then you have time to sequence...


Sorry Orville...it's the smartass in me.

[Guest guest]

jimswinder wrote:

If you have time to read Orvilles posts...then you have time to sequence...


Sorry Orville...it's the smartass in me.

ROFL! Jim I know how you are. But you know I tend to go off the deep end too, right? Of course you do. ROFLMAO



Well back to work in a bit, just trying to catch up on a few things and locate some more lighted bells I need for my display. I'm about 8 short, got 4, need at least 8, would prefer 12 in all. But no luck in finding anything like them anywhere...yet...but I'm still looking!

[Don In Kenner-LA]

Hi All:

This will be my second year with LOR started with 32 channels this year going to 48. The most difficult part of sequencing is getting the beat right. I use the auto beat detection but it still doesnt find all the beats. First you have to make your channel config this must be done first no exceptions or you will fail from the start use 0.05 timming after you have done the auto beat detection save it to turn on a channel name it beat. next make a diagram of your house and place the lights on it in the animation director so you can see what you are doing. after this export your channel config and save this now can be inported to every song you do. The biggest mistake a novice makes is they try to take a big bite and cant chew it so start small sequence the first 5 channels start by using the play sequence check visual screen only it will play only what is on your monitor not the whole song. You will see the beats that the software found but here is the important part when you push play watch the bar going across the screen it high lights when it hits a beat keep your animation window in the corner small and watch what the effects are doing that you high light. The animation window is probley the most important tool of the software it shows you what your lights are doing . This is all possible just shake off the I cant do it and yes you will make mistakes and you can fix them go to my web site and look at mine I have fixed the timming issues for this year http://christmasinkenner.webs.com/ I promise the sequence you make will make you so proud that it will bring tears to your eyes and you will feel warm inside and you can say I made this. If you need help feel free to pm me I have some 16 and 32 channel sequence I will give you or pm me and we can talk by phone and ill try to talk you through the basics.

Don In Kenner,LA:D

[jeffandnicole]

I've been doing this for about 4 years now, and my biggest problem is that I have too many 'hobbies'...or I just waste too much time on non-important stuff! (We'll just call it my version of ADD and leave it at that!)

It definitely takes a lot of time, and I don't spend a lot of time on it. I think personally that the display looks OK (honestly, kids see flashing lots and that's all they really care about), but I know I could do a better job if I spent the time on it. I'm sure I could save myself some time with the shortcuts people rave about here that I just haven't figured out or mastered.

Having said all of that, understand that it will literally take years to improve your skills. Again - think about the kids. They are going to enjoy see the lights flashing and hear the music, and not really care about how they match up (many adults won't either...heck, many adults won't get that there's music that goes with it...no matter how many signs displaying the radio station you have posted!)

So practice with it, and even if you only sequence two songs, you can use that as your base for next year and the year after.

[rmturner54]

Here is my 2 cents worth of info. I have always decorated outside with lights for xmas, static only. I discovered LOR and there competitors several years ago. I continued to keep up with LOR and their products along with the software the first year. I read a lot on the forums, not much input just reading . You would be amazed at how much info you can find in these forums by just reading. I even downloaded the software and dabbled with it off and on for an entire summer as I had time thru all my other hobbies. I finally decided to take the plunge and the first year I keep it really simple and used the standalone feature with the DC board. No music, just animation the first year because I knew that sync and music was going to be a huge learning curve. My family and my 5 grandkids loved it. Last year I added music, 3 songs and some animation mixed in between. That was plenty to keep me busy.

Take it slow and formulate a plan and stick to it.

[TJ Hvasta]

You're right, making your first one and watching it come alive is breathtaking!

As an example of how it goes.. Under the Sequences sub-topic, Da Vinci Code thread, I did a sequence based on a 4:09 music piece from the end of the movie (Theme) that really struck me when I watched the movie. The music starts slowly, then begins to build at abt the 2minute point.. I used the Beat Wizard to set the timings, then built from there.

Lights slowly fade up/down on each bar, then begin to add to each previous bar until they're all on.. Took me abt 4hrs from start to finish.. I started with 16 channels, then just copied/pasted into the second set of 16, for 32 total, so it was really just 4hrs work for 16channels, but I LOVE the way it turned out. This was my very own, very first, start to finish, sequence. I have used others shared sequences, and changed/massaged them to my yard, but this was my very first one.

This isnt about me or my first, it's about having an idea in mind, then plug in a -short- song to start with, and make your idea come alive. Start small!! You WILL get one done and not be disappointed with it.

TJ

[Jack Stevens]

thompsol wrote:

Last year I was very impressed with your hardware. I simply plugged it in, installed the software, and started playing sequences others has created.

Now I"m trying to program my own sequences and the program is very disappointing. I took a vacation to do this and have nothing done yet.

I have looked at the tutorial video's but they are way too fast. I need a book.

Help!

OK, it's not a book, but a tutorial that helps get the mental images down. It sounds like you're trying to do it all at once, and not breaking it down into sections; I had and still have the same problem.

http://lightoramasequences.com/index.php has a "Sequencing 101" - when I went through it, it was based on the older version of LOR software (S1) but it helped me realize "take it by sections" designate one part of your display to do one part of the song. I've got 9 bushes across the front edge of my yard - http://PittsboroChrstmas.com - I think of those as piano keys. Ok, not an exact correspondence, but it helps me visualize what part of my display I'll work with when a song has a piano sequence in it. I have a large wire frame trumpet-playing angel - that blinks/flashes with any horn sounds (trumpets/trombones/etc.)

Give yourself the time, don't try to overreach what you have the capability to do (that includes the time to do what you want to do, not just technical ability)

And remember, even though you feel like what you've done isn't what you think it should be, anyone watching your display probably wouldn't know that unless you tell them.

Learn to listen to the components of a song, break it down into parts of your display.

Of course, that means you have to plan your display, which can also be quite daunting, until you've done it a couple of times. And allow yourself time to get those sections of your display up - my website picture above shows I didn't get my roof line up, due to rain/nephew's wedding/rain/participating in local Christmas parades/rain.