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Sequencing Tips, Tricks and Secrets


George Simmons

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  • 3 weeks later...

RAMPS ARE YOUR FRIEND!!!

I had a show that was doing funky things in places, where channels would suddenly start flickering for no reason. I was tearing my hair out trying to figure out why.

After eliminating every possible hardware cause, I decided to take another look at the sequence itself. What I discovered was that the problem channels had somehow gotten set to a background value of 1%. So they would play like the were supposed to, but when they were then meant to turn off they would start flickering instead. Apparently the controllers have trouble holding a low level intensity like that -- especially when other stuff is going on across multiple controllers and channels.

The reason I couldn't see it in the sequencer was that I was using gradients rather than ramps to display intensities -- and the problem with gradients is that at low intensity they're too faint to make out against the background color.

I still wouldn't have spotted this issue if I'd been using ramps from the start because at only 1% the cell has to be almost maxed in height for it to be seen. But zooming in with ramps turned on made it very easy for me to see where I was at for fixing the problem throughout the sequence. Without ramps I would have had to mouse over every single cell to make sure it was truly off.

The bottom line is that while gradients may look prettier in the editor, you're going to have a really tough time seeing where any fade starts and finishes. Ramps avoid this issue. Once I learned that, I got my head around using ramps all the time and it has made life a lot nicer.

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bob wrote:

David Rise wrote:
I'm sure this answer is out there somewhere.

I have the standard edition software. It supports 4 tracks.

I was thinking that I would run 2 different shows (2 shows, 4 tracks per show) every night or maybe create 2 shows and alternate nights?

I'm not sure, but maybe you're thinking that "tracks" means something like "songs"? If so, in this context, it does not. 

You can put as many songs (i.e. "sequences") into a show as you want, and you can have as many shows as you want.

A track (in this context) is a certain way of grouping channels within a sequence.  When it says that the Standard license supports four tracks, it means up to four of these per sequence.  And, to be clear, there is almost never an actual need to use multiple tracks in a sequence; they may be convenient in certain ways, but there's very little that you actually need a second track in order to accomplish.

Here are help file pages on tracks, sequences, and shows:

http://www.lightorama.com/help/index.html?tracks.htm

http://www.lightorama.com/help/index.html?sequences.htm

http://www.lightorama.com/help/index.html?what_is_a_show.htm


I have actually found tracks very useful due to the fact that each track can have different timings. This is especially true now that Superstar is here.

Thanks to tracks I was able to easily add two CCR's to my sequence. I had already sequenced everything else and just needed to add the CCR's. I did those using Superstar and exported to S3. When I opened the file in S3 I selected a row and copied the timings. Then in my master sequence I created a new track with no timings and pasted the new ones. I then added the controllers and copied the channels themselves.

Doing this meant that the regular channels in my show retained the exact timings that worked best for sequencing that stuff. Meanwhile, the CCR's were able to have the more dense timings that worked best for that part of the show.
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I've seen an RGB row on a sequence before. How do you get that line on your sequence, can it be run off a standard controller, and, heres the duh one, it takes three channels to do, rigbt? Was thinking of adding some diffrent color fade effects, using three strands of leds m6's or equivilent.

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I keep forgetting about this thread, glad someone posted to it to remind me. Every year I need to remind myself of the Paste from Foreground! Thanks.

With hundreds of channels I use spacers between my vignettes. It helps with viewing the sequene channels so things don't run together, I can find things faster, and every year when I have to adjust my template with new channels, it helps with aligning and validating the new template. Plus those spacers as has been pointed out, allows you to place timing marks in them.

Also with hundreds of channels, track 1 become easier to align timing top to bottom using the key-in ALT-e-s-c for selecting the columns to highlight.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I must realy be a newbie. I'm more lose now than before I read this post. I must do it all the hard way. I manually click on each timing mark I want lights to come on. Sure wish they had a school or someone close by in Louisiana I could learn from. This is my second year. Last year I had 16 channels and everyone love the show. This year I have 96 channels. Will let you know how it goes.

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papap wrote:

I must realy be a newbie. I'm more lose now than before I read this post. I must do it all the hard way. I manually click on each timing mark I want lights to come on. Sure wish they had a school or someone close by in Louisiana I could learn from. This is my second year. Last year I had 16 channels and everyone love the show. This year I have 96 channels. Will let you know how it goes.


Wow! Thats a jump! I'm still learning. Barely even scratched the surface. Fortunately when I run into trouble, one of the guys from here is my friend and right down the street. Good luck, and hope everything works out. Post a video when your done!:D
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Dave Boros wrote:

I've seen an RGB row on a sequence before. How do you get that line on your sequence,

First, you make sure a red, green, and blue channel are together, in 3 rows in that order. That is, if you have 2 red, 2 blue, and 2 green in that order, you have to move them around. Then you right-click on the first (red) channel, and select "Convert to RGB Channel".

can it be run off a standard controller,

Yes, with a caveat: Unless the red, blue, and green bulbs are really close to one another, or the strings are really far away, then the colors won't blend like a real RGB bulb. For example, if you make the RGB channel yellow, you will actually see red and green lights on. If you make it white, you'll see red, green, and blue. That may not be a big deal, and some of us deal with it by adding a fourth channel of white lights.

and, heres the duh one, it takes three channels to do, rigbt?

Correct. The channels don't have to be sequential on the controller, they don't even have to be on the same controller, they just have to be together in the sequence editor.

Was thinking of adding some diffrent color fade effects, using three strands of leds m6's or equivilent.

I do that. While it has a different feel than a real RGB, it still looks good in a sequence.
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The group feature of S3 helps to unclutter your sequences. By grouping your channels, i.e. mega tree, mini trees, house lights , etc; you can open that group and be closer to your timing grid to see exactly where the next action should be placed. instead of having a hundred channels open all the time you might only have a dozen, so no scrolling up or down.

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I found a quick way to copy a CCR sequence after I finish a sequence in the Superstar Sequencer and export it. In the Superstar sequence, drag the mouse down the first column of the CCR sequence from red 1 to blue 50, then right click in the highlighted box and click "select row", then "copy". Open your new CCR sequence and right click on the CCRs red 1 first column box and click "paste". This moves the complete CCR sequence in very few strokes.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I'm new to all this madness as well. I just downloaded the trial version a couple of days ago and I'm working on "something". By something I mean I've got a song in the sequence editor and just finished putting the main beats in. The problem I haven't figured out yet is how to make the beat fade. The song fades out at the end and I want the lights to fade as well. Any suggestions? I know everybody's very busy getting things together for the upcoming holiday, but any info would be greatly appreciated.

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Pernicious Angel wrote:

I'm new to all this madness as well. I just downloaded the trial version a couple of days ago and I'm working on "something". By something I mean I've got a song in the sequence editor and just finished putting the main beats in. The problem I haven't figured out yet is how to make the beat fade. The song fades out at the end and I want the lights to fade as well. Any suggestions? I know everybody's very busy getting things together for the upcoming holiday, but any info would be greatly appreciated.


There are a couple ways. Easiest is to click on the fade tool (the toolbar at the top of your screen, looks like a ramp going down, hover over it and it'll say what they are). Then on your grid pick your channel(s) (can do multiple at once if they are "stacked in order on top of each other), click on the spot you want to start (hold the button down) and drag to where you want to stop. If your fade setting is like 100 down to 0, grag a little past your end point. Or you can change the fade intensities. Click on tools, scroll down about 2/3-3/4 of the way down and you should see fade tool settings (or intensities) click on it and it will open a box of preset fades. If you want, you can edit the settings by clicking the edit button and changing the numbers to what you want...ie 32-78%, or 30-80. Whatever you want to set it at and click the apply button (dont remember if it says accept, apply). Dont forget after you are done using the fade tool to change back to whatever. Hope this helps. You can do the same with intensities in the tool bar. If you want ten boxes set at 60%, you can goto the toolbar and set the intensity the same way (except click on the set intensity, not fade). If you aren't already, you might want to use the view fades and such as ramps instead of fades. My opinion, its easier to see your fades and such.
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Pernicious Angel wrote:

Thanks Dave :P I'll probably get back to working on it after Thanksgiving. Lots of cooking to do over the next couple of days. Happy Thanksgiving!


No problem. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!
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  • 6 months later...

shfr26 wrote:

Gman, 10 posts, member for almost two weeks, and you seem to know more than the "old timers".  I would think a new member would take the knowledge of the old timers and run with it, not try to run them in the ground. I have seen what some of these people do and wish I was that good. George, William, John, just to name a few.  Not saying you are wrong, but I would trust them over a members with 10 posts and most of them in one thread.  How about instead of bashing them, try what they said and see if it is better than your way???  You may be surprised!! Not a good way to start your membership in this forum.


Read my stuff again. I never said that I knew more than you. I simply posted my tricks I found useful and then some jerk decides to rip apart my post. If you don't find it useful don't do it. But don't sit here and tell me you're not bullying me because you are.
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wbottomley wrote:

Welcome back Dan.

Do you have any plans to change or add a few extra tools to the sequencer in the next release?

We will be adding some new stuff to the software later this year.

Dan

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  • 4 months later...

wow...by reading this I can see how lost and behind everyone else that I really am....who knew there was so much to it all. Ive finally got the basic ideas yesterday. I guess I just need to buy the programs and spend the next 10 months learning. Thanks

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