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LOR2: What should a newbie use for timing?


geogecko

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I have roughly 90 channels for 2008 that I'm trying to sequence. I have configured all elements of the show within tracks, for instance:

Track 1: Misc Lighting (such as FM sign, vandal flood lights, etc.)
Track 2: Mini Trees White
Track 3: Mini Trees Red/Green
Track 4: Arches
Track 5: Star
Track 6: Snow Flakes

Etc.

Some how, all the tracks have ended up with one big division, the entire length of the song. It appears, there is no way to insert fixed timing, such as 1/10 unless you do it when you create the track, am I wrong?

At this point, should I even use fixed timing? Is that like, so last year? I will be using LOR2, which I already have installed.

Should I just try using the beat wizard? Do you all think it's reliable? What about for events that aren't naturally in sync with the beat, such as guitar licks and what not? Should I just use a timing that is like 4x the beat for that?

So confused! :shock:

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Geogecko:

I am not really sure I understand your question, but I will share with you how I do mine. Keep in mind, this is a learning process and you WILL find ways to make your sequencing easier. 2007 was my first year as well and I think mine turned out pretty well.


  1. First and foremost, you have to know what your display willlook like and how it will be set up. Before your first sequence, make a sketch of your display on paper. Even if you think you know it well, it is easy to forget items.
  2. Now you are ready to set up your first sequence. For fast songs you will want to use a smaller timing such as 0.02 or 0.05. Some people use 0.10 which is the default but Ifind that it is harder to sync with wider spacing. Istick with .02 for fast and .05 for slower songs.
  3. Now you have to configure your channels. If you have items like a mega tree or other large groups of lights, keep thos separate from other isolated items like reindeer, bushes etc. Keep them either at the top or bottom. This will make it easier to sync the isolated items.
  4. When you set up for isolated items use your sketch to set them up in order. For example, in my yard I have two rows of reindeer...6 does and 6 bucks. Channels 1-8 are the does because they are at the very back. The 6 bucks are farther down because they are at the very front. Use the channels in between for the other isolated items in between.
  5. You will have to figure out where to place them based on what you want to do. Over all I have 12 bucks but I don't put them all together in the channel configuration because during things like sweeps, and chases I want to be able to go in order of what is in the yard, not how many I have.
  6. Once you get your channels configured, now you need an animation set up. When you open the animation wizard you will notice a grid. You make this bigger by entering up to 100 x 100 in the size area. Begin drawing in your items one at a time. You can see that on mine (CLICK HERE) I do an outline of the house to makie it easier. Create a dead channel at the bottom and call it "outline" and for every sequence it is on for the lenght of the song.
  7. Once your animation is complete you are ready to sequence. I create dead channels throughout the sequence so that I can see the "beat" no matter where I scroll to. Go to tools and click on "tapper wizard". Enter the info needed and then tap out the beat throughout the song. Once I am done with that I go back and get and average of spacing or timing in between beats, like 5, 6 10 blocks. I then spread the beat marks EVENLY over the entire song. This makes it easier to copy and paste.
  8. You can also use the tapper wizard to set up other events in the song. Here is where your imagination comes into play.


These basics will help you get started. If you have any questions at all I am sure everyone here will jump in and help. Feel free to "pm" me or send me an email(preferred). I will help as much as I can.

Good Luck,

Neil M

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Exactly what I was looking for, thanks Neil.

Have a couple of other questions though. You say to use the tapper wizard. For some reason, while setting up my channels (across multiple tracks), somehow, I have one timing bar on a lot of the tracks (meaning, I can only program one bar across the entire song). I'm not sure how that happened.

I do not see a way to put a fixed number of divisions, as you say, 0.05 seconds, all throughout the song. Is there something I am missing? If I do the tapper wizard, all I get are spacings that are where I tapped (so one every beat), so I don't get multiple blocks per beat, like I normally see.

I have multiple blocks with fixed timing on some tracks, but others show just one big block, and I'm not sure why.

Looks like you are using a really nice monitor to do your work on. I have a Westinghouse 1680x1050 monitor that is just sitting across from me, not being used...guess I should hook that bad boy up to get some nice widescreen animation going...

Nice display it looks like you have there too. It's amazing the number of elements you have, must be 200+ channels, huh?

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My display is 128 channels. Going to 192 (hopefully) for 2008.

To set a fixed timing do the following.

Cick File > new > musical sequence

It will ask you to pick the mp3 or wav file you want to use.

Once that is done another box appears

In the dialog box that opens fill in whatever you want at the top (name, artist, etc)

Enter the # of channels. (You can add more if you need to)

In the middle leave "use the lenght of the audio file" checked

At the bottom select "some other value"

Enter the timing you want (i.e 0.05 seconds, 0.02 seconds, 0.10 seconds) etc.

I dont select "save as default" or "don't ask me again" since I like to change as I go. Some songs I use 0.02 and some I use 0.05

Click OK and your sequence editing screen opens.

If you have already set up your channel configuration click:

edit > import channel configuration

If you have already created an animation it will ask you if you want to import that as well, click yes

If you have not set up you channel configuration, you should do it now. Start with the first channel and right click it

Now, I set up my controllers FIRST before naming them or selecting a color.

Select "change channel settings" it will ask you for the type of controller you are using. Select Light O Rama. It will then ask you if it is a 6, 8 or 16 channel controller. Pick what you have and make sure you name it "Unit 01". It should automatically assign 01-2, 01-3, 01-4 etc to the remaining channels.

Now go to CHANNEL 17 and do the same thing only use Unit 02.

Once you get all your channels assigned you can begin naming and picking colors for your animation on sequence editor.

DO the same as above only don't change the unit ID only add a name (roof lights 1) and a color.

DO that for every channel.

Now click on the animation icon..it looks like a little film clip. It should be the 10th button from the left in the upper menu.

Select "DRAW" and use the drop down menu at the top of the new screen to begin drawing in your channels. You cane make it bigger by increasing the size in the upper right, but you are limited to 100 x 100 sqaures.

One at a time begin drawing in your channels, I jst use dots and bars, don't get too detailed or you will run out of room. ON MY WEBSITE CLICK ON "SAMPLE VIDEOS" to see my animations.

Once you have all your lights drawn click "SAVE" and close the animation. Click "edit" and then "Export Channel Configuration" and save it under a name you will know. I use dates because sometimes I change it and I can always find the latest one.

Now create a dead channel at the VERY TOP. click the first channel and select "insert channel above". DO NOT assign it a controller number, leave that blank. Give it a color that you are NOT using and name it "BEAT TRACK".

Now click tools > tapper wizard

Select the SECOND one from the top "make a channel briefly turn on and off when a tap occurs"

Select "mouse tap up and down counts as one tap" (NOTE YOU CAN USE THE KEYBOARD AS WELL) I use the keyboard but you may prefer to use the mouse. Just make sure you pick the single tap option.

Click start and you will get a 5 second countdown. WHen the song starts playing begin to tap your way through with the beat. I highly recommend listening to the song several times before starting a sequence to familiarize your self with it. That way you know what is coming up.

When the song is over it will ask you if you want to apply the taps to the sequence. If you are happy with what you have select yes. Or select no and start over.

Once that is doneit will ask you waht channel to apply the taps to. If your "BEAT TRACK" (dead) channel is not the first one, scroll to it.

MAKE SURE you select the SAME TIMING that you selected for the song itself. If you used 0.05 then type in 0.05.

NOw your beats will show up on the beat track channel. I would go through and get and average spacing at this point. Like every 8th block on average there is a tap. Go to the first tap, then count over 8 if there is not a mark there, put one there and delete if there is on at 7 or 9. Now use the select button to select those first two channels. Right click and select copy. Then go to the first bloack past the second mark select it and right click. Select paste mulitple. IN the box that comes up check the box that says "all the way to the end" and click okay.

Now you have a mark at EVERY 8 block interval. This will make it easier to copy and paste events that correspond to the beat.

Now you are ready to sequence.

Below I have copied some of your concerns in BOLD and explained what I think the problem is in regular type.


[line]


I have multiple blocks with fixed timing on some tracks, but others show just one big block, and I'm not sure why.

You probably didn't select either "make a channel briefly turn on and off" and/or you did not apply the same timing to the taps as you did the song.

I do not see a way to put a fixed number of divisions, as you say, 0.05 seconds, all throughout the song. Is there something I am missing?

See instructions above for setting a fixed time for each block


[line]


NOTE: LOR's website has an EXCELLENT flash tutorial on how to do everything I explained above. I highly recommend watching it.

http://www.lightorama.com/support.html

Click where it says flash tutorial. It will walk you through using the same screen you have for the LOR software.

Neil M

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