Need some advice on Sequencing this particular music

[Orville]

Okay, here it is, I have been asked to add the Main Street Electrical Parade music to my Christmas light display for 2019.  This is the Walt Disney World ~ Magic Kingdom Version.  Forgot to mention this is the 2010 version!   The request comes from one of the pastors of my church whom also works for Walt Disney World and a few of my neighbors that heard us talking about it, and a couple of them I just find out also work for Walt Disney World and they'd also love to see this done in a Christmas Display setting.

My issue with this is, there is so much going on in this music {I purchased the music like eons ago on Cassette tape} that I'm kind of bewildered at where and how to start sequencing this particular piece of music.  It will also be the LONGEST running music in the display, as the music is almost 16 minutes long, which most songs I edit down to less than 2-3 minutes when possible.   But the request is for the ENTIRE piece to be sequenced, so with this one I'm kind of at a total loss as to how to start it, where or what to start with.

So any suggestions on how to accomplish this would be greatly appreciated, and if you have happened to sequence this full version of the Magic Kingdom Main Street Electrical Parade, if you wouldn't mind sharing it, you can send it to magicjack2272@hotmail.com  BTW: It doesn't matter how many channels it is, but would like to have smart RGB lights sequenced, if possible, within the sequence.

Now I'm not sure just what props or items I'll have in my 2019 display, as I'll be adding some new items to replace worn out ones that were retired and scrapped {light strands salvaged} to the trash heap.   But I do have 5 RGB Smart Pixel controllers controlling 4 strands of C7/C9{?} CCB's and 6 strands of CCP Bullet nodes.  Total of 10 strands of smart RGB lighting.

Everything else will be controlled via Gen 2 CTB16PC Controllers {3 of them outside and 1 for interior lighting, total of 4 CTB16PC's}.

Thanks for any guidance, help or sequences, as this one has me completely stumped on where, or how, to start sequencing it due to all the variations of sounds and music.  This is the first time I've ever encountered listening to a music file and am quite lost on how to start setting it up and getting it sequenced! LOL

p.s. the only thing I hope this particular sequence doesn't do is bring a ton of unwanted attention to my display, especially where I live with the streets being so narrow.   But I told them I'd see what I can do, so I'll try, but I definitely need a little guidance on getting this one done and sequenced nicely.

 

Edited January 28, 2019 by Orville

[caniac]

Lots of caffeine is all I got.  Long pieces with multiple tempo changes are brutal no matter what sequencing software you use.

[Santas Helper]

There are a few videos online of folks doing a shorter version of that song for their Christmas light show. Maybe it will give you ideas.

Just google  "Main Street Electrical Parade light show".

Edited January 28, 2019 by Santas Helper

[gsmith37064]

2 hours ago, Orville said:

Okay, here it is, I have been asked to add the Main Street Electrical Parade music to my Christmas light display for 2019.  This is the Walt Disney World ~ Magic Kingdom Version.  Forgot to mention this is the 2010 version!   The request comes from one of the pastors of my church whom also works for Walt Disney World and a few of my neighbors that heard us talking about it, and a couple of them I just find out also work for Walt Disney World and they'd also love to see this done in a Christmas Display setting.

My issue with this is, there is so much going on in this music {I purchased the music like eons ago on Cassette tape} that I'm kind of bewildered at where and how to start sequencing this particular piece of music.  It will also be the LONGEST running music in the display, as the music is almost 16 minutes long, which most songs I edit down to less than 2-3 minutes when possible.   But the request is for the ENTIRE piece to be sequenced, so with this one I'm kind of at a total loss as to how to start it, where or what to start with.

So any suggestions on how to accomplish this would be greatly appreciated, and if you have happened to sequence this full version of the Magic Kingdom Main Street Electrical Parade, if you wouldn't mind sharing it, you can send it to magicjack2272@hotmail.com  BTW: It doesn't matter how many channels it is, but would like to have smart RGB lights sequenced, if possible, within the sequence.

Now I'm not sure just what props or items I'll have in my 2019 display, as I'll be adding some new items to replace worn out ones that were retired and scrapped {light strands salvaged} to the trash heap.   But I do have 5 RGB Smart Pixel controllers controlling 4 strands of C7/C9{?} CCB's and 6 strands of CCP Bullet nodes.  Total of 10 strands of smart RGB lighting.

Everything else will be controlled via Gen 2 CTB16PC Controllers {3 of them outside and 1 for interior lighting, total of 4 CTB16PC's}.

Thanks for any guidance, help or sequences, as this one has me completely stumped on where, or how, to start sequencing it due to all the variations of sounds and music.  This is the first time I've ever encountered listening to a music file and am quite lost on how to start setting it up and getting it sequenced! LOL

p.s. the only thing I hope this particular sequence doesn't do is bring a ton of unwanted attention to my display, especially where I live with the streets being so narrow.   But I told them I'd see what I can do, so I'll try, but I definitely need a little guidance on getting this one done and sequenced nicely.

 

Like this? This one is 10 mins long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQHVUmuYoY&list=PLIYxFlyjjow-L8kRH8qwP4gncA-KSxYOt&index=81&t=0s

Keep in mind that its ALL RGB dumb and smart nodes. Even the singing trees. No normal LEDS here.

 

Edited January 28, 2019 by gsmith37064

[mpageler]

Kieeping in mind all of your "guest" and not just a few, I would keep it shorter.   Don't want tyo drvie3 guest away that may not appreciate 15 solid minutes of the same song/theme.

[Orville]

5 hours ago, gsmith37064 said:

Like this? This one is 10 mins long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQHVUmuYoY&list=PLIYxFlyjjow-L8kRH8qwP4gncA-KSxYOt&index=81&t=0s

Keep in mind that its ALL RGB dumb and smart nodes. Even the singing trees. No normal LEDS here.

 

That's pretty cool.   I don't have anything like the props you have though.  Just 2 straight-line roof lines of C7/9  Smart LOR CCB's{4 strands total} and 6 strands of bullet nodes smart RGB CCP's that follow the contour of my handicap ramp.  Nothing anywhere as elaborate as in your video.  Really liked the matrix with the pictures, that was a really nice touch.   I'm nowhere even near that stage with this stuff yet.

Hoping to add, if funds will permit, at least one LOR Singing Tree this year {the lady tree will be our first pick}.

But your video did help with trying to figure out what to do with the RGB lighting.   The real trick is going to be the items on the CTB16PC controllers that are all pretty much incandescent, such as my blow molds, arches, 3 bells, 5 Candy Canes and wall mounted decor, Snoopy and a Merry Christmas sign and then some new items should be added this year to that, this hopefully will be 4 Angels, A Cross and a new larger Snowman, these may be L.E.D. or incandescent, depends on what I find, so the new items could be either, but would still be controlled by my CTB16PC Gen 2 Controllers.

Wish I had the talent, time and funds to build some of those props you have, they are really cool.  But I gave up building anything from scratch a long time ago for my display, I can't cut a straight line to save my life, and so that's why I always buy only fully assembled or pre-made items with perhaps a little assembly {like putting in screws or nuts} for my display.  That and my severe vision issues really don't help with building anything at this stage, I do well to sometimes get a song sequenced, as it takes me longer than most folks here because of the vision and hearing issues, but I somehow always seem to manage and get it done.   But this one kind of threw me a curve. LOL

 

But as for building anything, for me, definitely out of the question.

So my display isn't very large, it's rather small actually.

[Orville]

1 hour ago, mpageler said:

Kieeping in mind all of your "guest" and not just a few, I would keep it shorter.   Don't want tyo drvie3 guest away that may not appreciate 15 solid minutes of the same song/theme.

I agree, but the folks requesting this want the full version.   And the music and sounds vary throughout the entire piece change, so even editing this one down, for me, would still be a bit difficult on trying to figure out what to cut and what to leave in.

This one has really threw me a curve ball on trying to figure this one out and what to do with it!

Edited January 28, 2019 by Orville

[Orville]

6 hours ago, Santas Helper said:

There are a few videos online of folks doing a shorter version of that song for their Christmas light show. Maybe it will give you ideas.

Just google  "Main Street Electrical Parade light show".

Thanks, I've watched some of them, but I'm still trying to figure out just what to do with this, they do give me some ideas, but most aren't small displays like mine and most use some DIY props they've built for their display.   Unfortunately that's now beyond my abilities.

So this one is becoming the biggest challenge I've encountered in sequencing some music for my display.   Hopefully I'll figure something out and it'll work out for what I have in my display and look good, just not sure I'm going to be able to make this one look really awesome due to it's length.

I'd prefer to shave it down, but the request is for the full version.  So I'm trying to do a full version of the song, but I'm struggling to edit the music down to a smaller version, just very difficult to know what to cut and what to leave in the music.   I'd like to actually cut it down to around possibly 4 minutes maximum for the music.   Hopefully I'll just keep listening to it as I can, and figure out what to hack and what to leave intact! LOL

I do have to say this is the "most difficult music" Ive ever worked on.   I thought it'd be easy than this, I didn't know what I got myself in for with this one!🤣

Edited January 28, 2019 by Orville

[Orville]

7 hours ago, caniac said:

Lots of caffeine is all I got.  Long pieces with multiple tempo changes are brutal no matter what sequencing software you use.

Yea, my coffee pot is full whenever I start working on this one, and I still haven't got more than an empty sequence with no lighting commands in it yet.   Started this about a week ago, and just couldn't seem to get anywhere, hence the request.   I think I got myself into more than I bargained for on this one, but like every other song or piece of music I've sequenced, eventually {HOPEFULLY!} I'll figure something out and it'll look good, may not be great or awesome, but I'll give it my best and see how it comes out.

But it's proving to be quite the challenge and the "hardest" music I've ever sequenced.

Just have to see how it goes and hope I can really pull this one off.   Although I'd prefer to cut it down to 4 minutes maximum or less, but the request is for the full version, but I'm still struggling with making a smaller version to try later, the struggle is in what to cut out and what to leave intact.  Like said, this is the "hardest music" I've ever worked on.    But even so, I enjoy a challenge, and this one is definitely challenging me!🤣🤣🤣

[k6ccc]

53 minutes ago, Orville said:

I agree, but the folks requesting this want the full version.   And the music and sounds vary throughout the entire piece change, so even editing this one down, for me, would still be a bit difficult on trying to figure out what to cut and what to leave in.

This one has really threw me a curve ball on trying to figure this one out and what to do with it!

I think my first response to the request would be something like:  "Yes, I can do that, but it is going to take me 300 - 500 hours of my time.  How badly do you want that?"  And in reality, that would likely be a low estimate.  My guess is that they have absolutely no idea how long it would take you to accomplish.

 

[Orville]

1 minute ago, k6ccc said:

I think my first response to the request would be something like:  "Yes, I can do that, but it is going to take me 300 - 500 hours of my time.  How badly do you want that?"  And in reality, that would likely be a low estimate.  My guess is that they have absolutely no idea how long it would take you to accomplish.

 

Yes, but I hadn't really listened to this music in quite some time, so from what I remembered of how it sounded and watching the parade, I thought, shouldn't be too hard, right?  WRONG!  Turned out to be a little more difficult and a lot more challenging.

 

But I'll work on it as I can, if I don't get it in, all I can tell them is, hey, you all wanted the full version of the song, that's going to take me a LOT longer to get done as I have other songs already in the works I was working on for my 2019 Christmas Display.  I can show you what I've accomplished, but it may be 2020 or even 2021 before you see a completed full version of this musical piece.  

Now if you folks have an edited down version somewhere you want me to do, say, like 3-4 minutes in length, it will probably make it into the show for 2019, but the full version, I'm not so sure you're going to get that in this years Christmas show!

If I do get the full version done for this year, I think even I'll be surprised I accomplished that!

[caniac]

19 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

I think my first response to the request would be something like:  "Yes, I can do that, but it is going to take me 300 - 500 hours of my time.  How badly do you want that?"  And in reality, that would likely be a low estimate.  My guess is that they have absolutely no idea how long it would take you to accomplish.

 

I would agree.  A lot of folks really don't understand the amount of time that goes into doing this stuff.

[gsmith37064]

13 minutes ago, Orville said:

Yes, but I hadn't really listened to this music in quite some time, so from what I remembered of how it sounded and watching the parade, I thought, shouldn't be too hard, right?  WRONG!  Turned out to be a little more difficult and a lot more challenging.

 

But I'll work on it as I can, if I don't get it in, all I can tell them is, hey, you all wanted the full version of the song, that's going to take me a LOT longer to get done as I have other songs already in the works I was working on for my 2019 Christmas Display.  I can show you what I've accomplished, but it may be 2020 or even 2021 before you see a completed full version of this musical piece.  

Now if you folks have an edited down version somewhere you want me to do, say, like 3-4 minutes in length, it will probably make it into the show for 2019, but the full version, I'm not so sure you're going to get that in this years Christmas show!

If I do get the full version done for this year, I think even I'll be surprised I accomplished that!

And I thought my 10 min version was long as It took me a couple of months to do it. I was going to use it for New Years and ended up taking my show down. So no one got to enjoy it.

I really can't imagine doing a 16 min version. That's almost a whole show right there.

[Orville]

3 hours ago, gsmith37064 said:

And I thought my 10 min version was long as It took me a couple of months to do it. I was going to use it for New Years and ended up taking my show down. So no one got to enjoy it.

I really can't imagine doing a 16 min version. That's almost a whole show right there.

My show usually consists of over 40+ songs. {When I did Halloween shows, there were always from 50-60 songs for Halloween.}  My Christmas show usually runs about 2 hours or just a little longer for all songs.  This past year the show was 30 songs and ran just slightly over 1 hour.   I didn't have all the songs done for this year, so it wasn't as long as it usually would run.

And before you ask, why a 2 hour show?  It's because having a longer show makes it easier on my neighbors not hearing the same 4 or 5 songs over and over again in a short amount of time.  I also use the SHUFFLE option so the songs are played randomly and therefore differently each show, so it's not as repetitious as the same songs back to back each time.   Just breaks up the monotony and the same repetition of the music that way.

This year is going to be a little different as I will be having a Spanish only Christmas themed music nights, English only versions on a couple other nights and a night or 2 of both English and Spanish songs together.   The mixed night shows will be the longest running ones for this year.   At least that's the plan for my 2019 Christmas Display.

[dibblejr]

11 hours ago, gsmith37064 said:

Like this? This one is 10 mins long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQHVUmuYoY&list=PLIYxFlyjjow-L8kRH8qwP4gncA-KSxYOt&index=81&t=0s

Keep in mind that its ALL RGB dumb and smart nodes. Even the singing trees. No normal LEDS here.

 

I did the faces but I don’t think Orville has faces.

We do have the rest of the sequence that James did.

JR

Edited January 29, 2019 by dibblejr

[gsmith37064]

56 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

I did the faces but I don’t think Orville has faces.

We do have the rest of the sequence that James did.

JR

I don't think James did the conversion of mine on this one.

[Orville]

9 hours ago, dibblejr said:

I did the faces but I don’t think Orville has faces.

We do have the rest of the sequence that James did.

JR

Nope, not yet.  Hoping to add at least one of the LOR Singing Christmas Trees {the lady tree is our first pick} to the Christmas Display if funds allow.  So I'll have one if I can swing it. 

Got a few other things to buy for the display as well to replace old, outdated and worn out stuff.  But the LOR Singing Tree will be the only face in the display for 2019, again, if funds allow for it.  Working on saving back for it now.  Had a little saved for it, but when both the wife and I got hit with a combo of pneumonia and the flu, there went a little chunk of that money for medical bills and the prescriptions needed to fight it.  Both of us had at least 5-6 Rx each to take for that mess.   So there went a little bit of my 2019 savings for Christmas decor for this year.