Editing Downloaded Sequences

[jim6918]

Can some helpful sole point me toward any threads having to do with editing other LORers downloaded sequences? I have searched at great length but the search terms "edit" and "sequences" return too few hits.

I always try to search first before asking a newbie question, but not much luck.

Any hot pointers? I don't want to reinvent the wheel here and there any a fair number of sequences already out there for the songs I want to use. I have already created a channel configuration and animation of my channels, and exported it. Surely it can't be so easy as importing my configuration to a downloaded sequence and adding or deleting channels? Or can it?

I just bought a 5th controller today in the sale, so I will be up to 80 channels if all goes well.

Thanks in advance.

[zman]

Jim,

Outside of scouring individual sites for those that have sequences available, the best one is LORSequences.com:

http://www.lightoramasequences.com/

There is a lot to chose from. Just a suggestion, the timing is the most important. Some may have the music, some do not. You have to check what you get. You can merge the 2, your config to the sequence, or just use cut and paste. I think what you may find is that the downloaded sequences will give you a jump start, but there is going to be still a fair amount of editing to do.

[jim6918]

Thanks for reply zman, I have already tinkered around with sequencing enough to see that modifying somebody else's seuence is still going to be a fair amount of work

Based on what I have read in the forum, there appear to be a whole bunch of members who have been at this long enough to offer their own tips and shortcuts that will save me lots of head aches.

[Santas Helper]

Jim, if modifying the sequence to your needs is still a bit much, try to find a channel config that fits your needs best and just modify the lcc. Then it's just if they have the songs you want.

Of course you know that modifiying an already built sequence is much better AND faster than starting from scratch, listening to a song hours on hours to just get the beat of the whole song in place.

On a pre-existing sequence, I usually take the main timing/beats/effects of particular channels and copy/paste them to my new sequence with my channel config. Then I add in what other channels of effects (fades and such). It really doesn't take that much time, compared to starting from scratch. The main thing is to get the timing/beats/effects.

Start with a brand new sequence of the same music from the pre-existing sequence. Then as zman mentioned, copy and past ONLY the channels you want. It doesn't come any easier than that without someone just building the sequence for you.

Either way, good luck.

[Dennis Cherry]

One other comment is if you do not get the audio file with the sequence and you have to download a file from another place, the music may or may not be in sync with the sequence and the music has to be shortened.

You can fix the first one easy, just use the Skew timing feature to align the sequence with the song.

The second problem will be harder to fix and maybe take more time than you want. That is using Audacity to try to shorten the song to fit the sequence.

[NWSanta]

I do it the other way where I find the sequence and hopefully the music.

Past my LCC in and then just move the timing events to the props I want to light. Mostly you just want the sequence for the timing anyways but, if you don't get the music with the sequence then it is quite the job to get it just right....

Just my 2 cents.

-Evan

[Randy]

Hi Jim,

There's lots of ways to skin the cat when it comes to editing other sequences and customizing them to fit your configuration and display. Here's a description of the way I do it....

Start off by opening up the downloaded sequence. For this example, let's say it is 32 channels. Your configuration file that you exported previously contains 48 channels.

Right click on the downloaded sequence first channel on the left where the description is and choose "insert multiple channels above", then type 48 when asked.

This will give you 48 blank channels at the top and the 32 channels from the downloaded sequence at the bottom. Of course, the timing events from the downloaded song are already there.

Next import your 48 channel configuration (edit, import channel configuration). Now you have your 48 configured channels at the top (Still no programming on those channels) and then the 32 channels at the bottom from the downloaded sequence.

Next you copy rows of programming from the bottom to your blank channels at the top where it seems to make sense (8 channels of arch at the bottom to your arch at the top, or 4 channels of bushes from the bottom to your 4 channels of trees, etc. Use keyboard commands to do the copy; it's much faster. Place your cursor on the first cell of a row, use Cntl-End to highlight the whole row, then Ctrl-C to copy the row, then Shift-Home to get back to the beginning, then select the new row with your cursor, then use Ctrl-V to paste the row, etc. Once you get the hang of it, this goes pretty quick.

Do this until you've "exhausted" all the patterns and programming from the downloaded sequence. Maybe you even use some programming from the bottom channels twice, maybe some you don't use, whatever works.

That'll get you to the 75% point or so. Then you finish off programming your channels at the top, maybe add some new stuff or fill in on some of the downloaded programming to make it your own, adjust the timing, add some chases, whatever you want to do.

When you're happy with the top channels, then delete the bottom channels so that all that's left are your configured and programmed channels at the top. Use the Tools pulldown menu, then Channel Property Grid for multiple deletions. That's it in a nutshell....I hope that gives you some new ideas about how to go about transforming downloaded sequences, and good luck with your efforts. Let us know how it goes....

Randy

[jim6918]

Thanks this is just what I was looking for. Great suggestions all around. I had an idea of how to start and you guys really helped. Maybe in a few years I will be able to give some newbie similar advice.

Maybe I should have started out with less channels. Wife has always said I never do anything on a small scale.


If there is a positive note to what I am doing is that I am not starting from scratch with the actual lights. Other than the mini trees and leaping arch, everything else is from my previous static display, including house trim, icicles, fences, etc. So I already can visualize what most of it will look like animated.

[lightzilla]

Randy bought out something that I studied before, but never practice as of yet........using the key board.

I still use the mouse. Needless to say I need to use the key board as it may cut back on time a bit.

Anyhow I only make my own sequences from scratch when there is no sequence for a song I am doing, or there is 1 sequence but that sequence is just not up to snuff. Like "God rest ye Merry Genital Men".....by Jars of Clay


I found some sequences that have no timing marks but the sequence's effects are very good and so off I go on my adventure to turn that whatever channel sequence into a 192 channel sequence.......as I am doing now on "Christmas Cannon Rock".

Now that LSP is out I can even take Aurora sequences and use them as well. I did that on one called "God is watching Us"....Christmas version

A lot of people well send you to the Lor sequence page for sequences, but just Google, or flip through all the Lor or Planet Christmas pages and you will find even more sequences that are not on the Lor sequence page.

Or lets say you found a sequence somewhere that was done in AL's AD software but you would like that sequence in your display well it can be done via LSP.......then using LSP export it into a Lor S2 lms file.......now you have an Lor sequence.

Or ask me and I can do it for you.

[Santas Helper]

lightzilla wrote:

Now that LSP is out I can even take Aurora sequences and use them as well. I did that on one called "God is watching Us"....Christmas version

A lot of people well send you to the Lor sequence page for sequences, but just Google, or flip through all the Lor or Planet Christmas pages and you will find even more sequences that are not on the Lor sequence page.

Or lets say you found a sequence somewhere that was done in AL's AD software but you would like that sequence in your display well it can be done via LSP.......then using LSP export it into a Lor S2 lms file.......now you have an Lor sequence.

Or ask me and I can do it for you.

Okay,

Sorry for the dumb question here, and I searched for the answer, but what is LSP as referred above?

Thanks,

[bisquit476]

light show pro, I believe.

[lightzilla]

Santas Helper wrote:

lightzilla wrote:

Okay,

Sorry for the dumb question here, and I searched for the answer, but what is LSP as referred above?

Thanks,

Yes it is "Light Show Pro" as was answered. I have not tried it yet but you can use Wii with "Light Show Pro" as well, and there are some who most differently are going to use that feature.

I might try the Wii feature, but I really like the Lor 2.3.8 software.