Beat Wizard Greyed Out

[jimswinder]

Just went to start sequencing a new song...selected the song (a Windows Media Audio/Video File), but the only options that are available in the New Musical Sequence Options screen is Tapper Wizard and Don't Add Any Timings.

Any reason for this?

EDIT:

I am sure the first suggestion will be to use Audacity and change it to a MP3...which is what I have done and the Beat Wizard was there...but was hoping to use the Video part of the file...

Why you ask?

Because I was going to have Karaoke one night a week so they could sing to and with the "lights dancing to the music"...

[-klb-]

Check what license level that particular install thinks it is.. But my recollection is that inadequate license should cause it to pop up a dialog that you won't be able to save once you use them, rather than graying them out...

[Guest guest]

jimswinder wrote:

Just went to start sequencing a new song...selected the song (a Windows Media Audio/Video File), but the only options that are available in the New Musical Sequence Options screen is Tapper Wizard and Don't Add Any Timings.

Any reason for this?

I'm guessing this is a WMA extension? What I have found is that many programs won't allow MODIFICATION or access to windows proprietary files with this extension.

I have not tried a WMA extension in my LOR 2.8.12 or any prior version of LOR software. But I'm thinking it may be because of the extension. The file may need to be cconverted to an MP3 or WAV to use the other beat type features.

Just know in a lot of my other "music editors", I can't do a thing with Windows media files Audio (WMA) or Video (WMV) unless I convert them to another format. And even then, some programs won't convert them, then I have to do it the hard way and re-record the file into one of my music editors to change it to a wrkable file.

Not saying this may be the case in the LOR software suite, but it may be something to consider.

[jimswinder]

Sounds like I need to figure out how you guys play a video thru LOR...

[Paul Roberson]

jimswinder wrote:

Sounds like I need to figure out how you guys play a video thru LOR...

I normally strip the audio from the video, and do all my sequencing with that audio file. I then replace the audio file with the original video file for the show.

[-klb-]

Paul Roberson wrote:

I normally strip the audio from the video, and do all my sequencing with that audio file. I then replace the audio file with the original video file for the show.

That is what I was thinking as I read this thread again.. If you have a decent conversion the only thing you should have to worry about is maybe a little skew between the two files, and since there is the skew adjustment now to line things back up, I would think this would be the best bet.. Or, if you really want to sequence against the video, at least run the beat wizard against the audio only, and then switch back to the video...

[Guest guest]

Haven't tried using vids in LOR S2, but I did go and convert over two dozen files to WMA and they *all* worked just fine, could access all beat tools with the exception of the Midi Wizard, but then, these aren't MID files. So I suppose it could have to do with the license? I have the advanced license and can do pretty much anything in the software I need to do. I don't know about the other licenses, like Basic or ?, so someone with those may have to give that a whirl and see if those type files grey out any of the music help wizards.



EDIT: Okay, just loaded a video (WMV) in LOR S2 (2.8.12), to see the video, you need to do this:

Go to View, mouse over Video and click on Show Videos

You can aslo have animation checked to see what the lights are doing and at the same time, a small window will open that will show you the video.

HOWEVER, the only option (Wizard) avaialble to you when loading a video is the Tapper Wizard. I believe the reason for the other wizards being grayed out is because Videos are not just a musical file, so the software can't just distinguish the soundtrack alone, so you'd need to use the tapper wizrd to set the beat or lights on/off. I just made a test sequence with 4 arches and the arches animated just fine in the animation window and at the same time I could watch the video. So a video with the words to a song should be able to be played in the sequencer. But I can't say anything more than that, as I don't have a projector to project anything like Kareoke with.

Hopefully someone else can chime in here with how that would work.

[Guest guest]

Okay, Jim. (got your PM) and I think I Know what you're trying to do (at least I think I do).

You want to use the video on your computer monitor to display the words to a song while the lights dance to that song so folks could sing along wih the "dancing lights".

I'm pretty certain this can still be done, but I'd have to try a few things to know for certain, but I don't see why it couldn't.

Guess I need to go and see if I can find a Karoake vid to download somewhere and play around with it. But if you're using a dedicated computer to run the show, I would think this is entirely possible. In my case, it wouldn't work since I use the LOR MP3 Showtime Director to run my show presently, and there are a lot of limitations with that use, unlike using a dedicated computer which does give you a lot more options to do some things that the MP3 Showtime Director just can't do (at least not presently!)

[Paul Roberson]

Are you wanting to put your monitor outside so people can see the words on the screen, or are you planning on using a projector and screen (or side of house or whatever)?

This would be done the exact same way as if it were a regular video. You need a video card in your computer that has duel outputs. You would hook your projector up to the output your monitor was not using. In S2 you would need to click 'Edit, preferences, video preferences'. In the window that pops up click 'select monitor', and follow the directions on the screen.

When the scheduler is running your show it will play whatever media file that was associated with that sequence.

I have done something similar in the past as far as having video some nights and some nights not. You can simply not turn your projector on, on the nights when you did not want video. You could also make separate sequence files (ie one with the video file and one with the audio file). Have video or audio in the file names. Then you could select the appropriate sequence when you are setting up your "video show" and "non video show".

If I am off on what you are asking, I apologize, for wasting your time to read this. :cool:

EDIT. I just played around with doing video with one monitor/projector. It will work with just one monitor/projector. However when the video stops (between every sequence) it will flash your desktop screen. There are a couple ways to minimize this problem. If you want more detail let me know.

[jimswinder]

Hey Paul...

Nope, you are right on...just haven't decided if I want to use a monitor or a projector, but leaning toward a monitor IF I use the video at all, since all the songs I am using are the typical Christmas songs we all grew up singing, I doubt anyone would really need the words.

Weather wise, it may not happen at all as they are predicting a very wet winter here.