Beat Wizard---Overwhelmed part 2

[Ted W]

First off, thanks to everyone that helps me. OK, I converted my MP3 to a WAV file and the error window does not pop up. I open a new sequence, import the song, the window pops up, I choose Beat Wizard. I select to play entire song, I select the normal default for the beat it estimates 188 beats per minute. I am using track 1, and the box is checked to insert a timing into the timing grid for each beat. I hit apply, then apply and exit. I get nothing on he sequence screen......From watching several videos, it looks like I should have a beat being shown with spikes and stuff. I have nothing.

Been over 2 hours and am stuck. I gotta be missing something.....Help

[George Simmons]

Check this thread. Go to post #26 and see if that helps. Call back if you're still stumped.

http://forums.lightorama.com/forum80/26004-1.html

[Ted W]

Still stumped. I read that post last night, followed it, no help. If you look at post 43 of the same thread, and you see the red beats on the top cells, I am not getting that for some reason. The BW says it detected 188 beats per minute, not seeing it.

Do you think Carol of the Bells by Manheim Steam roller is the right sond to use the BW on?

[Randy]

Hi Ted,
I use the Beat Wizard not to insert timing marks but I check the box right below that to turn on a channel every so many beats. I have several "scratch" channels at the top of each of my sequences that are not tied to a controller and I have the Beat Wizard turn on a channel on one of those scratch channel rows. Then I copy and paste as appropriate.

BTW, I start with fixed grid spacing of 20 cells per decond when I build the song...

Here are the settings I use in the Beat Wizard...

* Entire song
* Use the detected tempo (or sometimes I use the 2x choice)
* Preview (n/a)
* What to do with beats:
* Use track 1
* And these timings (Fixed Grid 0.04)
* Turn on a channel every so many beats
* Select row, default is every 4 beats
* Snap effects to timings with 4 hundredths of a second
* Hit "apply"

That turns on cells in my scratch row accoring to the beat...

Does that provide any results for you?

Randy

[Guest guest]

No you don't get a beat with spikes, that would be the waveform view of the actual music file (MP3 or WAV) at the top of your sequence screen if you have that turned on.

Also, depending on the beat of the music, after you hit Apply and Exit, and see the first part of the sequence, you may not see anything filled in on any of the blocks, the song may pick up and put the ON block further down in the sequence, have you tried scrolling (SLOWLY, too fast and sometimes the sequencer will NOT display those blocks) along the sequence to see where it laid down the beat?

And from just re-reading your post above, did you tell the Beat Wizard to TURN ON A CHANNEL? I don't see where you stated that you told it to turn on a channel, if you don't do this, the BW WILL play the song, but it WILL NOT lay down a beat track either! When in the Beat Wizard you have to tell it what track and then what channel to turn on for the beat, most use a channel that is NOT actively connected to a LOR Controller for this and call it "Beat Track x", where x would be 1, for Track 1, 2 for Track 2, 13 for Track 13 for each track you want a beat laid down for.

But if you do not tell the BW to turn on a channel, you will just get a blank sequence, and this is what it sounds like to me, that you have not told the BW to turn on a channel to lay down your beat from the music.

To do this {turn on a channel}, in the BW, you must check the box next to:

What to do with beats:
Using this track: {there should be something listed here, example: Halloween Orange and Purple LED Fence top, Track 1 or any name you gave this track will appear here}

Use the small arrow to the right of this drop down box to select which track you want to use.

And these timings: {timing grid here}
It will usually be pre-filled in with the timing grid of the track and not need to be changed, but can be by selecting one of the buttons underneath:

Or add a new timing grid {two buttons labeled}: New Fixed Grid and New Freeform Grid.



Now you need to go and turn on this option by making sure there is a check mark in the box next to it:

Turn on a channel every so many beats

Once that is checked, then you have to select the channel you want the beat laid down too:


There is a box with information in it here that shows what items are in the track you selected above, click on the small down arrow to the right of this box, select the channel you wish to lay the beat down on, such as BEAT TRACK #1, Mrs. Claus, Large Snowman, Boo Ghost, etc. Whatever item you want to have the beat associated with. {It also helps to have a config file with all this info pre-set for your Halloween or Christmas sequences even before starting all this, that is, if you do a Halloween and a Christmas Display, you would want TWO different configuration files, one with just your Christmas items and another with just your Halloween items.}

Now once you have all that set the way you want, hit start, now when the song/music ends and you hit Apply and Exit, you should now see your beat track laid down where you told the BW to place it.

Hope this helps. If you need any further clarification, just ask!

[bob]

By "I get nothing on the sequence screen", do you mean not even timing marks? Or do you just mean that none of the channels have had "on" effects inserted into them?

By "spikes and stuff", maybe you mean something like this:



If so, that's the VU Wizard, not the Beat Wizard.

[Ted W]

Thanks everyone, great info. For whatever reason, I am not getting what I think I should be getting. I followed the advice, I added a specific beat channel, I get bars equally spaced for the lengtrh of the song. When I play the song, they are no where close to the beat. I am not sure carol of the bells has a beat. Going back to the tapper and try that again.

Thanks

[Guest wbottomley]

Screen shots would help the trouble shooting process.

[bob]

Ted Workman wrote:

Thanks everyone, great info. For whatever reason, I am not getting what I think I should be getting. I followed the advice, I added a specific beat channel, I get bars equally spaced for the lengtrh of the song. When I play the song, they are no where close to the beat. I am not sure carol of the bells has a beat. Going back to the tapper and try that again.

Thanks

Could you please send me (bob@lightorama.com) a copy of the song file, as well as a copy of a sequence that includes the results of you using the Beat Wizard on that song file?

Thanks.

[shakeonit]

Ok, so if your using the tapper wizard, and you have several beats that start in the middle of a section, how do you get your desired effects to start at that same point on a different channel?