Entering the CCR World, What's the best way to learn SuperStar?

[tonyski]

Well,

Its time for me to get smart about CCRs.

I'm anxious to learn about SuperStar and rather than spinning my wheels, getting frustrated and then asking for help, I'm just going to ask for help.

I'd love to know your opinions on what is the best way to learn about SuperStar?

I tend to learn better from watching instead of reading but I'll take what I can get!

Your thoughts please

Thanks
Tony

[tonyski]

I also meant to ask if classes will be offered early this year?

[Denis Chaput]

Use the videos for the CCR and read and follow the manual that are all online is the only way to do it.

Then when you ask people questions you will know what there answers are about when they talk to you.

Baby steps before you can walk and run!!

[tonyski]

Thanks Denis.

I'm really not lazy, I've looked for the tutorial stuff you mentioned, but can't find a manual or videos. Are they on the LOR site?

Could you be more specific or post some links?

Thanks

[gmacw]

tonyski wrote:

Thanks Denis.

I'm really not lazy, I've looked for the tutorial stuff you mentioned, but can't find a manual or videos. Are they on the LOR site?

Could you be more specific or post some links?

Thanks

tonyski, I know the feeling as I'm getting into it as well. Denis is right though, start slowly & things will come. Looking at the CCR manual will give you some insite on macros http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/CosmicColorPixel_Man_Web.pdf

I've been using the superstar that Brian created (now an add-on to S3) & find it a little tough at first, but a definite move forward from the Macros. As I play with, I learn more & more all the time. I also bought some sequences from Brians superstar site & I can see how he did things. Also try searching youtube as there are some tutorial there.

Goodluck!

[Melvin Stoddard]

Hi Tony, this is my third year coming up, 1st year 1 CCR. 2nd year two CCR both as arches. I found it wasn't to hard to use the sequence editor when doing 1 or 2 CCR. I never used Macros and know some people swear by them, but I found by the using Sequence Editor I could get the effects I wanted. Well next year I am going to have 8 CCR in a up-right tree fixture. So I started playing with the SS demo version, and found it was well worth having. There is a learning curve but I found it is not so hard, and have already completed two songs. Now if you are just going to have one or two CCR'S and use as arches I don't think you necessarily need SS, the sequence editor will do what you want {sorry Brian just my opinion.} But if you are going to use several and use them as a tree or side ways as a matrix I think SS is a must, there is so much that can be done with it and save time. Just my two cents worth. Your friend in Kansas Melvin

[tonyski]

Hi Melvin, Happy New Year!

I'm hoping to do the 12 CCR Tree and will probably purchase some of Brian's sequences, but I really want to be able to do my own as well.

SuperStar seems like the only way to go.

I'm also interested in it's capabilities with non CCR items.

In my display, I had a 3 x 9 snowflake matrix on my fence. I liked it so much that I'm making it 3 X 20 for 2012. I'm hoping SuperStar will help me come up with some interesting effects.

[tonyski]

Another question folks.

On the www.superstarlights.com site in the FAQ section, There is the following Q & A:

Q: Is there a tutorial?
A: Yes, in the demo version and all the other versions there is an SSEditTutorial.doc file. If you do not have Microsoft Office Word and cannot open the SSEditTutorial.doc file, then there is also an SSEditTutorial.txt file.


Is that tutorial document still available or has it become part of the help file built into S3?

[Melvin Stoddard]

Tony if you have the demo loaded, open file,hit open it should have samples, in there are several examples plus a few seconds of some song. Between that and the help at the top you should be able to get a good start. Maybe you should read the help section first,especially custom sequences. Melvin

[BrandonH]

I found the basic and advanced superstar tutorials on youtube a TON of help. After watching the videos, I would open some of the sample files under Light-O-Rama>Superstar>Sequences>Samples, and try to change settings on the commands, learning what each option does through trial and error.

Basic Tutorial-

Advanced Tutorial-

[tonyski]

Thanks,

I've seen those and they are helpful.

I wish Dan and Brian would put together a series of tutorials to guide you through a project from beginning to end which shows a majority of the features available.

There seem to be so many subtle adjustments available its a little overwhelming.

I guess I need to just jump in and start working on a sequence and I'll figure it out.

I guess I feel the same about the new visualizer. I just wish the documentation for both was better and more readily available.

[Tim Herberger]

tonyski wrote:

I wish Dan and Brian would put together a series of tutorials to guide you through a project from beginning to end which shows a majority of the features available.

I guess I feel the same about the new visualizer. I just wish the documentation for both was better and more readily available.

Truer words.....
Dan said quite some time ago they were working on new tutorial videos but so far nothing....
I've been at this for 5 years and I'm still learning new tricks and tips all the time.
After helping a few people learn some of the basics of using the sequence editor , it would be so much less painful of a process with some updated videos to help step new users through the process. Even some veteran users could benefit from seeing some of the new features put into practice...

Patiently waiting....

[tonyski]

Agreed Tim,

I guess I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed with SuperStar. Last season I went from 16 channels doing a simple animation to 256 channels and 10 songs and had the same feeling until I took the two day LOR class that was offered at the Planet Christmas Expo. That gave the boost I needed.

Now that everything is put away from this season's display I can take a deep breath and jump in with both feet.

I'm kind of like my 21 year old daughter, I just want to know how, I don't actually want to learn how.

That discussion is probably for another forum!

[BrianBruderer]

There have been lots of good comments in this thread. As they say, if you go to www.superstarlights.com and click on the 'Videos' link undernneath the word 'software' there are two videos on how to do superstar text. But it of course would be good to have more videos than that, but if you watch those videos it will also help you with seeing how things are done in general, not just with text.

The tutorial.doc that used to be in the superstar software was converted to a help file, and now that same tutorial can be accessed by clicking on the Help menu and selecting 'Contents'

There are also some powerpoint presentations that you can download by going to www.superstarlights.com and clicking on 'Powerpoint downloads' underneath the word 'Other' There are 4 downloads, each covering a different area of the software. You would first want to use the 'SuperStar Basics' powerpoint download.

Hope this helps.

[tonyski]

Thanks Brian,

Thanks for all you've done.

Do you know if any of the training seminars that are offered from time to time cover SuperStar?

Any plans for new sequences in 2012?

[BrianBruderer]

I don't know if they will have SuperStar as part of the training sessions.

As for sequences, I definitely will write some more. I have not yet decided what songs to do them to, or how many CCRs to do them to.