dongod Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Well after more reading and studying than I've ever done I bought the Residential Series 16 Channel Package with 100 feet of Cat5 and the Basic Plus.And then more reading and more studying.And now my PC is talking to my Control Box, so I'm doing OK so far. Connected a few strings of LED to Channels from both sides and the lights work...............!I'm good with the GFI's, the separate circuits, the wire size and the basic stuff.Because I believe in taking advice when given, my wife and I have started building our display for next year.....NOW.We both enjoyed the PVC pipe wrestling, the zip tying and all the taping that's gone into our first lighted star. In fact we set it up in the living room and just sat looking at it, two strings of blue and two strings of white LED C-6's. We think it's cute!!So the hardware is basically covered, and now the brick wall..!! While everyone claims the synchronising can be mastered it's got me lost.I have watched all the videos.So I've been looking for a song that should be easy to work with and came up with this onehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PZ0G4sroEw&feature=relatedHas anyone got anything easier or more basic for me to try again?Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsMeBobO Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Wow you guys are doing it right starting early. And its nice to hear you are doing it together!There are so many styles and ways to do sequencing. You will get it for sure, don't worry.You may be thinking that you have to match each note of the song. This is cool, but not the only way.This song has 7 notes then a pause. You can start with that timing if you want. Whites for the 8, then blue for the next 8. Next you can chase your 4 star channels for the 8 beats with the chase tool.Did you make an animation or vizualizer drawing of your star to show us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMaris Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I have that song done in my show. If you want my sequence let me know. It is 112 channels though.The first song I learned to sequence to was "O'come all ye faithful" from Trans Siberian Orchestra, On The lost Christmas eve album. It is a 50 second or so instrumental that is slow paced and good for learning purposes. (Just my opinion) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim6918 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Very good early start. I also panicked the first time i tried to sequence. Stared at the monitor for what seemed like days and must have deleted about a dozen crap sequences. Then I went outside and looked at the house and visualized what I wanted the house to look like based on what I had seen in videos. I realized I was putting the cart before the horse. Once I had that down, I got as many shared/free sequences of songs I liked and slowly started adapting them to my display. I am not ashamed in the least to admit that about 50% of my show is based on sequences created by the best and brightest on here. Trust me before long you will be sequencing with the best of them, just takes time and work and a good pair of headphones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james campbell Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 jim6918 wrote: Very good early start. I also panicked the first time i tried to sequence. Stared at the monitor for what seemed like days and must have deleted about a dozen crap sequences. Then I went outside and looked at the house and visualized what I wanted the house to look like based on what I had seen in videos. I realized I was putting the cart before the horse. Once I had that down, I got as many shared/free sequences of songs I liked and slowly started adapting them to my display. I am not ashamed in the least to admit that about 50% of my show is based on sequences created by the best and brightest on here. Trust me before long you will be sequencing with the best of them, just takes time and work and a good pair of headphones.I think that is very good advice,you have to now what your display is going to be before you can really get the sequencing right. I like using the tapper wizard but only insert timing marks and not timing lines,what I mean is it don't change my timing grid. I looked back at songs I did early last year(about this time) and they are terrible,very choppy. one tool that has become my friend is the chase tool,and fill tool. welcome aboard have fun ask alot you are now addicted to Christmas lights:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamS Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I started real late last year after trolling here for 8 months prior. Like You I started with the starter package 32 channels though.Best advice from jumping in to sequencing is watch the videos BOB has made, choose a song your fairly familiar with, and take your time. Do not try to program all 16 channels at a time. Pick a group of channels like your start and program that, then add your others in the same fashion.My first song I attempted failed so bad its not even funny. I moved onto the 47 second THX clip. Went back to the original song and it all made sense!Welcome to the chaos! Year 1 32 channels, already programming the 762 channels Im using this year. 300 are CCR so 462. It comes with time and Im still learning new tricks daily from these guys. I caught a video a few weeks ago that absolutly blew me away. youtube it its by Sparkylights, who is a member here, and the sequence was Tinsel Town 2011. I thought I had a lot of ideas, then saw that video and quickly realized I dont know $hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Blair Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 When sequencing remember you don't have to start at the beggining of the song. There are always easy and hard parts to most songs so start with an easier part and build around it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdeepfundraising Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 im a newbie and i would say thats quite a hard one to start with way to fast try nut cracker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstorms Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Songs that are easier to sequence are ones that have a constant, fast beat (tempo doesn't change throughout the song), and don't have too many layered sounds (multiple foreground, background).Take a look at Jingle Bells, the one done by "Singing Dogs" is fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbirdruss Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I would reccomend "Wonderful Christmas Time" by Paul McCartney. Very even beats, nice tempo and I think easy to sequence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greentree38 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I prefer the "Upbeat Songs" because they usually have a really easy to identify beat.... I'm lucky in the fact that i live in Australia in a 2 story house where the gables form the roof line pitching up the two story's to the right..... I can jump the lights down the eves or fade or even chase them... Each house has a theme you'll find like fading sideways or downwards..... Just have a play with your favourite song an you'll soon get the hang of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 For me, I'm heavily using the visualizer and a picture of my house within it. Its got most all of the needed items there and it works great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 dongod wrote: Has anyone got anything easier or more basic for me to try again?Twinkle Twinkle Little Star... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amcdonald307 Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I started by taking Holdman's Amazing Grace, studying it (which was daunting to see that many channels), then pasting into my own 32 channel setup. That showed me what it Should look like if I had programmed it myself. Kind of like tracing to learn to draw something.The first I tackled on my own was a THX which is great as it's short and basically just sounds you have to hit on the right mark. This was also the first thing I went outside and watched after I had it all plugged in out in the yard - and it is an unforgettable and awesome experience!The most steady-beat song I ever did is Yello's Oh Yeah based on .05 timing grid (it is obviously machine generated music). The worse steady-beat song was Elvis Blue Christmas - good chance they were all drunk or high when they recorded that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 amcdonald307 wrote: The worse steady-beat song was Elvis Blue Christmas - good chance they were all drunk or high when they recorded that one!That was the first song I ever sequenced back in 2009...and other than a few updates because of display additions, it is still a crowd favorite with my display... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSelph Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 amcdonald307 wrote:I started by taking Holdman's Amazing Grace, studying it (which was daunting to see that many channels), then pasting into my own 32 channel setup. That showed me what it Should look like if I had programmed it myself. Kind of like tracing to learn to draw something.I've seen several references to Holdman's sequences on the forum, but have not been able to find them. Is there a site where they are located? I'd love to study how he sequences those awesome color fades across his trees. My color fades don't even come close. :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 JSelph wrote: I've seen several references to Holdman's sequences on the forum, but have not been able to find them. Is there a site where they are located? I'd love to study how he sequences those awesome color fades across his trees. My color fades don't even come close. :?looks like he is now selling them, per his website:http://www.holdman.com/christmas/sequences/but someone out there may know something different... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 here's some:http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?4920-Holdman-sequences Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 whoops...appears those are VIXEN files....Dang...where's that EDIT button!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSelph Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I think I'll shoot him an email and ask if he would share a small section of one of the sequences that shows his color fade technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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