Tips on adopting shared sequences to my display

[Klayfish]

Last year was my first year with LOR, and I started late (July).  I wound up using almost exclusively sequences that other members were generous enough to share.  I had 16 channels, so none of them were grouped to a large prop...i.e. no arches that use 7 channels.  This year, I'm adding another controller, so I'll have 32 channels.  My layout this year is going to include props...2 arches and 4 "mini mega" trees.  I'm doing a lot of channel sharing to try to maximize the effect. 

 

As much as I'm hoping to be able to have 7-10 songs sequenced by time Black Friday hits, I'm not optomistic.  I've got 2 finished, just started a 3rd.  I just don't get much free time to do it, and I'm not all that good at it yet (lack of free time also hinders my ability to study the hobby so I have to wing it a bit).  I'd love to include sequences that others share again.  However, since I'm using arches and mega trees, can anyone give tips on how to adapt a shared sequence to my layout?  For example, if the shared sequence I'm given was for a layout that doesn't have arches, what channels would I pick for my arches?  I hope I'm explaining my question properly.  Basically I want to be sure that a shared sequence doesn't look silly in my display because it was programmed for a completely different layout.

[dbltrukr1]

This is my 1st year and I too am adapting some shared sequences. I have read somewhere on the forums about opening the shared sequence and then opening a NEW musical sequence with your channel layout and then copy rows (or multiple rows)  from the shared seq and paste to the new seq. Flipping back and forth between the 2 is a pain but it's not a bad way to adapt it to your needs. Plus you can go in and add or remove bits and pieces as needed, it's easier than sequencing a whole song.

[Brian Mitchell]

No sequences ever borrow perfectly.  There is still sequencing to be done.  It is quite a bit faster than going from scratch however.     For me a sequence from scratch is about 30-40 hours.  I adapted a borrowed one a couple years ago in about 7 hours and got it looking pretty good.  (Sandstorm)

I adapt what I can and write the rest.

[james morris]

I agree With Brian and I want to thank Brian for all the sequences he shared with me They where pretty easy to make over to 16 channel

[Ron Boyd]

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/26551-dream-of-fire-flies-tso/?p=252150

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/26551-dream-of-fire-flies-tso/?p=252154

 

The first video is a sequence done for 128 channels. Joe sent me a copy of the sequence and I copied and pasted. I changed nothing in his programming. All I did was look at his groupings of 4, 8 or 16 Channels and copied what I needed for 4 sets of 16 for my Mega tree. The second video is what I came up with.

Copy/paste/maneuver. Sometimes I copied 4 channels 4 times for 16 channels, sometimes 8 for 16. You get the picture. I don't know how long Joe spent on his sequence, But with twice as many channels as my mega tree, it took about an hour to create my tree sequence.

 

We won't talk about how long I spent on the Pixel sequencing Let's just say it took quite a bit more time than 1 hour.

 

Klayfish, If you get borrowed sequences that have a bunch of channels, it's a lot easier to adapt to yours. For example, If you would like a copy of my mega sequence for fireflies, there's 64 channels. You said you had 32, there's twice as many channels and again, there's a lot to choose from. I'll be happy to share all of mine that I can find. I think I still have your e-mail address, but you probably need to send it again, just to be sure. 

 

Let me know something,

Later,

Ron

[bisquit476]

Best advice i can give is what was given to me a couple of years ago, take the sequence you are "borrowing", add the number of channels you have above the first channel on the borrowed sequence, then copy and paste from the borrowed sequence into your blank channels. After you have your channels set up the way you want, make a group with the remaining channels, and then delete that group, and you have your sequence with your setup. Hope this helps,

 

Bill

[Joe Polenchar]

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/26551-dream-of-fire-flies-tso/?p=252150

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/26551-dream-of-fire-flies-tso/?p=252154

 

The first video is a sequence done for 128 channels. Joe sent me a copy of the sequence and I copied and pasted. I changed nothing in his programming. All I did was look at his groupings of 4, 8 or 16 Channels and copied what I needed for 4 sets of 16 for my Mega tree. The second video is what I came up with.

Copy/paste/maneuver. Sometimes I copied 4 channels 4 times for 16 channels, sometimes 8 for 16. You get the picture. I don't know how long Joe spent on his sequence, But with twice as many channels as my mega tree, it took about an hour to create my tree sequence.

 

We won't talk about how long I spent on the Pixel sequencing Let's just say it took quite a bit more time than 1 hour.

 

Klayfish, If you get borrowed sequences that have a bunch of channels, it's a lot easier to adapt to yours. For example, If you would like a copy of my mega sequence for fireflies, there's 64 channels. You said you had 32, there's twice as many channels and again, there's a lot to choose from. I'll be happy to share all of mine that I can find. I think I still have your e-mail address, but you probably need to send it again, just to be sure. 

 

Let me know something,

Later,

Ron

   Ron,

          That sequence from start to finish took me around 25 to 30 hours to complete.

[Klayfish]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I had never really thought of grabbing groups of channels and adapting them to my set up.  Good idea to use the same group a few times to make one bigger one.  I'll definitely give it a try.  I've still got my shared sequences from last year that are 16 channels.  I can try to play around with them to see if I can add to them for my 32.

 

If anyone has any sequences I can adopt to 32 channels that they're willing to share, I'd really appreciate it.  My e-mail is Klayfish@aol.com  Also, if anyone is interested in seeing what I'm working on...either to use it for your display or critique what I've done (I welcome feedback), I'm happy to share.  I just finished Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You".  I definitely have a ton to learn, but I'm fairly happy with considering it was only the 3rd song I've ever done.

 

Thanks!!

Edited July 13, 2013 by Klayfish

[rjmcmasters]

Is there an easy way to copy an entire channel - like you highlight a row in Excel?  I can find a way to highlight each cell and move to the right and then copy.

[rjmcmasters]

Well if I would just look a little further. Found my answer. So easy too.

 

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/26488-copy-and-paste-a-track/?p=249950

[Brian Mitchell]

Or.......click on any cell in the row, right click, select row, right click, copy

 

or...

under the edit menu, select row.

[rjmcmasters]

Simple little tips like that will make sequencing a lot easier. Thanks

[overeazy]

Its really nice so many people are willing to share their work.  There are times when I am really stuck on parts of songs so getting help from someone else for me is so much better then trying to do it all myself just so I can say I did all the programming.  My only interest is making sure that its the best show possible so I will take all the help I can get.  The trick that helps me the most is making a hard copy of all the elements in my display and then opening the sequence I want to use and going to the animation screen for that sequence (if there is one).  I then play the song several times looking at the animation screen and looking at my hard copy and trying to imagine what elements on the animation screen would work the best in what elements in my show.  Then I will write down something like this.  His 4 red bushes on left will be my 4 trees on right or his roof lights will be my window lights.  Then go back to the sequence page and put his sequence on half the screen and yours on the other half   The copy his red bushed line and pasted on your 4 trees line.  You can then go to your animation screen and start seeing if your on the right track.

[caniac]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I had never really thought of grabbing groups of channels and adapting them to my set up.  Good idea to use the same group a few times to make one bigger one.  I'll definitely give it a try.  I've still got my shared sequences from last year that are 16 channels.  I can try to play around with them to see if I can add to them for my 32.

 

If anyone has any sequences I can adopt to 32 channels that they're willing to share, I'd really appreciate it.  My e-mail is Klayfish@aol.com  Also, if anyone is interested in seeing what I'm working on...either to use it for your display or critique what I've done (I welcome feedback), I'm happy to share.  I just finished Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You".  I definitely have a ton to learn, but I'm fairly happy with considering it was only the 3rd song I've ever done.

 

Thanks!!

send me a list of what you are looking for as well as what props you have (16 channel mega tree, 10 mini trees, etc.).  my first year was 32 channels and depending on your props some/most might work.

[Wynell Lewis]

I would also like to thank all you hard working people that are willing to share your sequencing.  I find it overwhelming to try to sequence from nothing, but I can take your sequence and copy and paste into my setup and make it work.  I also appreciate that Lightorama has expanded their sequence store, GREAT help!!!!  Some of us like to have a great show, but not real computer savy.  Thanks again.

[Klayfish]

Time to dredge this topic back up.  Between work, my other hobbies, and my kids after school activities I'm trying to bust my butt on getting ready for the holidays.  No, I didn't just start, I've been working on it since February, but now really getting to crunch time.  I find myself bringing my laptop to work and sitting in my car at lunch just so I can get sequencing done.

I've got 3 songs of my own fully sequenced.  They're not crazy fancy, but they go blinky blink.  Awesome.  Before starting my next one, I tried to pick a shared sequence, but was really struggling.  How do I make the channels fit what my design is?  For example, in the sequence I picked, it made some of my lights in the row blink a lot, while others barely did.  It just didn't look good, seems like I'd spend more time fixing it than doing it over?  But I know that's not reality and I'm not doing it right.  So I'm back for more advice.  Here's my layout, to the best I can describe it.  If anyone's got sequences that'll "fit" without major overhaul, feel free to share.

 

I have 3 "rows" of things that flash.  If you're facing it, starting from the left and going right:

Row 1: 

a.   7 channel arch.

b.   4 "mini-mega" trees - 8 channels each. However, they all share the same channels, so what one tree does, they all do. They will be constructed from either 42 or 54" tomato cages

c.  7 channel arch. This one also shares the same channels as the first arch, just in a "mirror" pattern.

 

Row 2 (sitting basically behind row 1):

a.    8 mini trees made from 42" tomato cages. Will make sure they are visible behind row 1.

 

Row 3: (again, basically behind row 2):

a.    4 "mid-mega" trees. 2 channels each, one clear lights and one multicolor lights. Made from a 5' section of PVC pipe with a tree topper. It'll be strung similar to a mega tree, just won't be able to spin.

 

If time allows, I plan to make a 20' static mega tree to stand a little way behind row 3. I bought the materials to build a portable hole, just have to get time to do it.

 

With that layout, any suggestions?  The challenge I'm finding is that if the borrowed sequence doesn't have an arch or spinning mega tree (or even objects in a row), it doesn't translate well at all to my layout….i.e. one channel from the arch blinks and 3 strings of the mini-mega tree dances while the others don't.

[Klayfish]

So does anyone have some sequences using arches or "mega trees" they'd be willing to share?

[Ron Boyd]

So does anyone have some sequences using arches or "mega trees" they'd be willing to share?

I have about 11 complete for 64 ch mega. Send me a pm so I dont forget. Im not at home right now. Dont forget an email address in the pm and I'll zip them up and send them to you

[PaulXmas]

this might help someone...

my first year I had 32 channels then the following year I had a few more.

I change the layout and I didn't want to redo all the work I did the year before.

So here is what I did:

I loaded my new channel config(the new set up)

Then I created a second track and copied the first track into the second track.

Then I moved the channels in the second track to match the old squence.

Then I copied the old squence and pasted it into the second track.

Played it and if everything looked ok save the channel config (calling it transfer or ???)

If something wasn't right I would make the changes (most of the time I had the wrong item on the wrong channel) test until it was right.

 

Then I could open the config and copy all my music in a few minutes.

 

This would work well if you got a bunch from the same person....

[Klayfish]

 

I loaded my new channel config(the new set up)

Then I created a second track and copied the first track into the second track.

Then I moved the channels in the second track to match the old squence.

Then I copied the old squence and pasted it into the second track.

Played it and if everything looked ok save the channel config (calling it transfer or ???)

If something wasn't right I would make the changes (most of the time I had the wrong item on the wrong channel) test until it was right.

 

Then I could open the config and copy all my music in a few minutes.

 

This would work well if you got a bunch from the same person....

 

First, Ron, thanks for the e-mails!!

 

Paul,

Sorry, but I'm a bit confused.  I haven't had much time to mess around with tracks and things.  I follow you when you say you set up a new channel configuration.  So you then make a new track for the song with 32 channels?  What do you mean when you say you copy the first track into the second?  What's the first track?  From there, I got even more confused on the rest of it.  I know, this is stuff I should know, but I'm learning.