Looking for some fun sequences to use ! 64+ Channels

[christmasguru7]

Hi there, we are doing a Light-o-Rama display for the first time this year. Our display includes approximately 70,000 LED lights. 1 16 channel meg tree, 256 'dropping' icicles and hundreds of feet of LED lights.

 

I have about 10 songs done and running, but i would like to run a 2-3 hour show.. So if anyone would be so kind as to help me out and send me some sequences, that would be very much appreciated!!

 

superman_74@me.com

 

Warm Regards.

[Orville]

Hi there, we are doing a Light-o-Rama display for the first time this year. Our display includes approximately 70,000 LED lights. 1 16 channel meg tree, 256 'dropping' icicles and hundreds of feet of LED lights.

 

I have about 10 songs done and running, but i would like to run a 2-3 hour show.. So if anyone would be so kind as to help me out and send me some sequences, that would be very much appreciated!!

 

superman_74@me.com

 

Warm Regards.

 

Believe me, You DO NOT want to run a 2-3 hour show.  A lot of folks new to this hobby make this mistake.   Most display shows run from 30 minutes, 45 minutes or possibly up to a minute or 2 over the 1 hour mark.   No one I know will hang around to watch lights blink to music for 2 or 3 hours.

 

I made the same error with my FIRST show in 2010, being Halloween, I had almost a 2 hour show, but no one and I do mean NO ONE stayed for more than about 45 minutes and then moved on.

 

This is the biggest mistake a newbie can make in this hobby, you get all excited and want to do some music, then it keeps going and going until your show runs far too long and folks drive off long before it's done.

 

The 10 songs you have is great, I have 17 songs in my display and believe it runs around 45 minutes or slightly longer, some songs were edited to make them shorter, usually try to keep most songs not more than 2:30 in length, although there are a couple of exceptions here and there.

 

Been doing this for 3 years now and most of the real old timers in this hobby {not that they are old by age, but by their LOR experience} will tell you the longer the show, the less likely you may get repeat visitors, and new ones in most all cases will drive off after about 30-45 minutes.

 

So yes, keep sequencing songs, but instead of a 2-3 hour show, break the songs up over a few days and have a different show each night if you really want to do many more songs.   For example one night could be "Traditional Christmas" songs, another could be a "comedy night", where you could do some comedy themed Christmas songs from artists like Bob Rivers, Weird Al Yankovich, and Dr. Elmo.

 

Just giving you some food for thought, and from what I've learned from my own experiences, as well as from many of the seasoned LOR Holiday Light animators here on the forums.

[MikeA]

Agreed 100% with orville.  I run a 15 minute show continuously repeated.  Most cars have children with short attention spans and will not stay for more than 15 minutes anyway.

 

I love this hobby and love to see other shows but I will even drive off after 20-30 minutes.

[christmasguru7]

Believe me, You DO NOT want to run a 2-3 hour show.  A lot of folks new to this hobby make this mistake.   Most display shows run from 30 minutes, 45 minutes or possibly up to a minute or 2 over the 1 hour mark.   No one I know will hang around to watch lights blink to music for 2 or 3 hours.

 

I made the same error with my FIRST show in 2010, being Halloween, I had almost a 2 hour show, but no one and I do mean NO ONE stayed for more than about 45 minutes and then moved on.

 

This is the biggest mistake a newbie can make in this hobby, you get all excited and want to do some music, then it keeps going and going until your show runs far too long and folks drive off long before it's done.

 

The 10 songs you have is great, I have 17 songs in my display and believe it runs around 45 minutes or slightly longer, some songs were edited to make them shorter, usually try to keep most songs not more than 2:30 in length, although there are a couple of exceptions here and there.

 

Been doing this for 3 years now and most of the real old timers in this hobby {not that they are old by age, but by their LOR experience} will tell you the longer the show, the less likely you may get repeat visitors, and new ones in most all cases will drive off after about 30-45 minutes.

 

So yes, keep sequencing songs, but instead of a 2-3 hour show, break the songs up over a few days and have a different show each night if you really want to do many more songs.   For example one night could be "Traditional Christmas" songs, another could be a "comedy night", where you could do some comedy themed Christmas songs from artists like Bob Rivers, Weird Al Yankovich, and Dr. Elmo.

 

Just giving you some food for thought, and from what I've learned from my own experiences, as well as from many of the seasoned LOR Holiday Light animators here on the forums.

Thank you very much for you point of view on this. It makes so much sense, we really wanted to have a long show, but now that i think of it you are completely right. No one will sit around for 2 hours to watch lights. It just wont happen. So i will try to keep it around an hour and loop it. Maybe throw some different songs onto the schedule every once in a while. Thanks again

[Orville]

Agreed 100% with orville.  I run a 15 minute show continuously repeated.  Most cars have children with short attention spans and will not stay for more than 15 minutes anyway.

 

I love this hobby and love to see other shows but I will even drive off after 20-30 minutes.

That's why I'm also rethinking my current Christmas show, it runs for around 45 minutes, maybe a little longer, 17 songs, but thinking of adding a few more songs, then breaking it up over different days and cut it back until about 15 minutes long and repeat, or possibly breaking it up into a couple of different 15 minute shows, with an all on lights intermission for about 5-10 minutes in-between, then play the next show and then repeat the all the different shows until end time.

 

Mainly thinking this over for the one main reason in your reply, children just don't keep very long attention spans.  And is one of the biggest reasons many of do this, for the children.   So cutting back to 15 minutes, maybe a half hour would be the ideal time span for the wee folks.

 

Although my neighbors all say leave it as is, just add a lot more music. LOL

[Orville]

Thank you very much for you point of view on this. It makes so much sense, we really wanted to have a long show, but now that i think of it you are completely right. No one will sit around for 2 hours to watch lights. It just wont happen. So i will try to keep it around an hour and loop it. Maybe throw some different songs onto the schedule every once in a while. Thanks again

Just making sure you don't fall into the same trap I did when I first started.  Nothing like watching folks drive off before your show's over and then you start thinking, okay, why did they leave BEFORE my show ended?  Or what did I do to make them drive off?   You just start getting some negative feelings and start thinking, why did I even bother to do this if no one is going to stay and watch the WHOLE thing.

 

Some just trying to give some sage advice to those before they fall into this trap, and many of us have fallen into this one. LOL

 

Just didn't want you to start thinking you were doing something wrong, or make yourself feel bad because you might overthink some of these things.

 

As there really is no wrong or right way in what we do and set up for others {as well as yourself and family} to come watch and enjoy.

 

And that's the key, we want folks to enjoy the show, not bore them to drive off because the show may be too long for them.

 

Now some folks will still drive off before your show is over, don't let that get to you, some folks may not like a specific song and when it plays, they may drive off.    t's nothing you did, they just don't like that piece of music.   As I do the same thing, if I don't like a specific song, I may leave, nothing against the decorator, it's their display and what music they choose is entirely up to them, they may love the song, but not everyone likes all songs, so just be prepared if folks may drive off before the show ends and repeats.  Again, it's nothing against those of us that use the music we use, they just may not care for it.

 

And then you'l find some folks will stay and watch your show 2 or even 3 times in succession, guess those folks don't have much of a life! {j/k} LOL

Or you may see the same car come back several times, each time with more people to show their friends or family what they found just riding around looking for interesting Christmas displays.

 

The main thing is enjoy yourself, enjoy the music you put in your show and have fun doing it.

 

Welcome aboard once again, and if you ever need advice, this is definitely the place to come and ask it!   And always feel free to PM me with any questions you may have if it's something you'd rather not discuss in the public forums.

[Orville]

BTW: if you'd like to check out any of my sequences, they can be downloaded here, completely free of charge, they cover both Halloween and Christmas from my originals starting in 2010 until 2013.  Some are 48 channel, there may be some 64 channel ones and muy original 80 channel ones.  The 80 channel is what I started with, but downsized to 48 channels for this year in 2013.   

 

I'm hoping to be back at 80 channels {or more} for 2014.

 

Download my LOR Sequences here: http://sdrv.ms/NiGv0E

[TomH]

BTW: if you'd like to check out any of my sequences, they can be downloaded here, completely free of charge, they cover both Halloween and Christmas from my originals starting in 2010 until 2013.  Some are 48 channel, there may be some 64 channel ones and muy original 80 channel ones.  The 80 channel is what I started with, but downsized to 48 channels for this year in 2013.   

 

I'm hoping to be back at 80 channels {or more} for 2014.

 

Download my LOR Sequences here: http://sdrv.ms/NiGv0E

Wow, thanks Orville. Just getting my first 16 channel set up. Appreciate you sharing your sequences. I'll check them out tonight after work.

[portcity_gt]

Hey Orville, im a newb and you seem to be helpful, From looking at alot of the other post on here it seems most aren't.

I was learning the software for the first time last night and building sequences seems simple enough, but what im having problems with is I downloaded some of your sequences and a song (munsters theme) but I cant get the builder to find the mp3 to sync it with your sequence or play them together.

is this a simple fix im missing? Thanks, nick.

[portcity_gt]

I actually figured it out while waiting on my post to be approved. ...but im sure ill have more questions lol.thanks

oh I do have one question I cant seem to find an answer to. If I use led strands will the controller be able to "fade" them? Im thinking leds are on/off only.

[Moparkansas]

Some leds are fadable and some are not, so it depends on the strings that you bought.  Plug one in, give it a shot and see if they dim or not.

[iflights]

One other thing I learned from last night's feedback is not to start with some slower songs and progressively finally 8 songs later get to the most complex sequenced blinky flashy music.  I always thought I would do a slow reveal of effects revealing more as each different song played.  

 

The advice about attention span is spot on.  

 

Mix it up.  Don't save your most complex sequencing to the last songs in your set.

[Orville]

Glad you got it figured out Nick.   And it was probably because my folders are different than what you're using, so it couldn't find the MP3.   Been there, doje that in my first year too when I started out and downloaded folks sequences to see how the SE actually worked before I started creating my own versions.

 

Very easy to do in your first year. LOL

[portcity_gt]

Thanks for the replies guys!

and after reading more on the forum I may have been quick to post the comment about people here not being helpful. It looks like most are but a few hate newbies, and thats understandable, I frequent several automotive forums and the newbs that cant seem to find the search button do get old.

ive had to do the same thing with every sequence ive played with, go to edit> media to get it to find it. Not a big deal now that I know how to use it.

I seriously doubt ill put anything together for this Christmas. But my plans are to keep it pretty simple with 32 maybe 48 traditional channels in the yard and 16 dumb rgb's on the house. Later as money allows I would like to do a ccr tree. My first big undertaking will probably be halloween 2014.