what to do next

[kingfish]

okey I configured my three controlers [picked up in spring sale want to pick up one more in summer sale]do not have fourth controller yet, hope this does not matter. I have purchased some sequences frome holiday cora and mr too many decorations. and a few from some kind members.

now I want to start customizing for my house witch would be 64 channels. what I would love to find is a video on how to do this. anyone have a suggestion on which video to watch.

larry

[msavage]

I to am new to this, I found the video forum's most helpful.you can find them under support from main page But I have other question how did you get some from these other members I am stuck with I had ideas of my lights bur every sequence is the the thing just different songs. If there is anyone out there interested in helping I would really appreciate the help.

[Brian Dietrich]

Have you checked out Light-O-Rama "Decorating Basics 4X4 Design".   Good info to get started.

[kingfish]

I have looked at a lot of vidios including that one . what I am trying to do is take a sequences that is 32 channels or some are 40 channels and set them up for 64 channels. basically add channels to existing channels is this possible or am I going at this all wrong

[razrbkchristmas]

If you have your setup set and channel configuration completed and saved. You can open borrowed sequence and then go to file and click new, you can then copy and paste from borrowed to new sequence. I started with 6 mini trees so i would find their minis or anything like arches that chase and use for my mini trees. I also would buy the version of song that matched the borrowed sequences length so timing would be exact or very close.

[mpageler]

For purchased singing face/tree seuqnce, you can add new channels for other display element to fill out your 64 channels.  You can either manually seqquence these new channels or copy/paste in channels from sequences that othert people share freely.

It doesn matter that shared sequences wil not be 64 channels, you simply copy in whatever channels that you can used in your sequences.
 

[sax]

I have never purchased or borrowed sequences....so I can not be help with that. 

 

But, as I add channels every year I still want to use my old sequences.  So this should be similar.  I take a sequence that has for arguments sake 20 channels and merge it into one that has 30.

 

So, step one of this is to create a channel template.  This will be your yard.  Now, one thing to keep in mind when doing this is that you will have to consider your purchased sequence channels.  You said it is 40 channels.  So, your first 40 channels should match the channels of your purchased sequence.

 

Some things to keep in mind here. 

1.  Make backups of your sequences.  Always do this work on copies of the sequence.

2.  You can change the order the channels are in any sequence.  For my yard, I have an order that makes sense to me.  BUT once I have this order, it must stay the same for each sequence.  For your purchased sequences....if the top sequence channel is lights on a bush but you want it to control lights on the roof....you can make this change by moving it.  Then you will need to make sure with the rest of your purchased sequences to do the same.

3.  I typically create my template inside the sequence once I have it set up.  So, I take a sequence.  Place all my channels where I want them on all sequences...then I can export this channel template (edit - export/Import channel configuration).  Now, whenever I start a new sequence I can just use this template.

 

After you have created a template based on your purchased sequences....then step two is you add what you need....the extra channels....at the bottom. 

 

To do this:

Right click in the channels section and choose add channel or channels.  Place above or below.  Name them proper.  Make sure they are added at the bottom of the original 40, make sure they are where you want them and then save this template as well...with a different name.

 

Now, you can open a sequence.  This is step three.  Use the import channel template and select your template with the extra channels to import.  If you did everything correct...it will have the 40 channels above with the sequence data in it and then blank sequence lines below for your new channels.  Now, you just add to your sequence as desired...copy/paste...or create new effects.

 

If it did not import correctly, don't worry.  Just don't save and everything will be fine.  Then, make sure your channel numbers are correct. 

 

For me, I make lots of errors here because I use CCRs.  And CCRs have extra Macro channels that I forget about.  If you don't know what I am talking about and don't have CCRs, don't worry.  The key here is that the top channels of the purchased sequence needs to match your template.  If there are 40 channels there, you need to have 40 channels in your template.  Then after those 40 channels are your new channels.  If you only have 39, then you overwrite that 40th channel with a blank line.  Hopefully this makes sense.

 

This makes adding channels easier.  You can of course just add to any sequence anywhere you want by right clicking, select add channel or channels and do that.  These empty channels are just placed wherever you are in the channel lineup.  You can click and drag the channels to wherever you want.  This is more time consuming but possible.

 

Once you get the hang of this, then there are groups that can simplify more.  I don't want to confuse you but if my top 40 are always the same and complete, then I can group those 40.  They will appear as one line on your sequence editor screen with a + next to it that can expand and show all 40 lines if you wish.  But if not you can just keep it hidden.  This may not be a good idea for 40 channels.  But  grouping can be very useful to minimize the area on the screen and allow you to focus on a certain group of elements.  Groups are very useful.  But you can mess with them later....once you get templates figured out.

 

 

Hope that helps.

Sax

[EmmienLightFan]

Yes. That is good info above. 

Copy and paste from other channels to fill extra channels, and do bits manually so it isn't all the same.

 

I am creating a playlist of tutorials on my YouTube channel. Only one so far, but hopefully I will have loads more soon!

[dgrant]

Sax has given you good advice for the actual sequencing. When I got into this hobby, I started with 96 channels so the challenge was on for me. I use the visualizer a lot and found it to be a super useful tool. Once all the strings are done in the visualizer and channels are matched up with the SE, then you can sequence all you wish.

 

Basically, created a non-commanding "Beat" channel that has no actual channel assigned. Then use the beat wizard or tapper tool to establish a beat track in your sequence. Decide in your head if you will control anything based on the beat which I'm sure about %99 of us do. So for example, at a certain moment/beat, you will fade up a roof line, or turn it on....locate that moment in the SE, do just that. Add in more as you go. For me, I will select an area of the house, then sequence the whole song for that area, then come back to the beginning and sequence the next area of the whole song.

 

The entire time, I'm picturing in my head, what I think I might like to see on the house, during this or that part of the music. The visualizer allows me to see it on the screen. Then I can change it, delete it or whatever to get it the way I think it should look like. Borrowed sequences are nice because someone else did all that for you, however, you still have to edit from it, to your own and that effort takes almost the same amount of time it would for you to create your own plus it doesn't feel as good to see someone else's work on your lights. Now I will add quickly though, for pixel or ccr trees, there's www.holidaysequences.com and you can pay them for those which in my personal opinion, no way could I ever program the way they can...they are artists in lights. So their sequences, I'll gladly pay for. Doesn't sound like you will be doing pixels this year but keep them in mind for those as you go forward.

[mixnight]

What I do is have ready my channel configuration set up with what I want for my house with my two controllers and my sandevices, then I have exported my channel config. When I borrowed/purchased any sequence I always make a copy of it then when I opened it I import my channel config and that's it, the new borrowed/purchased sequence is adapted to my display, that way your borrowed/purchased sequence is keeping the timings and off course I used the same song that came from the borrowed/purchased sequence then I make adjustments moving channel

S up and down.

[kingfish]

thanx for the great advice, the sequences I purchased where for singing faces. I am starting with mapping everything out. I am sure I will have more questions but I appreciate all the advice I gotten so far not with just this thread but previos threads and I am sure future threads.

once again thanx for all the help

larry