Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Matthew Dickinson]

My band just had our first gig on Saturday with our Chauvet SlimPar 64s run through Showxpress from a tablet. 4 lights on either side of the stage.
 
During setup, we tried to run pre-programmed pages for each song with a series of sequences and a click track. We couldn`t stay in time and starting the song with the click track was a pain.

 So as a backup, I had all the lights on a page with 9 stationary different colors as well as another page with 9 different colors of fixtures 1,3,6,8 and 2,4,5,7 jumping back and forth. Had a friend hit the buttons on the tablet for the whole show.

If I were to get a MIDI footswitch such as the Behringer  FCB1010, can I program a seperate page for each song with 10 buttons on each page. For instance, one one page, the first MIDI switch could make all the lights red. On the next page(next song), the firstMIDI switch could be a sequence of lights for a certain part of the song. Or will the first MIDI switch always do the same thing.

I had certain scenes in the timelines for some songs and would still like to have them be available either by tablet or by footswitch.

Thanks,
Matt

[Jeff Lelko]

Hi Matt,

Congrats on playing your first gig!  I can't really contribute to the thread other than to point out that a very similar question was just asked very recently.  Not a whole lot of answers there either, but it's worth a read if you haven't already.

http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,160028.0.html

Just to add a bit more and not give you a totally helpless response, you might find that there isn't a whole lot of love for Showexpress here.  There are some happy users lurking around, and by all means if the program fits your needs and budget - use it!  You just might have better luck (and help) if you consider another software package such as DMXIS, QLC, M-PC, MagicQ, Nomad, etc.  All of those can do what you're looking for, and the first two have more niche applications that might be exactly what you need.  They're at least worth a look if you're having trouble getting Showexpress to behave properly. 

In regards to your second question - MIDI implementation varies by software, but on the software I'm highly experienced with (MagicQ and Nomad), you can assign MIDI notes to trigger macros, which then can activate any of your programmed scenes, chases, etc.  Some programs are more open-ended, others are not.  Hope this helps and good luck!   

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

My band just had our first gig on Saturday with our Chauvet SlimPar 64s run through Showxpress from a tablet. 4 lights on either side of the stage.
 
During setup, we tried to run pre-programmed pages for each song with a series of sequences and a click track. We couldn`t stay in time and starting the song with the click track was a pain.

 So as a backup, I had all the lights on a page with 9 stationary different colors as well as another page with 9 different colors of fixtures 1,3,6,8 and 2,4,5,7 jumping back and forth. Had a friend hit the buttons on the tablet for the whole show.

If I were to get a MIDI footswitch such as the Behringer  FCB1010, can I program a seperate page for each song with 10 buttons on each page. For instance, one one page, the first MIDI switch could make all the lights red. On the next page(next song), the firstMIDI switch could be a sequence of lights for a certain part of the song. Or will the first MIDI switch always do the same thing.

I had certain scenes in the timelines for some songs and would still like to have them be available either by tablet or by footswitch.

Thanks,
Matt

A click track is going to be essential if this is how you're trying to run things.  I would recommend practicing until you get that right.

[Matthew Dickinson]

Thanks! I`ve actually been gigging with the same drummer for 18 years. The band bought 16 Slim Pars this summer and after a gig using an Obey 10 to run them, I wanted to try software. The company that sold us the lights included a SUSHI-DS dongle but I couldn`t really figure out two of the software packages on their website and the dongle kept blowing a transistor so I moved on. I played around a bit with DMXIS after seeing it mentioned on here. Showxpress just seemed to click with me fairly quickly, so I jumped in deeper and bought the 512 box.

I got it working with a cheap tablet so a friend did the lights for us Saturday night with about 5 minutes of explanation. He was amazed at how far the lighting has come. He used to do lights and sound for a Toronto based band back in the day.

So I`ve Attached a page for the song JUMP. The first button is lights 7&8 on the keyboard player to start the song. Second button is a flash button that does a sequence for when the drums and bass come in then back to the keys. Buttons 3,4,5 are for the corresponding colors `toggling` back and forth between lights 1,3,6,8 and 2,4,5,7. Button 6 is for a sequence that corresponds with the intro of the chorus. Button 7 is a sequence for the Guitar solo and the final 3 are all the lights on at the same time.

Tried it with the tablet while playing the song and its pretty easy. If the Buttons can be programmed with the MIDI foot controller, I should be able to run it while playing the bass.

Just wondering if I start a new page for another song, can the buttons/MIDI switches be different than they are for JUMP.

Happy Thanksgiving to any fellow Canucks. Or Happy Monday for everyone else.

Matt

[Matthew Dickinson]

I think it will work. Just wondering if anyone had some experience with it before we drop another $150 for a footswitch.

[Jerome Casinger]

I think it will work. Just wondering if anyone had some experience with it before we drop another $150 for a footswitch.

Hey Matt,

I had the footswitch, I run Showxpress and really enjoy the software.  I crossed over from Compulive and haven't looked back.  The midi triggering is simple and effective.  I returned the footswitch as it wouldn't allow me to "layer" scenes which is what I prefer.  If you click one button and it is the only thing that needs clicked, then you click a new one and you don't need the old button anymore, then yes the foot switch will work fine.  Basically, each scene needs to be all inclusive as you can only have one pedal on, with the pedal board unless you do a mod, if that makes sense. Buy it from sweet water, if it doesn't work, return it no questions asked.

[Jeff Lelko]

I returned the footswitch as it wouldn't allow me to "layer" scenes which is what I prefer. 

Is that a result of how the footswitch works or how the software implements MIDI triggering?  FWIW I find layering to be absolutely essential, especially if you plan on doing any sort of busking.   

[Jerome Casinger]

Is that a result of how the footswitch works or how the software implements MIDI triggering?  FWIW I find layering to be absolutely essential, especially if you plan on doing any sort of busking.   

Footswitch limit.  This was last year so I am a little foggy, but the footswitch could only light up one pedal at a time as well, so for someone like me that does a lot of layering, it was just to much of a pain.  The software using an MPC mini for example lets you layer as deeply as you want to.  That is now what I use, a mini or a launchpad.  I love it.

[Jeff Lelko]

Footswitch limit.  This was last year so I am a little foggy, but the footswitch could only light up one pedal at a time as well, so for someone like me that does a lot of layering, it was just to much of a pain.  The software using an MPC mini for example lets you layer as deeply as you want to.  That is now what I use, a mini or a launchpad.  I love it.

That's interesting.  When I get some free time I'll have to read the manuals for both and see how they differ in what actually gets sent and when.  Most of my MIDI experience with lights is just simple Note On/Off commands and MTC. 

[Matthew Dickinson]

Wondering if you remember how the FCB1010 works in regards to triggering the laptop. I prurchased the pedalboard and a Roland UM-ONE interface and the USB light is on, but the ÌN & OUT lights aren`t coming on when any buttons are pushed.

[ProSoundWeb Community]