Footswitch recommendation + Sound triggering

Tulsa Ron. Welcome to the forums.

1) I am not sure MIDI is not really my specialty. I'll get someone to answer that one.

2) There is no direct setting on my dmx. what it is, is if your fixtures have a sound active function in the dmx traits. Say for example Accu spot pro channel 14 dmx value 239-255 "Sound active". So you would create a scene that had the channels on the fixtures in sound active function in their dmx traits. but the main point to be clear on here is if the fixture DOES NOT have a sound active function in their DMX traits then there is no way for it to be triggered by sound from the program. My dmx does not have ANY sound to light functions built into the program. Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Thanks James for your quick response. I've read in my light manuals and some do have sound activation. However, if I understand this correctly, once you choose the DMX capabilities, it looks as if you no longer have sound activation available.

Not exactly. The fixture can be in dmx mode and if there is a function to put the fixture into a sound activation mode you can do so by activating those dmx values and the fixture will react LIKE it is set to sound only mode but you then have the ability to take control of the fixture not not using those dmx values that put it into sound active. Make sense?
Sincerely,

I've been paged to join in the conversation regarding issue #1.

(I'm slammed with a video project and some computer consulting, which has been taking time from my new habit of wasting far too much of my time playing with yoyos)

1: It comes down to the footswitch. While previously stated that MyDMX does not look at program changes, it does look at program changes. My problem was I have been using MIDI devices that do not use program changes in my testing. The reason why is that they are racked, cased or otherwise not so convenient to get to. My bad.

2: Most footswitches use program changes/patch changes. Notes are good too, mostly because they provided a more "definitive" type of input, as opposed to CC(continuous controller) data, which really needs to be assigned to a DMX channel

Now, the questions back to you are as follows:

How does this device connect to your computer? Maybe you don't have it yet, so you don't have an answer yet. What models are you looking at?

If it connects via MIDI, you need a MIDI interface. I've been having sketchy results with the M-Audio MIDISPORT series. I have a 2X2 and a 2X2 Anniversary edition, and it's really due to the driver being weird. I had to remove the driver. Between hotfixes and patches from Microsoft, what works one day doesn't work the next. The key is that if you can right mouse click a channel and it brings up a MIDI LEARN option, you're seeing that MyDMX has accepted your MIDI hardware. WHAT hardware it has accepted(if you have more than one device) is a whole other set of confusion.

Now, assuming all is fine, it's a matter of MyDMX being set to "learn" what footswitch does what scene and you're gold.

As far as triggering lights from software, it's best to do that as a MIDI NOTE function in your sequencing package as well. But you're playing live(rock on!), so that doesn't stay a viable option.

If you have more questions, I'll try to follow this thread, but I can't make promises. I'm super slammed with real work at the moment. If need be, Jingles will drag me back in and I will happily and gladly help in any way I can.

ASSUMING [and based on what Chris said it seems a safe assumption - but I don't know] that My DMX will respond to midi program changes (and you have an interface that will accept midi signals and communicate them to My DMX), I would highly recommend the Behringer FCB1010. I have used it to control some aspects of my light shows.

Whether My DMX responds to midi "program changes" or "notes," you will be able trigger at least 127 different scenes or programs [if it receives program changes on multiple channels you would be able to trigger even more]. If it only responds to midi note signals and you need more than that 127 options, the FBC1010 won't do the job.

With the FBC1010 your singer could call up any of the 127 scenes with by pressing two switches.

MyDMX does respond to program changes. I tested it. It's just a simple trigger. What I like about these types of triggers is that they are definitive. All velocity and aftertouch data is CC and ignored.

Most foot controllers operate off program changes, mostly since that's what they are doing: changing a patch on the equipment they are attached to. so, it makes sense.

The gotcha is the MIDI interface. Will MyDMX see it. That can be sketchy. while I have had good results with the MIDISPORT interfaces, they aren't always playing nicely for me. A cheap(well, inexpensive) controller such as a Korg NanoPAD, well, that works of MIDI notes, but that's OK, but it's not a food controller and would get beat to crap being used as such and not last too long. Also, using it as a "table top" or "stand top" controller might look a bit too unprofessional. I want the front person as free as possible. Now, if he's also a keyboardist or something, well, then it opens more options.

I got no issue with a vocalist and a floorboard. Just needs rehearsal to work out the mechanics and keep the distraction portions to a minimum. It CAN be done and done rather well.

Just, PLEASE do not try to load MyDMX and your backing tracks(this goes to other people, you don't do this) onto the same machine. You really don't want to do this. It's a fight you won't win.

I did a ProTool recording with Compu Show running in the foreground. Worked fantastic. I wouldn't dare try that with MyDMX.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

I use the Logidy UMI3 USB foot controller (http://www.logidy.com/?pid=1). It's smaller size fits nicely next to my hi-hat pedal and allows me to run MyDMX while drumming. It has three buttons, each of which can trigger 8 different things. And each button can "step" any or all of the buttons to their next step. It's pretty simple to learn the software and set up. I've never had any issues with it working with MyDMX.

Just figured I'd share. Good luck.

Yes, but I'm sure you're not using that laptop for anything else, right?