how can i make mydmx to trigger with my music
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There is no music triggering in my dmx. You have to program some scenes to match certain BPM's.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
If you're trying to sync a pre-recorded track(say, a 16-bit 44.1K WAV file preferred, unless you prefer the craptastic MP3 garbage format), there is NO syncronization at all possible via just the audio file.
Now, should you bring a second computer into your configuration, you can use 1 computer to run MyDMX, and a second computer to run your pre-recorded track or even a DAW-type application with MIDI. You will need two MIDI interfaces(one per computer) and use MIDI as a transport protocol(you also need a MIDI cable to do that). You can trigger scenes in MyDMX using note on commands, and/or directly access DMX channels using CC controller commands in the sequencing or DAW software.
WARNING: DO NOT do your MIDI stuff(triggering/control) on the same computer you are running MyDMX on if you expect to control MyDMX with it. You'll NOT enjoy the instability and constant crashing that goes along with it. I'm not talking about apps crapping out, I'm talking full system lock-up requiring a hard reset to clear. I said this requires 2 computers for a reason. I've already been down this road many times here.
If you choose to use CC controller data exclusively, you can truly time sync your stuff to the audio. If you use scenes(which is actually recommended), you would need to use timing and steps to match things up for BMP accuracy(and expect drift since MyDMX is only accurate down to .04 of a second). Scene triggering is done via MIDI Note ON commands. If you simply need to pull up scenes that are color washes or turn specials on and off, timing isn't quite so critical but you do want to pay attention to your fade times as well as when you trigger the scene to come on. You also may need to adjust your scene timing as well as loop concerns and perhaps "next" and queue issues.
Also, please keep in mind that a single scene in MyDMX can contain THOUSANDS of steps. So, lets say you want to "march" your cans, or do back and forth stuff, you can certainly do all of that. You can do complex scenes with multiple steps involving movement from moving yoke and/or scanning mirror fixtures.
You can also trigger scenes from the computer keyboard. The only downside to this is that you only have so many keys. Still, you can get quite a bit of scenes made easily accessible this way, so it might not be a bad solution.
If you still INSIST upon lights triggering to music, you may want to see if the lights you have or want to buy support a sound active mode in DMX mode. If you find lights that support SOUND ACTIVE WHEN IN DMX MODE(there are plenty that do, you won't have a problem finding them BUT please read their manuals first to confirm this feature, DO NOT ASSUME!!), you can simply enable that feature and get hopefully desired results. You can also use non-DMX fixtures attached to dimmer packs set in switched mode and turn them on and off as wanted and let their sound active functionality provide the sound active behavior you want.
Now, should you bring a second computer into your configuration, you can use 1 computer to run MyDMX, and a second computer to run your pre-recorded track or even a DAW-type application with MIDI. You will need two MIDI interfaces(one per computer) and use MIDI as a transport protocol(you also need a MIDI cable to do that). You can trigger scenes in MyDMX using note on commands, and/or directly access DMX channels using CC controller commands in the sequencing or DAW software.
WARNING: DO NOT do your MIDI stuff(triggering/control) on the same computer you are running MyDMX on if you expect to control MyDMX with it. You'll NOT enjoy the instability and constant crashing that goes along with it. I'm not talking about apps crapping out, I'm talking full system lock-up requiring a hard reset to clear. I said this requires 2 computers for a reason. I've already been down this road many times here.
If you choose to use CC controller data exclusively, you can truly time sync your stuff to the audio. If you use scenes(which is actually recommended), you would need to use timing and steps to match things up for BMP accuracy(and expect drift since MyDMX is only accurate down to .04 of a second). Scene triggering is done via MIDI Note ON commands. If you simply need to pull up scenes that are color washes or turn specials on and off, timing isn't quite so critical but you do want to pay attention to your fade times as well as when you trigger the scene to come on. You also may need to adjust your scene timing as well as loop concerns and perhaps "next" and queue issues.
Also, please keep in mind that a single scene in MyDMX can contain THOUSANDS of steps. So, lets say you want to "march" your cans, or do back and forth stuff, you can certainly do all of that. You can do complex scenes with multiple steps involving movement from moving yoke and/or scanning mirror fixtures.
You can also trigger scenes from the computer keyboard. The only downside to this is that you only have so many keys. Still, you can get quite a bit of scenes made easily accessible this way, so it might not be a bad solution.
If you still INSIST upon lights triggering to music, you may want to see if the lights you have or want to buy support a sound active mode in DMX mode. If you find lights that support SOUND ACTIVE WHEN IN DMX MODE(there are plenty that do, you won't have a problem finding them BUT please read their manuals first to confirm this feature, DO NOT ASSUME!!), you can simply enable that feature and get hopefully desired results. You can also use non-DMX fixtures attached to dimmer packs set in switched mode and turn them on and off as wanted and let their sound active functionality provide the sound active behavior you want.
Hi Chris,
Great forum... and you and jingles sure have helped me with my understanding!!
Here's my question:
I do live performance in Clubs, weddings, etc. Smaller venues for the most part. I use SONAR 8.5 by Cakewalk. Mostly MIDI sequences, but some with analog Audio playing back with the MIDI for guitar lead parts, sax and backing vocals direct-from hard drive. I have a new laptop, the fastest one Dell had this week... the I7 processor! I also have several other laptops and I'm very MIDI literate and a techy myself.
I have MyDMX and want to ask: what is the best way for me to hook up my system? I see you talking about using TWO laptops with two separate MIDI interfaces, one for the SONAR DAW and the other for the lighting using MyDMX... no problem?
I have 8 cheaplight.com 120-LED-86's that will be here this week. I have not found a setup in the library for these DMX fixtures. They have 5 DMX channels... still looking.
Anyway, I want the scenes to be triggered automatically from SONAR as we are playing the songs. I have an M-Audio 8X8 midi interface, so lots of ports and MIDI channels to spare? Since I am the lead singer and the guitarist... I need things to be automated and hands free so I don't have to think about it while performing after I trigger the song in SONAR by pressing the space bar and off we goooooo.
I just want to program the scenes as I want them in MyDMX and then have them play back in the order I tell them to. Trigger the scenes somehow from SONAR.
How do you recommend I hook all this up and interface everything? I know you have mucho experience and I don't want to reinvent the wheel, so, I'll take your advice. I have all the hardware and software, I just want to eliminate the "learning curve" and "trial and error" as much as possible by being smart and listening to you experienced guys. John 256-468-4233
Great forum... and you and jingles sure have helped me with my understanding!!
Here's my question:
I do live performance in Clubs, weddings, etc. Smaller venues for the most part. I use SONAR 8.5 by Cakewalk. Mostly MIDI sequences, but some with analog Audio playing back with the MIDI for guitar lead parts, sax and backing vocals direct-from hard drive. I have a new laptop, the fastest one Dell had this week... the I7 processor! I also have several other laptops and I'm very MIDI literate and a techy myself.
I have MyDMX and want to ask: what is the best way for me to hook up my system? I see you talking about using TWO laptops with two separate MIDI interfaces, one for the SONAR DAW and the other for the lighting using MyDMX... no problem?
I have 8 cheaplight.com 120-LED-86's that will be here this week. I have not found a setup in the library for these DMX fixtures. They have 5 DMX channels... still looking.
Anyway, I want the scenes to be triggered automatically from SONAR as we are playing the songs. I have an M-Audio 8X8 midi interface, so lots of ports and MIDI channels to spare? Since I am the lead singer and the guitarist... I need things to be automated and hands free so I don't have to think about it while performing after I trigger the song in SONAR by pressing the space bar and off we goooooo.
I just want to program the scenes as I want them in MyDMX and then have them play back in the order I tell them to. Trigger the scenes somehow from SONAR.
How do you recommend I hook all this up and interface everything? I know you have mucho experience and I don't want to reinvent the wheel, so, I'll take your advice. I have all the hardware and software, I just want to eliminate the "learning curve" and "trial and error" as much as possible by being smart and listening to you experienced guys. John 256-468-4233
Good thing I chose now to come out of temporary hiding, eh?
First, I don't want to waste time addressing the fixtures that may or may not have profiles. While important, it's not critical. Remember that profiles are merely for use humans to relate to the program with, as well as allow the program to do all sorts of nifty goodness for us by becoming aware of features and functionality. A well made profile is a good thing!
So, onto the MIDI triggering: You got it right: two laptops/computers and 2 MIDI interfaces of your choosing.
Although I am an audio engineer, I am working on a show that involves a movie being played back, and unfortunately I need to be away from the playback units to trigger lighting, but the lighting is heavily synced, synced so well if I hit my first cue I'm done for the show.
So, I hear what you want to do, and what you want to do is entirely possible, provided you have a second laptop and MIDI interface for that laptop. And really, honestly speaking, this is the best way to go about it. Seriously.
No doubt you've made your scenes. Then the key is to program in your MIDI triggers, which I will leave that to you. Your MIDI triggers will be NOTE ON commands only for scene triggering. You may need a 88-note keyboard or else a way to trigger the notes from within Sonar. I use Sonar but honestly I'm not super familiar with it. I'm also at Sonar Home 6, which for my purposes is fine.
You need to be aware that MyDMX is a bit "thick" when it comes to MIDI. For your part, I suggest dedicating a port on the 8X8 for MyDMX and put a piece of tape on the interface to notate that. Now, get yourself an inexpensive M-Audio MIDI interface(a 2X2 or smaller because it doesn't make sense to have more than that for the MyDMX machine). MyDMX will gladly eat any MIDI channel and MIDI NOTE you can spit at it. Also, document and save often should MyDMX lose stuff(and it will if it crashes)
Go MIDI OUT on 8X8 port 8 on the Sonar machine to the MIDI IN on the MyDMX machine. Right mouse click to learn triggers in the USER tab, send trigger, it learns, the window vanishes. Repeat. By documenting your note values, you can now program this into Sonar.
Do recall that MyDMX scenes are time-based. I mean as in a physical time, not any sort of internal clocking. So, you can't make a scene run longer or slower or shorter. If the scene is 25 seconds and it has a 3 second fade-in, that's how the scene is going to run, period. Once you accept this, you're gold. MyDMX does NOT work via MTC, SMPTE, MMC, MIDI clock or any other syncronization.
I also suggest setting your scenes to be a lot longer than you need them to be so that way you don't have to worry about holding, or else set them to endless repeat for the same reason. It would suck to have a scene crap out on you in the middle of your song because you timed it too short. The worse case is it should go to the last step and hold.
Now, back to the MyDMX machine: Always keep MyDMX as the foreground application, which is necessary for MyDMX to work with MIDI triggering. Since you're dedicating hardware to this, this will not be one of your problems. But, if things stop working, this also gives you a quick place to start looking as it can be super easy to accidentally click a wrong location and MyDMX is not in the foreground.
Again, back to Sonar: Document your choice for triggers(They are notes) and simply dedicate a track or tracks in Sonar for these notes to be entered. Dedicate a port for MyDMX triggering as a quiet interface is a happy interface.
Also, keep in mind, there are 128 MIDI notes per MIDI channel, but MyDMX seems to have a hard limitation of like 249 scenes, so you'd need at most only 2 MIDI channels.
If you do it right, then you will meet your objective. Honestly, I'm against musicians doing their own sound and lights because it distracts from the performance that the performers are trying to do. At least with your method, you're trying to minimize that. Once the song rolls, it's performing time, not "tweak gear time".
A last bit of advise: END every song with your "break" scene. That way when the song is done, you trigger the scene for you guys in between scenes. EVEN if you end the song in a blackout, let the blackout hold for the time you want, then fade up that between songs scene. It will look cool.
Other tips:
Make 3 blackouts:
instant
Slow fade(+5 seconds)
Fast Fade: 3 seconds or less.
For your in between:
Depends what you want, but a 2-3 second fade up works nice. I like to use white at 100%, but that's just me.
Additional stuff:
If you want to get really advanced, you can directly control channels in MyDMX using CC information. Assign a CC controller to a channel, and you can quite literally have real-time control over your gear if you sequence the information. What's cool about this is that you can speed/slow your tempo and the programming will folloow this. This is advanced and can clog your MIDI data stream if over-used. With 512 possible CC controllers, that's 4 MIDI channels!(All of those can also be used for triggers as well). Really cool for movers and other intels, and even with color changers.
First, I don't want to waste time addressing the fixtures that may or may not have profiles. While important, it's not critical. Remember that profiles are merely for use humans to relate to the program with, as well as allow the program to do all sorts of nifty goodness for us by becoming aware of features and functionality. A well made profile is a good thing!
So, onto the MIDI triggering: You got it right: two laptops/computers and 2 MIDI interfaces of your choosing.
Although I am an audio engineer, I am working on a show that involves a movie being played back, and unfortunately I need to be away from the playback units to trigger lighting, but the lighting is heavily synced, synced so well if I hit my first cue I'm done for the show.
So, I hear what you want to do, and what you want to do is entirely possible, provided you have a second laptop and MIDI interface for that laptop. And really, honestly speaking, this is the best way to go about it. Seriously.
No doubt you've made your scenes. Then the key is to program in your MIDI triggers, which I will leave that to you. Your MIDI triggers will be NOTE ON commands only for scene triggering. You may need a 88-note keyboard or else a way to trigger the notes from within Sonar. I use Sonar but honestly I'm not super familiar with it. I'm also at Sonar Home 6, which for my purposes is fine.
You need to be aware that MyDMX is a bit "thick" when it comes to MIDI. For your part, I suggest dedicating a port on the 8X8 for MyDMX and put a piece of tape on the interface to notate that. Now, get yourself an inexpensive M-Audio MIDI interface(a 2X2 or smaller because it doesn't make sense to have more than that for the MyDMX machine). MyDMX will gladly eat any MIDI channel and MIDI NOTE you can spit at it. Also, document and save often should MyDMX lose stuff(and it will if it crashes)
Go MIDI OUT on 8X8 port 8 on the Sonar machine to the MIDI IN on the MyDMX machine. Right mouse click to learn triggers in the USER tab, send trigger, it learns, the window vanishes. Repeat. By documenting your note values, you can now program this into Sonar.
Do recall that MyDMX scenes are time-based. I mean as in a physical time, not any sort of internal clocking. So, you can't make a scene run longer or slower or shorter. If the scene is 25 seconds and it has a 3 second fade-in, that's how the scene is going to run, period. Once you accept this, you're gold. MyDMX does NOT work via MTC, SMPTE, MMC, MIDI clock or any other syncronization.
I also suggest setting your scenes to be a lot longer than you need them to be so that way you don't have to worry about holding, or else set them to endless repeat for the same reason. It would suck to have a scene crap out on you in the middle of your song because you timed it too short. The worse case is it should go to the last step and hold.
Now, back to the MyDMX machine: Always keep MyDMX as the foreground application, which is necessary for MyDMX to work with MIDI triggering. Since you're dedicating hardware to this, this will not be one of your problems. But, if things stop working, this also gives you a quick place to start looking as it can be super easy to accidentally click a wrong location and MyDMX is not in the foreground.
Again, back to Sonar: Document your choice for triggers(They are notes) and simply dedicate a track or tracks in Sonar for these notes to be entered. Dedicate a port for MyDMX triggering as a quiet interface is a happy interface.
Also, keep in mind, there are 128 MIDI notes per MIDI channel, but MyDMX seems to have a hard limitation of like 249 scenes, so you'd need at most only 2 MIDI channels.
If you do it right, then you will meet your objective. Honestly, I'm against musicians doing their own sound and lights because it distracts from the performance that the performers are trying to do. At least with your method, you're trying to minimize that. Once the song rolls, it's performing time, not "tweak gear time".
A last bit of advise: END every song with your "break" scene. That way when the song is done, you trigger the scene for you guys in between scenes. EVEN if you end the song in a blackout, let the blackout hold for the time you want, then fade up that between songs scene. It will look cool.
Other tips:
Make 3 blackouts:
instant
Slow fade(+5 seconds)
Fast Fade: 3 seconds or less.
For your in between:
Depends what you want, but a 2-3 second fade up works nice. I like to use white at 100%, but that's just me.
Additional stuff:
If you want to get really advanced, you can directly control channels in MyDMX using CC information. Assign a CC controller to a channel, and you can quite literally have real-time control over your gear if you sequence the information. What's cool about this is that you can speed/slow your tempo and the programming will folloow this. This is advanced and can clog your MIDI data stream if over-used. With 512 possible CC controllers, that's 4 MIDI channels!(All of those can also be used for triggers as well). Really cool for movers and other intels, and even with color changers.
I am very glad I saw this post before I asked a similar question. I have a very similar setup. Sonar 8.5 / maudio profire 2626. We sequence audio / midi with video screens etc. I have sonar changing all the rack and pedals etc in sonar event list and want to take my sequenced program control change messages and duplicate them to another track - midi channel to trigger mydmx. I downloaded the software and will be ordering the hardware tomorrow as it sounds like it's possible to make happen after reading this post.
We only sequence half of the show. How can I control mydmx for unsequenced songs? I considered a behringer midi pedal merged with midi into mydmx as it has note control. I own an original grond control pedal I would rather use but not sure it will work with mydmx? What if the laptop with my dmx crashes? No light show then? If I unpluged my dmx would my lights go to sond activation mode? Would I need to unplug anything if the laptop for mydmx dies? Can I somehow utilize a elation operator 192? I was considering getting the operaor 192 a first and wonder if it's more stable or quicker to use live?
Lights I have:
chauvet mega moon
adj galaxian sky
adj h2o led. (not sure how to utilize ts on/ off va mydx)?
2 adj mega bar 50
adj f700 fog machine (not sure how to trigger this via mydmx)?
We only sequence half of the show. How can I control mydmx for unsequenced songs? I considered a behringer midi pedal merged with midi into mydmx as it has note control. I own an original grond control pedal I would rather use but not sure it will work with mydmx? What if the laptop with my dmx crashes? No light show then? If I unpluged my dmx would my lights go to sond activation mode? Would I need to unplug anything if the laptop for mydmx dies? Can I somehow utilize a elation operator 192? I was considering getting the operaor 192 a first and wonder if it's more stable or quicker to use live?
Lights I have:
chauvet mega moon
adj galaxian sky
adj h2o led. (not sure how to utilize ts on/ off va mydx)?
2 adj mega bar 50
adj f700 fog machine (not sure how to trigger this via mydmx)?
Well, the best bet is to have your MIDI controller go through your sequencing computer or at least via MIDI thru so you can have a consistent interface. I'm trying to do testing with MyDMX, but I had 3 devices fail, so it really boned me over.
Regarding the ADJ F700: there's no interface for DMX, you'll want to use the wired remote.
ADJ H20 LED: Get a dimmer pack to control on/off, but realize that there may be a brief self diagnostic on each turn on.
Whatever controller you choose to use, ensure it works by sending note on instructions.
If you want to incorporate the DMX Operator 192, you need the Elation MIDI Merge device. You'll also want to probably assign the DMX Operator 192 as the "override" device.
Just keep in mind: what you want to do is a 2 computer operation. DO NOT run MyDMX and the Sonar stuff on the same machine and expect it to all work. It won't, it will be highly unstable. MyDMX is the problem due to how it uses MIDI and how it behaves.
Oh, and as far as "what will my lights do if I disconnect DMX", read your manual to see what it says the lights will do. That's the only advice I can give there.
Regarding the ADJ F700: there's no interface for DMX, you'll want to use the wired remote.
ADJ H20 LED: Get a dimmer pack to control on/off, but realize that there may be a brief self diagnostic on each turn on.
Whatever controller you choose to use, ensure it works by sending note on instructions.
If you want to incorporate the DMX Operator 192, you need the Elation MIDI Merge device. You'll also want to probably assign the DMX Operator 192 as the "override" device.
Just keep in mind: what you want to do is a 2 computer operation. DO NOT run MyDMX and the Sonar stuff on the same machine and expect it to all work. It won't, it will be highly unstable. MyDMX is the problem due to how it uses MIDI and how it behaves.
Oh, and as far as "what will my lights do if I disconnect DMX", read your manual to see what it says the lights will do. That's the only advice I can give there.
I have been reading up on the elation compu software ($599). I wonder if ut would be easier for a lighting novice like myself as it has music triggering and I believe it has pre made lighting scenes. I am not sure if I could just use it as audio / midi playback or if I could run it with software on the same computer for video playback such as arkaos grand vj? I wanted to buy some lighting program tomorro. At guitar centers sale but I'm confused between elations compu and mydmx?
Well I do support for both my dmx and compu live. However I am not sure how it would run with another program like grand VJ software running from the same PC at the same time. Yes it does have SOME music triggering but it goes by the mic on the PC Not the fixtures built in mic's. It is also limited to assigning a channel from a fixture to audio trigger not scenes or switches. compu live is more advanced than my dmx and has a steeper learning curve to it than my dmx. However Compu live does midi really well and has more midi triggering functions than my dmx. I would tell you to wait to buy compu live as we are releasing a new generation of compu live software called compu Show later this year. so if you buy a compu live interface now you will not be able to use compu show. Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
I was wondering about using the sequencer in compulive if it has one that allows me to send out midi channels as well to my guitar rig for program control change? Will your new compu show work as a plug in for sequencing programs like sonar? I currently run my audio - midi- and video from that program.I would like a program that has a simple sequencer with audio and midi capability that let's me send program change messages and allows for simple video playback like wma media (smaller file size. I currently use sonar for all of this except lighting. I have 12 songs in a row as audio another with midi program change messages and a video track synced up that I imported from Sony Vegas with audio How much will the compu show cost? Is it a better idea for me to just buy an operator 192 for now and trigger it via midi from my laptop (sonar) then hopefully your new program will have the features I need?