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Thread: live shows with DJs?

  1. #1
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    Default live shows with DJs?

    EDIT: The way some of the members here have desperately tried to identify my location and nationality for whatever reason they believed was needed for by asking an admin to check my profile logs and researching me by the content of my posts has been very creepy and unnecessary. So bye.
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    Well when cooperating with a DJ, you need to keep track of the beat (sync the effects) and pick the appropriate effect for the music that is being played, and change at the right time.
    LSX isn't great for this, as there is no beat detection/synchronisation system. You can use a speed slider (on screen or controlled by a DJ or MIDI controller) but it's hard to do real beat synching.

    My solution is to use an external program and/or advanced expressions to do beat syncing, but it's been a while since I did anything like that. The best solution is probably to have both, like beat-synched colour modulation effects while the rotation speed is controlled by a slider or something. If you like to delve into expressions, I wrote a small section in the manual about triggering effects by a key.

    I'm trying to do something in Processing that sends OSC commands on the beat. Not because I can't do that in LSX but because there isn't really a way to send signals from LSX to Freestyler, and I'd have to keep two separate programs synched to the beat. Haven't gotten far yet, univ work gets in the way. I'll make sure to release it if it ever gets in a semidecent shape.

  3. #3
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    I fully appreciate the fact that you have LSX and are learning how to use it. For pre-programmed shows, it does some amazing things as evidenced by what CMB, Swami and others do. I simply don't know that it's your best choice for trying to play live with a DJ. I also fully appreciate that software/hardware is expensive, especially when you are just starting out and have just gotten LSX. My suggestion to you though, is if you are trying to do live work with a DJ then seriously try to come up with the money for Pangolin's Quickshow. You will be amazed with how easy it is to work with compared to LSX for the purpose you're thinking about. Both pieces of software are excellent and both do certain things very, very well. However, each is a tool... to do a job.

    Think of it in terms of a hammer and a screwdriver. You can use a hammer to put in a screw if you want (use LSX live with a DJ) or, you can use Quickshow (a screwdriver) and do a much better job. By the same token, creating a canned show (driving a nail), is better done with a hammer (LSX) although you could probably wail on the nail with the screwdriver enough to eventually get it in. Both tools should be in your laser tool box as far as I'm concerned.

    I'm going to go out on a limb and also say that if lasers are not common in your small country and your name gets out there as someone who does laser beam shows along with a DJ, you will find yourself busier with that, than you will pre-made custom LSX shows. Although the artsy graphic LSX stuff may be more appealing and enjoyable to you personally, beams will be what pays the bills.
    Last edited by Bradfo69; 04-02-2014 at 12:18.

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    You can turn the argument around. In LSX you need a lot of creativity and time to do live shows. The question is if that creativity or time is worth more than $600 to you or not.
    [For a poor student like me that is an easy question :P ]

    Besides LSX offers a large variety of live inputs. It's not that QS has intrinsically better results. I'm sure LSX will achieve a more creative show than the generic QS patterns. But of course this entirely depends on the programmer.

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    Very true. LSX is a much more powerful program than Quickshow in a number of regards. Quickshow does have a lot of potentially layered instant effects built in so that it's considerably more than just punching generic cues though.


    (Yes, I own and use both programs so it's not a "Pangolin fanboy" post.)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bradfo69 View Post
    Very true. LSX is a much more powerful program than Quickshow in a number of regards. Quickshow does have a lot of potentially layered instant effects built in so that it's considerably more than just punching generic cues though.


    (Yes, I own and use both programs so it's not a "Pangolin fanboy" post.)

    That's true. If you want layered effects in LSX, you can't use the "default" way of doing live shows (ie. assigning a part of the timeline to a specific midi or touchscreen key so when the cue is activated, LSX loops in this timeline segment). You need to put all the effects under one another on the same timeline spot and use IF events or intensity events with expressions. Not impossible but certainly easier in QS.


    Edit to Dream:
    The way I did it is by having a "Beat" setvar. There were four modes. The first mode was "manual". Press control and beat is on. Second was "Auto". Here it calculated the interval time between control taps and generated a square wave (like a beat) with the approximated frequency. Third was "Fixed" where you could give in a fixed BPM value in a separate setvar and control would toggle the beats. Last was "Music" where you could move a crosshair cursor around while holding control. The spectrum is shown in the preview window (on another timeline so you'd need either Basic or Pro) and every time the spectrum moves above the cursor, beat was active.

    This "Beat" setvar is huge with all the things it has to take care of (producing the square wave, listening to various inputs, calculate interval times and spectra etc.) so I dropped this way and went with Processing and OSC instead. Though this is still WIP.

    I'll upload the show file, but there are almost no effects for it and I don't want to spend much time with it anymore. That said, I liked the options I had more than the Freestyler tap sync.

    Here is a quick effect in "Music" mode:


    And here is the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9p...it?usp=sharing
    There are comments on timeline 8 explaining how it should be used. You can use it as an example if you like. I'll try to make the effects created for this type of shows reverse compatible with my new Processing method so if you have ideas, don't hesitate to work them out. Though, I don't want to spend any more time with this than strictly necessary.
    Last edited by colouredmirrorball; 04-02-2014 at 13:21.

  7. #7
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    This is me doing live shows for Calvin Harris in Abu Dhabi using APC40 controller with Pangolin Beyond
    The cues are pre-programmed to what the managers wanted so no stock tin-can cues

    Philipp Wetter

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    I'm interested in how you run your colours on a show like that, as you're very well synced with the LD. Do you create multiple versions of the cues with colour info contained, or are you setting up custom Quick FX for your colour pallettes to punch in? The fast changes suggest you're not dialling it in on the RGB mixer or colour fader, unless you're clicking on the colour wheel perhaps??
    Frikkin Lasers
    http://www.frikkinlasers.co.uk

    You are using Bonetti's defense against me, ah?

    I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain.

  9. #9
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    Hehe Thanks Adam,

    The funny thing is that I listen to this type of music in general so I could predict when the drop is coming etc... Sync is very important to me to make it flow in with the show and again I had to coordinate with the LD so he is the one who tells me what colours they wanted for the next scene throught intercom, they didn't wanted any rainbow sparkle etc..

    I didnt had to change the colour so its fixed according to the scene , I do have all the colour FX prepared on the Quick FX incase needed.
    I just use the RGB Colour fader because they only wanted one basic colour to fit in the scene of their lights


    Cheers
    Last edited by JRGixxerfreaK1; 04-04-2014 at 06:06. Reason: Spelling
    Philipp Wetter

  10. #10
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    Ohh forgot to mention the laser system that was installed all Hugo Bunk OPSL projector the red OPSL is just amazing outdoor!
    Philipp Wetter

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