First Time User - First Time VJ - Question

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omgthisnamesux
Met Resolume in a bar the other day
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Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 20:48

First Time User - First Time VJ - Question

Post by omgthisnamesux »

Firstly I apologize if this is an idiotically simple question, I tried searching the forums and looking through the documentation and wasn't able to find an answer - so I'm hoping someone from the community might be able to provide some guidance.

Basically, a friend of mine decided to start a new band - the music they made is currently on an iPad, using some program called iSequence HD - which they then Line Out to the sound system of whatever venue they are playing at.

They have a few projectors, and wanted to do some visuals in the background behind them - and, asked me to do it... I think simply because I work at a tech company and thus I apparently am familiar with how all technology works?

Doing some searching online, I came across Resolume and have ever so slowly been learning the basics over the past few days. However, the one thing I can't figure out is how to trigger the start of visuals based upon audio (or whatever) from an external source (the iPad, or whatever... seriously I'm just learning all this). I saw a video online where Armin Van Buuren had it set up so his visuals would start in sync with his songs using SMTP or something? However, all the other videos I looked up online seem to be specific to doing this with CDJ setup.

Okay I'm babbling - Basically, How can I sync the start of visuals with an external audio source? In line with that question, is it possible to automatically trigger certain events at certain times during the spanse of a song? i.e. Music starts, visuals start... then 1 minute into the song, if there's a drop or whatever.. visuals automatically switch to something else.. or am I limited to doing this manually?

Any help or guidance is truly appreciated.

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Arvol
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Re: First Time User - First Time VJ - Question

Post by Arvol »

Hi omgthisnamesux, And welcome.
What you'll need is a SMPTE audio signal coming from the playback source. If it's an iPad you can pan the SMPTE (very ugly noise) to the hard Left and have their regular audio come out the right channel. This kills any sort of stereo FX that they may have going on in their audio though.
If they play to a click track, they may already have the left and right channels reserved and then this method will not work....
If that IS the case, Look into using a multi-track playback source (I personally LOVE the Roland R-44 or R-88) But any sort of multi-track DAW or other playback device will work, Just create and route your SMPTE signal to start with the rest of the tracks in the setup and only send that signal to your Resolume computer.

Where will you be located at during the shows? If you're by FOH or Monitor world, you could also just use MIDI to trigger the clips, by visually looking at the audio console on the specific channel that the audio sources from the iPad comes in on. It wont be exact by this method, but you'll be within a second if you press the trigger when you see the signal meter light up on that track. (Not sure hoooow close you have to be on the cues).
Do you plan on adding FX on top of the clips or is your Resolume setup going to be geared more towards a playback device only? Watching for audio cues can certainly take focus off the VJ'ing if you're worried about cueing things at the precise time (if it hasto be dead on)

Any of this make sense?

SMPTE is a whole different topic in regards to creating the signal. If you're unfamiliar with that, A good Google will help. Basically create the SMPTE signal for the same start and end time as the rest of your audio tracks, and be SURE you have your FPS set correctly on the creation of the signal. Make sure the FPS on your clips match the FPS of the SMPTE. (Rough rundown of it all)

omgthisnamesux
Met Resolume in a bar the other day
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 20:48

Re: First Time User - First Time VJ - Question

Post by omgthisnamesux »

Dinga -

Thank you so much for your detailed response - truly appreciate it. Apologies for my delay in getting back, I was checking with the person making the music to see if what you suggested above with SMTPE is possible - unfortunately they use Stereo Effects and thus need both the L/R channels, so it looks like that's a no go.

I guess for now it's down to counting down and hoping we sync up on the start through that method :)

Thanks again!

-Omg

Zoltán
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Re: First Time User - First Time VJ - Question

Post by Zoltán »

Syncing resolume bpm with the sequencers bpm would get you half way to sync the visuals to the beat.
You can set the clips(or the whole composition) to bpm sync and their timeline to bpm,so they will wait for the next bar/beat - whatever you set - to begin to play.

The other half then would be to know the songs, you can of course plan your visuals, and you can even automate simple things in resolume. - look for autoPilot.
For more complex automations you can use third party OSC softwares, to automate column launching, or effect parameters.

Also there are a lot of control options for resolume, like midi devices, OSC programs that run on a tablet etc.
this section of the manual shows the options: https://resolume.com/manual/en/r5/controlling
Software developer, Sound Engineer,
Control Your show with ”Enter” - multiple Resolume servers at once - SMPTE/MTC column launch
try for free: http://programs.palffyzoltan.hu

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