Using multiple cue lists

Tim,

There are countless answers to this question. It will depend a lot on what type of show you're working on. Here are a few situations where you may end up using multiple lists on multiple masters:

1) You want to have some lights (like a podium special or stage wash) on their own handle. You can create a dedicated HTP list to control this group and put it on its own master.

2) You have a look that you will need to use repeatedly, but don't want to have to cue over and over again. A good example of this might be an awards banquet. Each time an award winner's name is called, you run the big ballyhoo cue that is on its own master.

3) You're running a live music show on the fly (this is called busking) and you don't have enough information to pre-cue the individual songs. In this case, I often set up a master that has some base looks of positions, colours, and beams. Then I'll have a couple masters for intensity (and possibly some strobes) for different groups of fixtures, a few masters with lists that have colours or beam effects for different groups of fixtures, and possibly even a master that has some other "utility" looks like a between-song look and a look for between band sets that I can use.

There are tons of other situations where you may have multiple cuelists running, either on handles or as virtual masters. Many things that you can do with the effects engine could also be built as chases. Occasionally, I'll find myself building something complex in the effects engine and then decide that it will be easier to edit and control later if I build it as a chase. I'll make a dedicated cuelist for the chase and possibly fire it from my main cuelist as a virtual master.

I hope this gives you some ideas and clarity. Feel free to ask for more details.

Thanks.

Tim,

There are countless answers to this question. It will depend a lot on what type of show you're working on. Here are a few situations where you may end up using multiple lists on multiple masters:

1) You want to have some lights (like a podium special or stage wash) on their own handle. You can create a dedicated HTP list to control this group and put it on its own master.

2) You have a look that you will need to use repeatedly, but don't want to have to cue over and over again. A good example of this might be an awards banquet. Each time an award winner's name is called, you run the big ballyhoo cue that is on its own master.

3) You're running a live music show on the fly (this is called busking) and you don't have enough information to pre-cue the individual songs. In this case, I often set up a master that has some base looks of positions, colours, and beams. Then I'll have a couple masters for intensity (and possibly some strobes) for different groups of fixtures, a few masters with lists that have colours or beam effects for different groups of fixtures, and possibly even a master that has some other "utility" looks like a between-song look and a look for between band sets that I can use.

There are tons of other situations where you may have multiple cuelists running, either on handles or as virtual masters. Many things that you can do with the effects engine could also be built as chases. Occasionally, I'll find myself building something complex in the effects engine and then decide that it will be easier to edit and control later if I build it as a chase. I'll make a dedicated cuelist for the chase and possibly fire it from my main cuelist as a virtual master.

I hope this gives you some ideas and clarity. Feel free to ask for more details.

Thanks.