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    BWright
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Thinking about purchasing a ML

Hello everyone,

I am contemplating purchasing a smartfade ml to run a small led rig for live music. However, I want to make sure I can operate it the way I want before purchasing one. Being in a rural area, I don't have the option to rent things to try before I buy.

Laid out on the smartfade, the lighting rig will consist of:

8 devices used for upstage led pars(16 fixtures)

2 devices used for upstage led bars (4 fixtures)

6 devices used for some led moving heads

1 device for white led front wash

1 device for color led front wash

1 device for accessory led fixturs (truss toners, floor lighting, etc...)

Plus some conventional channels for effects (acls, blinders, haze, etc...)

I am most familiar with the Hog consoles, and this is how I currently punt shows ( I've gathered you guys call it busking)

For the upstage fixtures, I prefer to have separate intensity playbacks for the three different fixtures (pars, bars, movers)

Then two playbacks of colors (one cool looks and one warm looks) including all devices *no intensity values*

Movement playback *no intensity values*

Movement effect playback *no intensity values*

Strobe playback *no intensity values*

Chase playback

all white play back (used as a bump)

I think most of this can be accomplished based on what I have seen so far.

It appears I can setup the sequences on faders 13-24 to act as playbacks.

What I am not sure about is how to go about recording the color and effect sequences without intensities and still be able to see what changes I am making while doing so?

It doesn't seem like you can mask intensity values.

If I put the intensity on a separate memory, will it be included when I create the color memories? Do I need to make a "sequence" just for the intensities so when I try to record the other memories it doesn't try to include the sequence.

The intensity separation is important to me so that I can pull different fixtures out of a look on the fly and still use the same color looks.

Probably too long of a post for what I am asking, but too late now.

Thanks for your help.

 

 

  • Pretty sure you can do what you are wanting - I don't have the SFML in front of me but sure you can mask device intensities while recording a memory - after you have hit rec all or REC SELECTED, hit the "INT Device" button to deselect (Mask) all device intensities.   If you don't want to mask all device intensities then just store the memory with individual Device intensities at zero or you can Edit your memory later to remove the intensity of individual devices.  To Mask a device INT you just have to move the fader to zero - you may need to raise it first to get the channel control back.

    Also - you can use "GO" mode - this will recall a memory without intensity using the bump buttons.  So you could use a bump in GO mode to recall a look without intensities then manually control device intensities or record other memories with just device Intensities by masking everything else (Colour/Beam/Focus/INtA/INTB)   Also - you will see the colour of recalled memories with or without intensity on the device RGB buttons. Smartsoft is also very useful to see parameter values for editing blind.

    I'm no expert and the above is from my old memory banks!   Hope this helps.

     

  • in reply to stix

    Thanks for your reply. I downloaded smartsoft and you are correct you can mask intensities when rec sel. This is a very handy feature that isn't addressed by etc in the manual or video tutorials. They only refer to the palette buttons when discussing masking. 

    I am more and more impressed with this console's capabilities the more I learn. 

    I have one more question. On the most recent smartsoft software there is no menu item for sequences. I was playing with a 1248 the other day and to set the run mode for sequences I would go to sequences in the menu, then run mode, then set manual. This option is not available on on the virtual ml in the software. Is this a glitch or how do I access sequence run mode on the ML? 

    Thanks,

    Brandon. 

  • in reply to BWright

    Hit EDIT, TIMES, then select your sequence - "Action" on right display, select RUN MODE hit "YES" and then select your mode and hit "YES"     You can also control Sequence play times with the RATE button which is a global override.

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