Would I even need DMX?

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DJZion

New DJ
Mar 12, 2009
28
0
40
Connecticut
I have been playing around with a light show in my head for a few weeks now, and one of the reasons I have been so curious about DMX is because I am not sure if the set up I am putting together would require it or not.

For example if i were to get 2 Q-Rolls and a COLORstrip as a start, would I be able to make do with an Elation Co-Pilot 2 to control the speed and so on, even if the light is on audio mode? Or if I am spending the money anyway, should I invest in a DMX-44 or DMX-7?

Thoughts? Concerns?

Thanks a lot everyone!
 
For many DJ applications the standalone modes are pretty good. The advantage of DMX is that you can create scenes and/or programs to do exactly what you want them to do. I agree with Mike, software is the only way to go. It increases the flexibility of use and makes it much easier on you as well.

I will be in CT in a couple weeks doing a DMX training. I'd be happy to show you the software that I use and talk about it further with you.

Ben
 
Steve Cie said:
Hey Ben--where and when in Connecticut?
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April 3 - 5. The 5th being the training I believe. I think near Ledyard or Oxford? I believe it is in conjunction with the ADJA chapter out there, I will get the firm details for you. I would love to meet up with you as well, we'll make it an affair. ;)

Ben
 
NLFX Pro said:
April 3 - 5. The 5th being the training I believe. I think near Ledyard or Oxford? I believe it is in conjunction with the ADJA chapter out there, I will get the firm details for you. I would love to meet up with you as well, we'll make it an affair. ;)

Ben
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Where is that Philly ADJA training? Oh wait, we don't have a chapter..... :sqerr:
 
Papa Deuce said:
Where is that Philly ADJA training? Oh wait, we don't have a chapter..... :sqerr:
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Too bad, I LOVE Philly. Any excuse to go back would be a welcome one. :)

jkcomputers said:
Audio only works if they are all the same fixtures set up in master/ slave... otherwise it looks like an uncontrolled show... DMX is great for being able to setup points of interest, controlling movements and color... You don't want your lights going into a strobe scene when a slow song kicks on...
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Excellent points. I can do DMX trainings in Canada too you know. I live very close to Manitoba and half of our town is from BC, ON, or MB (hockey players). We have DMX-512A here, you have DMX-512eh there, and I am fluent in both. :sqwink::sqbiggrin:

Ben
 
DJZion said:
I have been playing around with a light show in my head for a few weeks now, and one of the reasons I have been so curious about DMX is because I am not sure if the set up I am putting together would require it or not.

For example if i were to get 2 Q-Rolls and a COLORstrip as a start, would I be able to make do with an Elation Co-Pilot 2 to control the speed and so on, even if the light is on audio mode? Or if I am spending the money anyway, should I invest in a DMX-44 or DMX-7?

Thoughts? Concerns?

Thanks a lot everyone!
Click to expand...

I have a never used (in box) DMX-7 for sale $100.00 (includes shipping)Let me know if you (or anyone) is interested.
 
thatmusicguy said:
Ben - what are the options when it comes to software dongles (price wise and program wise).

With software can you run an audio in from you mixer to laptop and run your show off audio?


How are you doing on that pricing?
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There are lots of options, but personally I like ShowXpress. It is the most intuitive of the programs I have used, and features like Timeline and Generator were the nails in everyone else's coffin. There are ways to use an audio trigger with it just as you described.

I'm back off the road, and doing catch-up today. :)

Ben
 
DMX is wonderful
but I'm a little short on the learning curve...
so the Elation co-pilot works fine for me.

the sound and light company I also work for
has done a few huge all-ages DJ dance parties...
where the light set-up cost more than the sound gear
but it looked friggin' awesome.
of course, we had to have a separate guy on hand
to do NOTHING but work the lighting.

just my opinion, but I need to devote my "thinking" to the music.
(not because I'm being a snob, just because of the whole "walk and chew gum" thing)
:sqrolleyes:
 
Thanks a bunch everyone!

That is exactly the information I was looking for. At least I have a direction to head in now. I did not think about the computer programs designed for DMX so I'm going to have to check those out. I read in another thread, though, that lighting should be on its own computer with nothing else on it, seperate from audio software (I'm running Serato). Is this true? I was planning to get a new laptop designed to handle djing specifically. Will that help or no?

Thanks again!
 
Ausumm said:
just my opinion, but I need to devote my "thinking" to the music.
(not because I'm being a snob, just because of the whole "walk and chew gum" thing)
:sqrolleyes:
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I agree. I like my transitions to be dead on, so I was wondering how others manage to balance the audio with the visual if they are running both.
 
Its a learning curve as said, but I think Ben hit it on the head. For a smaller show, the stand alone modes are usually very good. Upfront DMX is a bit hard, but when you can start to advertise color coordinated light shows, its worth it.

Even with DMX, I still run my colorstrips in sound mode (via DMX Controller) on most of my DMX shows. They are just hard to program, and the built in patterns are better then anything I can do now.

Edit:

My favorite way to utilize DMX is for some of the known dances. For Sandstorm, I've got a DMX show that sets the colorstrips to "strobe" mode, then makes the scanners do a blue and purple kind of circle around the room. During the main parts where you would typically use a strobe, I play that show, then I flip back to another UV light only show for the duration of the song.
 
NLFX Pro said:
April 3 - 5. The 5th being the training I believe. I think near Ledyard or Oxford? I believe it is in conjunction with the ADJA chapter out there, I will get the firm details for you. I would love to meet up with you as well, we'll make it an affair. ;)

Ben
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The New England chapter finally gets someone good and worth listening to at a meeting and I can't make it. I'll be coming home from AC that Sunday. I guess sometime we're going to have to get you to one of our SNAPDJ events. If you're ever in the MA/RI area.:sqwink:
 
Just a couple of general things:

1) I'm not 100% sold on DMX software. Part of that is that I'm a Mac guy and there aren't many options, but that aside I see it like this: for my DJ software (Traktor) I run an external mixer and a MIDI controller to get that "hands on" control. You go to DMX software and you run into a similar thing--it's very hard to control more than one thing at one time with a mouse. Granted, you may not need as much realtime control over your DMX software, but I think the concept still applies.

2) Most of the low-end DMX controllers aren't much good, however don't necessarily think you need something current. I have three Elation Show Designer IIs and they're VERY solid and you can pick them up for a fair price if you look around.

3) If you're using intelligent lights without a DMX controller you're wasting your lights. Think about it this way: let's say you have five dancers. What's going to be more impressive to the audience, if they all go out and do their own thing or if they do a synchronized routine? Lights are the same.

But that's just my $0.02...
 
siteomite.com said:
3) If you're using intelligent lights without a DMX controller you're wasting your lights. Think about it this way: let's say you have five dancers. What's going to be more impressive to the audience, if they all go out and do their own thing or if they do a synchronized routine? Lights are the same.

But that's just my $0.02...
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Pardon my ignorance in regard to intels, but isnt that why they have a master slave option? (i could be totally wrong) I assumed that the master slave means that the "slaves" followed the "master"... or is that only for DMX? In other words, can you set the master to audio mode and the rest to slave to follow the master, or it doesnt work that way? :sqconfused:
 
DJZion said:
Pardon my ignorance in regard to intels, but isnt that why they have a master slave option? (i could be totally wrong) I assumed that the master slave means that the "slaves" followed the "master"... or is that only for DMX? In other words, can you set the master to audio mode and the rest to slave to follow the master, or it doesnt work that way? :sqconfused:
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You're partially correct in your understanding. Since I don't use the feature, I could be wrong, but often sound active is a different feature than master/slave. Even so, with a few exceptions (Chauvet being one) built in patterns are just lame. Plus, you have to remember that sound active only senses the beat of the music which doesn't always give you the results you want. Slow songs are a great example. Even with sound active master/slave, your lights still don't know that you want a slow pattern. Instead, they're most likely just going to do a fast pattern slowly (which will not look particularly good) Hence the need for a DMX controller.
 
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