How to control DMX Lights with Audio and MIDI (simple lesson)
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- Опубліковано 10 лип 2024
- Learn how to control DMX lights with audio triggers and MIDI (from a keyboard or sequencer) using four PAR 64 lights and a Chauvet Obey 40 controller. This lesson uses SCENES and CHASES that were created in “Simple DMX Programming (part 2)”
You can find some of the gear shown in the links below:
--The exact lights in this video are no longer available but you can buy similar ones here:
amzn.to/2Mgmpvl
(they have DMX functions like the ones shown as well as sound active mode and a remote)
-Obey 40 Controller and 2 DMX cables:
amzn.to/3jWoSpZ
-Alesis Q49 MIDI keyboard
amzn.to/3lY9mM2
-iConnectivity Mio MIDI Interface
amzn.to/3i0qNJe
I've watched 3 of your videos now, and they're so helpful- I appreciate you taking the time!
+dump
I appreciate you watching them!
Clearest most informative videos I've watched. I am a beginner at DMX lighting and you make it totally understandable. Don't stop your videos, they are great. Thx.
Best DMX videos on the web period . Thanks
THIS. is what I wanted to see. I'm amazed nobody has ever made an entire setup using this before.
you're videos are really good. you're explanation is straight to the point without any waste of time on useless info! Thank you for doing it right!
5:56 Is exactly the type of music I expected Steve to play
spot on. I love this guy.
Steve, credit where it is due; this video is revelatory for me.
I am a single midi act using automated lights; I have decided to go with l.e.d. lights and could get a Chauvet Obey70 or something similar to control them BUT they have no midi outs so I can’t program the lights and have my laptop software record my changes/scenes/chases. I have an old NSI TLC-16 and could not get it to operate properly with the new led pucks. Your video showed I do not need it anymore so right after I watched this I bought an Obey 40 online and the NSI is going to be listed very soon. Thanks so very much for all your videos...they are lifesavers!
Jeff
sir, it's a honour, to tell you, that you're the only person, that managed to let me understand how this stuff morks... and you did it in only 2 videous!!!!! :D
Hey! this is SAM from INDIA, really is very helpful, your way of narrating and speed of throwing the words are excellent, everything is coming our of your mouth clear.........excellent job.
Great stuff thank you! Looking forward to control lights from a midi sequencer. As I never even looked into DMX - coming from the music side of things - your videos were very helpful!
Thanks for all your tutorials. Very helpful! I don’t know if anyone else has mentioned this, but on at least some of the Obey 40 clones, you can adjust the audio sensitivity by holding the audio mode button and tapping the up and down arrows to make the built-in mic more or less sensitive. Cheers!
Helpful tip- thanks for watching!
Thank you! That was very clear, informative and inspirational.
thank you very much for taking the time in making these extremely helpful videos. much appreciated
I came across this channel and I’m so grateful man! When I open my venue I’m inviting you for the first show
Thank you! I'd love to come see the show 🙂
I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I love you man!! These videos are so helpful!
I appreciate that!! Thanks very much for watching
Very Useful videos for starters!! I appreciate your efforts.
This is actually a very good presentation. Simple, with explaining the terms, on-point. Thank you. :)
Glad it was helpful and appreciate you watching!
Just what I needed!
Thank you so much!
great lesson done very well!
Thanks lots for sharing your time and knowledge with us. It has been greatly helpful.
people will dislike a video no matter how informative a video can be. SMFH
That's all awesome and I've learnt a lot from watching your vids about DMX (it's something I've just gotten into) But that seems only useful when your music is also coming from your midi sequencer. What I can't seem to get my head around is how this is done live with DJs etc. You watch live shows and the lights are always bang in time and fit with the music (eg quiet hands I'm the air bit most lights off, big cool Lazer sweeping up and down, lots of smoke) Am I right in thinking there is just one guy somewhere who really knows how to use his controller and has loads of scenes and just hits them in the right place. If so wow I never knew that guy existed and only now realise what a hard and very rewarding job he's (or she) has got. I bow In respect for these people and the amazing job they do.
There are definitely a lot of amazing lighting guys running some amazing shows. Some bands are playing to backing audio tracks with MIDI tracks controlling the lights. There are also apps light Soundswitch that analyze audio in a DJ rig and automatically program light effects--there are lots of cool ways to produce great effects with the right setup!
@@LearnLizard brilliant thanks for replying and keep posting those awesome vids, I have learnt a lot from you. Thank you
Very helpful videos. I own an American DJ DMX controller that is the exact same setup and controls as yours, and an American DJ Startec Stinger spot that is identical to your gobo-spot. Your videos have helped me a lot. Now I have to buy a keyboard with MIDI - neither my keyboard or electric piano have MIDI.
I'm glad the videos are helpful!
You can get MIDI controllers pretty inexpensively these days. Especially used on eBay. Its really fun programming lights with them! Appreciate you watching...
Hey mon....im from the Bahamas... great video... helped me out so much.... keep on rockin mon..!!!
just watched 1 through 3 and you these have been so helpful! thank you
Thanks for your comment and I appreciate you watching!
Thx for help! Awesome! Simple and easy to understand!
Thanks again for another top video - Subbed :)
These videos are awesome! Thank you! :)
+modularsquircle Thanks for watching them!
Thank you very much, easy to understand and learn!
Wow ! great tutorial! love to watch your tutorial !
Thanks for the DMX Programming and Controlling tutorials, God bless
I appreciate you watching!
This is so cool! I'm just getting interested in this, to upgrade in quality for a show, and it's so useful!
Thank you! Subscribed :D
Awesome! Glad it was helpful and appreciate you watching (and subscribing)
awesome video. I'm finally starting to understand dmx thanks to you...subscribed...
Best DMX video ever seen thanks 🙏
Thank you so much for those kind words and I really appreciate you watching!
This is the sickest thing, being a musician who's digital piano doubles as a midi controller, and being a DJ it's like > why haven't I done this already!!
Ty for making this video, randomly popped up but see, musicians(instrumentalists) and DJs rarely are the same thing
Wonder if possible to do this through a computer and interface, to have a guitar as a midi controller for the lights 🤔
So excited with all the possibilities this opens up
Once you start using MIDI to control lights and lasers, a whole new world of possibilities opens up! I know they make guitar-to-MIDI interfaces so I think that would be an AWESOME thing to try. If you get that working, please shoot a short video and post the link here. Thanks for watching!
Awesome tips!
Thank you for very helpful explanatory videos. Do you know a way i can make the microphone work better? I have set a speaker next to the control panel to avoid such high volume.I play a lot of
different music and use some scanners at home, If it had been possible to connect the microphone to audio in one way or another
Thank you! It was so helpful!
im a beginner and im starting watching your videos again and again,tnx
Thank you for watching my videos!
Thank you sir, very usefully and great teaching.
How do you get the Midi keyboard to output notes to your dmx board? I have the same equipment as you do but for some reason it won't change the scenes, could you explain what you have to do to set up the midi keyboard.
Thanks,
woow this is the best budget setup id, smart maan. options are endless
Thanks great tutorial! very clear!
Great Video! Many thanks!
Thanks for all your videos. They were of great help. Keep up the good work. Thanks again.
very nice and clear video
thanks from a MIDI maniac and a DMX newbie :-)
Thanks for the kind words and glad it was helpful! - I'm a bit of a MIDI maniac myself :)
As you will learn, there are lots of great ways to combine music and lights with MIDI and DMX. Have fun!
@@LearnLizard thanks again
so the mic is built into the Obey 40, no way to patch a sound into it?
that would be nice for late night jams where you don't want to blast the neighbors
@@SynthAddict No way to go direct. I've actually thought about opening up the case and trying to wire an audio in jack. Thanks for reminding me- it might make a good video ;)
@@LearnLizard cool, glad I could be that rock in your shoe :-)
I'm a fan of certain DIY things and I will probably do that when I buy one, and void the warranty
Great video. Thank you for making it...
I've finally got round to creating a similar set-up and all working good controlling scenes via recorded midi from Reason sequencer but was wondering if it's possible to also trigger fades rather than instant/immediate switches from one scene to another? Not played with it much but if you can shed any light (no pun intended) i'd really appreciate your perspective on this.
Thanks for best Information !
Is there any way to improve the Obey 40's audio response? I would like my lighting system to respond to music but, as you said, it doesn't work very well except when hearing very strong and distinct sounds.
Really thankful to your Video and it is really helpful
Appreciate you watching!
Thanks! So helpful. :)
thank you so much sir you explain it so easily awsome very very helpful
Your vids are the best
Thank you very much for watching!
Hiya! Great video! Do you have any advice on What lighting set up to get for a Duo act, we have a windows laptop and want to run some kind of DAW so that we can out put the left and right of the backing track to the PA but Also a third channel for "click track" and cues for certain things, but also want to be able to program the lights from Midi! So just to be clear we want the laptop to run the backing tracks and the lights, any suggestions?
thank you for your videos
Thank you for watching them!!
Me ayudo a hacer realidad un proyecto, tenia nociones pero vi que no estaba tan perdido.
Gracias
Thank you!
Thanks so much!
Very useful!
Glad to hear it was helpful and thanks for watching!
Youre my savior!
Hi there!! Thanks so much for the video! I am using an Alesis QX25 to connect to an Obey 70... The issue im having is that when i plug it in...the keys... left to right control Bank 7 scene 1 thru Bank 10 scene 1... i was wondering if you know of a way to access the missing scenes (Bank 1 scene 1 thru Bank 6 scene 8) and everything after Bank 10 scene 2... its odd that my Alesis starts at scene 7... so i was curious if these smaller 25 key units have a way to go up or down a bank and access more midi notes? or to assign ...say... key 00 to play bank 1 scene 1... key 01 to play bank 2 scene 1... etc...
Hi Steve,
Trying to midi control a Equinox Megabar which has all four lights on the same address, have programmed scenes on the obey40, then sent a midi note 0 to trigger scene 1 nothing happens. Have keyboard and obey40 set to midi channel 15.
Any ideas?
Many thanks
Dave
Thank you Steve(LearnLizard) for taking the time making these videos! I have learned a lot from your experience.
I do have a question that implies with “Angler.digital” and “Martin George”. Is that I would like to use chases to have a controlled fade in and out effect during a show. You did mention to “Jacob Nielsen” 11 months ago about how you can't control the fade time on the Obey 40 via MIDI. But if pre-program a chase with a long fade time, your scanners should slowly move from each scene to the next.
What steps would I need to take to get the pre-programed chase to work with MIDI? All it does is open the chase, but the sequence of scenes on that chase program doesn’t activate, since MIDI is not activating the AUTO button on the Obey 40.
Plus is there any way around the part that “Angler.digital” mentioned in his question about “When selecting the same scene but in a different bank the lights black out on stage.”
Thanks in advance and thanks again Steve for your great videos!
Perfeito. Muito bom.
need a class on MOVING head - scanners - fog - fixtures. can you make that happen?
this was super helpful! thanks!
Is there anything in particular you did to make the scene stay ON after pressing the note on your keyboard?My scene shuts off as soon as I release the note.
Hi, first, great tutorials you have done!!!
2nd, I have a question, whats the app youre using in the ipad? if i heard well is it midior?
Thanks!!!
you are awsome with lights
Thanks for the kind words! (and I appreciate you watching)
Okay thats great! do i need a midi to record the perfect light show to match with a song? Can i just use banks and chases?
Thanks soo much
Hi I just bought a 230w home audio system, I would like to know how I get the lights to work?
Could I directly connect my iPad to the Obey 40 MIDI IN, to send the MIDI signals, instead of having the keyboard MIDI controller between the iPad and the Obey?
Can I connect the DMX board to the computer using a MIDI/USB cable, so I can program my chases and scenes using, for example, QLC+? Thanks.
I was wondering how you might trigger a chase from the keyboard but to be honest, if you go the sequencer route chases become effectively redundant - am i right? Provided sufficient thought's gone into creating scenes then programmer the sequencer to recall scenes is in effect a chase; or at least that's my understanding.
How do you get the Obey 40 to respond via MIDI using a MIDI Foot Controller? I'd like to be able to select scenes, banks and chases using a MIDI Foot Controller.
Would I be able to use a wireless midi input like the Yamaha MD-BT01? I want to be able to send midi signals via my iphone/ipad.
Specific question about the Obey 40, if I select Scene 1 twice in a row it seems to turn off scene 1 and go back to whatever is set in manual mode. It also does this when selecting the same scene but in a different bank. This is extremely annoying when trying to "play" a show with a keyboard, selecting the same scene on any bank blacks out the stage. Thanks!
your videos are great help for me, I can now run dmx smoothly however, Can you please do some videos on how to control the dmx with sequencer when u have more than 5 or 6 banks? how do you know which key in the keyboard is for? .. thanx again Steve .. by the way I have purchased exactly what you have in the video .. maybe you should ask for commission from these guys :)
do you you know why my Casio keyboard wk-1200 hooked up with midi cable with my DMX lights controller won't work ... and i tried on any midi channels 1 through 16 ...nothing !
Would love to know what app that was for the iPad! Meteor/Midior? Something else? Thanks!
Just a note, for MIDI controllers, I'd recommend a Launchpad or similar controller over a piano-style keyboard. They tend to be cheaper, and it's a lot easier to mash a square button than it is to try to find the black keys when your live set is absolutely... ahem, "turnt."
Not to mention they come with Ableton Live, which includes some of the best MIDI manipulation tools on the market.
+2MSBHVE you using USB-DMX-MIDI in LIVE 9 64bit? If so what USB-DMX box do you use? thx
+beni b b q I use DMXis (www.enttec.com/?main_menu=Products&pn=70570). It comes with hardware and software (standalone and VST). I control it right from Ableton Live 9.6 64 bit using the VST, and it works flawlessly.
+beni b b q Check out this video: blog.dubspot.com/video-tutorial-midi-mapping-led-lights-ableton-dmxis/
Super bro 👊
Thanks! Appreciate you watching
Please tell me the specific name of the program I has been looking for the program and I don’t know get which one is the one u using
Thank you pro
Thank you for watching!
Mr. Steve, thank you for being so helpful. What could be the updated info for 2021 ? How do u adapt a final song (fixture programming included...) to...Serato for instance..?
Glad this was helpful! To make the most use of MIDI control for lights I am finding that using a computer has a lot more options. Here is a video showing a Mac running Logic triggering scenes in Vibrio on the iPad: ua-cam.com/video/_q0ZyGS0VWQ/v-deo.html
I am also working on a new video that will show how the DAW on your computer can control a lighting rig with an Ethernet DMX adapter. Stay tuned...
Estava a procura de como automatizar a iluminação de um evento que estou produzindo, e achei esse vídeo fantastico
Fico feliz por ter ajudado e agradeço por assistir!
I enjoyed the video. What was the music you played. It was rad, very cool synth
Nice one sir,But i have a question,My question is that will it be possible to make another programmed that will work with an exact music going on at that spot not a recorded one?,like music that is live play in church
Very helpful tutorial, can you do one with robotic lights?
Hey Steve; just wondering which model iPad you used?
Super 👍
the midi can activate the strobe? thx for video
Is the obey 40 MIDI controlled through USB as well?
You know it never occured to me to use one of my midi controllers at a light controller. I have so much more control and ease of use for it. I only have one hiccup but it's not entirely bad, I have to hold down the key to keep the light on which for some settings I just want to let it run (as I'm mixing at the same time). Thought about using a sustain pedal. Any thoughts on that?
Also, I'm noticing a slight lag on certain light settings. Currently I'm just using 18 Slimpars with a wireless DMX. Majority of the switches are seamless but a couple start off wierd with random colors then catches up. I'm tempted to just reprogram those.
Great videos btw. Thanks!
im looking into this for a project im working on. would this also be made possible when playing multiple notes at the same time, or have each octave for example connected to one light, so that you are able to create different combinations of colors with every chord, if that makes sense
and can i combine this light trigger with the audio of the keyboard itself?
In this particular setup (with an Obey 40 controller) your creative options are somewhat limited. Each single MIDI note from the keyboard with trigger whatever scene you have programmed. (you can also trigger each step in a chase with audio separately) Doing more interesting things (as you are describing) is best done with a software controller (and there are many to choose from)
I have been trying this. Work fine for calling up scenes. When I call up a chase, the chase does not start unless I hit the Auto button on the Obey 40. If I leave the Auto button on all the time, then I can’t go back to a scene without it going forward to the next one. Any thoughts on this? Thanks
Nice and Simple, Thanks.
Thanks for video, i have a similar setup yo trigger chases from a computer sending midi notes, but midi toggles on and off to activate the chases, meaning i need to press the note again to deactivate the chase, how do you get around that?, i see your activate the chases directly
That’s an interesting question- I’ve only really used triggered scenes from the computer (as opposed to chases) because once I had that workflow down it was easier for me to create a sequence of scenes on the computer than a chase on the controller. That being said you may be able to program your MIDI notes to “latch” depending on your software so you don’t have press the note again. Sorry I’m not more help on this one…
keen