Control/Dimming - Using an Alesis DM5 as a midi controller for a Chauvet Obey 40

[cbaxter94]

We have a person that will typically run our lighting from FOH, but there are some occasions when it might have to be run from onstage. Is there any means of using the MIDI out of an Alesis DM5 unit to control scences / banks of lighting on a Chauvet Obey 40?

I had tried hooking the two together and could not get an correlation between the two units. I will be the first to admit compete ignorance on the topic.

Thanks!

[mstaylor]

What is your FOH board? Depending what you have you should be able to just bring the FOH board to the stage. I don't really know the Chauvet but I doubt it is possible.

[cbaxter94]

What is your FOH board? Depending what you have you should be able to just bring the FOH board to the stage. I don't really know the Chauvet but I doubt it is possible.

The board is the Chauvet Obey 40. I was hoping to be able to have a few pads set up with the major scenes used and have them easily selected by a tap from the pad sending the midi signal to the Obey 40. That is essentially what the footswitch controllers do so I didn't know if the DM5 could do the same thing.

[mstaylor]

OK, I need to work on my reading skills, sorry. Here is a link on that very question. DMX and MIDI control It seems it is possible but not great.

[Chris15]

Is the plan when using MIDI to have the controller nearby and use the Alesis just for that "drummer friendly" interface?
If not, the ability to run MIDI long distances could be a problem - it wasn't designed to go more than a few metres in a studio sort of config, so something like a run to FOH could be a problem.

[cbaxter94]

Is the plan when using MIDI to have the controller nearby and use the Alesis just for that "drummer friendly" interface?
If not, the ability to run MIDI long distances could be a problem - it wasn't designed to go more than a few metres in a studio sort of config, so something like a run to FOH could be a problem.

Yes, the purpose of this is to have the drummer control the lighting. Figure we would set up some pads with a few static color settings, a couple chases and a strobe. This way as the band is playing, the drummer could tap a band and effectively change the scene.

We have the DM unit in a self contained rack that will also fit the obey 40 if needed. I figured if this link could be established, we would install the obey 40 in the same self contained unit as to keep the midi link short.

Any help that could be provided would be greatly appreciated. I understand this enough to be dangerous, and that's about it, lol.