Concert Lighting Cues

[CameronLD]

Hello CB -

I am running the lighting board (an ETC Express 48x96) at my high school for a sort of talent show/lip-syncing competition that is held once annually by the senior class. The show is in two days, and I have basically this afternoon to figure out the lighting for all 20 acts or so, and figure out how I will actually run the lighting during the show. This is basically the only concert lighting experience I get a year, so I am a bit iffy on the tenants of concert lighting and how best to run it all.

In the past, the lighting designer before we would run everything manually during the show, with a sheet that would have a table with "time on CD, back wall color, and location on stage."

What I am thinking is, now that I have put up a repertory warm/cool plot, and Red/Blue/Pink colored side lighting and backlighting, running the shows with both cues and manual effects. Essentially, I think it would be best if I recorded the warm cool front and top lighting levels in cues, but then manually did MOST of the color changes live with the faders. The reason I want to run the front/top lighting with cues is that I find it very dfifficult (and often impossible) to try and change levels for everything with every lighting change (it is basically impossible to change both cyc lighting and front/toplighting at once with any level of cleanliness).

Can anyone with some experience in the field explain what they usually do regarding programming/running concert/dance performances, and give me any advice for my upcoming show keeping in mind that I only have access to an ETC Express 48x96, and cannot use any fixtures other than what I have mentioned (ellipsoidals for front lighting, frensels for side, top, and backlighting, and EconoCycs for cyc lighting; all conventionals)

Thanks for any advice you can give!

 

[TheaterEd]

Basically, whatever won't change during their act gets recorded in a cue, and everything else is faders.

Unless of course I have enough time to record everything into cues. That is my ideal.

Did a talent show type program last weekend and we were able to record each act's cue during their rehearsal. Anyone who didn't rehearse just got a general face wash and whatever top light color I felt like.

Last HS concert I ran as a favor to a friend, I arrived 30 minutes before the show and was shown their preset cyc subs, and special subs, and told to do what I thought was best. Busked the entire show and all was well.

In general, keep it simple.

 

[JChenault]

I don't think your cue concept will do what you want it to. As I remember the express, even in tracking mode, if you jump to a cue you will set all channels to the cues level.

What is frequently done in this situation is using sub masters, both regular and inhibitive ( and occasionally putting an effect on a sub ). So think about how to use your subs and faders.

For example you might choose
Warm front
Cool front
Red left
Red right
Blure left
Blue right pink left
Pink right
Back
Red cyc
Blue cyc
Green cyc
Effect of slowly changing cyc
Inhibit all us light
Dim look for shifts or MC spit.

Etc
That's not too many faders to handle at once.

You can also make the conscious choice to (say) change the looks in sections. Ie put the cyc to a blue, change your fronts, then put the cyc to final color

 

[TheaterEd]

Yeah, I haven't worked on and Express for a long time. I use an element or and Ion.

If cues won't play nice, then I second John's advice.

 

[cbrandt]

I second that submasters are going to be your best friend. Keep in mind, changes don't need to be fast, and you can slowly fade in your cyc changes and over head changes. If you're doing something fast, it is because you want people to notice. So make them notice, make it big. Keep a few big looks on submasters to override what is on stage. If you can, get some info from each act about what color scheme they're looking for, and use that as a base look, maybe program that into your cues.

 

[kicknargel]

Sometimes when I'm busking on this type of console, I'll make a sub for each wash / system, then a set of inhibitive subs with all the lights for each area. This gives good control over where and how you're lighting without too many handles to . . . handle.

 

[DuckJordan]

My bread and butter is running lights for concerts. Its not so much about zones (you might put S4's for specials) its mostly massive full stage color washes. The way you get intricate is by adding movement. (placing lights on the back in different areas [other than on pipes above the stage]) and flashing through in a sequence. i've used cues only as an effect chase never to run the show its all faders and bump buttons.

 

[Fountain Of Euph]

Done quite a bit of this in the jazz/classical world, where the artist are relatively picky about light. I would recommend making a relatively standard wash, design, and putting it on a sub, or a few subs. Very it slightly between acts but keep it mostly consistent. This way when a act comes on stage you a go to look that you can build off of. Use a big change in general lighting as a one use effect, for example for a ballad or solo.

Second, find a physical space or spaces that are "your design spaces." Cycs, walls, and ceilings are good for this. Create a general concept for each act, and then work with that , using different lights, physical angles, gobos, colors, and such. I like to alternate between solid washes with an accent, and a multi color/gradient effect. If you have time, see if you can wash the auditorium walls and ceiling with color. This goes a long way and adds more design space, with relatively little work or effecting the stuff on stage. Also light features in the space. In my hall I have overhangs with organ pipes, a very tall, architectural proscenium arch, and a large center speaker cluster. I often light the pipes in color, and use the center cluster to create cool shadows. Audiences love to be in the midfield of the show, at least for variety concerts.

Programming wise SUBS ARE YOUR FRIEND. I work with a slowly dying Express 24/48, and I do nearly everything on subs. Put colors and lights on subs, so that they are accessible during the tech/dress. This makes programming a lot easier. Program the as much as you can, then do effects from the subs. Whatever you want to do, light shifts, chaises, crowd blinders (please don't), Be sure they work in the rehearsal. Don't go Rambo in the show, or you WILL make a mistake and/or get criticized. True story.
Let me know if you need any sub concepts.

 

[CameronLD]

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to respond ever since the show actually went down. It went fairly well, and I did end up running it by busking a bunch of subs. I basically had my warm and cool fronts, areas across the stage, and then side lighting, backlighting, and cyc colors all on subs. I think in the future I will work on having brighter/more noticeable effect lighting (as in side/back), and on being faster/more efficient in changing between looks with the subs live, as that caused a few noticeable problems as I switched between washes and whatnot.

A few questions, in preparation for the next time I get to do something like this.
- I assume an inhibitive sub is one that takes certain channels down to 0 percent? How is this different from manually bringing the fader with said channels down?
- This may very clearly show my inexperience with this all, but can someone help explain to me what chases are?
- Can effects be programmed into subs themselves, or were people suggesting to replicate those effects with submasters?

Thank you for your help

 

[robartsd]

- I assume an inhibitive sub is one that takes certain channels down to 0 percent? How is this different from manually bringing the fader with said channels down?

An inhibitive sub does limit the channel; however, this differes from manually bringing the fader with the channels down in how it combines. When multiple normal subs set the intensity of a channel, the highest intensity that any of the subs provide to that channel is sent out. If you have an inhibitive sub setting the intensity, that limit cannot be crossed. The idea presented earlier in this thread was that you'd have subs for your various effects across the whole stage, then use inhibitive subs to limit those effects to certain parts of the stage (primarily so that you're only lighting the part of the stage the talent is using).

 

[Fountain Of Euph]

A chase is a sequence of quick changes in intensity for various lighting instruments. While not technically correct, it may be easy to think of it as the random flashing of the lights.

I'm not sure i you can put effects on as subs on the express. I know its possable on the congo/colbolt and i think on the smartfade. I'm away from my board and can't check.
Another work around may be use a macro

Sent from Taptalk for Android, this was.

 

[lwinters630]

Effect chases can be ether in a cue or on sub. Quick and easy to make. if you have a RGB cyc on channels 1 2 & 3. record sub one, type effect, choose steps 1 through 3, channels 1 through 3 Enter .
Say cue 10 has cyc wash @ 60% as you bring sub 1 up over 60% it starts chasing colors.

another fun one for that board is subroutines. it basically can chase cues instead of just channels. record 3 cues with different looks on them perhaps different color shades on the cyc or different punch lights or different zones. call them cue 10, 20 and 30. now go to blind and record a new cue 100, type subroutine, add these cues under each step and then loop them. Save cue 100. Go live (stage) run cue 100. actually I usually put these up in the upper cue numbers like 500 or so to keep them out of the way. it's fast and easy to change and create.

 

[Les]

Effect chases can be ether in a cue or on sub. Quick and easy to make. if you have a RGB cyc on channels 1 2 & 3. record sub one, type effect, choose steps 1 through 3, channels 1 through 3 Enter .
Say cue 10 has cyc wash @ 60% as you bring sub 1 up over 60% it starts chasing colors.

another fun one for that board is subroutines. it basically can chase cues instead of just channels. record 3 cues with different looks on them perhaps different color shades on the cyc or different punch lights or different zones. call them cue 10, 20 and 30. now go to blind and record a new cue 100, type subroutine, add these cues under each step and then loop them. Save cue 100. Go live (stage) run cue 100. actually I usually put these up in the upper cue numbers like 500 or so to keep them out of the way. it's fast and easy to change and create.

Thanks for this post. I am going to use these tricks this spring when I design The Wedding Singer.