Controlling a Show with MIDI

[Altman364]

Hey all.
For our local One Act play we are trying to make the operation of the system as simple as possible as we only have one Technician to run both the lights and the sound. Luckily the show is very tech-light which gives us opertunity to have a little technical freedom. So all of the show is either running off of a light cue on our ETC Express or a sound cue on a computer using the Multiplay software.
Now everything is working, you just press space on the computer to cue the sound and go on the light board to cue the lights. Simple. But I see the opertunity to be even lazier and press only one single button. Both the ETC and Multiplay have a MIDI option, I can get my hands on the hardware to hook them both together but I don't know where I would go from there (I don't know a lot about MIDI itself I only know the basics). I do not necessarily NEED this for the show but I would like some more information because it could be useful for future productions. If there's anyone out there that's done something similar let me know!!
Thanks!

 

[Van]

I know that our guys do it all the time. Specially in really tight scenes where a light cue it supposed to follow a sound cue in rapid succesion and the SM doesn't have time to call both seperately. They loe having the option. I know it's not dificult at all. It's similar to linking a cue in the Express itself. Unfortunately I do not know the keystrokes of the top of my headaand I don't know your sound software.
RTM, my boy, RTM.

 

[Amiers]

You are going to want to start with a

M-AUDIO - Uno - 1-In/1-Out USB Bus-Powered MIDI Interface (this is a USB to MIDI IN and OUT end that connects to your Lighting Console)

You then go into the Express I/O settings and enable MIDI making it channel 1


Ok, So I don't know Multiplay but from what I have read in the manual after you have everything hooked up. Start up MP and pull up Production Properties go down to MIDI Patches and make sure the UNO is being recognized by the program.

After that you can control lighting cues via MIDI with the Program Change and Program Value 0 is next cue and 20 would be LQ 20. Now being that I have never used MP you are on your own as far as set up. My SC has an event insert where I control my MIDI out.

Good Luck if ya have any questions post away.