Express 48/96

[MSLD]

When i read everyone's post about how its much easier to type in Channel Numbers and Levels, to me thats only useful when you know how you patched everything and know all of your channel numbers. I like to take the time and use the faders (i use a 48/96) and fine tune everything and write cues. Now, I do a lot more concerts than plays, but when i do plays i LOVE having the faders. Don't know why, just do. I would recommend the 48/96

 

[cprted]

When i read everyone's post about how its much easier to type in Channel Numbers and Levels, to me thats only useful when you know how you patched everything and know all of your channel numbers.

You should really get in the habit of creating paperwork for yourself. It'll makes things faster, easier, and it'll keep your co-workers happy and sane

 

[mstaylor]

If you are in your building with your system then you may be good writing cues ahead of time. If you are running in a strange house but a board that you have a show saved to disk and patched exactly like you want then you are right about using straight cues. I hardly ever have that luxury. Even in theatres I use regularly others repatch and rerecord subs. I don't use anything like VW or other program like it so we have to hang, focus, patch and record every show. In live theatre actors many times don't do what they are supposed to do so I prefer to be able to fine tune cues on the fly. I like dimmers to do this, others have the ability fix cues in the program, I don't. Like MLSD I do a lot of live music and coperate events so busking is the way to go.
The beauty of lighting is there is no wrong way to do it. It is a creative process and everyone's brain's work differently so how you get to a finished product is a byproduct of a tech's background, what type of boards we have used and what we currently use. I use old two scene boards in some buildings, an Express in others, Expression in another, just got an Ion at a local college, and in the music/corporate world I use a combination of lebrecon, Lightronics and Pearls. Occansionally I will use a Jands or a HogII.

 

[kadams17]

I didnt see this posted, but I bet ch'all I missed it.

The express has PAGES of subs.

 

[dcollins]

But it's a pain to use more than one, at least in a live setting, since you can only use one page at a time. AFAIK, you can't do something like [Group] _{[Page] 1 1 [Full] [Group] [Page] 2 1 [Full], which means if you're using subs as groups at least, you need each page to have a full set of all the subs you need. You can use a different page for each act, say, if you need different looks, though. I just think that multiple pages of subs aren't handled very nicely. I even managed to freeze my console once trying this (sub 24, house lights, wouldn't go off, and that sub's led was blinking, even if the slider was set to zero.)}

 

[askiboot]

What about a strand 300? my theatre just upgraded from that to an ion, but it has the option to have 48 faders in a 2 scene preset, as well as punching in numbers. It also has a fixture library for moving lights. Im not saying its a flawless board, but its a step up from manual, and will let you transition to programming.

 

[kiwitechgirl]

What about a strand 300? my theatre just upgraded from that to an ion, but it has the option to have 48 faders in a 2 scene preset, as well as punching in numbers. It also has a fixture library for moving lights. Im not saying its a flawless board, but its a step up from manual, and will let you transition to programming.

The 300 isn't being manufactured any more though, so buying one new is not possible which may be an issue. I wouldn't buy a second-hand one either - I've just known too many of them to develop hardware faults and problems and I reckon a second-hand one would just have too many possible issues just waiting to happen. And to be honest, while it runs the same software as the 500-series desks do, it's really not a nice desk at all - I love the 500-series, but the control surface on the 300 is just nasty. I seriously dislike the "squishy" feel of the buttons - there's no decent resistance so it's very easy to double-tap.