Recently, I was contacted to run sound for a
theatre application using a
Yamaha PM5000. The small college
theatre that has the board has really no idea how to use it, and have never before used the
cue functionality. In a pinch, the built in
cue ability will work fine for my purposes, but I'd like a software
MIDI based solution that will allow me to edit or control cues from a PC. The
console has the ability to store scenes on a Compact Flash card, and I'd like the ability to remove that card and insert it into a computer to edit cues. I'd also like to be able to run cues directly from a PC via
MIDI, and if possible program the built in computer via
MIDI. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
As noted elsewhere, scene data is stored to memory as a CSV file. You can edit a CSV file offline with any text editor, but it will be cumbersome and not very user friendly.
In the past, when I have had to automate scene changes on a PM series
desk, I've done it one of two ways;
The "concert" way is the easiest, but also the most inflexible and is not very useful for large numbers of cues (127+). Basically the
console is set up to transmit a program change when a scene is recalled. This program change is routed to external devices (in my case, fx,
reverb and delay) that recalls a
preset based on the program change number. The benefit here is that once you recall a scene, all of your fx follow. I've also used this method to trigger playback via SFX.
The "theatrical" way requires an external show control
system. In my case SFX. SFX is used to fire off cues (sound effects, fades,
etc.) and also to
send program change information to the
console (as a
cue). The program change is received at the
desk and recalls a corresponding scene. It cannot manipulate the content of that scene, only tell the
console to recall it. If you need to edit the scene, it has to be done from the
console and re-saved. You can also use other
MIDI parameters to control specific operations of the
console, such as individual
channel mute states, output mutes, and in the case of the PM5k,
channel/
VCA levels. (check the
MIDI implementation chart).
So, to directly answer your question, there is no software that I am aware of that will allow you to easily edit scenes ala Studio Manager. There are a number of third party programs that will allow you to automate scene changes on the PM5k along with controlling sound
effect playback (SFX, Q-Manager,
etc.), but none that deal with the PM5k on a
level that will allow you to edit the consoles scenes directly from the software.
Hope that helps.