Sound Cue Software: features

[Molinero]

Hi, all --

I've been reading through the threads I've found covering the many options out there for running sound cues, but I've yet to find a recommendation that hits all of my parameters. Perhaps one of the many programs I've seen recommended does have all of these features, but the threads I've read didn't seem to mention them (or I just missed it). Here's what I need; bear in mind we're currently using Baxel Data's "Cue Player", and I hate it.

The new program must:

1. be Windows7 compatible, and
2. be free or very inexpensive, and
3. be easily learned and used by middle and high school students, and
4. allow addition or deletion of cues without changing the numbering

Number 4 above is what has prompted my search for new software, since Cue Player does not have that feature. In other words, if I delete SQ 5, I don't want SQ 6 to become SQ 5. Likewise, if I need to add a cue, I don't want SQ 6 to become SQ 7; I want to add SQ 5.5. As you can imagine, with a student sound designer, there are typically lots of changes to be made to the sound design before opening night, and I don't want to have to re-write half the cues in my book every time the kid forgets to include a doorbell.

Does MultiPlay fit the bill?

I appreciate your input. Thanks in advance!

Molinero

 

[JLNorthGA]

I've got Multiplay on my laptop. It is Windows Vista compatible and may very well be Windows 7 compatible.

It is free or very inexpensive - I did send a small donation.

It was easily learned by people who weren't very computer savvy. Therefore I think it can be learned by middle and high school students.

I don't number the cues. I just put them in sequence with the script reference. You can number them though.

 

[cpf]

Why not just download trials, or in the case of Multiplay which is free, full copies of all the programs you're considering and test them out yourself? That's the best way to get the feel for whether you like how a certain program operates.

 

[Molinero]

Why not just download trials, or in the case of Multiplay which is free, full copies of all the programs you're considering and test them out yourself? That's the best way to get the feel for whether you like how a certain program operates.

You would think that...but my school's technology department gives out Admin credentials very sparingly, and I don't want to lose mine by downloading something that'll screw things up. So, I figured I'd see if my fellow technicians might have some feedback to give that could point me to one or two that the tech dept. would then be able to research and grant me permission to download.

 

[dbaxter]

Adding or deleting a cue in Cue Player does not change the cue call. It changes the sequential number on the far left of the cue list, but you wouldn't be using that to call the cue. What version of Cue Player are you using? CP Premium would be the version that any serious theater work should be done in. It is compatible with Win7, both 32 and 64 versions. I'm sorry you hold the program in low regard. I am an email away from addressing your concerns.

 

[Molinero]

Thanks,dbaxter. Remember that one of my criteria is cost -- I can't get approval to spend money when a free alternative is available. Were it not also for the frequent crashes, I might be more willing to plead with our department chair for the purchase of the premium version, but our experience overall with CP has not been good enough to warrant that.

As far as the sequence number goes, since I'm dealing with student (sometimes middle school) board ops, it keeps things much simpler if the SQ number and the sequence number are the same. Since we have no control over the sequence number, the alternative is to include the SQ number in the description, and I can envision confusion arising from that (particularly since kids often freak out under pressure, especially during Tech Week). If CP enabled the user to number AND describe the cue (like MultiPlay does, I've found), it would alleviate this concern.

Molinero

 

[dbaxter]

That was what I was saying - in the production version of Cue Player, the call and the sequence are different fields. The free version, if that is what you are using, should be 1.7.4. I would be interested in where you are seeing 'crashes', and although that version is not under active maintenance, I will see what I can do to keep people from calling my baby ugly. I'm saddened that you have to plead for $60 in your school for something you seem to be using over and over.

 

[JonasA]

I spent a few days on a similar search, Molinero, and MultiPlay really seems to be the best I've found that fits your criteria (which are exactly the same as mine were). I've been told that QLab is better, but for us Windows users, MultiPlay seems to do the job very well, at least for school situations. One unplanned benefit I found was that I could save an archive of all the cues and their corresponding sounds and throw it on the school's online learning system - it meant all the students could download the files and have a play, which made them a lot more used to it before they had to operate it for a show. Also saved my skin one night when the sound tech's laptop died two hours before the show - we commandeered another student's laptop and ran MultiPlay off my USB. So much simpler...

 

[Lambda]

I highly recomend multiplay, I've used it for years. About cue numbering, I know it has a "renumber cues" feature. When you delete a cue, the numbering of the others does not change unless you use this feature to restore sequential numbering. Or you can change any cue's number manually.
I've had nothing but success with this program in high school.... Until I graduated to college theater and they use itunes exclusively.

 

[themuzicman]

So after all this Multiplay hype I decided to try it out. I had a 10 year old Windows laptop sitting on my desk at work and a coworker needed basic playback on a gig this weekend and we had no older macs laying about. I downloaded Multiplay and within 10 minutes we had the entire show built and ready to go - It wasn't anything complicated but it did use their Audio, Command, and Group cues.

While not as intuitive as QLab, if you know QLab you'll be familiar with 90% of it. It's great for the market that needs quick, on-the-fly 2-channel audio playback (though I'm sure it does more, I didn't check that much out). You can loop, vamp in a cue, fade in and out, play a "group" of files - either all at once or one after the other.

I'd definitely use it again in the event I didn't have my laptop with me and needed something in a pinch. Definitely an awesome program for high school/community theatre crowd that I would recommend to anyone! Thanks everyone here for mentioning it so much.

 

[Tex]

I just used Multiplay for a show with a A&H Zed14. I was able to use both the audio out and a USB out so I had two sources from one laptop. Worked great!

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