Vamping and Audio cue playback software

[skeller]

I have come across at least 3 different popular Cue Playback software:
qLab
SCS
SFx

I can go with either Win or OSx. I will be using it for a musical, the orchestra is pre-recorded tracks. I need to get some opinions on which of the 3 (or some other application.) has the easiest and best vamping capabilities since it will be used a lot in this show.

The lighting controls will be sending MIDI messages to fire the audio playback cues. (Or the other way around which ever I find is the most practical.)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[cpf]

You have to pay to use QLab's vamping, and even then, you're limited to one section per audio cue, i.e. you need to chain multiple cues of the same source file together if you want multiple vamp locations. Not the end of the world, but it's a pain to set up.

 

[Joshualangman]

This is reportedly changing before the end of this year. When is your musical?

 

[skeller]

Joshua
We just started music rehearsals. We open Nov 24.

-steve

 

[neotrotsky]

If you need vamping on the fly and you have a little time to add to your toolbox of skills, it may be a good idea to pick up Ableton Live and load in your musical tracks to that. Then, set the bridge, vamps and interludes to individual samples that you can launch. This not only allows you the flexibility to launch any song, cue or segment at any time, but the warping and beat-matching functions mean that you will never be out of rhythm no matter how late the entrance is or how often the actor forgets their cue line. Also, if all else fails you can even punch-in using a MIDI controller and compose or even perform your own fills if things get real hairy (and if you're decent enough on the piano). When dealing with musicals, I find using this in conjunction with either Qlab or MultiPlay is a great way to handle a complex musical that *must* be performed to canned score

 

[chausman]

When dealing with musicals, I find using this in conjunction with either Qlab or MultiPlay is a great way to handle a complex musical that *must* be performed to canned score

In my opinion, if you've got a really complex score, a live orchestra/band/solo piano is the ONLY way to go.

Although I do agree that Ableton Live would be a good choice.

 

[kiwitechgirl]

Is there no way you can get even one live musician? I did The Producers with backing tracks, but we had a keyboard player as well. That way he was able to vamp where necessary and we'd just trigger the next piece of the track to start when he indicated he was going on. This did mean careful thought about where the tracks were split, and clear cues from the keyboard player, but with planning and rehearsals it was fine. We ran backing tracks off SCS and it was flawless - we did have two systems in parallel with a crash box to switch between but never needed it.

 

[TimmyP1955]

Live keyboardist, with the tracks on Sinfonia or MOST.