Using a chaser as a cue list

[Paul Evans]

Hi all,

This is more of a question of "am I doing it right?"

I'm trying to use QLC+ to run theatrical lighting, using a cue list on the virtual console. The cue list itself is driven by a chaser.

I find I keep wanting to do things that QLC+ itself doesn't seem set up for. Such examples as wanting to:

* insert a scene at less than 100% intensity, only to have a later cue that changes it to fully 100%
* insert a "start" point for a scene, which will continue running while the next step(s) run, and later have it "stop"
* start a scene running, but allow me manual control to switch it to another scene and have the cue list still remember where we are, for crossfading to the next one

The general effect I want is that there's a set of scenes which set the "main" fixtures for my show, which I'll generally be wanting to swap between. But also I have some other scenes for special effects, which need inserting into the cue list as well, to run _additionally_ to the main scene which has the lighting running. Other times I'll want a single step to start a few scenes, each of which I'll want manual control to stop later on.

There's one point in particular where I want the cue list to switch to a scene that has lighting generally over the stage, but at this point the actors will be moving around enough that I don't want to pre-program which specific areas will switch to; instead I want to control that manually from the virtual console with a solo box to switch between scenes that have different areas lit. But once this part of the show is done we'll return to the cue list again.

This leads me to wonder if I'm doing it right. Is this the intended use for it? How should this kind of show be programmed up in QLC+?

[Robert Scheffler]

Hi Paul,

The way I use QLC+ is with both manual faders and timed faders. I cut my teeth on an Electro Controls Plexus1000 (1981) which had A/B C/D and X/Y faders. A/B and C/D were push button 'timed' faders. X/Y was a manual split-fader allowing lead-lag fades from scenes to scenes.

So I run with 100 series cues as my X/Y with an external MIDI controller (Tascam US2400). This is a QLC+ chaser with all the 100 series scenes placed in it. Then I put a cue list on the virtual console that has cross-fade faders tied to my Tascam. Total manual control, and all chaser steps have infinite duration.

My 200 serial cues are for led strips, RGB backlight, and other effects.

My 400 series cues are for the moving heads. These are all scenes placed into a QLC+ chaser, with preset fade times, hold times, etc. I create a Cue List in the virtual console, then I tie the "next" and "previous" buttons for the chaser playback to buttons on my Tascam interface.

So I end up with 3 cue-lists on the Virtual Console, 100, 200, 400 series cues. Each cue list is tied to physical buttons or faders on my Midi control surface.

I used this recently for a production of Jesus Chris Superstar and it worked like a champ.

I then create a few wash scenes (red, green, blue, punch, amber, dark blue, etc). I create a slider on the Virtual console for each of those, then associate to a fader on the external interface. Doing this allows me to manually add anything that I missed, or if an actor wanders off too far off the path, I can bring in some wash to keep them from going into the dark.

The thing I like about running 100, 200, 400 series cues is that I can separate my normal stage lighting from my moving head or strobe or effect lighting. I manually do all the cross-fades for normal stage lighting, but use the preset fade times for other action that I couldn't possible keep up with (such as a collection of chasers running quick steps).

For me, this adds the human element to the fades between scenes, and keeps me as the lighting guy instead of a button pusher...

I just shot a video of this setup, will edit and upload soon I hope.

Bob

[Robert Scheffler]

Here is a screen shot of what I am trying to describe in words...

Bob