Bonny Posted February 5, 2008 Posted February 5, 2008 I wasn't sure where to ask this one...I would like to do a small show this spring and try to (somewhat) time it to music. I will be manually firing using the electric firing board I am working on(if it works) as well as delay fuses.What I need to know is what program or software will allow me to view a (heavy metal) music track as a graph with a timeline and add notes or numbers for firing points? I guess if the program could separate bass, guitar etc... that would be even better.Hopefully, using this will enable me to assign firing times for various effects, and then simply watch graph and hit the buttons when the number shows.Otherwise I guess I'll have to listen to the song a hundred times and make manual notes for different parts...I think this may be a real PITA, but I'd like to try.
Miech Posted February 5, 2008 Posted February 5, 2008 Most non-linear sound editors show a nice graph, and are also capable of playing the music. I would recommend mp3DirectCut, since it is absolutely free, open source and very light for your processor. Otherwise you could use Audacity, which is free and open source as well. http://mpesch3.de1.cc/mp3dc.htmlhttp://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Both are running on every operating system as far as I know. At least they will do so with an emulator.
Bonny Posted February 5, 2008 Author Posted February 5, 2008 Looks like a good starting point, thanks. I'll download when I get home from work.
Bonny Posted February 9, 2008 Author Posted February 9, 2008 yeah I think this will be a little too complicated with my very low tech equipment, unless I bring a computer to control music and indicate firing points as I watch the screen... I think my best bet is to roughly time out sections of the song and fuse effects to last for each segment, then I only have to fire 1 switch every now and then. In that case a stopwatch and list might be feasable.
ST1DinOH Posted March 4, 2008 Posted March 4, 2008 having done this in the past there's several ways to accomplish this each with thier own set of problems... first off decide how long you want the show to be, burn a cd that spans that time with your favorite music, and listen to it. as you listen to it write down everything you want to see at thoes spots in the show. now you can make the timeline and calculate in all your delays and do it on paper... OR you can get real crazy, build in a 3 second delay in everything, and make two copies of that disk. one only you can hear on your headset, the other you play for the crowd on a 3 second delay. this way you can hit your cues whiel you listen to the music, and the cues will be perfectly on time with the show for everyone else. the problem is it's confusing as hell for you trying to not get distracted watching the effects and they aren't in step with the music. either way it's a huge PITA to do this without having the pyro musical firing system that can sync with a lap top to fire cuse and play the music at the same time. if you got 10 grand to blow thats the best route...but the low tech version of listening to the music 3 seconds ahead on a walkman/ipod is a nice way to go.
Bonny Posted March 5, 2008 Author Posted March 5, 2008 I have a rough idea on how I'm going to do it...and it will be a huge PITA. I've used the audacity program to view and mark the timeline into segments with the (MANOWAR) song(s) I'll be using. Now it's a matter of selecting the effects for different parts of the song. I will be firing from my almost completed 20 cue firing panel (if it works) while watching the song timer. Each cue will likely control a few items that will be delayed using fuses, so I don't have to try and time as many buttons...If it works at all it will be quite rough, but still better than nothing. Many of the effects will only have to be fired within a song segment, such as fountainsduring a slow quiet part, then a wheel lasting about 40 sec during a guitar solo, followed by sets of mines or comets spaced a few seconds apart when the song reverts back to full metal Anyway, even if the timing sucks I think it will be a fun "show"
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