MTC Virtual Loopback Trick with QLab
Mike
little more timeline based in the GUI, but love it.
Figured out a neat trick to have an MTC stream from QLab loop back and
run your entire cue list so you don't have to calculate and adjust
follow times in a cue sequence anymore (very useful in dance with 2-20
minute audio tracks, and especially if you are using QLab to generate
timecode output to other sources):
1. Get the freeware MIDI Patchbay program (google it)
2. In MIDI Patchbay set up a virtual midi in and virtual midi out and
a patch from the input to the output you created, checking the box in
'other' to allow MIDI clock and other realtime messages (you can also
patch the in to other MIDI devices creating a virtual splitter).
3. In QLab create an MTC stream as your main sequence trigger cue
(your timeline) and send the MTC output to the input interface you set
up in MIDI Patchbay (you may have to patch it as a port in prefs).
4. Set your QLab cue list to receive timecode from the virtual MIDI
out you created in Patchbay.
5. Set your cues to trigger on timecode and input the values you like
(use basic timecode logic, like don't start your clock at 00;00;00;00
and expect a cue set to 00;00;00;00 to fire correctly, set it a second
or two later to allow the programs to sync up).
Voila. Your cues will trigger whenever the proper timecode value
passes (keeping your paperwork immensely simplified with hard trigger
values that won't shift as you adjust other cue times). Using the
pause all/play all in running cues works great when running a timecode
based stack because it keeps the audio and timecode in sync should you
need an e-stop.
Make sure to connect all your devices and open patchbay before opening
qlab or this won't work!!
To verify this works I got ipMIDI (free) and split the input patch off
of the virtual patchbay input to ipMIDI. I used figure53's free
timecode display app, which reads MTC passed thru ipMIDI without any
configuration and also makes a great always-on-top timecode display
for QLab.
dan howarth
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Christopher Ashworth
Thrilled to hear the program is proving useful, and thanks for sharing these tips!
Another tip regarding the following:
On Mar 11, 2012, at 12:04 AM, Mike wrote:
> so you don't have to calculate and adjust
> follow times in a cue sequence anymore
Another way to solve the "adjusting a chain of times" problem is to put all the cues in a group that is in "fire all children simultaneously" mode, and then use the pre-wait times to place them in an absolute position relative to the start of the group. This is functionally like giving them a timecode trigger, except the "timecode" is in the pre-wait field.
Best,
C
Rich Walsh
> Figured out a neat trick to have an MTC stream from QLab loop back and
> run your entire cue list so you don't have to calculate and adjust
> follow times in a cue sequence anymore (very useful in dance with 2-20
> minute audio tracks, and especially if you are using QLab to generate
> timecode output to other sources):
You could save yourself a hoop or two by using the IAC bus; I use it to loop MSC back into QLab so that "next" and "previous" also load the cues. What's more, I think you can hang multiple clients off the IAC bus, so monitoring apps can see what's on the bus without needing to split it.
I don't quite follow the advantages of your method over putting all the cues in a "Fire all children simultaneously" Group Cue and setting pre waits on each cue, just as you do for their timecode triggers? Does the MTC method handle loading to time and pausing better? I can see how it helps to have QLab chase timecode itself if it is acting as timecode master, though.
Rich
Jeremy Lee
Jeremy Lee
- A thumb is a terrible speller. Please forgive my trespasses.
Mike
this model originally due to the need for external MTC transmission as
well as internal, also loved having a large timecode display (version
3?) with the ability to have others on a network view the same clock
from other parts of the venue using ipmidi over our show ethernet
network.
On Mar 11, 6:23 am, Jeremy Lee <jeremyli...@jjlee.com> wrote:
> An easier way to do this if you don't need external MTC is to put everything in a group set to Fire All Simultaneously and use the prewait value as your timeline reference.
>
> Jeremy Lee
> - A thumb is a terrible speller. Please forgive my trespasses.
>
Mike
active pre-wait cues within qlab simultaneously, so less clutter on my
screen. The MTC method does pause all and play all probably just as
well as running a fire all. I haven't used the IAC bus to loop back,
did all my routing in the one program, but will try that.
Sean Dougall
> You could save yourself a hoop or two by using the IAC bus; I use it to loop MSC back into QLab so that "next" and "previous" also load the cues. What's more, I think you can hang multiple clients off the IAC bus, so monitoring apps can see what's on the bus without needing to split it.
accepts MTC by default so you don't have to fiddle with any checkboxes.
Where MIDI Patchbay does offer an advantage is if you want to both loop
MTC cue back into QLab and simultaneously send it out to an external
device -- the IAC bus can have as many applications listening (and
sending) as you want, but it doesn't have a pathway out to the hardware.
Sean