What is Reddit's opinion of QLab?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Relative cueing sounds like a complete disaster, for exactly the reason you point out in the post. I've never seen that ever—either cue sheets with individual cues with explicit levels for each, or ETC boards that are nice and well-behaved (within reason).

Also, I assume you're aware of QLab by now? Should cut down on grumbles-from-Sound quite a bit.

From a quick Google search, you can do everything you want with existing hardware/software.

• QLab is generally used for sound cues and playback, but can also be used to send MIDI Show Control (MSC) signals to other equipment.
• The Behringer X32 can accept MSC signals and use those signals to recall cues and scenes, as well as muting/unmuting groups and even setting levels for individual channels.

Q-Lab is Mac only, free if you only need 2 channels (I think this is still true), and inexpensively rentable by the day if you need more than 2 outputs. I prefer this to other options, but that has as much to do with running on OSX as anything else. It is quicker to get up and running but not as flexible or powerful as SFX - though is perfectly fine for almost any production needs.

SFX is PC only, very customizable and has been the industry leader for quite some time (though Q-Lab is becoming very widely used). It is more customizable based largely on is scripting ability which can do some pretty cool stuff.

SoundMan Server is the undiscovered territory of theatre sound playback (it's used widely in theme parks though). Worth some time if you like to tinker (and build your own front end!).

You could always buy a sampler though :)

You sound like you are seeking Qlab which is an awesome piece of software. If Qlab is too much for what you require, have a look at it's bastard offspring Qcart which is also brilliant for playout of Cues or music etc.

FOr the iPad app you should look at Audio Tools although you will require an external calibrated mic or a soundcard with one to get the best results.

It you want to talk about useful software, I'd definitely add QLab, which seems to be the answer to many people's questions on here. Nice job on the subreddit, I'm on mobile so I haven't yet seen the css, but I really like the idea. Keep it up!

It sounds like you're creating a program similar to QLab, yes? If you have a sound console that will accept either Midi or Midi Show Control commands, QLab can send both over the appropriate interface. If not, as of QLab 3, the Mic Cue can take input from a live source and route it, much like you would on a console. You may need an audio interface with the appropriate number of inputs/outputs to get the mic feed/sound outs in and out of your Mac.

....Or am I totally misreading your question - are there other things you're looking to do programatically other than playback of prerecorded files, fades, and basic mic routing/leveling?

Edit: I didn't mean to imply that you should just adopt QLab. I'm just suggesting that as a source of inspiration. If you have fading/leveling functionality in your program already, maybe finding a way in incorporate a live sound source and treat it like you would cue is a way to go.

QLab is not free but it's affordable and is the industry standard. It's 200 dollars for a basic audio license, which should probably meet your requirements. They also offer education discounts if you email their support team.

They also offer rental licenses that go for 3 dollars (1 dollar with education discount) a day for the basic audio license.

EDIT: Here's a link to their website with more information - http://figure53.com/qlab/

Mac or PC?

For Mac, check out QLab, which might be overkill but can definitely route tracks to different hardware outputs. I think you have to have the 'basic' level to route to external hardware (ie: the USB interface).

Check out QLab from Figure 53.

The demo program is very full featured and powerful, but I believe to save video playback cues you need to purchase a license. They have full licenses and daily licenses.

You should look into the show control segment of theatre, there is a large component of IT type stuff. Specifically, check out John Huntington's book: Control Systems for Live Entertainment

And his blog: http://www.controlgeek.net/

An article you might want to check out about a specific show control scenario: http://figure53.com/qlab/showcases/cary-from-the-cock/

One thing that everyone uses: Vectorworks

And also, some pieces of software that get used all the time, organized by segment:

For lighting: * Lightwright * Ios/Eon by ETC * Whole Hog by Barco * GrandMA

For sound: * QLab * SFX

For video: * Watchout * Hippotizer * d3 * Pandora's Box * MBox *Isadora *Powerpoint/Keynote

Four ways? Sure you can. How do you think surround sound works? :)

You'll want to google multitrack audio. You can do the audio side of this with a single surround sound capable sound card or a professional audio interface. You can also run one of your videos through an A/V receiver with surround sound output, but that may delay one screen. (Maybe only use the audio from that.)

Software-wise, if you have a mac, you'll probably want to look at QLab to actually play the files. (Yes, it's expensive to buy it, but you can also rent it if you don't need it for too long.) You should be able to use it to start everything from one "Go" button.

If you're also using Premiere, a quick google also gives me this article on how to embed multichannel audio for QLab.

I would suggest having the audio either all in one video or separate from the video entirely. You can get away with audio and video being slightly out of sync more easily than audio being out of sync with other audio.

I used mplayer to play videos; I couldn't get the processing one to work very well (low FPS).

I used a shell with the following:

mplayer blah.mov -vo corevideo:device_id=1 -fs -ontop -framedrop -idle -slave -input file=/tmp/mplayerthing

to play it on the external monitor under OS X. I couldn't find a way of making the movie stop on a black screen, so I just had the external desktop with a black background and a menu bar.

I don't know what platform you are on, but on OS X I ended up using QLab. The free version can support one external screen and trigger videos on MIDI messages. Your Processing app could listen to the Arduino's input and send MIDI messages along an IAC bus to QLab to trigger the videos.

There is plenty of documentation on QLab.

Documentation: http://figure53.com/qlab/docs/ https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/qlab

If you have the free version, you only have 2 channels of output - by default it'll most likely be your headphone L/R output. Check this by going to Preferences > Audio and check your patch. Simply drag from Patch 1 to your preferred output. If you have an interface, you drag the patch from "Patch 1" to the interface. You then go into your interfaces selected editor to patch those to physical outputs on the interface. From there you plug it into your console and patch wherever you need it from there.

Most theatres use a program called QLab which allows instant playback of sound cues. It can be used in conjunction with an interface or, if only 2 channels are needed, it can be used with the computers standard output.

To actually advance a cue, you can either hit 'space' or you can buy / make dedicated midi controllers, which can be programmed to do anything from advancing cues to adding on fades.

The great thing about QLab is just how powerful it is. With the full payed license, you can add effects, like eq or reverb etc. cross fade tracks, combine multiple tracks for complete soundscapes, which you can easily adjust in the tech rather than having to go back to Pro Tools or whatever DAW you are using. It also can be used for a load of video projection stuff but I haven't really explored that area so can't help too much.

QLab was developed by Figure53, you can download a free version from there site or you can pay $399 or $3 per day for a full license.

http://figure53.com/qlab/buy/#features

You'll want the Audio Pro version. It lets you use AU plugins per cue, cue output, or physical output.

Also, it can handle multiple cues at one time, uniquely routed to outputs.

I'm not sure what you're asking. The figure53 website gives a pretty good summary. Is there a more specific question you need help with?

*Also there is a very active Qlab user group, which the developers frequent. Check it out.

Mac? Figure53's Qlab. PC? Stage Research's SFX.

You'll also need some sort of audio interface.

> Can you tell me more about Qlab and your set up with the CL console.

QLab can output MIDI scene changes which the console can be easily set to respond to. QLab can address specific scenes, so you can recall console scenes out of order if needed. On the audio side you can do quite a bit of audio editing (trim, adjust length with or without pitch correction, multi-point level control, etc.)

You can even rent QLab for a reasonable price by the day instead of making the large investment to buy it outright. $3/day gets you basic audio control plus MIDI.

It is Mac only, but the only other piece you need is a simple USB to MIDI interface.

There are plenty of programs that can do this one way or another. Take a look at Multiplay for Windows. It is free.

The Mac fans will tell you to try QLab which is brilliant but not free.

The building they used as the CDC in the show is actually the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

Here it is on the show, and here it is in real life..

I saw Weird Al there a few months ago. Nary a mention of zombies was made : (

i have never used it for this purpose, but i can only assume that QLab can do that. It does everything else i have ever wanted it to do. Also, the basic version is totally free.

See: http://figure53.com/qlab/

Not sure what kind of functionality you really need, but Qlab might solve most, if not all of your problems. Licensing is cheap (if you even need it). Otherwise it's freeware.

http://figure53.com/qlab/

are you aware of the official figure 53 tech support resources? Sending them an email will get you a prompt response from one of the super geniuses on the team. I know some of those guys, they will help you out. I also highly recommend the QLab google group, which is way more populated with users than reddit and is also monitored by the support staff of Figure 53.

Qlab in combination with Open Sound Control

You can set Qlab to cue individual samples with the individual keys on a computer keyboard, and that would give you access to nearly a hundred unique files using an enhanced keyboard, playng with an individual key press.

http://figure53.com/qlab/docs/intro-to-surfaces/

QLab might support multiple screens, have a read. Again your hardware setup is the biggest limiting factor. Also remember you need plenty of hard drive speed (streaming two videos off the system drive is sure to fail).

a device? you mean besides a computer? in theater we generally use a mac running a program called qlab. It lines all the sound effects up that you use in the show, and you just hit spacebar at the appropriate time.

it's a bit more complicated than that so you'd have to have one kid look up a few tutorials and figure out how to program the show for you. but the good news is if you got the it department to give you a computer to use for this purpose you could have the kids running sound doing it the way we do it professionally.

there's a program for pc's called sfx as well.

but yeah like trendygame says you could get a device like a sampler but they are mainly used for music. you could probably get the features you need if you pick up the right one but you might run into problems if you need to have several sound cues running at once, etc.

what makes programs like qlab so powerful is that you can have a song running in one cue, trigger many sound effects in a row then trigger a sound effect while simultaneously stopping the music. plus you can tweak the volumes to perfection and once you're completely tech'd it takes no special training to run the show. you just press space bar.

edit-- linking fail.

Hi, I'm a freelance stage manager and a projection specialist in the theatre industry in the UK and for a recent show we did we had a really high requirement show with little to no budget for the whole thing and here is what we did, hopefully it can be useful:

The requirements:

• 8 televisions on two feeds (4x4)

• 4 projection screens all with there own feed

All this had to be controlled by one opp (me) with minimal space for the kit and for multiple cues / video operation to be perfectly in time

The Solution:

• 1 x Power Mac

  (2 Dual output graphics cards (I forget the exact specs but they were powerful))

• 1 x Triple heads

• 2 x DVI To BNC video converter cards (External)

• 2 x BNC video splitters (1 in-put to 6 out-put)

We had the patch as this:

Graphics card 1 outputting 2x DVI to the 2x DVI to BNC converters and then split using the 2x BNC video splitters with one of the two different outputs to the 8 televisions

Graphics card 2 outputting 1x output to the triple header that then splits the one feed and converts the resolution to the size of the 4 projectors one beside another and outputs the video out via 4x VGA, with one to each of the 4 projectors

The clever bit is inside Qlab where you manage the triple header as the resolution can get quite tricky to work out and video map the desired video to the correct area, then cue it all up in qlab its self ( nice bit of software ).

We did this all and then spent two weeks programming it all and then after all the ballsing around had it to where I simply pressed the space bar on cue and could also busk with pre programmed keyboard keys. Needless to say all the work and time put in made for and amazingly easy show to control, and in under budget! :)

Hopefully this can be useful to you, sorry for any spelling mistakes :)

EDIT: Layout