Using Drum pad to trigger scenes and chasers

Ask a generic question about the usage of QLC+, not related to a particular operating system
Post Reply
magicaltrevor70
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:07 pm
Real Name: Dave Crewe

Hi, I'm very new to this so please be patient if I get confused.

I play drums in a band in which I use a drum pad (Roland SPD-SX) to trigger samples. I'd like to be able to trigger different lighting effects with this as well.

I'm after a strategy to achieve this. The SPD-SX sends program changes for each song, and then noteon/noteoff each time a pad is hit.

So I would like to be able to have a set of different scenes/chasers for each song, but I am not sure how to approach this, can anybody help?
siegmund
Posts: 703
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 11:03 am
Location: Germany
Real Name: Lukas

Welcome to the forum!

You can use the drum pad as external input and use the MIDI commands as external inputs for buttons in the virtual console, that control several scenes or chasers.

Have a look at the online documentation, its pretty good: http://www.qlcplus.org/docs/index.html


Regards,
siegmund
magicaltrevor70
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:07 pm
Real Name: Dave Crewe

Excellent, thanks...that's the approach I was going with, however it does mean I need to configure the SPD so each kit sends a different MIDI note on each pad and each kit. In default, the SPD sends the same note on each pad...I was hoping to avoid a lot of tedious re-programming of the SPD by using Program Change...

What I would like to do...

I switch the SPD to 'Song A', that sends a PC to QLC+ to only trigger scenes and chasers for 'Song A'
Then, switch SPD to 'Song B'. PC sent to QLC+ to use the same midi notes but to trigger scenes and chasers for 'Song B'

I can use your suggestion, but it means adjusting every kit (i.e. song) on the SPD so it sends a different MIDI note. This is the approach I have started with, as I say it's tedious to program (but once it's done, it's done :) )
siegmund
Posts: 703
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 11:03 am
Location: Germany
Real Name: Lukas

You might use a multipage frame, where the page switches are triggered by program changes of the SPD. Have a look at the multipage frame tutorial: http://www.qlcplus.org/docs/tutorial-multipage.html
magicaltrevor70
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:07 pm
Real Name: Dave Crewe

Yeah, I think I looked at that. However, the MIDI control is 'Next Page' and 'Previous Page'.

I need the Program Change to go to a specific set of chasers/scenes, as I won't be doing the same set in the same order every night.
siegmund
Posts: 703
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 11:03 am
Location: Germany
Real Name: Lukas

For this you can use a solution like described in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9971&p=43621
magicaltrevor70
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:07 pm
Real Name: Dave Crewe

Looks very interesting, I might dig into that.

I had read elsewhere on the forum that QLC+ could not process Note information as well as Program change...do you know if that is still the case?
siegmund
Posts: 703
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 11:03 am
Location: Germany
Real Name: Lukas

Should work with both referring to modes on MIDI plugin page of online documentation: http://www.qlcplus.org/docs/midiplugin.html
Mibmusic
Posts: 133
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:55 pm
Real Name: Gerard van Hamburg

Did you ever succeed? I am trying to do the exact same thing! I use Setlist Maker (on an iPhone) to select a song and that wil sent a PC to my SPD-SX. SLM can sent multiple PC’s so it would be great if QLC’s changes to a different song too. Starting the sample on the SPD-SX should then start the scene/song.
magicaltrevor70
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:07 pm
Real Name: Dave Crewe

Nope, never got the chance to try it, so I am sticking with individual midi notes per song.
Mibmusic
Posts: 133
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:55 pm
Real Name: Gerard van Hamburg

Thank you for your response. I deceided to also just use the midi notes to start and stop shows. Ok, you need to set it up within the SPD-SX but that is a one time job. I hope Basil comes up with a new release in 2019 to do this via his SPD-SX editor. https://spd-sx-editor.com/index.html
Mibmusic
Posts: 133
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:55 pm
Real Name: Gerard van Hamburg

And Basil released new software so configuring the MIDI notes took me 20 minutes! I am happy!
Post Reply