[In 11.8.5] SCS Mixer Control for muting/unmuting channels

[Mike Daniell]

Are you frequently having to turn actors' mics on and off during a play? I'm preparing for a new play and have modified SCS to simplify this process when using my A&H Qu-series mixer - see screenshot. I can now mute or unmute multiple channels in a simple user-friendly Control Send command, instead of having to work out the detailed MIDI control messages. I'm planning to extend this to also support A&H SQ-series and possibly other mixers. If this is of interest to you, please let me know, and what make and model of digital mixer you are using.

[Boswell]

Hi Mike,
we are using a QU32 and a QU16. This looks to be an easier way of muting channels, Look forward to the release hopefully for our return from lockdown show at the end of August. Well done.

[Buyaicia]

Hi Mike,
This feature looks very interesting.
We use an old yamaha 01v96 and use midi control send to mute and unmute mics and activate scenes.
I have a cue with all mute and unmute midi controls that I paste each time I need it.

If it's possible to add yamaha 01v96 I will be very grateful!!!

The controls for mute/unmute are:

Unmute.PNG (83.53 KiB) Viewed 86207 times

From control number 64 to 87 (24 channels, we use adat module attached)
Value 0 for mute and 127 for unmute

Also we use scene change:

scene.PNG (54.22 KiB) Viewed 86207 times

Where program number is scene number from 1 to 99 and 00 for 100

Regards,
Lluís

[d_korman]

Hi Mike,

Yes Please! For X32.
Thanks.

PS: Whilst you're at it, any chance of dual (or even multiple) cue stacks that can be run in parallel as per many LX desks? I'd use one for Sfx which can be pre-planned well in advance, and another for the mutes which tend to change quite a lot during rehearsal in the theatre. Would need dual Go and nav buttons too.

[Buyaicia]

Hi Mike,
Thinking on your proposal, I wish to put an idea on your desk.
Create a separated xml file structure with some kind of open channel control setup for devices.

This could allow any user to be able to create its own sets of controls.
It could be easier than request you to set all possible sets for all possible mixers for all possible controls without having devices to test.
You spoke about mute but why not to add controls for any parameter.
May be this control sets could be shared by users.

Sorry, my english may not be enougth to explain exactly what I think.
Regards,
Lluís

[Mike Daniell]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I've also received many replies through the SCS Facebook group. I am now planning to extend the original scope to include other mutes, such as DCA's, Mute Groups, etc, and also to include scene recall.

One of the challenges in supporting different mixers is that the MIDI messages are often quite different - some user simple 'short' messages such as a MIDI CC message, whilst others use NRPN, which is a set of 3 or 4 'short' messages, and others use Sysex messages.

[PhilVale]

Mike,

All sounds good and I like - I use either my own Berhringer X18 which I know will accept midi commands as I have certainly fired scene change messages at it from SCS via Midi.

I also sometimes use a Yamha I THINK TF series but don't know exact model or indeed if it will accept midi commands.

Phil.

[Buyaicia]

If it's possible to add yamaha 01v96 I will be very grateful!!!

Hi Mike,
Ignore my request about Yamaha 01v96. We updated our hardware and now we have an x32.

Regards,
Lluís

[GPBSiriuS]

Mike, good evening! Yes, it's an incredibly useful feature for SCS! We have to marinate and edit more than 10 microphones many times per performance at almost every performance. This feature would make our work a lot easier! We have several scenes and corporate platinum license SCS. We use mixers in different areas: Presonus StudioLive 32.4.2AI (this is our main stage). Yamaha 01v96 and Behringer XR18 are also used. In the near future, we will also have mixers Presonus StudioLive 64S and Allen'Heat dLive. It will be great if SCS gets support for the management of the muths of these mixers! I don't know how this can be realized, but our biggest interest at the moment is the support of The Management of The Moment Presonus StudioLive 32.4.2A
Thank you for your work. Respectfully, Paul.
And once again forgive me my English.

[Edi_28]

Hi Mike,

That's great for the A&H Qu Series and would be great for the SQ Series as well. Thinking about extending this feature for more than muting channels (fader set to defined level, panning, etc.), as there is a lot to automate in theaters.

I received two "Midi Generation" Excel sheets from A&H, where the Midi command is generated for selected commands. I can provide that to you if it helps.

Best regards,
Dieter

[Mike Daniell]

Thanks, Dieter. Yes, please send me those Excel sheets in case they help explain how to use commands. I do, however, have the SQ MIDI Protocol manual.

What I'm implementing in SCS will fairly easily accommodate any command required, with some conditions. The initial release will include support for muting/unmuting channels, DCA's, etc, and also recalling scenes, etc. Setting fader levels and pan settings will need to allow users to enter the new level or pan setting, and also an optional time (eg fade to -12dB over 2.5 seconds). So this feature may be delayed until a later release. This also applies to EQ settings, although enabling/disabling EQ for nominated channels etc may be included earlier as that's just an on/off setting.

[Melkor]

Hello, Mike. Yes, your software ALREADY have many incredible features and so convinient to use! But... May be you can implement websocket connection in "network control send" page? This protocol used in Soundcraft UI faderless mixers. Over two years (and till now) i use "run external program" cues to run simple console program named "wsta" (from github) with text string contained all commands for my UI24R, i.e. "mutes", "vca assigns", etc. I have a full command dump from this mixer in *.txt format. It will be extremely convinient to connect to mixer and send commands directly from SCS, without use external intermediate program. Sincerely - Roman Afanasev, TGVT Theatre, Tula, Russia.

[Mike Daniell]

Roman, could you email me an SCS cue file (.scs11 file) that includes appropriate examples of your use of 'Run External Program'?

[Melkor]

Hi Mike.
" *scs11" file and *txt UI24R commands dump - in attach. Link to Github "WSTA" CLI program - https://github.com/esphen/wsta
Also, I use standard win console command "taskkill" to interrupt display unneeded console commands from mixer.
Example Soundcraft UI WSTA command syntax is: wsta.exe ws:\\mixer_IP_addr:80 "3:::SETD^i.0.mute^1" - for Channel1 MUTE
and "taskkill.exe /im wsta.exe" for close unneeded CLI window. For simplifying programming process I wrote my own small "homebrew" MSAccess program that generate text string with all one-time needed MUTE, UN-MUTE, VCA assign commands.
This way, I have a practically full automated show where sound engineer (me ) can carefully do the SOUND (not the endless MANUAL MUTES,etc switching) for the 20 live actors and singers onstage.
This project actively used in my (i'm a co-founder) theatre, and "fully workable" but so hard and "time-eating" for programming.
It will be wonderful if SCS can establish websocket connection and send text arguments like WSTA , no matter - permanently with "keep-alive-packets" (better) or, like mine solution, - "one-time-connection" with "taskkill-interruption". If i can help You with anything else (testing, maybe?) - welcome. (And, please, sorry for my English - i'm russian with so little (8yr ago) practice in Engl)

[Melkor]

Unfortunately, Soundcraft UI series mixers haven't midi i\o and usb-midi adapter code not implemented in firmware. So - "network-only" solution needed. For instrumental fonograms and background sounds transfer I use Dante DVS and(or) Voicemeeter. But for mutes and other control commands - mixer accepts only websocket connections.