experience/suggestions with SCS, Strand MX?
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:53 pm
Hi - I'm a bit new to all this, but wondering if I can rig up one (mixer with stored scenes, SCS, or (Strand MX) light board with programmed scenes) as my midi master (sequencer if you will) and show control the other 2 from it:
Mike graciously responded:
First of all, yes, SCS can send or receive MIDI Program Change, Control Change, Note On and Note Off messages. See the SCS Help file for information and a screen shot of how you can set up 'Control Send' cues.
The Strand MX manual on p56 gives the format of these message types, eg Control Change has a status byte of Bn (where n is the channel) followed by 2 data bytes - control number and control value. SCS complies with this format. However, and this is where it gets confusing, starting form p59 under 'MX MIDI CODES' it appears Strand go off in another direction, basically saying that the MIDI standard is too restrictive for a lighting board. As far as I can see they end up with message structures that start off looking like Control Change messages but have extra bytes - such as those listed on p66. SCS does NOT support this extended format so cannot send those messages. I don't know if the Strand approach is part of the MIDI standard, but I'll consider including the extra functionality in SCS. I'll need to study the manual a bit more to make sure I'm on the right track.
The mixer (Roland) midi messages are all supported by SCS. Individual mixer channels can be controlled using standard MIDI Control Change messages, and scene changes can be selected using Program Change messages. You can send any of these messages from SCS using Control Send cues.
Regarding what to use as your 'master', may be the lighting board should be the master IF the lighting board can send acceptable MIDI messages to SCS and to the Roland. But if the Roland can send acceptable MIDI messages to the Strand then the Roland could be the master. However, from what I can see, I don't think you'll be able to control the Strand from SCS. It may be worth posting an enquiry on the SCS General Forum to see if other users have managed to link SCS with a Strand lighting board.
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any experience, suggestions welcomed. Thx!
Mike graciously responded:
First of all, yes, SCS can send or receive MIDI Program Change, Control Change, Note On and Note Off messages. See the SCS Help file for information and a screen shot of how you can set up 'Control Send' cues.
The Strand MX manual on p56 gives the format of these message types, eg Control Change has a status byte of Bn (where n is the channel) followed by 2 data bytes - control number and control value. SCS complies with this format. However, and this is where it gets confusing, starting form p59 under 'MX MIDI CODES' it appears Strand go off in another direction, basically saying that the MIDI standard is too restrictive for a lighting board. As far as I can see they end up with message structures that start off looking like Control Change messages but have extra bytes - such as those listed on p66. SCS does NOT support this extended format so cannot send those messages. I don't know if the Strand approach is part of the MIDI standard, but I'll consider including the extra functionality in SCS. I'll need to study the manual a bit more to make sure I'm on the right track.
The mixer (Roland) midi messages are all supported by SCS. Individual mixer channels can be controlled using standard MIDI Control Change messages, and scene changes can be selected using Program Change messages. You can send any of these messages from SCS using Control Send cues.
Regarding what to use as your 'master', may be the lighting board should be the master IF the lighting board can send acceptable MIDI messages to SCS and to the Roland. But if the Roland can send acceptable MIDI messages to the Strand then the Roland could be the master. However, from what I can see, I don't think you'll be able to control the Strand from SCS. It may be worth posting an enquiry on the SCS General Forum to see if other users have managed to link SCS with a Strand lighting board.
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any experience, suggestions welcomed. Thx!