Comments on: Chicken of the VNC: The already-obsolete design gizmo that you’ve never heard of http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/ The Art in the Business of Theater - Collaboration Tools and Technology and the Storefront Theater Movement Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:48:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Nick Keenan http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/#comment-320 Nick Keenan Mon, 12 May 2008 16:29:08 +0000 http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/#comment-320 Very good point about repertory spaces, Danielle. I actually developed my sound process to use a kind of rep plot - I'll load in basically the same eight speaker configuration when I can afford that many channels - to be able to spend a minimum of time on the engineering side of things and a maximum on the design side. So it stands to reason that a system like this would provide a lot of flexibility for spaces that see a lot of shows in a season - with a minimum of setup. I'm so glad to hear you've made the investment, and I'm working on most of the storefront venues here to get with the program. And some of them are going for it! The bare minimum you can get away with, DV, is a mac computer running OSX 10.4 or above (I use an affordable and powerful intel mac mini, but I'm sure you can beg borrow and steal either a mac mini or a laptop for a run) and a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter cable that you can get at Radio Shack, plugged into the built-in output of the computer and your mixing board. Because that output is low-quality, however, you should expect a certain amount of unwanted noise from the sound of the hard drive spinning right next to the output. For Clay Continent, you might actually be able to USE this sound, so I think it might suit your purposes. For better output and more speakers, you'll want to get an audio interface like the <a href="http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UltraLite" rel="nofollow">MOTU Ultralite</a>, which will set you back about $550, but it provides 8 - 10 outputs that qLab can serve as brain for. Then plug that in using a short snake cable to each amplifier, or route it through your mixer first. That's the hardware. The software's the easy part: Download the standard version of <a href="http://figure53.com/qlab/" rel="nofollow">qLab</a> and check out their excellent online <a href="http://figure53.com/qlab/documentation/" rel="nofollow">manual</a>. What would be nice for you is that once you've programmed a show, remounting it is incredibly easy. Just find another computer and your archive of your show files, and reset mixer levels until every cue sounds just right. I use this method for school performances of my hour long audio show <a href="http://nikku.net/lexicon/" rel="nofollow">Lexicon</a> - if I had to retech that each time, my head would explode. After you use it for a few shows and get addicted, I highly recommend the Enhanced Audio plugin for $50. It not only supports the program - which is created by Chris Ashworth, a periodic commenter on this blog and someone who has most certainly earned the support - but it enables 16 outputs and some prelisten functionality to fade cues that I find indispensable when programming shows. Oh, did I mention that it can run Video, too? As far as primers go, I'd say find a sound designer and watch them work. Same goes with any design element - short of going back to school, we all learn through osmosis in this industry, and there's a lot out there to absorb. And while I use Logic and qLab to put shows together, I have a very different process to say Misha Fiksel or Miles Polaski, who often create their shows using another live-action program, <a href="http://www.ableton.com/live" rel="nofollow">Ableton Live</a>. The different process results in a different style of design. I'd be happy to have you come in and check out the setup next time I'm in tech. Very good point about repertory spaces, Danielle. I actually developed my sound process to use a kind of rep plot - I’ll load in basically the same eight speaker configuration when I can afford that many channels - to be able to spend a minimum of time on the engineering side of things and a maximum on the design side. So it stands to reason that a system like this would provide a lot of flexibility for spaces that see a lot of shows in a season - with a minimum of setup. I’m so glad to hear you’ve made the investment, and I’m working on most of the storefront venues here to get with the program. And some of them are going for it!

The bare minimum you can get away with, DV, is a mac computer running OSX 10.4 or above (I use an affordable and powerful intel mac mini, but I’m sure you can beg borrow and steal either a mac mini or a laptop for a run) and a 1/8″ to 1/4″ adapter cable that you can get at Radio Shack, plugged into the built-in output of the computer and your mixing board. Because that output is low-quality, however, you should expect a certain amount of unwanted noise from the sound of the hard drive spinning right next to the output. For Clay Continent, you might actually be able to USE this sound, so I think it might suit your purposes.

For better output and more speakers, you’ll want to get an audio interface like the MOTU Ultralite, which will set you back about $550, but it provides 8 - 10 outputs that qLab can serve as brain for. Then plug that in using a short snake cable to each amplifier, or route it through your mixer first.

That’s the hardware. The software’s the easy part: Download the standard version of qLab and check out their excellent online manual.

What would be nice for you is that once you’ve programmed a show, remounting it is incredibly easy. Just find another computer and your archive of your show files, and reset mixer levels until every cue sounds just right. I use this method for school performances of my hour long audio show Lexicon - if I had to retech that each time, my head would explode.

After you use it for a few shows and get addicted, I highly recommend the Enhanced Audio plugin for $50. It not only supports the program - which is created by Chris Ashworth, a periodic commenter on this blog and someone who has most certainly earned the support - but it enables 16 outputs and some prelisten functionality to fade cues that I find indispensable when programming shows.

Oh, did I mention that it can run Video, too?

As far as primers go, I’d say find a sound designer and watch them work. Same goes with any design element - short of going back to school, we all learn through osmosis in this industry, and there’s a lot out there to absorb. And while I use Logic and qLab to put shows together, I have a very different process to say Misha Fiksel or Miles Polaski, who often create their shows using another live-action program, Ableton Live. The different process results in a different style of design. I’d be happy to have you come in and check out the setup next time I’m in tech.

]]> By: devilvet http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/#comment-319 devilvet Mon, 12 May 2008 14:49:55 +0000 http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/#comment-319 Say you are a total novice at this sort of stuff...any place to go and get a primer on this sort of technology and how to use it in the low budget storefront venue? Say you are a total novice at this sort of stuff…any place to go and get a primer on this sort of technology and how to use it in the low budget storefront venue?

]]> By: danielle wilson http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/#comment-318 danielle wilson Mon, 12 May 2008 14:25:00 +0000 http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/#comment-318 We've run qLab with an extra laptop in the house for the past two shows and it works beautifully--if wireless isn't an option, this works over ethernet cable too (a 100' cat5 cable is only $35). This is definitely the way to go if you have to do multiple shows in rep. No changing settings on the console or the computer between shows, just one master computer running qLab, each designer with their own show in their own laptop making changes on the fly. We’ve run qLab with an extra laptop in the house for the past two shows and it works beautifully–if wireless isn’t an option, this works over ethernet cable too (a 100′ cat5 cable is only $35). This is definitely the way to go if you have to do multiple shows in rep. No changing settings on the console or the computer between shows, just one master computer running qLab, each designer with their own show in their own laptop making changes on the fly.

]]> By: Travis Bedard http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/#comment-310 Travis Bedard Mon, 12 May 2008 03:47:50 +0000 http://nikku.net/blog/chicken-of-the-vnc-the-already-obsolete-design-gizmo-that-youve-never-heard-of/#comment-310 So sexy. So sexy.

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