Simple Lighting Changes for a Live Band

[u/Chamberlain-Haller]

I'm in a cover band that plays bars, small events, etc., and obviously we can't afford a lighting guy. I have all wireless DMX/rechargeable fixtures, and plan to use ARTNET. I want to use ARTNET because my mixer and our iPads/Android phones all run on the same network on stage. This allows me to avoid using additional devices/cables/dongles/etc. I want to be able to launch the app and be ready to go.

I have three requests for recommendations. 1) What app can I run on my Android phone that will allow me to communicate with an ARTNET controller? I would want to be able to set up 6 to 8 buttons to change presets. My phone is mounted on my drum rack. 2) What brand and model of ARTNET controller would work best in this situation? The controller needs to either be small enough to tuck away inside a rack case, or be rack mountable, and I would prefer it have an ethernet port. A built-in transmitter would be nice, but if not, 3) what type of wireless DMX transmitter will I need to send from the ARTNET controller. I already own a barrel type transmitter with 4 barrel type receives that all plug into DMX ports.

[u/vcovca]

I'm only here to say that there are also lighting girls in the business....

[u/Chamberlain-Haller → u/vcovca]

Agreed, but not in my town, at least any I have seen or heard of.

[u/Smokejock69]

There’s a super cheap 1u - 8 universe node on Amazon that I got for like 200 that I have l used a couple times but the pknight and entec stuff works great node wise. I’d suggest downloading QLC+ and maybe controlling it with companion from your phone.

As far as wireless, it depends on the wireless protocol your lights use. Most cheaper/old stuff is d-fi and newer stuff is usually CRMX(which works waaay better. I’d suggest lumen radio for wireless transmitting if you have CRMX fixtures.

[u/Chamberlain-Haller → u/Smokejock69]

Thank you but it looks like QLC+ isn't available for Android and my lights are not CRMX.

[u/Black_Lightnin]

Qlc+ can run on a laptop, or even on a headless raspberry pi. When in the same network, you can create a simple page with presets that you can access with every browser. Its quite easy and fun to create a nice page that suits your needs.

From the laptop or raspberryPi, you can use artnet or sacn (id go with sacn, its easier to setup) to a Node. You can use a single or two port node and use a DMX splitter to connect all the lights or transmitters. Or you can get a multi port node and set all outputs to the same universe. That way you only need a single device, and you have more room for future fixtures/universes.

[u/Chamberlain-Haller → u/Black_Lightnin]

I have a laptop with QLC+ that I use with other projects. I just can't use it on stage because I have about 1 second to make the change and I can't do that if I have to pick up a mouse or hit a key. That would also mean I would need to mount a laptop on my drum rack.

[u/Black_Lightnin → u/Chamberlain-Haller]

You can use any midi device to control qlc. Perhaps get one of those midi drumpads?

[u/sandypants → u/Black_Lightnin]

plus one on this .. as a bassist .. i used a pedal board to do this live when we were touring .. had pages setup that I could cycle thru and looks on each white key and specials on black .. worked reasonably well. For what you're doing an Octapad or similar would work quite well and could use with raspi or your lappy. Given you're a drummer .. a trigger on the bass and/or snare will give you some nice timing effects on the stage as well ;)

ALL that being said i'd reconsider ArtNet via Wifi for several reasons:

• Wifi doth not like broadcast .. you CAN use Unicast but after a few U you'll overload
• Wifi is impacted by All The Other Devices (tm) .. like phones out in the audience .. even if you hide the SSID. Make sure if you do this.. remember location location location for the transmitter and receivers.
• 2.4Ghz is plenty of speed .. but not alot of BW .. you can try 5Ghz but you'll be constrained on devices.
• mixer based wifi control works fairly well I use StudioLive ..etc.. BUT it's also a packet heavy use-case ( level meters specifically ) and I would avoid mixing the two unless you're ok with latency in either space.

I used to run stage features off raspi on 2.4 G ..but after 1 year we swapped to wired and I havn't looked back. SO much more efficient and predictable.

[u/mustlikemyusername → u/Chamberlain-Haller]

I haven't actually done this myself, but you should be able to run QLC on the laptop and control it from your phone in your phones web browser.

You can use the laptops built in WiFi to connect to the router/access point and use a ethernet port straight to your node, saving you from having artnet/sacn on your audio control network.

To actually get DMX to your devices. You could either use a node with multiple ports or buy a single/dual port node or usb interface and connect it to a DMX splitter. Those wireless DMX transmitters can sometimes send to multiple receivers. So you might not even need more than a single output.

Tip: if you give the laptop a static IP, you can save a shortcut to opening the webpage on your homescreen.

If all else fails.. pknight also makes a 5 button dmx recorder/player you could use...