The Various Effects Tab

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The MIDI Wizard's Various Effects tab can be used to populate a sequence with timings and lighting effects based upon the beat of a MIDI file's song.  For example, lights can be made to chase each other, in a variety of patterns, to the beat of the song.

 

MIDIWizardVariousEffects

The MIDI Wizard's Various Effects tab, recording a rotating tree effect

 

There are three main types of effect patterns that can be made here:

 

Canned Chase Sequences
Custom Chase Sequences
Rotating Tree Effect

 

There are two ways to use the tab - while recording effects and while not recording effects.  By default, hitting "Play" will play the song, and let you choose patterns for the lights, but no effects will be recorded to be inserted into the sequence.  This allows you to adjust the patterns to your liking before actually recording effects.

 

Adjustments can also be made while recording, but the main type of effect must be chosen before recording begins.

 

To play without recording, simply hit the "Play" button.

 

To record, first select the type of behavior you want to record (such as a canned chase sequence or a rotating tree effect).  Choose the specific details of the behavior as well (for example, if you choose a canned chase sequence, also choose how many channels to use and how many of them should be on at any given time).

 

Next, select which channels from the sequence the effects will be recorded into, using the "Channel Selection" section (which is on the right).  Each type of effect has a different number of channels required; you will not be allowed to record effects until the full number of required channels has been assigned.  You can select a channel from the dropdown list, and add it to the selected channels by pressing "Add One", or you can add several channels at once (starting with the selected channel) by pressing "Add a Group".  At the bottom of the "Channel Selection" section are buttons enabling you to remove a channel from the selected channel list, or to clear the entire list.

 

Next, click the "Record" button.  If you have not assigned the required number of channels, you will be told that you cannot record until you do so.  If, however, you have, the "RECORDING" label (near the top) will turn red, and you can then hit "Play" to actually play the sequence and record effects.

 

During recording, you can make adjustments to the pattern, such as doubling its speed or reversing its direction, using the controls in the "Adjustments" section.  These adjustments are done in real time, so, for example, you can record some of the pattern at normal speed, and then a minute into the song, switch the pattern to double speed; the events recorded in the first minute will still be at normal speed.

 

After play ends (either at the natural end of the song or by hitting "Stop"), hit "Record" again (at which point the red "RECORDING" label will turn off), and "Save" to save the recorded effects to the sequence.  Or, if you were not satisfied with the recorded events, you can hit "Clear" to get rid of them.

 

Canned Chase Sequences

 

The Canned Chase Sequences section of the MIDI Wizard's Various Effects tab can be used to set up several channels of lights to chase each other - e.g. one turning on, then the next turning on while the first turns off, then another turning on while the second turns off, and so on.

 

Using the dropdown box in this section, you can choose how many channels will be involved in the chase, and how many of them will be on at any given time.

 

You can adjust the behavior of the chase - for example reversing its direction or speeding it up - using the controls in the Adjustments section.  This can be done both before and during play, and before and during recording.

 

For more control over the behavior of a chase sequence - for example, to use more channels, or to use a different pattern for which channels are on at any given time - use Custom Chase Sequences instead.

 

Custom Chase Sequences

 

The Custom Chase Sequences section of the MIDI Wizard's Various Effects tab can be used to set up several channels of lights to chase each other - e.g. one turning on, then the next turning on while the first turns off, then another turning on while the second turns off, and so on.  This is similar to the Canned Chase Sequences section, except that it is more flexible whereas the Canned Chase Sequences section is simpler to use.

 

In this section, you can select the number of channels involved in the chase, and, in the "Pattern Selector" section, choose how many channels will be on at any given time, and how far apart channels that are simultaneously on will be from each other.

 

You can adjust the behavior of the chase - for example reversing its direction or speeding it up - using the controls in the Adjustments section.  This can be done both before and during play, and before and during recording.

 

Rotating Tree Effect

 

The Canned Chase Sequences section of the MIDI Wizard's Various Effects tab can be used to set up several channels of lights set up as vertical sections of a tree to rotate around the tree.

 

You can select how many channels to use, and then use the "Pattern Selector" section to define how many of them will be on at any given time, and how far apart simultaneously on channels will be.

 

The "Opposite Sides Connected" checkbox can be used to see how the lights will look if each single channel of lights is actually draped over the tree from one side to the opposite side, rather than each running down only one side of the tree.

 

You can adjust the behavior of the chase - for example reversing its direction or speeding it up - using the controls in the Adjustments section.  This can be done both before and during play, and before and during recording.

 

Adjustments

 

The Adjustments section of the MIDI Wizard's Various Effects tab can be used to adjust the behavior of the selected effects pattern in various ways.  This can be done both before and during play, and before and during recording.

 

Checking the "Double Speed" checkbox will cause the pattern to start going twice as fast as the beat of the song; unchecking it will bring the pattern back to its normal speed.

 

"Reverse" will make the pattern go in the opposite direction.

 

"Back & Forth" will cause the pattern to periodically reverse directions.  Exactly how often it does so can be set using the "Back & Forth Counts" section.