Layering a chaser on top of a static color

[Sol]

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to create a color and intensity chaser (either a cue stack or using an effect) that runs on top of a separate, static background color coming from a different playback.

Think of it like the built-in sparkle effect, but with custom colors. For example:

• Playback 1 sets the fixtures to a static rainbow gradient at 50% intensity.
• Playback 2 adds a white chaser at 100% intensity on top of that.
• As the chaser moves on, each fixture should return to its original rainbow color and intensity.

I’ve experimented with different tracking settings and playback options, but I haven’t been able to get this behavior working correctly.

The goal is a flexible busking setup where I can mix and match different background color schemes with separate overlay effects.

Any help or pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

[Davidmk]

This is a tricky one. Some years ago I attempted the same thing without much success. The problem is that you are fighting the principles of Last Takes Precedence.

When you set the background rainbow that state is "last", if you then set another state (without removing the old one by lowering the background fader) that becomes "last" and remains in control as long as the fader is up. When you lower the new states fader (and as long as Release On Lower is on for that playback - this is the default) it releases that state and the background state becomes the "last" (unreleased) state.

This rule applies to chases as well so, as each step executes, it sets a fixture to white and it remains white until the chase fader is lowered and the all steps in it are released. This means that the fixtures turn white and stay that way until they are all white. Normally each step in a chase (e.g. a red/white one) each step sets the new fixture to white and returns the previous (or all other) fixtures to red. But you can't do this because you want the colour from the old state and you don't know what that might be.

Your issue then is how to release previous steps in the chase when the next step is executed.

Things you can try...

1. You can release things from a step, see Cue Settings -> Cue Macros in the manual https://www.zero88.com/manuals/zeros/cues-playbacks/cue-settings/cue-macros but I think this only works for playbacks not steps in them. Perhaps you could make a chase that triggers a different playback in each step? 
2. You could modify a Sparkle effect. You can only do this on an FLX so you'd have to set it up on Phantom ZerOS and then try running it on FLX S. See the manual at https://www.zero88.com/manuals/zeros/effects/waveforms. This is probably your best bet - unless someone else has a good idea.

I'll be watching this thread as it's something I'd like to achieve but no longer have the will or time to spend on it.

[kgallen]

I’ve read with interest what @Davidmk has written. I agree the key to this will be fixture Release to get back to your background colour. 

However I can’t as yet think of a neat generic way to do this. All I can think of at present is you will need a set of playbacks equalling the number of ‘white’ lights you want to overlay. Each of these playbacks will light one of those lights. Each has 2 cues. The first cue lights the light and releases the previous playback in the sequence. The second cue triggers the next playback. This ‘next’ playback has the two cues as above, the release being for that first playback. Repeat playbacks like this for each sequence light.

You could have a ‘master’ playback that triggers the first playback in the sequence and a second cue that releases all of the sequence playbacks. 

This is not readily expandable and quite clunky to implement. Also changing the speed will require exiting the cue times on each playback. Yuk.

Possibly you could have a master playback that triggers and releases each sequence playback, that would probably make time editing far easier and all the sequence playbacks need to do is light the light.

As yet I can’t think of a better way. At least on FLX/S there are no real shortage of playbacks and the sequence playbacks could be buried on a later page.

We’ll all keep having a think as this is fundamentally not unusual as a requirement. 
 

[Davidmk]

2 hours ago, kgallen said:

a master playback that triggeres and releases each sequence playback

@kgallen @Sol This is what I was hinting at in my response. Great minds eh?

It would be good to have a solution because it would look good and, with the variable background colour, so useful for busking.

The other way, using a modified sparkle (or other effect) wouldn't be the same and you couldn't use tap tempo to set the speed.

[Archie D]

Good morning @Sol,

Welcome to the Zero 88 Forum!

@Davidmk and @kgallen have done an excellent explanation of how to go about solving this with a 'master' playback triggering and releasing other singular playbacks. I would have done it the same way. I'll admit, this is something that should be able to be done easier, but this is unfortunately currently the only way to do so. I've written some guidance below, expanding on the discussed elements in this post, to help you along with this. (Apologies for the colossal message, I have tried my best to cut it down).

In the following steps, you'll be programming individual playbacks with one lighting state each for each 'step' of your chaser. As Kevin and David have mentioned, we can then trigger and release these individual playbacks with a master playback (not the regular type of Master Playback with the main GO button though, to avoid confusion) that just has control over these individual playbacks. It's worth noting that the 'master' playback you'll program will be a chase, with the individual playbacks (the 'steps' of the chase) will be one state on each playback. E.g. Playback 10 has fixture 1 and 5 at full white, then Playback 11 has fixture 2 and 4 at full white, with 1 and 5 at zero, then finally Playback 12 has fixture 3 at full white, with 1, 5, 2 and 4 at zero. This creates the singular steps for an effect that will chase in towards the middle.

By programming these individual steps onto separate playbacks (the last few playbacks available on your desk are recommended to keep them out of the way), it allows us to individually trigger and release them. When releasing a playback, ZerOS completely wipes it out from the outputs, returning to the underlying data for that fixture (if any at all), allowing fixtures to switch back to your original rainbow gradient. For example, if I have Playback 1 as fixture 1 thru 5 at full white, whereas in Playback 2 fixture 3 is at red - I bring up Playback 1 (all white), then I bring up playback 2 (fix. 3 at red) while keeping 1 at the same place. Fixture 3 will turn red. If I bring down Playback 2 (fix. 3 at red) to zero, fixture 3 will return to the original data it has in Playback 1 (white) as Playback 1 is still raised.

Steps for creating each individual playback (acting as each step for the overall chase)
Step 1: Bring those fixtures up for the first / next step of your chaser you want to program.
Step 2: Put them in the colour 'White' so their colour is tagged. This will differentiate the colour from the underlying rainbow playback.
Step 3: Tap 'Record' -> Tap an empty playback's flash button. (I recommend the last few playbacks, and ensure to leave room to place them in order so you know which one does what) e.g. 3 steps I would have Playback 46, 47, 48 with 46 being step 1 and 48 being step 3 (last step).

After you've programmed each individual playback (e.g. each step)
Step 1: Think about where you want to put your 'master' playback that will start your custom chaser. Pick somewhere which has an empty playback to the right of it (explained later*)
Step 2: Ensure nothing is being output from the desk again. Tap 'Record' -> Tap that playback's flash button of where you want the 'master' playback to be. Then do the same for the empty playback to the right. This will record an empty cue on each playback.
*The way this will work is the left one of the two playbacks will be the playback to start the chaser, and the right of the two will be the flash button to stop / release it (the whole chaser).
Step 3 (repeat as many times as needed): Record an empty cue for each individual playback ('step') you have programmed onto the 'master' playback (left of the two). On the second cue recorded, the desk will show a prompt. Tap 'Create Chase'. The second cue has now been recorded, with the playback converted to a chase. This prompt will not appear for future cues/steps recorded to that playback, as it will just add another step to the existing chase.
Step 4: Go to the first cue in this playback (VIEW + Playback Flash Button to view these cues) and tap 'Add' in the 'Settings' column for that cue.
Step 5: As David mentions, use Macros -> Trigger Cue Stacks (tap 'Add' next to it) -> Select your individual playback for the first step. Tap OK. Tap OK again.
Step 6: For cue 2, you should tap 'Add' in the 'Settings' column again, Macros -> Trigger your second individual playback for the second step, but under 'Release Cue Stacks', put in the previous step (for this - the first individual playback).

That's the base of it done for the first two cues. You'll now want to repeat that for each individual playback (acting as each step) you have programmed, ensuring that for cues past the first trigger, you release the previous, and trigger the next. Cue 1 should have the first trigger, and releasing the last playback so when the chase repeats, no steps overlay each other.
In the single cue in the playback to the right (the one we will use to stop the chaser all-together that I talked about earlier) - do VIEW + Playback Flash Button -> 'Add' in 'Settings' column -> Macros -> Release Cue Stacks -> Add in all of your individual playbacks. This will release all playbacks when you hit the flash button, stopping them. You can also trigger both of these playbacks in your main cue stack, so you don't have to worry about moving the faders. Note that if your 'master' playback for this chaser effect is still raised or active, then it will just re-trigger these individual playbacks, so when stopping using the playback to the right, ensure the 'master' playback is down.

You may notice something odd with the fade timings for each step. To fix this, enter each playback's view like you've done previously (using VIEW + Playback Flash Button) and edit the fade times in the columns to whatever you wish. The console will listen to these fade times when triggering and releasing each individual playback.

To set up your 'master' playback for a Tap Tempo, hold SETUP and tap your 'master' playback's flash button -> CHASE tab -> Use Global BPM (tap to get it with a red line to indicate it is selected).
Then define an empty playback as a Global Tap Tempo by holding SETUP again and tapping a flash button of an empty playback -> Fader Function -> Global Tap Tempo -> OK.

Again, I apologise for the very very lengthy message, but I hope this is relatively okay to understand, please do let us know if you need more help as this is quite painful to do, and many thanks again to Kevin and David for the initial replies!

Archie

[kgallen]

9 hours ago, Davidmk said:

@kgallen @Sol This is what I was hinting at in my response. Great minds eh?

Yea, sorry @Davidmk that’s just my slow brain. I wrote my initial response and thought ‘that’s awful’ and subsequently thought of using the master playback as triggers. Completely forgetting that was what you’d proposed initially… brain like a sieve!

[Davidmk]

@kgallen No worries. My post offered no more than a hint, you went further and @Archie D has gone right into the detail.

I think, between us, we've covered this at every level.

[kgallen]

Just re-reading my initial post it’s a real dogs dinner! I’m glad @Davidmk and @Archie D have brought some clarity to the exercise with the neat use of a chase on the ‘master’ playback. Great work chaps!