Cues & Playbacks
Cue Times
When an attribute has been recorded into a cue, timings are available, to configure how quickly your lights get to their recorded values when the cue is played back. Times for each attribute are displayed in columns in the Cues window, and each field can be edited, to customise your timings.
Take a look at this video for a quick introduction to Fade Times.
When you record a cue, it will be stored with the default fades for each attribute. Fade time defaults can be customised in Setup -> Defaults.
The default fade times are as follows:
- Fade Up and Fade Down - 3 seconds
- Colour and Position - 3 seconds
- Beam and Shape - 0 seconds
For fade up, it is the time it takes for any intensities to raise from their current level to get to their recorded levels.
For fade down, it is the time it takes for any intensities to lower from their current level to get to their recorded levels.
For Colour, Beam, Shape and Position attribute fades, it is the time it takes from the cue being triggered, for the attributes to fade from their current value, to the programmed value.
Cue 1, will always have a 0 second fade up and fade down time for intensity. This is to ensure that the intensity follows the level of the playback fader.
To edit your cue times, tap on the time you wish to edit in the Cues window. Your encoder wheels will then allow you to adjust the time for each attribute.
Tapping Fade Up or Fade Down will give the same intensity options on the encoders. The first encoder, will simply be Fade. This allows you to adjust the fade up and fade down together. Adjusting the fade down on the third encoder, then separates your up and down fades.
Each "tick" of the encoder wheel will increment by a second. If you wish to define half a second for example, tap on the middle encoder button of the time you wish to edit, and you will be able to customise a time, such as 1.5.
Delay
As well as fades, you will also be able to adjust the delay time for each attribute too. Delay time can be added so that upon triggering the cue, the delay time runs, and then the fade time runs. This means you could put a delay on the fade up, resulting in your fixtures fading down, and then your fixtures fading up afterwards, all from a single cue.
Delays will be shown in the Cues window in brackets, starting "(D: "
Recording a Cue with Fade Times
As well as defining fade times after recording a cue, you can set fade times at the point of recording a cue. To do this, create your lighting state in the usual way, and then tap Record. Your encoders allow you to input the intensity fades for the cue, with the encoder button of the first encoder setting both up and down times. You can then press the button of the playback you wish to store the cue onto, and it will be stored with your intensity times.
On FLX, other attribute fades can also be configured at the point of recording, by tapping the required attribute key to bring the times onto the encoders.
Using Arrow Keys
On FLX, you can also navigate the Cues window like a spreadsheet, using the arrow keys to select the cell you need, and press Enter to then allow you to type into the cell, and press Enter again to store.
You can also tap on a fade time cell, and hold Shift and tap the up arrow key, to increase the time by a second. Hold Shift and tap the down arrow, to decrease time time by a second.