Effects
Effect Parameters
When you apply an effect, the effect parameters are assigned to the encoder wheels. Effect parameters are Speed, Size, Offset and Rotation. Auto palettes include predefined Speed, Size, Offset and Rotation values, which after applying the effect, can then be adjusted.
Size
Adjusts how visible the effect is.
- For intensity effects, reducing the size raises the base intensity, and reduces the peak intensity.
- For colour effects, reducing the size reduces the saturation of the effect.
- For movement effects, reducing the size restricts the area your movers can move in.
- For beam effects, reducing the size results in less affect to the beam.
Offset
Offsets can be applied to fixtures, so that they will lag behind other fixtures. This gives you a "chasing" effect, rather than all of your fixtures staying synchronised with one another.
If you select a group of fixtures, and adjust the offset encoder, you give all of the selected fixtures, the same offset value - the offset value displayed on the encoder. As all fixtures are offset by the same amount, no fixtures lag behind the other, and are therefore in sync. Offsets therefore need to be fanned across your fixtures. This can be done by holding Shift, and dialling the Offset encoder wheel. Different fan options are available. For example using a Fan V offset on an intensity effect, will allow your fixtures to chase in or out from centre stage. See the attribute settings section for more information.
As well as fanning offsets manually, along the top of the Effects window, are six quick offsets. These are as follows:
- No offset - pressing this gives all selected fixtures an offset of 0 - your fixtures are therefore in sync.
- Forward offset (individually) - your fixtures are evenly offset in the order of selection, from no offset.
- Backward offset (individually) - your fixtures are evenly offset in the order of selection, from full offset.
- Forward offset (by group) - if you have selected your fixtures using multiple groups, each group is evenly offset in the order of selection, from no offset.
- Backward offset (by group) - if you have selected your fixtures using multiple groups, each group is evenly offset in the order of selection, from full offset.
- Random offset (by group) - each tap of Random offset, creates a new random offset order across your fixtures.
FANNING ACROSS MULTICELL FIXTURES
On multicell fixtures, effect offsets can be fanned in two ways. Firstly, effects can be fanned across a multicell fixture, just like a standard fixture. This means that every light output of the multicell fixture is the same. Alternatively, effects can be fanned across the individual cells of a multicell fixture.
The way your fixtures will be fanned, will be dependent on whether they were selected as whole fixtures, or individual cells. When using the channel faders, fixtures will be selected as whole fixtures, unless your fixture is a linear multicell fixture, such as an LED batten, in which case the fixture will be selected as cells.
For more information on controlling multicell fixtures on FLX S consoles, click here.
For more information on controlling multicell fixtures on FLX consoles, click here.
Take a look at this quick video for explanation of Effect Offsets.
Overlaying Effects
It is possible to apply various different types of effects at once. For example, apply an intensity, colour, position and beam effect to the same fixture. When you do this, your encoders will still display "Speed", "Size", "Offset" and "Rotation" (if you have applied a movement effect). These are global parameters, and will control all effects currently running on the selected fixtures.
However if you tap the Effect button, your encoders will page, and you will then see "Ex Speed", Ex Size", "Ex Offset" and "Ex Rotation" (if you have applied a movement effect), where x is the effect palette number. You can therefore page through each individual effect which is running, and adjust each effect palette in turn running on the fixtures. To remove an individual effect, page through to the effect you wish to remove on the encoders, and then dial its "Ex Size" parameter to 0.