finding time

[sirloinofbeef001]

I'm probably like some ppl here that finding time like my job, work at home (mowing and weeding, dog detail ) and doing my lights are a real juggling act. I sometimes wonder where I'm gonna find all the time. Somehow, it works itself out. I do all yard work on my day off which is just Sunday and try to work on the lights and programs in the evening. Maybe there is a better way. Balancing our time is always a struggle. My wife always tells me to save my last years programs and use them year after year, I say not a chance. I'm always behind the curve with all the new things that are invented here. So its always a game of catch up. If we could load our objects into the program and let it do it with our style of lighting then that would be awesome. Maybe put some preloaded transitions into it and its own AI would be able to do the rest. Its just a thought. Just like google monitors your searches and uses analytics to determine your relevant adds to show you.maybe this takes the fun outta it. Or maybe not.

[drlucas]

I HEAR YA!!!

I've tried to convince my 11 year old daughter to start watching vixen how to videos and she can do the sequencing on her own. Unfortunately that didn't work, but I do at least have her hunting down songs to sequence. Now that i'm maybe 50% of the way done with my hardware setup, I'm starting to work on the props and other mounting challenges that I know I'm going to run into. Today, was pretty much a day figuring out the power challenges that I'm surely going to be up against. two years ago I gave up on my non-animated light display after trying to get 4 reindeer, a few lights on the eaves and 4 floods all to stay on without tripping the breaker. Not sure if water was my enemy or load...needless to say last year was just a strand of lights on the eaves...red/green/red/green fading back and forth on a daily timer. blah. this year will be better, but I'm starting to think the wife doesn't believe i'll get it built and setup...and reminds me how much I've spent, so the pressure is really really on now.

This week with the SSCs arriving I can do the testing of a few strips and the arches and of course build up the enclosures for the sscs. have a 1" pipe waiting...hopefully it's not inner vs outer diameter or i'll chalk that up to yet another lesson learned. I'm thinking I will be taking a week of work in late September when the temps are perfect and before the rains hit (it really rains here in late October) then gets cold in Novembrrrrr.

Vixen3 though with those nutcracker effects looks to some simplifying...and i'm hoping really hoping I can leverage that a lot in my show.

[sirloinofbeef001]

Watch what PVC you get. 1" schedule PVC is NOT big enough for the ssc. You will have to use 11/4 to fit right. I always worry about the programming more than anything. The hardware I need ( and always need help ) the ppl here help out to the nth degree. The props are always on my mind but I don't have the time to build them much anymore  with being a superintendent in the plumbing field im  always overwhelmed with work. I was testing the arches last night and they are so kewl to watch. I'm like a kid in a candy store. Liz said are you coming to bed and I said in a few well a few turned into 12:00 am.

[jnealand]

1" sch 20 PVC works or else 1 1/4" sch 40

[chrisatpsu]

as a "oh no, i'm way behind" backup plan, keep last years sequences.   i always place the year in the file name.

so if i'm behind now, i still have a couple songs i can pull out from last year, in case i don't get enough done.

(and you can always tweak the 2013 version for your new RGB stuff.)

[mms]

I'm probably like some ppl here that finding time like my job, work at home (mowing and weeding, dog detail ) and doing my lights are a real juggling act. I sometimes wonder where I'm gonna find all the time. Somehow, it works itself out. I do all yard work on my day off which is just Sunday and try to work on the lights and programs in the evening. Maybe there is a better way. Balancing our time is always a struggle. My wife always tells me to save my last years programs and use them year after year, I say not a chance. I'm always behind the curve with all the new things that are invented here. So its always a game of catch up. If we could load our objects into the program and let it do it with our style of lighting then that would be awesome. Maybe put some preloaded transitions into it and its own AI would be able to do the rest. Its just a thought. Just like google monitors your searches and uses analytics to determine your relevant adds to show you.maybe this takes the fun outta it. Or maybe not.

Finding balance is never easy.  Between kiddo's volleyball, house stuff, work, and life in general, it seems there's never enough time!  I've always found that the sequencing part is where I wish I had more time (or I become my own worst critic).  I too have tried to recruit the help of the resident teenager to help with sequencing, but convincing an almost 17-year-old that it's fun is a never-ending battle.  One thing I've really found helpful in helping me overcome this problem is by editing songs down to 2- 2.5 minutes at the very longest (radio/audio editing background is very helpful for this task.)  Taking out a verse (or 2) or "solos" of a song allows you to finish songs faster and when done properly is transparent to the people watching your show.  I've found that this helps me not get burned out as fast.  I also try to use just a few animation "concepts" for each song instead of using an entire arsenal of effects.  Admittedly, with a lot of things in this hobby moving to RGB, it's becoming more overwhelming to "keep it fresh", but I find myself wanting to push more each year.

I hope this helps!  You're not the only one in the same boat!

Steve

[zwiller]

Why the gripes about sequencing???  It's the easiest part to do around family time.  I have my new song for this year's layout mostly done and just need to tweak the other sequences for the new layout and elements.  All of which is usually done is conveniently done either before the family wakes in the am or at night with them asleep.  Maybe it's just that software or layout makes sequencing a pain.  Make sure you're not only using a sequencing program that works for you but using a layout that is conducive to sequencing.     

Why not just copy and paste the verse's sequence instead of editing the audio/shortening the song? 

[Steve Gase]

Why the gripes about sequencing???  It's the easiest part to do around family time.  I have my new song for this year's layout mostly done and just need to tweak the other sequences for the new layout and elements.  All of which is usually done is conveniently done either before the family wakes in the am or at night with them asleep.  Maybe it's just that software or layout makes sequencing a pain.  Make sure you're not only using a sequencing program that works for you but using a layout that is conducive to sequencing.     

Why not just copy and paste the verse's sequence instead of editing the audio/shortening the song?

My wife tells me that I should trim each song to be no more than 1.5 minutes... people lose interest she says.  And it also keeps the lines moving.

what say you? 

[keitha43]

I try to trim Christmas songs to 2 1/2 minutes as people are usually in cars. My Halloween I leave the full length as it is mostly neighbors from the neighborhood out walking.

[taybrynn]

Honestly cutting them down in length is a 3 way win as already mentioned: less sequencing time, traffic control and the average person doesn't have a lot attention span to watch entire songs typically.

I started following the advice of Richard Holdman and his (now viral) 2007 show ... and the songs are all cut down edits.

If you have one song which is really meaningful and special, then maybe thats the one that stays full length.

[mms]

I was just saying that's what I spend most of my time doing... trying to develop new sequences or add-to/better my existing sequences.  Since the new sequencing software - with maybe the exception of Vixen+ - doesn't allow me the control over RGB effects that I'd like, I get an idea for an effect, write the program for the effect and then modify the effect in the sequencer if necessary.  Since all of my RGB elements are single strand (so far) I don't use Nutcracker.  (Insert tirade on object/"high level" sequencing here.) 

As someone that has a tradition each December of spending a night driving and looking at other people's displays, I appreciate shorter songs.  I mean honestly, I don't expect everyone that stops at my house to watch the entire show.  There was a house we stopped at last year that had either an entire movement from the Nutcracker suite or a 7 minute version of Halleluiah - I can't remember exactly, but it was long and we ended up leaving before the song changed.  I like to focus my efforts on "quality" and "variety" so I edit my songs accordingly.  I'm blessed to live close to Taybrynn, Sean, FireMedic4Christ, and several other contributors on this and other boards.  I know that as an enthusiast I want to see what other people have done and people out of the hobby probably do as well.  I hope I make it easier for them to get the gist and enjoy the other stops on their tours.

The easy part (for me) is the hardware.  Soldering parts to a board is easy.  This is where I'm lucky.  I have an electrical engineer with design and assembly knowledge giving me the parts in the order I need them so making multiples of the same thing is super easy.

As with everything else in this crazy hobby, to each their own.  I'm not saying my way is the best way, but it works for me and it's helped me strike the right balance between lights and life.

Steve

[pk]

mms - no I have it lucky... I have you to install and solder the parts!!!  LOL   

Two people do make the assembly process go faster... as long as you don't drop parts on the floor and loose them... still looking for that capacitor  LOL 

[sirloinofbeef001]

Why the gripes about sequencing???  It's the easiest part to do around family time.  I have my new song for this year's layout mostly done and just need to tweak the other sequences for the new layout and elements.  All of which is usually done is conveniently done either before the family wakes in the am or at night with them asleep.  Maybe it's just that software or layout makes sequencing a pain.  Make sure you're not only using a sequencing program that works for you but using a layout that is conducive to sequencing.     

Why not just copy and paste the verse's sequence instead of editing the audio/shortening the song?

My wife tells me that I should trim each song to be no more than 1.5 minutes... people lose interest she says.  And it also keeps the lines moving.

what say you? 

I say that is about what I do. Every song is edited to fit my show. Some ppl like them to be full and unedited.

[sirloinofbeef001]

As for me personally, I can't use the same setup year after year. I've tried and it never seems to excite me. Im not griping about the sequencing because that's the fun part most of the time. The whole topic is about time. I stress about all of it and I'm like most, I forget what the whole show is about. This year in using ss's and they take center stage so last years placement will not work. To me its like going to an amusement park and riding the same ride over and over again. I need new rides. And as we learn more and more we wanna add things to the show but just don't seem certain things fit in quite like they should. I guess its just my opinion.

[caretaker]

The second year I did my show I wanted to have ALL new songs and sequencing. I quickly learned that I didn't have the time to put into sequencing a new show every year so I settled for adding 2 to 3 new songs and picking favorites from last year.  As far as time goes most of my songs are unedited but since they are mostly 3 and a half minutes or less they seem to be OK.  I have cut down the length of my show which in 2009 was over 45 minutes to less than 30 for last years. I do agree though that a song that drags on should be edited.