Hi guys! I just bought my dmx to control my dmx features (2xRover, 3xdynamo, 1moving head,2xled par, 1 quad gem) with my laptop. The dj programm i use is virtual dj. My dms works great but i cannot find a way to make the features work on the music played by virtual dj. It probably is something really simple, but for me light shows are only a hobby and i am not technical (not with the light, neither with the OS). Could someone please help me by explaining what to do in very, very simple language. Thanks a lot in advance and sorry for the bad english (i am dutch so it isn't my native language).

Greetz,
Kiyana

Bad news I am sorry to say. MyDMX does not work with Sound To Light. It is for pre-programmed use only.

WHAT????? You must be kidding (i hope....). How do dj's work with this then? I know, programming scenes with fade and wait times looks and works wonderfull in mydmx, but for simple discotec work you really need to use audio input..
And what is that MIDI input that everyone is talking about? Sorry again if the questions are stupid and thanks for the answer (although i hoped to learn something better...)

MyDMX is a lighting programming platform, not a sound to light interpreter. You need to program the lighting patterns, step by step, scene by scene. The software is not designed to be triggered by an audio input.
Midi is primarily a control protocol for musical instruments, but has since been incorporated into applications which are able to recognise the note and control data from controllers and keyboards, and then use this data to trigger events within the software.
As Chris has mentioned elsewhere, he uses (and I do now also) the Korg NanoKontrol device which uses Midi Data to adjust settings within MyDMX. Midi is not used for sound to light.

Sorry for being the bearer of what appears to be bad news for you.

Hey Paul,

Well....thanks anyway... I will pay the Dutch distributor that sold me mydmx a "small" visit tomorrow! But anyway...now I know that it doesn't work, i will have to find another program. Any suggestions? What a shame since we invested a lot of time to create some fixtures that were not in the library already. And i can tell you; if it's your first time, it's a hell of a job!

Again, thanks for the info (although it was really bad news ....)

Greetz,
Kiyana

if your lights have a Sound active feature in the DMX traits you can have the fixtures in those specific traits. Kinda of a switch off. Between running sound and some pre programmed chases.
Sincerely,

There is that of course, never thought about it. Well spotted James.

Well, one could use a "sound to MIDI trigger" system, basically operating on the same principle as a piezo drum trigger or even a wind controller. You'd still have to do a bunch of triggers into a brain and then output that MIDI data and route that at MyDMX.

I've expanded my nano collection to include the nanoPAD and nanoKEY, which I can use for additional MIDI triggering of MyDMX or other things. But, the nanoKONTROL is great because it gives me 36 knobs, 36 sliders/faders and 72 buttons for control and triggering. That's a LOT of stuff to play with in a very inexpensive controller.

How to DJ's use this program? They punch up the scenes they want to use, that's how they use it. I suppose if you want a more "choreographed" show, you could via MIDI and a second laptop(running a music production suite that can output MIDI) and use that to help realize your show. Since MyDMX can read MIDI triggers based on what you assign/learn, you can pretty much more or less kinda sorta but not really do a "sound to light" thing. You'd just send MIDI instructions that MyDMX will listen and respond to.

But if "sound active" is what you're into, then make sure you have lights that have a DMX-512 operating mode with a sound active mode IN the DMX control portion.

Personally, I'm not a super big fan of sound active lights, but don't let me say they suck. It's a good cost effective way to get a light show without having to actually work for it. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as it take a lot of nuisance work out of your hands. To each their own.

I'm programming for a long event and I have to take this sort of stuff into consideration. Thank goodness I do have some sound active lights that will be hanging off relay packs.

Hi Chris, James and Paul!

First of all THANKS again! I have a quad gem and a moving head that have a special function channel for music triggering and these two work perfectly. Now for the rest of them....
I think I understand a little what Chris is telling me, so I tried to create the MIDI-thing. In Virtual dj (my dj program) in sound setup I can choose input and output. Input is now set on none (means pc itself)and furthermore I can chose single timecode and timecodes (no idea what these are). Output is set on output and headphones. Furthermore I can choose here for single output, external mixer and threeline mixer. The only place where i can find MIDI is in configuration/settings/remote where i can switch to general MIDI. But i suppose that's for importing MIDI devices and not for sending MIDI info out. Sorry to be so stupid (and blond) again, but I really really really would love mydmx to work with my music.

Any ideas? And - suppose we do get the output correct - how do i get this from my dj music laptop to the one with mydmx installed. On this one I only have usb and microphone input...

God... I feel stupid

Greetz,
Kiyana

Hi guys, it's me again!

You can stop the search guys! My dj program (Virtual dj) does not support midi output and i cannot find one that does! I Guess it's not going to work....

Thanks again for all the think work and advice!!

Greetz,
Kiyana

Most DJ softare doesn't work off MIDI. Based on how DJ's work(at least the vast majority), MIDI is not necessaary. Of ocurse, we can all see endless triggering options, but that can be done via a second laptop with dedicated hardware. it's the way it SHOULD be done.

Also, another issue you'd not like is that you obviously want to do it all on one box, and MyDMX won't like being run in the background, it must be the foreground application. To work as a DJ, you'd most likely have to stuff MyDMX into the background, and it would then go idle or at least ignore MIDI triggers.