# Question about macbooks on stage (bands like tesseract and periphery)



## smarek88 (Jan 5, 2012)

i saw tesseract play with periphery in melbourne last year...
and i noticed acle had a macbook on the side... i think periphery used a very similar system... and upon more investigating, i saw an interview where misha says all their lights, axe fx patch changes, and backing tracks are done through the macbook!
this sounds amazing to me... so automated/easy.

my only question is how? how is it done? is it a software program? is there alot of different hookups? is there external interfaces i dont know about?

any info would be awesome. thanks


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## VILARIKA (Jan 6, 2012)

I know Periphery uses Cubase 5 to get the Axe-Fx patches to change.


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## mikemueller2112 (Jan 6, 2012)

The computer sends a MIDI signal to the Axe-FX to switch patches. This is done in Cubase while it is playing a click/backing track for whatever song they are on. Not sure what he uses to communicate with the lights though.


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## Malkav (Jan 6, 2012)

mikemueller2112 said:


> The computer sends a MIDI signal to the Axe-FX to switch patches. This is done in Cubase while it is playing a click/backing track for whatever song they are on. Not sure what he uses to communicate with the lights though.


 
I know that Roland has a V-system that they could use in this regard for the lights, however it is hellishly expensive.

Gary Willis uses the Roland system which has been integrated into one of his basses so he actually has buttons above where the neck joins the body on his bass to change the lights and the over head video displays at live gigs 

Technology rules


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## terrormuzik (Jan 9, 2012)

The Safety Fire also uses mac on stage, here's some text about problems connected with it.
The Safety Fire's Derya "Dez" Nagle: Tales from the Road | Guitar World
this made me quit thinkink about it


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## Horizon Whore (Jan 14, 2012)

Im trying to track down how these guys do their lights and have been for AGES!

Ive researched so much and have only been able to come up with these guys:

ENTTEC- Lighting Control,RDM,DMX USB PRO

They make DMX to USB Boxes which send DMX messages to your lighting rigs, but there has to be a way to do it via a Light Controller with DMX Out and Midi In and Out I think..

If there is ANYONE who can shed light on this one, Id appreciate it majorly as well as OP!!!


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## Megaikke (Jan 16, 2012)

Any idea if the patch change can be done in Logic??


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## Megaikke (Jan 16, 2012)

Found the answer on YT.  heres the tutorial If anyone else is looking for it!


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## BenSolace (Jan 17, 2012)

Megaikke said:


> Any idea if the patch change can be done in Logic??



Should be possible in most any DAW on a MIDI event track. Never tried it before but I understand the workings behind it (I think)


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## pentecost (Jan 19, 2012)

Horizon Whore said:


> Im trying to track down how these guys do their lights and have been for AGES!
> 
> Ive researched so much and have only been able to come up with these guys:
> 
> ENTTEC- Lighting Control,RDM,DMX USB PRO


 
Dillinger used to use the DMXIS, I almost ended up with their old unit third-hand. Not sure what they do now. IIRC the DMXIS software includes a vst, you can then create your scenes beforehand in midi and presumably just put the vst on said track. An interesting wrinkle for changes on the fly- pitch-to-midi vst with guitar input?
As far as hardware units, some only take in midi for switching functions. If they allow for more control, it would just be a matter of proper signal routing from a midi track in a DAW to interface's midi out to dmx controller's midi in.


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## _detox (Jan 22, 2012)

So this brought up an interesting question in my mind.

My band is using a Macbook on stage with Logic for our backing tracks. We've got the whole set in one project file, and opposed to the drummer manually stopping and locating the new start point after each track, I had an idea. 

We're using a Firebox for our interface, which unfortunately doesn't seem to have a midi i/o. It DOES have a port labelled "MIDI- S/PDIF." Is there any way (through the Firebox or not) I can connect one of those momentary 2-pedal footswitchs for the drummer? One would be for Play/pause, one would be to jump to the next marker?


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## robotsatemygma (Jan 25, 2012)

I'm noticing a lot more bands are starting to use computers onstage, other the electronic dance music/hip hop artists/bands.

I think Stef from the Deftones is rocking one of those digital rigs (Native Instruments or AmpliTube) as of recently running through his usual Marshall 9200 Power Amps. 

Pretty cool if you ask me.


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