Control Software?

hey

Looking at putting a small lighting rig together to go with sound, really specifically for one act I work with but in general to be able to provide for any clients who want a basic lights system to go with sound for an all in one package.

Have pretty much selected all the fixtures and how I'm going to lay it out etc, but am left to decide on how to control it. I'd prefer a software solution that I could run from a laptop with a little DMX dongle, though wouldn't be against a small hardware solution if it worked out right.

Mostly it would just be the basics; several scenes and a chase or two programmed in and changed either using MIDI commands that are timed to backing tracks (for acts who use these) or send manually via a foot switch (for those that dont).

However I'd also like a blinder function built in and this is where I'm having a little trouble finding a solution, or at least one that clearly explains its possible on the website info. It would be easy if i had some separate lights specifically to use as blinders, but to keep the set up compact ideally I'd like to have some of the lights I've selected be part of the scenes/chases but also flash as blinders when needed.

My ideal workflow would be to have the standard scenes and chases I've programmed running and changed as needed, but select certain DMX channels to also be controlled by a "blinder" MIDI command. Again, either controlled by a midi command from a backing track or by me stomping on an expression pedal, they would ramp up full to flash the stage/audience as a chorus kicks in or whatever, then when I let go return to whatever they were doing as part of the scene/chase which has continued to run in the background for the channels not attached to the blinder function.

make sense lol?


Outside of this specific function, would also be nice to hear people's experiences of lighting software in general, what's good etc.




k


Edited by kevinmcdonough - 22 March 2013 at 8:58pm