How to automate Oscillator speed / Shape in ableton ?

leomozoloa
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:15 pm

How to automate Oscillator speed / Shape in ableton ?

Post by leomozoloa »

Hello everyone,

I wanted to know:
- how can one automate the speed/shape and other oscillator parameters in ableton ?
- I already mapped the buttons to an automation lane through the configure method, but obviously nothing will happen unless the oscillated chanels are manually highlighted/selected in the DMXIS window.
- I can't just keep the chanels highlighted/selected since presets change very often in my session, nor do I want to try to select them very fast everytime a preset changes...
- So is there a way to automate the chanel highlighting process ? Like for exemple, make it so every time a preset is loaded, every active (understand non-masked) channel is highlighted/selected? I'm confused, what's the point of being able to map the oscilliator buttons if you still have to manualy select the channels for this automation to work ?

I hope someone will be able to help me on that one :)
josedmxis
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:43 am

Re: How to automate Oscillator speed / Shape in ableton ?

Post by josedmxis »

Hi! I have exactly the same question, hopefully someone can help us with this :)
cgrafx
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:52 pm

Re: How to automate Oscillator speed / Shape in ableton ?

Post by cgrafx »

There are two ways to manage lighting control through Ableton.
1. Automate Saved programs it DMXSIS
2. Automate individual lights directly.

Option one is generally the preferred method, as it is the least resource intensive, and makes it possible to adapt the lighting setup without reprograming cues in ableton.

Option 2 is the method you would need to use if you want to adaptively modify oscillator settings live while a lighting show is running.

The downside to this is you have to program every individual lighting parameter in ableton, which can generate massive amounts of dmx/midi data and making lighting que changes is much more time consuming.
josedmxis
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:43 am

Re: How to automate Oscillator speed / Shape in ableton ?

Post by josedmxis »

Hello, thank you very much for your answer! Excuse me if I can't explain myself well, I'm from Spain and I don't speak English very well (I'm using google translator).

Yes, I agree with you that the easiest and most comfortable way is option 1, but sometimes I need to use option 2 for more precise lighting effects, and in option 2, when I try to automate the oscillator parameters, those curves of automation does nothing.

I think the reason is because with this option there are no channels selected for the oscillator to act on them, there are only automation tracks from the different channels of my lights, and I can't find a way to be able to automate the selection of the specific channels on which I want the oscillator to act (different channels at different times of the concert)

Are you telling me that with Ableton it is possible to do that? I use Cubase 11 Pro, but in that case I will have to change DAW to be able to work better with the synchronization of lights and music. Greetings and thank you very much again!
José :)
cgrafx
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:52 pm

Re: How to automate Oscillator speed / Shape in ableton ?

Post by cgrafx »

I can't give you specific instructions, because I only use DMXIS as a stand-alone program, not controlled by another application, but I'm pretty sure you should be able to adjust the oscillator settings individually for each light (Dave would have to chime in here to definitively say one way or the other)

I know this is an ableton tutorial, but the concepts for Cubase should be similar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5oiPA6b-bY
josedmxis
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:43 am

Re: How to automate Oscillator speed / Shape in ableton ?

Post by josedmxis »

Perfect, I'll look at that tutorial carefully to see if I'm lucky and I manage to do what I need (yes, it would be great if Dave can clarify this question, I think it should also be possible in Cubase in some way because all the oscillator parameters have options to be automated by automation tracks).
Once again, Thank you very much for your help.
:)
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