Trigger backing tracks from stage???

EMJ 🎙️ · 4 weeks ago

Hi all

I'm looking for a way to trigger backing tracks when the laptop/DAW is at FOH position. Is there a way to use a MIDI pedal / pad on stage and connected to the laptop via a looooong usb midi cable? Can a midi be somehow patched to FOH using some sort of DI?

I've read some forum entries but haven't see exactly my query. I don't want to just send L/R to foh, I need foh to be able to balance and mix each stem as it runs, hence he having the laptop beside him to route all the channels.

Thanks very much!
EMJ

freepeople · 4 weeks ago

You can’t stem it out at the stage box?

It seems like there is an interface involved as you want each stem balanced and mixed. In your DAW or on the desk?

ddy · 4 weeks ago

i can send midi over madi (or dante) but this depends on the desk/stagebox you're using.

31.5hertz · 4 weeks ago

We split backing vox and backing tracks into two stereo pairs and run with that. It works great, sounds great, and keeps the channel count down so we can just send 4 channels from the stage.

Korcraft · 4 weeks ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMJ ➡️

Hi all

I'm looking for a way to trigger backing tracks when the laptop/DAW is at FOH position. Is there a way to use a MIDI pedal / pad on stage and connected to the laptop via a looooong usb midi cable? Can a midi be somehow patched to FOH using some sort of DI?

I've read some forum entries but haven't see exactly my query. I don't want to just send L/R to foh, I need foh to be able to balance and mix each stem as it runs, hence he having the laptop beside him to route all the channels.

Thanks very much!
EMJ

There is MIDI over Bluetooth. I don't know how reliable it would be. But you could check it out.

However, if the FOH engineer is so involved that they are mixing stems off a laptop...I can only assume this is someone you have hired, not just the house mixer at a venue...so why not just get them to trigger the backing tracks.

And if this is just a house mixer at the venue you are playing at. I'd say you are asking too much of them to be mixing stems on your laptop.

Rapollo · 3 weeks ago

A fairly easy way to do this would be to run the tracks from Qlab on a MacBook (connected to a AP/router) and trigger via Qlab Remote on an iPad on stage. Done this multiple times, just depends how you run tracks in general.

Otherwise it's common to do what others said and send the tracks out to FOH via stagebox with the laptop on stage.

EMJ 🎙️ · 3 weeks ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rapollo ➡️

A fairly easy way to do this would be to run the tracks from Qlab on a MacBook (connected to a AP/router) and trigger via Qlab Remote on an iPad on stage. Done this multiple times, just depends how you run tracks in general.

Otherwise it's common to do what others said and send the tracks out to FOH via stagebox with the laptop on stage.

Thanks Rapollo. I'll investigate Qlab Remote. If there is a remote option for Reaper that would be even better!

AVSC · 3 weeks ago

Wireless MIDI dongle is fine, your sending literally a short sentence not a 24/96 5.1 recording.

Last one I tried was about £30 from Amazon, random Chinese made thing. Worked fine and with Reaper too.

But seriously I would just cue the FOH guy.

And what happened to count ins? Used to have those on my backings.

freepeople · 3 weeks ago

We use QLab on Mac for Stings. These can be triggered from the desk with “userkeys”. So if FOH console had userkeys, easy.

But even more clever is the above.

Yes, this is a clever idea using an iPad like this. I’ll mention this at work. Generally we bring the band’s engineer into the ops for stuff like this. But this is great thinking.

Qlab is very easy to use and very slick.

nedorama · 3 weeks ago

CME WIDI bluetooth works really well on stage. I use it to change patches on my Mobius through my Apple Watch and iPhone (midi wrist).

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