Blaze from Memo Akten on Vimeo.

The show consisted of 18 sections (group cues), each with its own MTC. Some of these cues would roll onto the next automatically, others were triggered manually after audience applause or depending on improvisation on stage. Each of these groups had a few cues, to trigger audio, send MTC, and trigger visuals via a midi note (visuals were running on custom media server written in openframeworks running on a separate machine). Also notes and reminders for directing the cast and backstage. The same MTC was driving the lighting desk and the visuals, but due to delay in projection etc. we were also using a midi note to trigger the visuals and compensate for the delay between projection and audio (trial and error showed this to be around 0.4-0.5 seconds depending on venue). We used AppleScript in QLab to automate updating of all the cues (I think it was you who I emailed to ask about that actually!).

Nice work Memo!

Hello, I was looking at your site and thought I’d tell you how I am using your product. I am the Lighting Director for the band Daughtry and I use QLab to call all my spotlight cues. My lighting console is able to send MIDI so I came up with the idea of having it trigger some prerecorded clips during the show. I’m coming out of my lighting console into my Mac via a USB to Midi adapter, then coming out of my Mac headphone port into my Clear Com base station via a 1/8 to XLR adapter. From there I put that into the program feed of the Clear Com base station. I have QLab configured with all my pre recorded spot calls, about 35 of them, and I have my console triggering them at the appropriate time. It has been working out great, been doing it for about 30 shows now. And the spot light operators love it because there is never an open mic picking up all the audio from the show. Just thought I’d share this with you. Great product, Matt

I thought that was pretty clever. Thanks for sharing it Matt!

Here’s a tasty excerpt:

The final audio requirement, but no less a priority, was the flexibility and utility needed to provide an integrated broadcast feed for the billions of viewers each evening. The processing and control architecture required a sophisticated playback solution utilizing networked computers to store and ultimately play back the music, anthems and composer tracks for the ceremony. The playback solution incorporated both Pro Tools and QLab as audio editing and playback tools, allowing for stereo feeds to the live audience and mixes to the international broadcast.

Wait, what—”billions“? Seriously? That’s a typo, right?

Turns out: Yes. Billions. As in, an estimated 3 billion people.

So. We’re kind of stunned and buzzing here. And honored. And very proud that QLab could be there to help celebrate these amazing athletes. Thanks to all of you for helping us make a product that could be part of it!

(Please note: If the F-word is not welcome in your workspace, then this video is Not Safe For Work.)

Edited to add: I just stumbled across some of Ole and Jonas’s work from a few months ago, which shows you what kind of amazing effects they can achieve from their custom video programming. What an honor to have QLab triggering their custom code!

The reporter, Gus Sentementes, also posted extra notes from the interview on his blog. This includes a video of me attempting to summarize QLab in 60 seconds. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Thanks Gus! (And thanks to all the folks on the QLab mailing list who sent Gus a quote! You guys rock!)

I am, of course, contractually obligated to mention that both of these designs were powered by QLab. I’m also just flat-out proud that QLab could be useful to them. Both artists were kind enough to say I could mention it on the blog.

The show ran flawlessly on QLab. So thanks to you! And thank you for version 2. It really is a very special tool.

— Greg

Congratulations to you for QLab 2. It’s a delight to use. I’m perfectly happy to endorse such a well-designed and reliable product. I have now done three shows using QLab 2 and have specified it for the next three.

— Paul

We’ve only had Tony awards for sound design since last year, when QLab user Scott Lehrer won the first-ever award for Best Sound Design of a Musical. So, hey, that’s 75% of Tonys for sound that have been powered by QLab. Cool!

Saul reports on his award-winning high school production. It is so awesome to see students like Saul who are able to make something like this because of the new rental licenses. That makes me happy.

Dave Mickey (now making his fourth appearance on the Figure 53 blog) not only gives us a great report on his latest multimedia extravaganza (yup, he uses a wireless video camera), but he also managed to get us (and by “us” I mean “you”) a discount on tickets! Yes, folks, if you head over to Brimmer Street Theatre in Los Angeles you can use box office code “QLAB” to get a $2 discount on <3. You’ve got until May 9, 2009. Get over there!

And if you’ve got your own v2 story to tell, get it in my inbox!

P.S.: Myyy god. You’re reading Dostoevsky. I. Love. Dostoevsky.

QLab-related goodness that the sound commission has organized for the conference includes:

Sound Playback with QLab

Thursday March 19th / 2:30 PM – 3:50 PM

“[For the] Day of Focus on Sound Playback Systems, a demonstration and description of the QLab playback software by a sound designer who frequently uses it in production.”

Sound Playback System Round Table

Friday March 20th / 12:15 PM – 1:35 PM

“Following up on our Day of Focus on Sound Playback Systems, this session will ask the software and systems gurus behind LCS, QLab, SFX, and Sound-Man Server to discuss the future of sound playback systems, and will include generous time for audience questions and feedback.”

The latter of which means I’ll be sitting up there with Carlton and Brad (who make SFX) and probably Charlie Richmond and/or Loren Wilton (who make SoundMan-Server) and whatever genius is behind LCS and we’ll all be pretending like we can see the future.

Come ask us questions! Give us a piece of your mind! Take bets on whether you can spur us into a Mac vs PC fight!

Heads up: if you’re not registered for USITT yet, you’ve got until Thursday to get the good rates at the local hotels.

And of course it was very fun to attend the award ceremony for 2008 Sound Products of the year. Live Design writes:

Mac users, vocally passionate bunch that they are, finally seem to have a show control product they can rally around, not just in the sound world, but across multiple disciplines. QLab allows you to control audio, video, and MIDI from a single workspace directly from your Mac. Built on Mac’s CoreAudio, every sound cue has its own matrix mixer, allowing you to mix multi-channel sound files to a variety of outputs. QLab supports up to eight channels per file and can route up to 16 channels per output device. “QLab is possibly the best new product in years for audio playback,” says one judge. “It is very intuitive, very affordable, glitch free — from our experience at three shows and counting — and it’s designed by a theatre artist! We think QLab has a wonderful future.”


    — Live Design Sound Awards Presented at BSMC

Ah shucks. I’m blushing. Well, here’s to many more great years to come!

The show hasn’t opened yet (it opens officially on 22nd May) but I will be using QLab for the sound playback of Lifecoach starring UK comedian Phil Juptitus at the Trafalgar Studios in the West End.

Having been introduced to QLab at Theatre South Carolina, where I’ve been for the last year, I am very excited to be using it in London. I will not arrive back in the UK until five nights before the preview on the 20th May but I am confident that with QLab’s amazing flexibility I will be able to easily and quickly implement a design in the theatre that has been originally created thousands of miles away! Additionally, with QLab’s ease of use and non-intimidating interface, I have no doubt that our operator (who I will not meet until five days before opening night) will have no problems.

Thank you for an incredible piece of software!