Secondary Research - QLab MIDI Control

After completing my QL show file and researching my personal project, I realised I would have a very full workspace and wouldn't have room for my original idea of using a stream deck to fire QLab cues from my mixing position, as this is much smaller than a typical keyboard.

I decided to use the User Defined Keys built into the QL5 mixer as this would utilise existing space on my desk. I researched how to make this work and found using MIDI commands was the answer.

I used the above video to learn about MIDI patching in the desk and in QLab. I then tried this out myself in a tester QLab file.

I will try this out on the desk next week when I have spare time in organising my files.

Tech Week

When we moved our control back up to the tech desk after plotting, I connected the MIDI out from the QL5 to the MIDI in on the Scarlett 18i20 interface for the playback Mac, using a 5-pin DIN cable. I had previously worked out which MIDI channels would be which, and added these to the desk. By pressing the capture button next to the desired action in QLab, I then pressed the respective key on the desk, which 'learned' the action into QLab. I continued this with all 6 keys, which I tested and worked very well and quickly. This has been successful and will help me control the show much easier.

I also looked into having house music in a separate cue stack to have the same list for preshow, interval and postshow.