# ETC Ion - Recording Effects onto Subs



## bens (Mar 5, 2013)

Is it possible to record an effect to a sub?
Ben


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## derekleffew (Mar 5, 2013)

Yes.


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## SteveB (Mar 5, 2013)

bens said:


> Is it possible to record an effect to a sub?
> Ben



Yes.

Build the effect in the effects section, such as a typical Step based effect (Effect 1 in this example), Ch. 1 on Step 1, Ch 2 @ Step 2, repeat thru Ch 5 (or whatever) for a 5 step effect. Adjust step times accordingly. If a R&R type, a Step, In, Dwell and Decay time of 0.5 might work.

Go Live, recall channels 1 thru 5, Effect 1, Enter, will run the effect.

Record, Sub 1, Enter.

Do a Go to Cue Out, Enter to clear the running effect.

Press Sub, Sub to bring up the Sub function tab. Press Softkey 1 - Mode and toggle thru till it says Effect and press Enter. Do the same for the Fader softkey, toggle thru till it says Intensity Master and press Enter.

Back in Live, when you press the lower bump button for Sub 1 (the Green LED starts to blink), the effect will run but you won't see anything till you run up the fader, which fades in the channel levels. Press the bump again to stop the effect, the Green LED stops blinking.


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## derekleffew (Mar 5, 2013)

Now, compare all those keystrokes above with those of competing consoles to achieve the same result outcome.


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## SteveB (Mar 5, 2013)

derekleffew said:


> Now, compare all those keystrokes above with those of competing consoles to achieve the same result outcome.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Sure, go ahead !.


Seriously though, if you had a mover, you simply press the Direct Select Group (or the fixtures or group themselves on the new Magic Sheet in 2.0) on the touch screen for all the MAC 700's and type, Effect 90X (900 series being pre-built effects), Enter, and you have a Ballyhoo running. So 6 button presses total. In reality, a simple chase is as indicated, more steps as there's no built in simple chase for conventional channels. And there can't be as the desk has no way to know what channels are in each step. Curious as to how that's different on a Hog or MA. 

The complication with the subs is the faders can be a lot of different things besides subs, so some add'l thought to tell the Sub "You're an Effect Sub now, and the fader is an Intensity Master" (it doesn't have to be though). Part of that is trying to be a lot of things for a lot if users, as well as the "Theatrical" legacy of all ETC desks.

On the other hand, does a Hog or GrandMA support simple stuff like ASCII cue support ?. I don't think so and AFAIK. So do I save time loading an ASCII cue file off some other Ion or Expression series or Strand desk ?. Yup, Much more saved time not having to write 150 cues from scratch, so if I occasionally spend some time writing a simple stepped based chase, I more then make up for it by being able to load those cues right into the desk, which is something I do a lot !.


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## DuckJordan (Mar 5, 2013)

it really depends on your market. I find myself using less cues lately and more of running faders and effects.


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## SteveB (Mar 6, 2013)

DuckJordan said:


> it really depends on your market. I find myself using less cues lately and more of running faders and effects.



This is how we busk shows, a bunch of effects. Eos series v2.0 has a Freeze function. It's a 2nd Fader Page softkey, but press "Freeze, Enter" and all effects freeze. Press again and they start up. You can select an effect to freeze with "Freeze, Effect, X, Enter". 

This is a very useful button on my X-Keys stick !


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## TheaterEd (Mar 6, 2013)

Steve, Would I be able to do this with my element?


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## SteveB (Mar 6, 2013)

TheaterEd said:


> Steve, Would I be able to do this with my element?



Are you asking about how to build the effect and put on a sub, or the X-Keys/Freeze trick ?.

I believe the effects build syntax is the same for Element, not sure about the Sub loading as I think the Element deals with Subs a bit differently then Ion/Eos.

As to the Freeze function, that's a question for ETC as to whether they added Freeze to any new v2.0 for Element and I'm not even sure v2.0 IS for Element.


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## sk8rsdad (Mar 6, 2013)

SteveB said:


> and I'm not even sure v2.0 IS for Element.



v2.0 includes Element. There will be differences in the feature set since Element doesn't have encoders, or support tabs, or multiple cue stacks, or...


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## TheaterEd (Mar 6, 2013)

sk8rsdad said:


> v2.0 includes Element. There will be differences in the feature set since Element doesn't have encoders, or support tabs, or multiple cue stacks, or...



Believe me, I know what I'm missing. I was surprised to hear my superintendent be excited about the possibility of moving lights in the new facility and then to see an Element at the desk...


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