In this tutorial we will go through some of the different features of the grandMA system. We will have a closer look at some of the different faders you can use on the desk. We will also have a look at the difference between Tracking and Non-Tracking and have a look on the stage. 

I have chosen to use different symbols when I want you to do different things. If you need to press one of the buttons on the screens then it looks like this: Full Access. If I need you to press a hard button (a button that is physically on the desk) it looks like this: SETUP. If I’m just referring to the button I will put it in quotation marks and use capitalized letters e.g.: “SETUP”. If you are supposed to write text on the keyboard I will write it like this: Moving light. If you are doing this on an onPC or Offline Editor, you need to imagine all the physical buttons, and use the relevant buttons in the program. I will write this as if you where at a real desk (a FullSize). If there are specific differences I will mention it. When I write “left touch screen” it’s the same as “Screen 1” on the onPC, “middle touch screen” is “Screen 2” and “right touch screen” is “Screen 3”. If you are at a desk that only got one touch screen, just ignore everything with left, middle and right screens. The same thing applies for the external screen. If you don’t have one, just use the one screen you do have.

This tutorial builds on the first two tutorials. If you haven’t made it; I suggest that you do.
If you choose not to you can download the result of the first tutorial by right-clicking the link below. Save the file and unpack it.

On a grandMA there are many different ways to get from A to B. But to get the best result it’s important that you follow the steps fairly precise. You can always experiment on you own. Happy programming.

Now we are going to make some different sequences. 

First we want three faders that control Cyan, Magenta and Yellow on our moving light. Press:  1   1   1  THRU  1   3   3  ENTER now select Color and select the attribute CM1 and set it at full. When you do this the “CM2” and “CM3” also gets selected. We don’t want that. Press the second encoder and on the calculator select the button named “Off”. Do the same with the third encoder. If you’ve done everything right the only attribute you have selected is “CM1”. Now we need to store it: STORE EXECUTOR  1   .   6  ENTER. Clear your programmer. Change the function of the fader to “Temp”. Make the same for “CM2” at fader 7 and “CM3” at fader 8. Now you have 3 faders that control each of the color parameters. It’s worth mentioning that the faders overwrites any values you might have in the programmer. If the lights receive value from a sequence then it work by HTP (Highest Takes Precedence) principle. If you like you could name the sequences their respective colors. 

Let’s try to make a chaser. We’re going to use the three color presets we made for Basic tutorial 2. Make a sequence on fader 4 with 3 cues each containing the 3 color presets. Now let’s move to the chaser part. Press ASSIGN followed by any of the buttons associated with the fader. Press the button called “Function” right below the blue cross. Now press the button called “Chaser”, and then the “Edit” button (in the lower right corner). In the view below select the “Speed 1” button and close the two windows using the blue crosses.

Press the cell above fader 5 currently labeled “Empty”. This gives you access to the same view as before (when you used the “ASSIGN” button”). Select the button called “Special Masters” and then close the window. 
Now you’ve made a sequence that works as a chaser (to activated it press the “GO” button and move the fader speed fader up) and you made a different fader that controls the speed. One speed fader can control several chasers, or the chasers can have any individual times. There is one interesting button on the speed fader – it’s called “Learn” (if you haven’t changed anything), it’s the button just above the fader. This button allows you to assign a speed to the fader. By pressing the button twice and the fader sets the speed accordingly to the time between your presses.   

Let’s try to make a Playback Master. Press the “Empty” button above fader 9. Under “Function” and “Special Master” those option number 10 called “Pb. 1” and close the pop-up. Now we have the Playback Master but we need to assign an executor to the master. Press ASSIGN and one of the buttons related to fader no. 1.

As you can see I’ve changed the “Master” from “None” to “Pb.1”. Now you have a master for executor 1. It cannot give any dimmer output if the master isn’t up. You can assign as many executors as you like, to any of the 8 playback masters.

The last master I’m going to show you is the “Group Master”. In the assign menu for fader 10 under “Function” and “Group Master” choose no. 1 (called “SR Box Cold”) and close the pop-up. Now turn on channel 1 thru at full. Now when you move your new group master you don’t see much happening. The background color behind the number changes to a purple color when the master is not at full.
If you change what your Channel Sheet is showing, then you can se that the fader actually changes the output for the channels. At the bottom of your Channel Sheet locate the button called “Output” and activate it (see picture below).

In the next section we are going to have a look at the difference between Tracking and Non-Tracking.
To easily see what we have programmed and se how it changes throughout the show we need the sheet called “Sequence Tracking”. Create such a window where it suits you best.

Make sure the buttons in the right upper corner is setup the way they are on the picture. You may also need to expand the name column to display the entire name.

Select channel 1, 2, 20 and 111. We made this selection to view some of the different colors in the tracking sheet and to try to make some changes in the cues.
When a value is in light blue with a dark blue background it means that the value goes up (towards the sky) compared to the previous cue. If the value is green with the same background then the values goes down (towards the grass) compared too the previous cue. If the value is red with the dark background it means that the value is stored with the same value as it was in the previous cue. If the background is purple and the value is pink it’s because the value is tracked from the previous cue (more about that in the next section).
Middle-click and hold on the blue “60” where cue 3 and channel 2 intersects. Now move the mouse up and down and you can see that the value changes. If you middle-click and right-click at the same time you are presented with the calculator and you can change the value back to 60%. If you just right-click you have options like delete and then you select what to delete. Selection is just the cell you have selected.

All we have done so far have been Tracking. To explain the differences actually very simple: In tracking an attribute stays at a value until you change it; in Non-tracking you need to set the value in every cue you want it.
It is also very easy to change a sequence to one thing or the other. In the Assign menu for any executor you have this option:

Pressing it changes the sequence to Non-Tracking. Try to change it. And then look at your “Tracking Sheet”. If you keep the selection from the previous section, you’ll see the essential differences:

You will notice that fixture 111 isn’t on in cue 3, 4 and 5 when you are in Non-tracking but it is on when you run in Tracking. And you will see that channel 20 is still at 80 in cue 3 no matter if you run tracking or Non-tracking. But if you run Tracking you have the value programmed in cue 3 when it’s not necessary.
Whatever you choose Tracking or not is basically just up to you as long as you know the differences and realize the pros and cons. 

We are going to set up the stage, and place your fixtures at its right position. Later you will see the advantage of this. Goto SETUP Full_Access Stage Setup. Change the settings to this:

And close the window using the blue cross. In this view you have the option of “moving” your lights on your stage. Above your encoder you see this screen:

This is the position of the selected fixture. Click on “Dim 1” in the fixture list above. And change its position to x=-4, y=-0.75 and z=3.5. Now click on the black cross with arrows, so it changes to a circle with an arrow. It looks like this:

This is for rotating the fixture so it’s pointed/oriented the right way. Change the X-rotation to -20 and the Y-rotation to 30.
If you select (using drag-and-release) several fixtures you can change the values for all of them at the same time.
Now change all your fixtures so they match this table:

That was it. Finish by closing the window.

Clear a screen that fits you, and create a new “Stage” window. 

Now when you turn on lights you will see lines coming out of the fixtures. Try to select all of the moving light and turn them on. Now press the “FOLLOW” button and click the screen. All of the moving light is now following your curser around. If you take care and setup your lights in their right physical position, this is a vary powerful feature.
If you right-click and hold you can move the stage around. When using colors in your moving light the lines also changes accordingly.

Press: BACKUP BACKUP (As Doubleclicking a Mouse Button). This is a fast way to store your show.

That was it! If you have completed the three Basic tutorials you should have a general knowledge about how the grandMA desks work.