https://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Dirknerkle&feedformat=atomdiychristmas.org wiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T11:05:38ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.35.11https://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3240Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T19:15:16Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
:EQUIPMENT<br />
:: MICROPHONE. You'll need a microphone to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. You can even try the built-in microphone in a laptop or plug an external mic into a desktop computer. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: HEADPHONES/EARBUDS. This can be handy or perhaps essential while you need to listen to a musical track while recording your vocal track.<br />
<br />
:: RECORDING GEAR. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive ($40-$150) digital recorder such as those made by Tascam, Sony, Zoom or Olympus; some are better for music than others. But be careful about fan noise or other ambient noise which can also be picked up by the microphone!<br />
<br />
:: SOFTWARE. Production software doesn't have to be expensive. A terrific solution is the free Audacity software, which can also serve as your mixing platform as you merge your voiceover on top of background music. Audacity allows adding single or multiple stereo tracks at any time you want. It also makes multiple takes easy and you can view them all right on the screen. If you work it right, you can make yourself sound like a crowd or even a choir. It's quite a powerful piece of software.<br />
<br />
:PROBLEMS<br />
::POPS and ESSES. When you speak, air is emitted out over your lips. If a puff of air happens to hit the microphone, it can create a "pop" of sound. Same with words that have an S or an F in them -- these can sometimes create a hissing sound in the recording. To minimize these two problems, position the microphone away from your mouth and slightly off to the side so that you're not speaking directly into it. Another good location is several inches away and about equal to the level of your forehead. You can also fashion a wind screen by cutting a hole in a piece of foam in the shape of your microphone and mounting it onto the mic so that puffs of air can't directly strike the mic. Alternately, a better solution is to purchase a wind screen that uses a screw-mount for your microphone stand; such a screen is positioned between the mic and your mouth and serves to eliminate the puffs of air completely. These are also fairly inexpensive and available on Amazon. <br />
<br />
:Q & A<br />
::Q: How many announcements or voiceovers do I need in my show? <br />
::A: Hey, it's your show; you decide! It's only necessary to have them if you feel the need to inform your viewers of something you want them to know.<br />
<br />
::Q: My show is an hour long. Would you suggest two or three announcements?<br />
::A: See first answer above...<br />
<br />
::Q: How do I incorporate an announcement into my show?<br />
::A: Think of it as its own sequence, either with or without music. Create a sequence using your normal sequencing software, add the audio track to it and put it somewhere in your show between two other sequences. Talk about easy to do!<br />
<br />
::Q: I have a headset mic/earphones. Will that work?<br />
::A: Try it!<br />
<br />
::Q: Should I use any visual effects during my voiceover or announcement?<br />
::A: See the first answer above...<br />
<br />
::Q: If I use more than one voiceover/announcement in my show, should they be different?<br />
::A: When you watch television, how do you like seeing the same commercials over and over? See the first answer above...</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3239Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T19:08:56Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
:EQUIPMENT<br />
:: MICROPHONE. You'll need a microphone to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. You can even try the built-in microphone in a laptop or plug an external mic into a desktop computer. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: HEADPHONES/EARBUDS. This can be handy or perhaps essential while you need to listen to a musical track while recording your vocal track.<br />
<br />
:: RECORDING GEAR. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive ($40-$150) digital recorder such as those made by Tascam, Sony, Zoom or Olympus; some are better for music than others. But be careful about fan noise or other ambient noise which can also be picked up by the microphone!<br />
<br />
:: SOFTWARE. Production software doesn't have to be expensive. A terrific solution is the free Audacity software, which can also serve as your mixing platform as you merge your voiceover on top of background music. Audacity allows adding single or multiple stereo tracks at any time you want. It also makes multiple takes easy and you can view them all right on the screen. If you work it right, you can make yourself sound like a crowd or even a choir. It's quite a powerful piece of software.<br />
<br />
:PROBLEMS<br />
::POPS and ESSES. When you speak, air is emitted out over your lips. If a puff of air happens to hit the microphone, it can create a "pop" of sound. Same with words that have an S or an F in them -- these can sometimes create a hissing sound in the recording. To minimize these two problems, position the microphone away from your mouth and slightly off to the side so that you're not speaking directly into it. Another good location is several inches away and about equal to the level of your forehead. You can also fashion a wind screen by cutting a hole in a piece of foam in the shape of your microphone and mounting it onto the mic so that puffs of air can't directly strike the mic. Alternately, a better solution is to purchase a wind screen that uses a screw-mount for your microphone stand; such a screen is positioned between the mic and your mouth and serves to eliminate the puffs of air completely. These are also fairly inexpensive and available on Amazon. <br />
<br />
:Q & A<br />
::Q: How many announcements or voiceovers do I need in my show? <br />
::A: Hey, it's your show; you decide! It's only necessary to have them if you feel the need to inform your viewers of something you want them to know.<br />
<br />
::Q: My show is an hour long. Would you suggest two or three announcements?<br />
::A: See first answer above...<br />
<br />
::Q: How do I incorporate an announcement into my show?<br />
::A: Think of it as its own sequence, either with or without music. Create a sequence using your normal sequencing software, add the audio track to it and put it somewhere in your show between two other sequences. Talk about easy to do!<br />
<br />
::Q: Should I use any visual effects during my voiceover or announcement?<br />
::A: See the first answer above...<br />
<br />
::Q: If I use more than one voiceover/announcement in my show, should they be different?<br />
::A: When you watch television, how do you like seeing the same commercials over and over? See the first answer above...</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3238Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T19:03:02Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
:EQUIPMENT<br />
:: MICROPHONE. You'll need a microphone to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. You can even try the built-in microphone in a laptop or plug an external mic into a desktop computer. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: HEADPHONES/EARBUDS. This can be handy or perhaps essential while you need to listen to a musical track while recording your vocal track.<br />
<br />
:: RECORDING GEAR. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive ($40-$150) digital recorder such as those made by Tascam, Sony, Zoom or Olympus; some are better for music than others. But be careful about fan noise or other ambient noise which can also be picked up by the microphone!<br />
<br />
:: SOFTWARE. Production software doesn't have to be expensive. A terrific solution is the free Audacity software, which can also serve as your mixing platform as you merge your voiceover on top of background music. Audacity allows adding single or multiple stereo tracks at any time you want. It also makes multiple takes easy and you can view them all right on the screen. If you work it right, you can make yourself sound like a crowd or even a choir. It's quite a powerful piece of software.<br />
<br />
:PROBLEMS<br />
::POPS and ESSES. When you speak, air is emitted out over your lips. If a puff of air happens to hit the microphone, it can create a "pop" of sound. Same with words that have an "s" or an "f" in them -- these can sometimes create a hissing sound in the recording. To minimize these two problems, position the microphone away from your mouth and slightly off to the side so that you're not speaking directly into it. Another good location is several inches away and about equal to the level of your forehead. You can also fashion a wind screen by cutting a hole in a piece of foam in the shape of your microphone and mounting it onto the mic so that puffs of air can't directly strike the mic. Alternately, a better solution is to purchase a wind screen that uses a screw-mount for your microphone stand; such a screen is positioned between the mic and your mouth and serves to eliminate the puffs of air completely. These are also fairly inexpensive and available on Amazon. <br />
<br />
:Q & A<br />
::Q: How many announcements or voiceovers do I need in my show? <br />
::A: Hey, it's your show; you decide! It's only necessary to have them if you feel the need to inform your viewers of something you want them to know. There's no hard and fast rule.<br />
<br />
::Q: My show is an hour long. Would you suggest two or three announcements?<br />
::A: See first answer above...<br />
<br />
::Q: How do I incorporate an announcement into my show?<br />
::A: Think of it as its own sequence, either with or without music. Create a sequence using your normal sequencing software, add the audio track to it and put it somewhere in your show between two other sequences. Talk about easy to do!<br />
<br />
::Q: Should I use any visual effects during my voiceover or announcement?<br />
::A: See the first answer above...<br />
<br />
::Q: If I use more than one voiceover/announcement in my show, should they be different?<br />
::A: When you watch television, how do you like seeing the same commercials over and over? See the first answer above...</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3237Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T18:59:33Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
:EQUIPMENT<br />
:: MICROPHONE. You'll need a microphone to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. You can even try the built-in microphone in a laptop or plug an external mic into a desktop computer. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: HEADPHONES/EARBUDS. This can be handy or perhaps essential while you need to listen to a musical track while recording your vocal track.<br />
<br />
:: RECORDING GEAR. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive ($40-$150) digital recorder such as those made by Tascam, Sony, Zoom or Olympus; some are better for music than others. But be careful about fan noise or other ambient noise which can also be picked up by the microphone!<br />
<br />
:: SOFTWARE. Production software doesn't have to be expensive. A terrific solution is the free Audacity software, which can also serve as your mixing platform as you merge your voiceover on top of background music. Audacity allows adding single or multiple stereo tracks at any time you want. It also makes multiple takes easy and you can view them all right on the screen. If you work it right, you can make yourself sound like a crowd or even a choir. It's quite a powerful piece of software.<br />
<br />
:PROBLEMS<br />
::POPS and ESSES. When you speak, air is emitted out over your lips. If a puff of air happens to hit the microphone, it can create a "pop" of sound. Same with words that have an "s" or an "f" in them -- these can sometimes create a hissing sound in the recording. To minimize these two problems, position the microphone away from your mouth and slightly off to the side so that you're not speaking directly into it. Another good location is several inches away and about equal to the level of your forehead. You can also fashion a wind screen by cutting a hole in a piece of foam in the shape of your microphone and mounting it onto the mic so that puffs of air can't directly strike the mic. Alternately, a better solution is to purchase a wind screen that uses a screw-mount for your microphone stand; such a screen is positioned between the mic and your mouth and serves to eliminate the puffs of air completely. These are also fairly inexpensive and available on Amazon. <br />
<br />
:Q & A<br />
::Q: How many announcements or voiceovers do I need in my show? <br />
::A: Hey, it's your show; you decide! It's only necessary to have them if you feel the need to inform your viewers of something you want them to know. There's no hard and fast rule.<br />
<br />
::Q: My show is an hour long. Would you suggest two or three announcements?<br />
::A: See first answer above...<br />
<br />
::Q: How do I incorporate an announcement into my show?<br />
::A: Think of it as its own sequence, either with or without music. Create a sequence using your normal sequencing software, add the audio track to it and put it somewhere in your show between two other sequences. Talk about easy to do!<br />
<br />
::Q: Should I use any visual effects during my voiceover or announcement?<br />
::A: See the first answer above...</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3236Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T18:34:23Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
:EQUIPMENT<br />
:: MICROPHONE. You'll need a microphone to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. You can even try the built-in microphone in a laptop or plug an external mic into a desktop computer. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: HEADPHONES/EARBUDS. This can be handy or perhaps essential while you need to listen to a musical track while recording your vocal track.<br />
<br />
:: RECORDING GEAR. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive ($40-$150) digital recorder such as those made by Tascam, Sony, Zoom or Olympus; some are better for music than others. But be careful about fan noise or other ambient noise which can also be picked up by the microphone!<br />
<br />
:: SOFTWARE. Production software doesn't have to be expensive. A terrific solution is the free Audacity software, which can also serve as your mixing platform as you merge your voiceover on top of background music. Audacity allows adding single or multiple stereo tracks at any time you want. It also makes multiple takes easy and you can view them all right on the screen. If you work it right, you can make yourself sound like a crowd or even a choir. It's quite a powerful piece of software.<br />
<br />
:PROBLEMS<br />
::POPS and ESSES. When you speak, air is emitted out over your lips. If a puff of air happens to hit the microphone, it can create a "pop" of sound. Same with words that have an "s" or an "f" in them -- these can sometimes create a hissing sound in the recording. To minimize these two problems, position the microphone away from your mouth and slightly off to the side so that you're not speaking directly into it. Another good location is several inches away and about equal to the level of your forehead. You can also fashion a wind screen by cutting a hole in a piece of foam in the shape of your microphone and mounting it onto the mic so that puffs of air can't directly strike the mic. Alternately, a better solution is to purchase a wind screen that uses a screw-mount for your microphone stand; such a screen is positioned between the mic and your mouth and serves to eliminate the puffs of air completely. These are also fairly inexpensive and available on Amazon. </div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3235Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T18:32:16Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
:EQUIPMENT<br />
:: MICROPHONE. You'll need a microphone to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: HEADPHONES/EARBUDS. This can be handy or perhaps essential while you need to listen to a musical track while recording your vocal track.<br />
<br />
:: RECORDING GEAR. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive ($40-$150) digital recorder such as those made by Tascam, Sony, Zoom or Olympus; some are better for music than others. You can even try the built-in microphone in a laptop or plug an external mic into a desktop computer. But be careful about fan noise or other ambient noise which can also be picked up by the microphone!<br />
<br />
:: SOFTWARE. Production software doesn't have to be expensive. A terrific solution is the free Audacity software, which can also serve as your mixing platform as you merge your voiceover on top of background music. Audacity allows adding single or multiple stereo tracks at any time you want. It also makes multiple takes easy and you can view them all right on the screen. If you work it right, you can make yourself sound like a crowd or even a choir. It's quite a powerful piece of software.<br />
<br />
:PROBLEMS<br />
::POPS and ESSES. When you speak, air is emitted out over your lips. If a puff of air happens to hit the microphone, it can create a "pop" of sound. Same with words that have an "s" or an "f" in them -- these can sometimes create a hissing sound in the recording. To minimize these two problems, position the microphone away from your mouth and slightly off to the side so that you're not speaking directly into it. Another good location is several inches away and about equal to the level of your forehead. You can also fashion a wind screen by cutting a hole in a piece of foam in the shape of your microphone and mounting it onto the mic so that puffs of air can't directly strike the mic. Alternately, a better solution is to purchase a wind screen that uses a screw-mount for your microphone stand; such a screen is positioned between the mic and your mouth and serves to eliminate the puffs of air completely. These are also fairly inexpensive and available on Amazon. </div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3234Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T18:31:22Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
:EQUIPMENT<br />
:: MICROPHONE. You'll need a microphone to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: HEADPHONES/EARBUDS. This can be handy or perhaps essential while you need to listen to a musical track while recording your vocal track.<br />
<br />
:: RECORDING GEAR. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive ($40-$150) digital recorder such as those made by Tascam, Sony, Zoom or Olympus; some are better for music than others. You can even try the built-in microphone in a laptop or plug an external mic into a desktop computer. But be careful about fan noise or other ambient noise which can also be picked up by the microphone!<br />
<br />
:: SOFTWARE. Production software doesn't have to be expensive. A terrific solution is the free Audacity software, which can also serve as your mixing platform as you merge your voiceover on top of background music. Audacity allows adding single or multiple stereo tracks at any time you want. It also makes multiple takes easy and you can view them all right on the screen. If you work it right, you can make yourself sound like a crowd or even a choir. It's quite a powerful piece of software.<br />
<br />
:PROBLEMS<br />
::POPS and ESSES. When you speak, air is emitted out over your lips. If a puff of air happens to hit the microphone, it can create a "pop" of sound. Same with words that have an "s" in them -- these can sometimes create a hissing sound in the recording. To minimize these two problems, position the microphone away from your mouth and slightly off to the side so that you're not speaking directly into it. Another good location is several inches away and about equal to the level of your forehead. You can also fashion a wind screen by cutting a hole in a piece of foam in the shape of your microphone and mounting it onto the mic so that puffs of air can't directly strike the mic. Alternately, a better solution is to purchase a wind screen that uses a screw-mount for your microphone stand; such a screen is positioned between the mic and your mouth and serves to eliminate the puffs of air completely. These are also fairly inexpensive and available on Amazon. </div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3233Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T18:28:11Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
:: You'll need a microphone, of course, to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: Headphones/earbuds. This can be handy or perhaps essential while you need to listen to a musical track while recording your vocal track.<br />
<br />
:: Recording gear. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive ($40-$150) digital recorder such as those made by Tascam, Sony, Zoom or Olympus; some are better for music than others. You can even try the built-in microphone in a laptop or plug an external mic into a desktop computer. But be careful about fan noise or other ambient noise which can also be picked up by the microphone!<br />
<br />
:: Software. Production software doesn't have to be expensive. A terrific solution is the free Audacity software, which can also serve as your mixing platform as you merge your voiceover on top of background music. Audacity allows adding single or multiple stereo tracks at any time you want. It also makes multiple takes easy and you can view them all right on the screen. If you work it right, you can make yourself sound like a crowd or even a choir. It's quite a powerful piece of software.<br />
<br />
PROBLEMS<br />
::POPS and ESSES. When you speak, air is emitted out over your lips. If a puff of air happens to hit the microphone, it can create a "pop" of sound. Same with words that have an "s" in them -- these can sometimes create a hissing sound in the recording. To minimize these two problems, position the microphone away from your mouth and slightly off to the side so that you're not speaking directly into it. Another good location is several inches away and about equal to the level of your forehead. You can also fashion a wind screen by cutting a hole in a piece of foam in the shape of your microphone and mounting it onto the mic so that puffs of air can't directly strike the mic. Alternately, a better solution is to purchase a wind screen that uses a screw-mount for your microphone stand; such a screen is positioned between the mic and your mouth and serves to eliminate the puffs of air completely. These are also fairly inexpensive and available on Amazon. <br />
<br />
- in progress -</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3232Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T18:03:48Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
:: You'll need a microphone, of course, to record your voice. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, and it's even possible that the microphone on your smartphone may work adequately. It's worth a try!<br />
<br />
:: Recording gear. Again, your smartphone may be just fine -- there are plenty of audio recording apps available to download and use. Or consider purchasing an inexpensive (about $100) digital recorder such as those made by<br />
<br />
<br />
- in progress -</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3231Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T17:58:57Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
'EQUIPMENT<br />
<br />
<br />
- in progress -</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3230Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T17:58:25Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, UNPREPAREDNESS IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
:::* EVALUATE. When you can comfortably read through your text (or memorize it?), record it and play it back. Listen critically or, better yet, have someone else listen to it. Do they understand it? Is it too long? Is any of it unnecessary? Is your tone comfortable and inviting or is it militaristic and threatening? Is the volume level consistent throughout? Are the words pronounced correctly and clearly? Re-record it several more times. Listen to all of them -- perhaps one is better than the others, or smoother, or calmer, or more comfortable.<br />
<br />
:::When you're satisfied, experiment with the background track (if there is one). You might start with a few seconds of music, then overlay your voiceover and later, finish with a few more seconds of music. Try different volume levels. Practice fading the volume down/up so that the change is gradual and not abrupt. You decide how quickly those fades go and whether you like the end result.<br />
<br />
'EQUIPMENT'<br />
<br />
<br />
- in progress -</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3229Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T17:41:46Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
<br />
:::* PACE. People listen at different speeds, just as people talk at different speeds. Try to keep a consistent speaking pace. If you have a lot to say, consider breaking it into something shorter or simpler. If you do indeed have a lot to say, ask yourself if everything truly is important, because believe it or not, in all likelihood it won't be. <br />
<br />
:::* TONE. You're having a quiet, personal conversation with the listener, just as if you were sitting across a kitchen table from him or her. This kind of tone would likely be better understood and appreciated than one that sounds militaristic and harsh. Remember who your audience is. They're not the enemy. <br />
<br />
:::* PRACTICE. While the listener is not your enemy, unpreparedness IS! Don't expect to make a perfect recording on the first take. Or the second or third. Practice reading your text -- get your pace down. If there are words that are tricky to pronounce, look for different, simpler words. Remember that diction and clarity is vitally important to a successful voiceover or announcement. <br />
<br />
<br />
- in progress -</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3228Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T17:08:07Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another track containing speech or lyrics is generally not a good idea.<br />
:::* LENGTH. Shorter is always better. Your audience didn't come to hear you. You know how annoying it is to see multiple commercials on television, right?<br />
:::* <br />
<br />
<br />
- in progress -</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Voiceovers/Announcements&diff=3227Voiceovers/Announcements2023-09-21T16:53:11Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
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<div>::Not all shows need annoucements, but it's sometimes nice to tell your visitors about your show. You likely have neighbors, too, and perhaps you don't want visitors to honk their horns, drive on lawns, and so forth so you want to post some 'rules of the road,' so to speak. Or maybe your show is supporting a favorite cause and you want to make sure your visitors have the opportunity to donate to that cause. <br />
<br />
::There's no magic to a good voiceover. Some obvious and easy requirements are:<br />
<br />
:::* VOCAL CLARITY. If the listener can't understand what you're saying, the voiceover won't be successful.<br />
:::* APPROPRIATE VOLUME. If speaking over a music track, be sure to lower the background music enough so the listener's ear doesn't have to fight between the music and your message. Laying a voiceover on top of another speech track isn't recommended.<br />
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- in progress -</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Editorial_Guidelines&diff=3226Editorial Guidelines2023-09-21T16:32:55Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
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<div>Because DIYers depend on Wiki content to be not only informative but clear and correct, we have established a few guidelines for those who wish to edit or add content to the diychristmas.org Wiki. These guidelines are not intended to restrict contributors but rather to ensure that the quality of the content remains very high. Therefore, it is imperative that content be thoroughly proofread for the following:<br />
<br />
:*'''Spelling:''' There is no excuse for spelling errors. Typographical errors may happen from time to time but spelling errors are usually blatantly obvious. Because the Wiki software does not include a spellchecker, it is suggested that you prepare your documents using a word processor that has a spellchecker before placing the corrected text in the Wiki. Copy/paste usually works quite well from a word processor screen into the Wiki editing screen. Remember that words such as '''"they're", "their", and "there"''' are all correct spellings of proper words, but they have entirely different meanings that a spellchecker likely won't catch. Be sure the words have the right context in your sentences.<br />
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:*'''Grammar:''' While we don't expect to see Shakespearean verse, it is our expectation that authors will use sound grammatical sentence structure when composing content for the Wiki. Make your writing clear as a bell; eliminate ambiguity and/or misleading references. Short sentences are generally much more clear than long, compound sentences. Don't dangle your modifiers, but if you modify a dongle, consider authoring a wiki document that explains it.<br />
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:*'''Photos:''' "Any old photo will do" is not a good way to approach adding photographs to documents. Make certain that the photos and graphics you insert are clear and focused. Consider cropping-out photographic content that could be confusing or misleading. Remember that not all pictures are worth a thousand words; only ''really good'' pictures are. And while you're at it, please try to keep your photos no larger than 800x600 pixels in size. This helps the Wiki software to convert and display them, making the reader's experience faster and more pleasant.<br />
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:*'''Layouts:''' The Wiki software doesn't provide for unlimited flexibility, but it does a good job at presenting information in an easy-to-read format. If you have assembly procedures for your project, consider using bullet points or numbering your procedure setups. This will not only help you formulate your thoughts and put the steps into a logical order, but will help the reader understand how to get from start to finish in recreating your project. <br />
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:*'''Accuracy:''' All other issues aside, if the content is not accurate, it has no value and should not be posted in the Wiki. "Closeness doesn't count except in horseshoes" is an appropriate adage in this case. Worse, inaccurate information could be dangerous -- remember, in many cases we're dealing with electricity in our hobby!<br />
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:*'''Attachments:''' We have enabled a rather broad list of file types that can be uploaded as attachments to Wiki documentation. Allowable types are: png, gif, jpg, jpeg, jp2, webp, ppt, pdf, psd, mp3, xls, xlsx, swf, doc, docx, odt, odc, odp, odg, mpp, zip, pro, vix, fseq and xseq.<br />
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:*'''Copyrights:''' Do not upload copyrighted text, photos or files. If you wish to add your own personal copyright to complete pages that you author you are free to do so; be sure to add your copyright statement to your text on a separate line. If you want to quote a paragraph or text that has been authored by someone else, be sure to give credit where credit is due by appropriately referencing the author and document in a footnote. If you don't know how to do that, please don't copy or quote the text.<br />
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== How to become an author/contributor ==<br />
<br />
If you are willing to meet these few editorial guidelines, we'd love to add your name to the list of wiki authors. To be added, send a personal message to '''jchuchla''' in the [http://diychristmas.org/vb1/ '''diychristmas.org'''] forum along with your email address and the topic that you'd like to either create or edit. Your email address is required so that your access password can be emailed to you. After logging into the Wiki, you'll be able to change that password to one that you prefer.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Firesticks&diff=3223Firesticks2022-12-03T14:19:23Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
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<div><br />
A firestick is simply a post that's covered/wrapped with lights. They can be short, tall, skinny or fat. A common post material is PVC pipe, but they can be made out of 2x2 wood just as well. Most users wrap lights around the pipe in short sections and assign multiple channels to each firestick so it can be animated.<br />
<br />
'''Simple'''<br />
Here's an example of a short, 44" tall PVC firestick that has a topper ball. It's wrapped with three strings of 50-count white incandescent mini-lights, and the topper ball was made by splitting a whiffle baseball, stuffing it with a short string of 15 white mini-lights and zip-tieing it to a couple holes drilled in the top of the firestick. Prior to assembly, the PVC and whiffle ball were spray painted with flat black paint to provide a better wrapping surface as flat paint provides more friction for wrapping, as well as hiding the wires. As each of these firesticks had 4 channels, they were controlled by DirkCheapSSRs inserted up inside the PVC pipe; they were zip-tied to a short piece of rebar pounded into the ground when mounted in the yard.<br />
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[[File:Firestick.JPG|250px]]<br />
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'''Pixel Firestick'''<br />
Here's an example of a firestick that uses multiple strips of smart pixels attached to a PVC pipe and then covered with shrinktube for waterproofing. This particular example was 17' long and used three, 5-meter pixel strips, connected in parallel and driven by a single ESPixelStick. <br />
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[[File:Shrink-3.JPG|750px]]<br />
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Here's quick test showing how they look...<br />
https://vimeo.com/670380047</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Terminology/Definitions&diff=3222Terminology/Definitions2022-12-03T13:52:33Z<p>Dirknerkle: /* D */</p>
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<div>This page is a constant work in progress as the hobby is constantly changing.<br />
{{Compact_ToC}}<br />
== A ==<br />
'''AC — alternating current.''' An electrical current that reverses directions at regular intervals. Wall power, or mains, is AC and in North America, it cycles 60 times per second, while in England and Australia, it cycles 50 times per second.<br />
<br />
'''Arduino.''' An Open Source system for developing microprocessor-controlled projects, including a reference design for a project board, as well as an integrated development environment (IDE) that supports an easy-to-use programming language and linking to the Atmel firmware development chain. Further, a series of printed-circuit boards that can plug into the Arduino board — called “shields” — have been developed for the project boards, extending the capabilities of the project environment.<br />
<br />
'''ATmega.''' A brand of microcontroller developed and sold by Atmel Corp. The Arduino line of project boards uses ATmega microprocessors (the 168, 328p, 1280 and 2560, depending upon the Arduino model). ATMega chips have an entire different firmware development chain than chips from [[Terminology/Definitions#M|Microchip Technology]] and therefore can’t share code.<br />
<br />
'''Audacity.''' Open Source audio editing application available for a variety of personal computer operating systems. See http://www.audacityteam.org/.<br />
<br />
'''AusChristmas.''' A [http://www.auschristmaslighting.com/ web forum] that focuses on Christmas lights in Australia.<br />
<br />
'''Amps (amperes).''' A unit of electrical current, an amp is the amount of electricity being drawn through the power system. A product that draws 10 amps uses twice as much electricity as a product that draws five amps. See also [[Terminology/Definitions#E|Electricity basics]].<br />
<br />
== B ==<br />
'''BBB/BBG - Beaglebone Black/Beaglebone Green''' A system on a chip board, these are used for running falcon player (FPP) software to run your show. These microcomputers are very powerful and have numerous capes that attach to them allowing them to do a myriad of things for your show <br />
<br />
'''BNC — bayonet nut connection.''' A type of common radio frequency connector used on coaxial cables. See [[Terminology/Definitions#R|RG-58]].<br />
<br />
'''Board.''' A shortened term for 'circuit board,' which is a thin layer of fiberglass or other material that has electrical circuitry fused to it. Electronic components are soldered to the 'board' circuitry to create electronic devices such as controllers.<br />
<br />
'''BOM — bill of materials.''' A list of parts — including quantities, manufacturers and serial numbers — needed to build a specific project.<br />
<br />
== C ==<br />
'''C7, C9 light bulbs.''' Known as the “traditional” Christmas light, these types of strings had their hey-day in the 1950s and 1960s. Many lighting hobbyists switched to “mini” bulbs in the 1970s. The C7 bulb is about 2-inches tall, while the C9 is about 3-inches tall. The C7 uses the candelabra base, while the C9 uses the intermediate base (both of which are [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_screw Edison screw] types). Both sizes come in both clear and opaque colors and both come in 7-watt versions, while the C7 comes in a 2.5-watt version and the C9 in a 3.5-watt version. The maximum number of 2.5-watt lamps per 15-amp circuit is about 575 (or 765 lamps per 20-amp circuit) or 300 lamps per outlet, while the maximum number of 7-watt lamps per 15-amp circuit is about 200 (274 per 20-amp circuit) or about 125 lamps per outlet. These terms have also been appropriated by [[Terminology/Definitions#L|LED]] Christmas-light makers and therefore C7 and C9 LEDs are also available.<br />
<br />
'''Capacitor.''' An electrical component that stores an electric charge and releases it when its needed. Typically used in Christmas lighting as a filter in power supply circuits.<br />
<br />
'''Cat3, Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6.''' Traditionally used as the cable in Ethernet networking, “Cat” is short for “category” and the numbers refer to different signaling standards. Cat5 cable has four pairs of 22- to 24-gauge wires, usually designated by the colors orange, green, blue and brown; each colored wire in the pair has a solid color and the same color with a white stripe. The orange/orange-white pair in Cat5 is twisted, while all the pairs in Cat5e and Cat6 are twisted.<br />
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'''Channel.''' In Christmas lighting, the method of identifying a lighting element in sequencing software. An element can be an individual lamp (such as in a smart pixel) or a string of lights.<br />
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'''Circuit.''' The path (usually wire) through which current flows between an electrical energy source and an electrical device, appliance or fixture.<br />
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'''Co-op.''' See [[Terminology/Definitions#G|group buy]].<br />
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'''Color organ.''' An electronic device that takes in audio signals and automatically outputs digital signals that can be assigned to lights. While a color organ can be designed to respond to music, the result isn’t as appealing as a song sequenced by a person.<br />
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'''Controller.''' A device that accepts signals from a computer running a lighting sequencer and controls lights based on those signals (turning them on or off, dimming up or dimming down).<br />
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'''Current.''' The amount of electricity flowing through a circuit, measured in [[Terminology/Definitions#A|Amperes]] (A), milliamperes (ma) or microamperes (ua).<br />
<br />
== D ==<br />
'''dB — decibel.''' A unit of relative sound or radio transmission intensity.<br />
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'''DC — direct current.''' An electrical current that flows continuously in one direction. Batteries and fuel cells produce direct current and alternating current can be rectified and changed into direct current with diodes.<br />
<br />
'''Decoupling capacitor.''' A capacitor that is included in circuits with microcontrollers to insure that voltages don’t dip and spike elsewhere around the circuit because of the needs of the microcontroller. Like a water tower in a community, the circuit slowly fills up the decoupling cap with electricity. When the microcontroller needs a burst of energy (or, in the analogy, if somebody needs to flush three toilets at once), the decoupling cap provides the needed energy without the water pressure throughout the community dropping.<br />
<br />
'''DIGWDF Store''' The on-line store that once produced weird yet curiously helpful circuits, adapters and gizmos that helped DIY'ers create customized solutions to blinky-flashy problems. DIGWDF had three main engineers, Grelllbbb, Hngnnorrgg and Fffllleeennnkkk, and the three of them collaborated and do most of the creative work. Periodically they posted information in the forum in a language that has been termed "Lutefisk-ese." It's a somewhat phonetic language that takes getting used to, which seems somewhat consistent with the various weird adventures the engineers got into from time to time... And those are all meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek... What IS true however is that ALL profits from the DIGWDF Store, however small, were directed toward the expenses of running the diychristmas.org site and forum. Sadly, the DIGWDF Store closed operations on Dec 31, 2018.<br />
<br />
'''Diode.''' An electrical device that will allow current to pass in only one direction.<br />
<br />
'''DIP — dual in-line package.''' A method of mounting integrated circuits, microcontrollers and other electronics components on printed circuit boards. Sometimes called “through-hole package,” because holes are drilled in the PC boards and the package is soldered to the board on the side opposite the package. Compare this with “surface mount,” where components are mounted to the PC board on its top side by soldering leads directly to pads.<br />
<br />
'''Dipole.''' A basic radio antenna that consists of two elements, each of equal length. The length of the elements is an algorithmic function of the frequency over which the broadcast is being made. It’s used in Christmas light shows by FM transmitters to broadcast music.<br />
<br />
'''DirkCheap.''' A concept and philosopy that Dirknerkle used to help lower the cost of participating in this hobby. It applies to several products the DIGWDF engineers created, such as the DirkCheapSSR, a no-frills 4-channel unit that is "dirt cheap" to make... In most cases, "DirkCheap" products used minimal parts due to their extra-sparse designs, such as no protective fusing or terminal blocks for convenience. It was the end-user's responsibility to address these issues on his/her own. The first product to carry this moniker was indeed the DirkCheapSSR, which lowered the DIYer's cost per A/C control channel by almost 70%, down to less than $1/channel.<br />
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'''Dirknerkle.''' The patron saint of this site. Dirk runs not only the forums and wiki, but also was the proprietor of The DIGWDF Store [http://digwdf.org/ Dirknerkle’s Inventorium and Generally Worthless Device Factory], an online store that provided items of greater or lesser interest to holiday lighting enthusiasts. (based on sales totals, mostly lesser...)<br />
<br />
'''DIYC.''' Can refer to either [http://www.DoitYourselfChristmas.com DoitYourselfChristmas.com] or [http://www.DIYChristmas.org DIYChristmas.org].<br />
<br />
'''DMX (also known as DMX-512).''' Digital MultipleX. A theater and stage-lighting system based on the RS485 differential signaling electrical communications system that supports controlling light intensity across 255 steps. The system supports 512 different channels (called a “universe”) of lighting control and larger numbers of devices can be controlled by adding more transmitting controllers. Receiving controllers are daisy-chained together with each controller receiving and processing all 512 channels, but only acting upon those channels to which it has been assigned. Traditional DMX-512 uses five-pin XLR connectors, while in holiday-lighting [[Terminology/Definitions#C|Cat5]] cable and [[Terminology/Definitions#R|RJ45]] telecommunications products have been adopted. Renard DMX is one implementation of the DMX protocol that's designed for Renard-type controllers.<br />
<br />
== E ==<br />
'''E1.31.''' A digital standard protocol for transmitting [[Terminology/Definitions#D|DMX-512]] data over Ethernet networks.<br />
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'''EDM Design.''' A South African company that makes low-powered FM transmitters. While these are sold in the United States as “[http://www.edmdesign.com/orders-1.html kits]” — a term used to skirt FCC regulations — 99 percent of the transmitter comes completed.<br />
<br />
'''Electricity basics.''' The flow of electrons typically over wire, electricity is energy converted from fuels or natural resources and distributed to homes and businesses via a grid of utility companies. Electricity has three basic units: voltage, current (measured in amps) and resistance (measured in ohms). The basic equation of electrical engineering is that amps = volts divided by ohms. The fourth basic element of electricity is watts, which is volts times amps. The most common analogy used to describe electricity is that of plumbing and water: the pressure of water in a pipe is like voltage, while the flow of the water in a pipe is like amps.<br />
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'''Electrolytic.''' A type of fixed capacitor. See [[Terminology/Definitions#C|capacitor]].<br />
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'''Endless loop.''' A mistake in computer programming where instructions circle back and forth, never ending. See [[Terminology/Definitions#I|infinite loop]].<br />
<br />
'''Engineer.''' One who designs, builds, invents, maintains or otherwise creates or supervises processes, structures, machines, devices, materials and/or systems. At DIGWDF (see [[Terminology/Definitions#D|Dirknerkle]]), staff engineers include Fffllleeennnkkk, Grelllbbbb and Hngnnorrgg. They were supervised by Mr. Nerkle and Monica Momglobs, the DIGWDF receptionist.<br />
<br />
== F ==<br />
'''Farad.''' A unit of measurement for electrical capacitance. See [[Terminology/Definitions#C|capacitor]].<br />
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'''FCC — The Federal Communications Commission.''' The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire (telegraph, telephone), satellite and cable.<br />
<br />
'''FCC Part 15.''' A section of the Federal Communications Commission’s rules and regulations that deals mainly with unlicensed transmissions. In the Christmas light world, FCC Part 15 is discussed because it regulates the way low-power FM transmitters, which are used in the Christmas lights community to broadcast the music that accompanies the light shows, should work. The general consensus in our community is that one way of measuring whether an FM transmitter might meet Part 15 rules is that it should not transmit further than 250 feet away from its antenna.<br />
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'''Firmware.''' The set of instructions input into a microprocessor. Firmware is usually developed on a personal computer, compiled into assembly code and uploaded to the microprocessor.<br />
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'''FM02.''' An inexpensive a low-powered FM radio transmitter that meets FCC Part 15 rule. Unfortunately, it was no longer manufactured after 2014. Also see [[Terminology/Definitions#V|Vastelec]].<br />
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'''FPP - Falcon player''' Falcon player formerly known as Falcon Pi Player hence the fpp designation, is a linux based scheduling software ran on a Beaglebone Black or green (BBB/BBG) or Raspberry Pi system on a chip (soc) microcomputer. This is capable of running your entire show on one of these inexpensive boards. The Beaglebones have 1 usb and 1 ethernet out with no onboard sound, the Raspberry Pi's on the other hand have 2 to 4 usb outs, 1 ethernet out, and onboard sound, the latest version of the Pi has built in wifi. <br />
<br />
'''Full wave.''' A method of converting AC to DC using a rectifying circuit of a group of four diodes, called a bridge. A bridge rectifier can be a single component.<br />
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'''Fuse.''' A device designed to make electronic and electrical circuits safer by breaking (“blowing”) in the event of an electrical short circuit or overload. A fuse will blow before wires become so hot they catch on fire.<br />
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== G ==<br />
'''Gerber Files.''' - The standard file formats that PCB production facilities use to set up their equipment to manufacture the boards. Usually provided as a set of 8 or sometimes more files; each file describes a specific layer of the PCB, such as the top copper layer (GTL), bottom copper layer GBL), top solder mask (GTS), bottom solder mask (GBS), top silkscreen (GTO), bottom silkscreen (GBO), drill hole sizes (TXT or DRL) and a mechanical (outside dimension, GML) layer. Gerber files are generally produced by PCB design software as an export function.<br />
<br />
'''GFCI — ground fault circuit interrupter.''' An electrical safety device installed in a power panel, sub-panel or outlet box that instantly shuts off the electricity when a leakage to ground occurs. This leakage can increase the risk of electrical shock. A GFCI should be used in all outdoor high-voltage environments and the device should be tested on a regular basis.<br />
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'''Grelllbbbdweeno''' - A variant of the Arduino, this is a stripped-down version without the bells and whistles that can be used to build into projects. It was invented by Grelllbbb, one of the DIGWDF engineers.<br />
<br />
'''Grounded/grounding.''' A conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental, by which an electric circuit or equipment is connected to the earth, or to some conducting body of relatively large extent that serves in place of the earth.<br />
<br />
'''Group buy.''' Volunteers take the initiative to gather the components of a project and resell them to other hobbyists. Because electronics retailers and wholesalers frequently give quantity discounts, a group buy leverages the buying power of members of the community, delivering lower prices for a project.<br />
<br />
== H ==<br />
'''HC595.''' A serial, shift-register microchip that can control up to eight different devices. HC595 chips can be connected in series, allowing for an almost infinite number of devices to be controlled through the serial output pin of a microcontroller. This microchip is made by a variety of manufacturers using a variety of different names, though they always have “595” in them.<br />
<br />
'''Half wave.''' See [[Terminology/Definitions#F|full wave]]. In Christmas lighting, term used to refer to strings of LEDs that don’t have a rectifier included.<br />
<br />
'''Heat sink.''' A piece of metal attached to an electronics component — microprocessor, microcontroller, Triac, optoisolator — that serves to dissipate or absorb unwanted heat. Many electronics components have two ratings, a lower one when a heat sink is not used and a higher one where a heat sink is in place. Also called a dissipator. ('''Note:''' This term is often misspelled as "heat sync" which doesn't make any sense at all.)<br />
<br />
== I ==<br />
'''IC — integrated circuit.''' An electronic component in which many elements are fabricated and interconnected by a single process (into a single chip), as opposed to a “nonintegrated” circuit in which the transistors, diodes, resistors and other components are fabricated separately and then assembled. Elements inseparably associated and formed on or within a single substrate.<br />
<br />
'''Infinite loop.''' A mistake in computer programming where instructions circle back and forth, never ending. See [[Terminology/Definitions#U|unproductive loop]].<br />
<br />
== J ==<br />
'''Jumper.''' A connector on a printed circuit board that allows two parts of a circuit to be completed. Also, a short length of wire to complete a circuit.<br />
<br />
== K ==<br />
'''Komby.''' A holiday lighting system based on the Arduino platform that sends lighting commands wirelessly via 2.5MHz radio frequency using the [[Terminology/Definitions#N|nRF24l01]] transceiver. Input can be in a variety of protocols ([[Terminology/Definitions#R|Renard]], [[Terminology/Definitions#D|DMX-512]], [[Terminology/Definitions#E|E1.31]]) and various outputs are also supported (Renard, DMX-512, smart pixels). Named after hobbyist Greg Scull, the primary developer, whose childhood nickname was “[http://www.komby.com Komby].”<br />
<br />
== L ==<br />
'''LED — light emitting diode.''' A solid-state, semiconductor device that converts electrical energy directly into light. LEDs show up in Christmas lighting in two contexts: the first is as a power or signal indicator in controllers or SSRs, while the second is their use as a substitute for incandescent lamps. LED Christmas light strings use about one-tenth the energy of an incandescent lamp and have an extraordinary life span (some makers claim as many as 20,000-50,000 hours of use).<br />
<br />
'''Lutefisk.''' The main dish in the official Christmas holiday meal of DIYC.org; a Scandinavian delicacy. Lutefisk is cod fish that has been air-dried to preserve it. Prior to cooking, it must be reconstituted by soaking for days in a lye solution and then rinsed thoroughly before being cooked for the meal -- preferably steamed. It has the consistency of a gelatin dessert -- some call it "fish jello." It is said that half the Scandinavians who came to America came to escape lutefisk and the other half came to proselytize on its behalf. In any event, it's truly something of an experience... The three stages of eating lutefisk are as follows:<br />
<br />
[[file: Three stages of lutefisk.jpg| center]]<br />
<br />
'''Lynx.''' A group of holiday lighting products developed by hobbyist Robert Jordan. Initially based on DMX-512, the Lynx product line now supports both wireless transmissions as well as driving smart pixels. The most popular of the Lynx products is the [http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=ExpressUse Express], a 16-channel AC controller.<br />
<br />
== M ==<br />
'''M5.''' A type of [[Terminology/Definitions#L|LED]] Christmas light that is modeled after mini-lights. Typically, an M5 has a faceted cover and 110v AC strings come in 30, 50, 70, 90, 100 or 120 bulbs. These strings are made of combination series/parallel circuit construction and use resistors to compensate for the difference between the total bulb count and the input voltage. Commercial M5 strings are usually [[Terminology/Definitions#F|full wave]], while hardware or drug store strings are usually [[Terminology/Definitions#H|half wave]].<br />
<br />
'''Mains.''' The alternating current electricity provided by the utility company; a Britishism/Aussy slang for the American phrase “wall power.” In North America, typically 120 volts, AC. In the United Kingdom and Australia, typically 240 volts, AC.<br />
<br />
'''Microchip Technology Inc.''' [http://http://www.microchip.com/ Maker] of the [[Terminology/Definitions#P|PIC]] line of microcontrollers.<br />
<br />
'''Microcontroller.''' A computer-on-a-chip that emphasizes high integration, low power consumption, self-sufficiency and relatively low cost. Typically, a microcontroller has flash-type read-write memory allowing a programming station (usually called a PIC programmer) to enter in task-specific programs, which can be written in programming languages such as C, C++, BASIC or even in assembly code (which, of course, is the most efficient).<br />
<br />
'''Mini-lights.''' Holiday lighting incandescent bulbs that are about 7/32nds of an inch in diameter, they come in strings as short as 35 bulbs and as long as 400 bulbs, officially known as the T1-3/4. The strings are wired in series and parallel, usually in 50-bulb groups (the 50 bulbs are in series which are then wired parallel to the others, making 100-, 150-, 200-, 250-, 300-, 350- or 400-bulb strings). Pretty universally, strings that are grouped by 50 bulbs can be cut down to single 50-bulb strings. Mini-lights that are grouped by 50s use 2.5-volt, 170 mA bulbs, while 35-bulb strings use 3.5-volt bulbs. Colored mini-light bulbs are traditionally painted with a transparent paint, which can under certain weather conditions chip or fade.<br />
<br />
'''MOC3023.''' A 6-Pin DIP 400V Random Phase Triac Driver Output Optocoupler from Fairchild Semiconductor. It provides both [[Terminology/Definitions#T|Triac]] services and [[Terminology/Definitions#O|optoisolator]] services in one package.<br />
<br />
'''MORON.''' What other DIY'ers will think of you if you don't RTFM (see below).<br />
<br />
== N ==<br />
'''nRF24l01.''' A type of digital radio transceiver that supports transmission rates up to 2 megabits per second, using the 2.4GHz frequency, manufactured by Nordic Semiconductor. The radio is made as a 4mm x 4mm QFN surface-mount chip and requires certain additional components to operate. It only became popular when it was packaged in a small, pre-built printed circuit board with an antenna (or antenna connector) and an eight-pin connector. Has an effective range of about 250-500 feet in line-of-site environments. Used in the [http://www.komby.com Komby] line of wireless Christmas-lighting controllers.<br />
<br />
'''NOP.''' A "no-op" or "no-operation" command is often used in assembly language programming to cause the CPU to use-up one or more clock cycles just doing basically nothing. In this way, one can tweak the exact timing of a chip's CPU to better match a needed circuit function.<br />
<br />
'''Null pixel.''' In instances where the first pixel of the display and the controller are too far apart, a “null pixel” is included halfway in between in order to boost the signal. The device is usually just the [[Terminology/Definitions#P|pixel]] controlling chip without the [[Terminology/Definitions#L|LEDs]].<br />
<br />
== O ==<br />
'''Ohms.''' The measure of resistance to the flow of an electric current (the resistance through which one volt will force one amp). Resistors in electronic circuits are measured in ohms, as is the voltage drop of an electrical wire. See also [[Terminology/Definitions#E|Electricity basics]].<br />
<br />
'''Optoisolator (opto, optocoupler).''' A device that insures that a non-electrical barrier exists between a high-voltage environment and a low-voltage environment. It usually has some type of emitter — like an LED or a neon bulb — and an optical receiving element with a little dark tunnel between them. The high voltage causes the LED to brighten and that light then drives the low-voltage optical receiver. This way wall plug voltage doesn’t stream down low-voltage wires and into your controller or PC.<br />
<br />
'''Oscillator.''' A circuit that produces a sustained AC waveform with no external input signal. Oscillators can be designed to produce sine waves, square waves, or other wave shapes. They are typically used in Christmas lighting to produce fading and dimming.<br />
<br />
== P ==<br />
'''PCB — printed circuit board.''' An electronics board that contains layers of circuitry that connect the various components of a system. A PCB can be mass manufactured or can be “home etched,” where a hobbyist transfers the design of the PCB to a copper-clad board, uses caustic chemicals to etch away the areas not needed and then drills the holes him or herself.<br />
<br />
'''PIC.''' A brand name for microcontrollers from Microchip Technology Inc., it has become a generic term for any microcontroller, which is a computer-on-a-chip. Importantly, the development chain for the PIC is different from that of other microcontrollers (such as the ATmega series), so the underlying code of firmware cannot be shared between chip families.<br />
<br />
'''Pixel.''' In computer graphics, a picture element. On most digital screens, a single spot on the monitor. In holiday lighting, an LED that has three colors (red, green, blue), either controlled as a group (“dumb pixels”) or as a single element (“smart pixels”). Holiday-light pixels are available in a number of form factors, including strips, strings of rectangular pixels, strings of “bullet” pixels, strings of “square” pixels and strings of “C9” pixels.<br />
<br />
'''POD — power over DMX.''' Using [[Terminology/Definitions#R|RJ45]] connectors and [[Terminology/Definitions#C|Cat5]] cabling, 12-volt power is sent over three of the eight pairs of wires, while [[Terminology/Definitions#D|DMX-512]] signal is sent over two of the wires. The orange and orange-white wires carry the DMX, while the solid green, blue and brown wires carry 12-volts negative and the white-green, white-blue and white-brown wires carry 12-volts positive. Developed by Dave Moore of [http://www.holidaycoro.com/kb_results.asp?ID=92 HolidayCoro.com].<br />
<br />
'''Polarity.''' The electrical condition of being either positive or negative. The direction of current between two leads or the direction of a magnetic field.<br />
<br />
'''Programmer.''' A device that connects to a personal computer to a microcontroller to download an application from the PC to the chip. See PIC.<br />
<br />
'''Protocol.''' The data "language" that is used between devices so that they can communicate with one another. Examples are RS-232, RS-485, RS-422, Ethernet, Renard, DMX, E1.31, SACN, etc. Devices must be using the same protocol to be able to communicate. For example, a device that's sending data in the RS-232 format cannot be understood by a device that's expecting to receive DMX data.<br />
<br />
'''PWM — pulse width modulation.''' A method of controlling analog devices with digital signals; used in dimming lights and the speed of small DC motors. Rather than increasing or decreasing voltage, PWM controls the number of time segments the full voltage is applied (in microseconds).<br />
<br />
== Q ==<br />
'''Question.''' Things that you are free and encouraged to ask about the hobby or how to do it. Answering them is what our users are here to do. Our motto is, "There's no such thing as a dumb question."<br />
<br />
== R ==<br />
'''Ramsey Electronics.''' former maker of FM radio transmitter and other electronic kits. Ramsey is out of business but some of its kits are carried by HobbyTron: [https://www.hobbytron.com/search.php?Ntt=ramsey+kits HobbyTron]<br />
<br />
'''Raspberry Pi.''' A full UNIX-based computer the size of a bar of soap. The Pi uses a system-on-a-chip (SoC) from Broadcom and has full USB, memory card, HDMI video output and audio input/output support. In holiday lighting, used in conjunction with the [http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php/board,8.0.html FPP] software, which schedules and plays lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
'''RDM — remote device management.''' An expansion to the [[Terminology/Definitions#D|DMX-512]] protocol for configuring, updating and maintaining lighting equipment by allowing that equipment to send data back to the controlling computer.<br />
<br />
'''Resistor.''' A component in an electrical circuit that controls current by providing resistance. See [[Terminology/Definitions#O|ohms]].<br />
<br />
'''Renard.''' A method of controlling holiday lights using a microcontroller as an interface between a personal computer and the lights, conceived by hobbyist Phil Short in 2006. Renard is three things: controller hardware designs; the firmware running in the microcontroller, and the serial protocol for sending the commands from the personal computer to the lights. The initial hardware design was for eight channels and controlled two, four-channel SSRs using a Microchip PIC 16F688 processor. Renard controllers are designed by a variety of hobbyists and are available as printed circuit boards or as kits (which can be found [https://digwdf.com/store/ here], [http://www.renard-plus.com/ here], [http://radiant-holidays.com/radiant_holidays/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=14&zenid=03c23714a63b9953fcdb7254cb26d169 here], [http://n7xg.net/sr32.html here] or [http://www.diyledexpress.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=35&zenid=b6e4ea4c3d0e343972b4c1b1a29f3fed here]). The name “Renard” is a play on the French slang for a male fox; in 2006 the leading DIY Christmas light sequencer was [[Terminology/Definitions#V|Vixen]], which while the name of one of Santa’s reindeers in the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” is also a word describing a female fox.<br />
<br />
'''RG-6, RG-8, RG-11, RG-58, RG-59.''' These are all coaxial cables of varying thicknesses and impedance. The RG stands for “radio guide,” an old, obsolete military specification; the numbers are arbitrary. Most coax manufactured today is “RG-xx type,” because manufacturers don’t necessarily always meet the precise specifications. In the Christmas light world, you will encounter RG-58, a 50-ohm cable, because it is used in radio transmission and is discussed along with low-power FM transmitters that broadcast the music that accompanies the light shows.<br />
<br />
'''RGB — red, green, blue.''' A color model typically used in light applications (other color models include hue, saturation and lightness — HSL — and hue, saturation and value — HSV — as well as cyan, magenta, yellow, black — CMYK). In Christmas lighting, it is a term frequently used to designate a pixel, which has three LEDs, each of the named color. Note that the physical wiring order of different pixel types may be in RGB order, or RBG, or GBR, or GRB. Therefore the term RGB is a descriptive term, not necessarily a standard.<br />
<br />
'''RJ45.''' Registered Jack 45 is a telecommunications or computer connector that has four pairs of wires, for eight conductors. Wires can be attached in two different patterns, AT&T T568A or AT&T T568B.<br />
<br />
'''RoHS — restriction of hazardous substances.''' A directive by the European Union that is designed to keep harmful chemicals and materials to a minimum. It is used by electronics manufacturers to denote components that meet the EU requirements.<br />
<br />
'''RS232.''' A telecommunications protocol, Recommended Standard 232 was originally designed to connect teletypes with modems; it has survived to this day as the way computer serial ports send out data. RS232 is implemented in a variety of connectors, but is most commonly seen in the DB9 and DB25 devices. It uses nine wires and supports transmitted data, received data, request to send, carrier detect and ring indicator. It is used in Christmas lights by as the physical layer between PC serial ports and Christmas lights controllers.<br />
<br />
'''RS485.''' A telecommunications protocol, Recommended Standard 485 is typically used in building automation, the programming of logic controllers, sound system control, lighting control and video surveillance camera control. It is a two-wire system that uses a differential form of signaling that supports the transmission of data packets. It can be used over a long distance and supports multi-point connections. It is used in Christmas lights as a distribution system for light controllers signaling devices, sometimes using the DMX512 or the Renard protocols.<br />
<br />
'''RTFM''' A long-standing acronym in the tech community that stands for "READ THE F***ING MANUAL." Many DIY projects available in this community do have accompanying user guides, assembly manuals and other printed documentation. Don't be a moron -- when documentation is available, take the time to read it and follow it. It's there for a reason.<br />
<br />
== S ==<br />
'''Sequencer, sequencing.''' A computer program that allows hobbyists to align and apply lighting commands to music, or the process or using such a program. An early Christmas lighting sequencer was Comet, which was followed by Vixen (which has branched into two offerings, [http://www.vixenlights.com Vixen3] and [http://www.vixenplus.com VixenPlus]). Other freeware sequencers include [http://hinkles-lighting-sequencer.wikia.com/wiki/Hinkle%27s_Lighting_Sequencer_Wiki HLS] and [http://nutcracker123.com/nutcracker/tutorials/intro.pdf Nutcracker/xLights]. Commercial sequencing applications include Light Show Pro and Madrix.<br />
<br />
'''SMT, SMD — surface-mount technology, surface-mount device.''' A type of printed circuit board assembly that uses components that are soldered directly to the top of the board, rather than through holes drilled in the board. Most hobbyists view it as a more challenging technique than through-hole assembly. See also [[Terminology/Definitions#D|DIP]].<br />
<br />
'''SNR — signal to noise ratio.''' A measure of signal strength relative to background noise. In Christmas lights, would be used in conjunction with an FM transmitter, that itself would be used to broadcast music with the light shows.<br />
<br />
'''SPT — service parallel thermoplastic.''' A type of electrical wire, commonly referred to as “zip cord” or “lamp cord.” Usually used in conjunction with the numbers 1, 2 or 3, which indicate 64ths-inches of insulation. SPT1 is usually 18 gauge wire, while SPT2 is available as 16 or 18 gauge and SPT3 can be as large as 10 gauge.<br />
<br />
'''Start channel.''' In [[Terminology/Definitions#D|DMX]] or [[Terminology/Definitions#W|wireless]] environments, the first [[Terminology/Definitions#C|channel]] a receiver has been programmed to accept. For example, a four-channel DMX receiver might be set to receive only channels 8-11, though all 512 channels pass through it, so its start channel would be 8.<br />
<br />
'''SSR — solid-state relay.''' In general electronics, an digital switch, rather than a switch with mechanical parts. In Christmas lighting, a light controller that includes a solid-state relay.<br />
<br />
'''Surface mount technology; surface mount device (SMT, SMD).''' A method of mounting integrated circuits, microcontrollers and other electronics on printed circuit boards. The method mounts the devices on the top of a PC board rather than using holes through the board. Compare this with [[Terminology/Definitions#D|DIP]].<br />
<br />
'''SWR — standing wave ratio.''' Usually used in the phrase “SWR meter,” which is a device coupled between a radio transmitter and an antenna and is used to tune the antenna accurately to the frequency over which the radio waves are being transmitted.<br />
<br />
== T ==<br />
'''Transformer.''' An electro-magnetic device designed to raise or lower electrical voltage.<br />
<br />
'''Transistor.''' A basic solid-state semiconductor that has three terminals and can be used for amplification, switching and/or detection.<br />
<br />
'''TRIAC — triode for alternating current.''' An electronic component used to turn on and off AC power to an electrical device such as a Christmas light. Specifically designed to handle dimming circuits.<br />
<br />
'''Twisted pair.''' Two insulated wires bent and curled together. Usually used in electronic signaling such as RS232 and RS485.<br />
<br />
== U ==<br />
'''ULN2803.''' An array of eight Darlington transistors (which themselves are arrays of two transistors) that amplify current. Often used in Christmas lights as devices to increase the current coming from a microcontroller to an SSR so that there is enough power to turn on (or off) the SSR.<br />
<br />
'''Universe.''' In DMX, 512 channels of lighting.<br />
<br />
'''Unproductive loop.''' A mistake in computer programming where instructions circle back and forth, never ending. See [[Terminology/Definitions#E|endless loop]].<br />
<br />
'''USB — universal serial bus.''' A type of connection typically found on a personal computer linking peripheral devices to the computer. It is a four-wire serial interface that includes 5-volt, DC.<br />
<br />
== V ==<br />
'''Vastelec.''' Maker of FM radio transmitters, with divisions based in Hong Kong and Zhuhai, China.<br />
<br />
'''Vixen.''' One of Santa Claus’ “eight tiny reindeer” as defined in the 1823 poem, “[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Visit_from_St._Nicholas A Visit from St. Nicholas]” (also known as “The Night Before Christmas” or “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”). Also, the name of a light-sequencing application initially developed in 2006 by hobbyist K.C. Oaks, who on his own wrote versions 1, 2, 2.1 and 2.5. In 2013 he wrote the underlying code for [http://www.vixenlights.com/ Vixen 3] and then turned development over to a group of volunteers. Also in 2013, a parallel project was started by John McAdams, which he calls [http://www.vixenplus.com VixenPlus].<br />
<br />
'''Voltage drop.''' The loss of electrical voltage in a circuit which is determined by two main factors: the size of the wire (or wire gauge) and the length of the wire run. While it can be experienced in any circuit, it typically is more of a problem in lower voltage circuits (5 volts-24 volts). Voltage drop on a long run of wire can be helped by increasing the wire gauge, using a smaller AWG number wire.<br />
<br />
'''Voltage regulator.''' An electronic device designed to take a higher voltage and make it conform to a specific lower voltage. Provide a 5-volt regulator with 12 volts as an input and it will put out a steady 5 volts; provide a 12-volt regulator with 13 volts and it will output a steady 12 volts. While some regulators are designed for specific voltages, others can provide a range of voltages depending upon resistance applied; variable voltage regulators can be controlled by potentiometers (i.e.: volume control), so that you can turn a knob and get various voltages depending on where the knob is.<br />
<br />
'''Volts.''' A measure of “electrical pressure” between two points in a circuit. The higher the voltage, the more current will be pushed through the circuit. See also [[Terminology/Definitions#E|Electricity basics]].<br />
<br />
== W ==<br />
'''Wall power.''' The alternating current electricity provided by the utility company. In North America, typically 120 volts, AC. In the United Kingdom and Australia (where it’s known as “mains”), typically 240 volts, AC.<br />
<br />
'''Watts.''' A measure of the amount of electrical power drawn by a load, such as a light bulb. A watt is determined by multiplying volts by amps. A kilowatt is 1000 watts and electrical utilities measure electricity consumption by kilowatt hours. For example, if you have two 500-watt heaters, and you leave them both on for one hour, you have used one kilowatt hour of electricity. See also [[Terminology/Definitions#E|Electricity basics]].<br />
<br />
'''Williams, Carson.''' An early Christmas light show hobbyist, Williams videotaped his sequence of the song [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizards_in_Winter “Wizards in Winter”], by the group [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Siberian_Orchestra Trans-Siberian Orchestra] in 2004 and posted it on [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmgf60CI_ks YouTube]. The video gained millions of viewings in 2005 and helped launch the popularity of computerized Christmas lights shows sequenced to music.<br />
<br />
'''Wire gauge.''' A way of measuring the diameter of a wire. It is determined by the number of times a piece of metal is passed through successively smaller dies. So, the smaller the number (2, 4, 6, 8) the larger the diameter of the wire, while the larger the number (18, 22, 24), the smaller the diameter of the wire. Frequently expressed as AWG, meaning American Wire Gauge.<br />
<br />
'''Wireless.''' Radio transmission of signals. In holiday lighting, a method of transmitting sequences over a low-power radio such as an [[Terminology/Definitions#X|xBee]] or [[Terminology/Definitions#N|nRF24l01]].<br />
<br />
== X ==<br />
'''XBee.''' A type of digital radio transceiver that supports transmission rates up to 250 kilobits per second, manufactured by Digi International Inc. Available in a variety of output powers (up to 100 mW), topologies (point-to-point, star, mesh) and frequencies (868, 915 or 2450 MHz) using the ZigBee transmission protocol.<br />
<br />
== Y ==<br />
<br />
'''YMMV.''' - An acronymn for "your mileage may vary," a term often used by DIY'ers when suggesting that a measurement or experience of some kind may not be consistent with what one person is describing.<br />
<br />
== Z ==<br />
'''Zero cross.''' A technique for dimming AC lights which determines the point at which an AC line oscillates at zero volts. Employing the technique is necessary to allow AC lights to dim accurately. Other terms are zero cross detection, zero cross signal, ZC signal...<br />
<br />
'''ZigBee.''' See [[Terminology/Definitions#X|XBee]].</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Firmware_-_multiple_versions&diff=3221Firmware - multiple versions2022-12-03T13:49:52Z<p>Dirknerkle: /* Table of Contents */</p>
<hr />
<div><br />
== Table of Contents ==<br />
<br />
:* '''[http://diychristmas.org/vb5/showthread.php?197-Mega-List-of-Generic-Renard-Firmware&p=982&viewfull=1#post982/ Mega-List of Renard Firmware]''' - As listed in the forum posting, includes diagnostic and Ren-C firmware<br />
<br />
Sets of pre-compiled firmware:<br />
<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.org/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=14/ Renard-start_address]''' Phil Short's original addressable firmware for the PIC16F688 chip @57,600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.org/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=12/ Renard LSD-start_address]''' Pre-compiled hex and asm for Ren48LSD or HeadBlinker with start_address for the PIC16F688 chip @57600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.org/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=20/ Renard 1825-LSD_start_address]''' Pre-compiled hex and asm for Ren48LSD or HeadBlinker with start_address for the PIC16F1825 chip @57,600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.org/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=9/ Renard-Servo-start_address]''' GDYRDAVE's modified RenServo firmware for the PIC16F688 chip @57600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.org/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=48/ Renard-Servo-range limits & start address]''' Chris Maloney's new RenServo firmware for the PIC16F1825 chip @57600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.org/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=19/ Renard_1825-start_address]''' Pre-compiled hex and asm firmware files for the PIC16F1825 chip @57,600 baud</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Firmware_-_multiple_versions&diff=3220Firmware - multiple versions2022-12-03T13:47:53Z<p>Dirknerkle: /* Table of Contents */</p>
<hr />
<div><br />
== Table of Contents ==<br />
<br />
:* '''[http://diychristmas.org/vb5/showthread.php?197-Mega-List-of-Generic-Renard-Firmware&p=982&viewfull=1#post982/ Mega-List of Renard Firmware]''' - As listed in the forum posting, includes diagnostic and Ren-C firmware<br />
<br />
Sets of pre-compiled firmware:<br />
<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.com/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=14/ Renard-start_address]''' Phil Short's original addressable firmware for the PIC16F688 chip @57,600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.com/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=12/ Renard LSD-start_address]''' Pre-compiled hex and asm for Ren48LSD or HeadBlinker with start_address for the PIC16F688 chip @57600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.com/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=20/ Renard 1825-LSD_start_address]''' Pre-compiled hex and asm for Ren48LSD or HeadBlinker with start_address for the PIC16F1825 chip @57,600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.com/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=9/ Renard-Servo-start_address]''' GDYRDAVE's modified RenServo firmware for the PIC16F688 chip @57600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.com/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=48/ Renard-Servo-range limits & start address]''' Chris Maloney's new RenServo firmware for the PIC16F1825 chip @57600 baud<br />
:* '''[http://digwdf.com/store/attachment.php?id_attachment=19/ Renard_1825-start_address]''' Pre-compiled hex and asm firmware files for the PIC16F1825 chip @57,600 baud</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=3219Main Page2021-02-20T15:49:21Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div><strong>Welcome to the diychristmas.org wiki</strong><br />
<br />
'''This wiki is a work-in-progress''', and content is provided by knowledgeable volunteers from the membership of the diychristmas.org community. Therefore, please understand that our intention is that the informational pages provided here are guidelines for successfully accomplishing various DIY tasks and do not reflect the ''only'' methods for doing so.<br />
<br />
'''Prior to using any of the information provided here, users agree to hold harmless diychristmas.org, its owners, administrators, moderators, wiki authors and editors from any and all damages that may arise from using any of the documentation contained herein.'''<br />
<br />
== Main Topic Areas ==<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Beginners]]''' If you're new to this hobby or want to get started in it, please read this first. You won't regret it!<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Terminology/Definitions]]''' Every hobby has its buzzwords, these are good to know<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Lights & Electronics]]''' Information about lights, LEDs, pixels, electricity, electronics, PCB manufacturing and more.<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Audio/FM Radio]]''' Selecting/understanding music/help your visitors hear your show<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[DIY Display Construction]]''' Designing/building your own props - PVC, coroplast, wire frames, 3D printing, more. Lots of examples!<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Animatronics]]''' Using servo or motors to make animated displays<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Arduino]]''' Anything related specifically to cool Arduino stuff<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Raspberry PI/BeagleBone]]''' Topics related to setting up or using these inexpensive computer platforms<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Networking]]''' Contributors' instructions for network-related issues<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Firmware Tips & Techniques]]''' How to modify firmware settings, compile firmware, flash chips, etc.<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Firmware - multiple versions]]''' Various versions of firmware and how to use them.<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Assembly Guides]]''' Misc. Contributors' assembly instructions<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Troubleshooting]]''' How to troubleshoot hardware, software, connections, etc. and tools you can use.<br />
<br />
[[file:Pumpkin.JPG|45px]] '''[[Halloween Displays]]''' We're not just about Christmas... we often decorate for other holidays, too!<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[PDF Gallery]]''' Miscellaneous PDF files and/or links to PDF documentation<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] [http://diychristmas.org/vb5/ '''diychristmas.org'''] Return to the diychristmas.org forum<br />
<br />
<br />
*If you wish to be a contributing author to our Wiki project, click here for more info: '''[[Editorial Guidelines]]'''<br />
<br />
*If you are new to editing Wiki pages, consult the [//meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents '''User's Guide'''] for information on using MediaWiki software.<br />
<br />
''Please note that all content displayed in the diychristmas.org wiki is considered to be in the public domain unless a copyright is specifically expressed by its author.''</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=PDF_Gallery&diff=3173PDF Gallery2020-07-24T22:42:28Z<p>Dirknerkle: /* Table of Contents */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Table of Contents ==<br />
<br />
::* PDF - '''[[Media:Dipole antenna.pdf]]''' A tuned, waterproof antenna you can put outdoors.<br />
<br />
::* PDF - '''[[Media:Spotlight.pdf]]''' A wireless, servo-controlled spotlight<br />
<br />
::* PDF - '''[[Media: Antenna-Selection-and-Positioning-Guide.pdf]]''' Helpful information for FM stations and wireless routers<br />
<br />
::* PDF - '''[[Media: Cutting_mini_lights.pdf]]''' Ernie Horning posted this originally. Nice chart to have!<br />
<br />
::* PDF - '''[[Media:Wi_fi_interference.pdf]]''' Sources of interference for Wi-Fi networks<br />
<br />
::* PDF - '''[[Media:RBL_Conversion_Wiki.pdf]]''' Bowhunter3125's neat way to convert Really Big Lights to use Pixels<br />
<br />
::* PDF - '''[[Media:How to blinky.pdf]]''' A short explanation on the basics to making a computerized light display.<br />
<br />
::* PDF - '''[[Media:Bus_detector_info.pdf]]''' Information on constructing Dirk's Bus Detector</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page&diff=3172Main Page2020-07-24T22:41:47Z<p>Dirknerkle: /* Main Topic Areas */</p>
<hr />
<div><strong>Welcome to the diychristmas.org wiki</strong><br />
<br />
'''This wiki is a work-in-progress''', and content is provided by knowledgeable volunteers from the membership of the diychristmas.org community. Therefore, please understand that our intention is that the informational pages provided here are guidelines for successfully accomplishing various DIY tasks and do not reflect the ''only'' methods for doing so.<br />
<br />
'''Prior to using any of the information provided here, users agree to hold harmless diychristmas.org, its owners, administrators, moderators, wiki authors and editors from any and all damages that may arise from using any of the documentation contained herein.'''<br />
<br />
== Main Topic Areas ==<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Beginners]]''' If you're new to this hobby or want to get started in it, please read this first. You won't regret it!<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Terminology/Definitions]]''' Every hobby has its buzzwords, these are good to know<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Lights & Electronics]]''' Information about lights, LEDs, pixels, electricity, electronics, PCB manufacturing and more.<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Audio/FM Radio]]''' Selecting/understanding music/help your visitors hear your show<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[DIY Display Construction]]''' Designing/building your own props - PVC, coroplast, wire frames, 3D printing, more. Lots of examples!<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Animatronics]]''' Using servo or motors to make animated displays<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Arduino]]''' Anything related specifically to cool Arduino stuff<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Raspberry PI/BeagleBone]]''' Topics related to setting up or using these inexpensive computer platforms<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Networking]]''' Contributors' instructions for network-related issues<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Firmware Tips & Techniques]]''' How to modify firmware settings, compile firmware, flash chips, etc.<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Firmware - multiple versions]]''' Various versions of firmware and how to use them.<br />
<br />
[[file:logo7small.png]] '''[[Assembly Guides]]''' Misc. Contributors' assembly instructions<br />
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''Please note that all content displayed in the diychristmas.org wiki is considered to be in the public domain unless a copyright is specifically expressed by its author.''</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Selecting_Music&diff=3171Selecting Music2020-07-24T22:40:14Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Making a light show is an intensely personal activity. Here are a few guidelines that may be of help. There are no wrong answers to these questions but you must answer them as they will guide you in the future.<br />
<br />
:'''Why do I want to make a light show?'''<br />
::Are you doing it for the kids? Are you doing it because everyone else is doing it? Are you doing it because you want to outdo your neighbor! Are you doing it to celebrate an event or activity? Are you doing it just to keep busy? Are you doing it because you enjoy a technical challenge? Are you doing it for a charitable cause? Are you doing it to wow and dazzle people? Are you doing it because you don't have anything better to do with your time? There are lots of reasons why people make animated light shows, but it's important for you to know YOUR reason, because the hobby can be fairly expensive, it's proven to be somewhat addictive and it takes quite a bit of time -- time away from work, or from family or ???.<br />
<br />
:'''Who is your show's intended audience?'''<br />
::Who do you want to see your show? Are there lots of little children in the neighborhood? Are there lots of teenagers? Retirees? Is it for a specific religious or ethnic community? Is it just for yourself and your family? Is it for the general public? Are you hoping to have a lot of visitors or do you expect to have only a few? Do you want it to be interactive so visitors can push buttons or do things that influence the running show? Do you even care if you get visitors or not? <br />
<br />
:'''Own it'''<br />
::Your show is YOUR SHOW, and from the very start, you should do things the way YOU want to do them, not because someone else wants you to do them his or her way. Your show is unique: take pride in the fact that nobody else on the planet has the same show that you do. As such, when you select music for your show, choose music that YOU like because if you don't like the music, you're not likely to like your show or put a much effort into it and the result will likely be something you won't be proud to display. The end result of that is that you'll do a show for a year or two and quit -- and all those lights and controller electronics will have gone to waste. (And no, don't expect you'll be able to sell and get good money out of them. It never works that way in this hobby-- if you sell the gear and get ANY money out of it you'll be doing well.) Note: politically speaking, because you'll need the approval and possibly assistance of immediate family members, it's a good idea to involve them in the planning and construction and certainly, make them happy. "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" is a pretty good guideline here...<br />
<br />
:'''Theme'''<br />
::Some DIY'ers have a theme that changes from year to year. One year it might be "Santa" or another year, "Christmas Trees" or even "Winter Olympics." Then upwards of half of the props, sequences and music they select for the show puts a focus on the chosen theme. Some DIY'ers might use "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" as the focus of their shows but celebrate Jesus' birth in different ways, perhaps in a similar way to what Disney has done with their "It's a Small World" ride -- celebrating different cultures all over the world. Some shows might focus on new movies or use a "Star Wars" theme -- certainly the Star Wars music is vibrant and exciting and provides plenty of opportunity to make zany light effects. There's no limit to the thematic ideas you might use -- you're only limited by what you can afford to do in the space you have to do it.<br />
<br />
:'''Scheduling'''<br />
::Plan to have both fast and energetic and slower and calmer music in your show to give your viewers a break. The wild and crazy blinking flashing lights can be fun and certainly dazzling, but it can wear them out in no time. Believe it or not, it's a lot of work to watch an energy-packed, highly-animated lightshow. Too many high-energy songs in a row creates sensory overload for your visitors. Give them a break every now and then both in light effects and music energy.<br />
<br />
:'''Imagine-Ear-ing'''<br />
::Selecting music takes time and a lot of listening. As you're listening to potential musical selections, try to imagine various props in your yard or on your house and how you'd animate them. You might have to listen to the same selection four or five times before you even decide it's on a "maybe" list. You might eventually listen to a selection twenty or more times before you decide it's right for what you want to do. By then you'll have formulated some pretty good ideas for the effects you'd use and sequencing the actual effects and synchronizing them to the music will actually be easier!<br />
<br />
:'''Vary the Music Type'''<br />
::It's a good idea to choose different genres of music as well -- as long as they support the vision of the show you've designed. Adding a country western selection, or maybe a brief choral-only piece gives your viewers something different not only to see, but to hear. Maybe do an all-instrumental piece, or use a folk song version of a popular Christmas tune, or put in something by a rock band. Try different things but always, always, vary the music from one selection to the next. You don't want them all to sound the same because then none of them will have an impact on the viewers.<br />
<br />
:'''Appropriateness'''<br />
::Make the lighting effects appropriate for the music. Think about the song "Silent Night." It's generally a quiet, contemplative song -- it's really a lullaby for little children. Does it make sense to have wildly blinking and flashing lights going all over the place while Silent Night is playing? Probably not. I don't know whether KISS ever put the song on any of their albums, but I doubt it. How about "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town?" That's kind of a bouncy little song (Gene Autry was the original artist -- he wrote it!) that's relatively short and non-technical. It's also easy to sequence to and kids and parents can sing along with it. By involving your audience in that way, you endear them to your show and they'll come back many times just to hear those selections. A nice little bouncy song like that begs for light, bouncy lights in perfect time to the music's beat, and not a lot of heavy, overused effects. You get the idea.<br />
<br />
:'''Quality'''<br />
::The quality of the recording is critically important. It needs to be a good, clean copy with good fidelity and low or no noise. Ripping the audio off a YouTube video isn't a good idea. For one, it's a copyright violation but more than that, the fidelity of recordings made that way is not good. Spend the dollar and buy it off Amazon or other music-sharing service.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Selecting_Music&diff=3170Selecting Music2020-07-24T22:04:49Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Making a light show is an intensely personal activity. Here are a few guidelines that may be of help. There are no wrong answers to these questions but you must answer them as they will guide you in the future.<br />
<br />
:'''Why do I want to make a light show?'''<br />
::Are you doing it for the kids? Are you doing it because everyone else is doing it? Are you doing it because you want to outdo your neighbor! Are you doing it to celebrate an event or activity? Are you doing it just to keep busy? Are you doing it because you enjoy a technical challenge? Are you doing it for a charitable cause? Are you doing it to wow and dazzle people? Are you doing it because you don't have anything better to do with your time? There are lots of reasons why people make animated light shows, but it's important for you to know YOUR reason, because the hobby can be fairly expensive, it's proven to be somewhat addictive and it takes quite a bit of time -- time away from work, or from family or ???.<br />
<br />
:'''Who is your show's intended audience?'''<br />
::Who do you want to see your show? Are there lots of little children in the neighborhood? Are there lots of teenagers? Retirees? Is it for a specific religious or ethnic community? Is it just for yourself and your family? Is it for the general public? Are you hoping to have a lot of visitors or do you expect to have only a few? Do you want it to be interactive so visitors can push buttons or do things that influence the running show? Do you even care if you get visitors or not? <br />
<br />
:'''Own it'''<br />
::Your show is YOUR SHOW, and from the very start, you should do things the way YOU want to do them, not because someone else wants you to do them his or her way. Your show is unique: take pride in the fact that nobody else on the planet has the same show that you do. As such, when you select music for your show, choose music that YOU like because if you don't like the music, you're not likely to like your show or put a much effort into it and the result will likely be something you won't be proud to display. The end result of that is that you'll do a show for a year or two and quit -- and all those lights and controller electronics will have gone to waste. (And no, don't expect you'll be able to sell and get good money out of them. It never works that way in this hobby-- if you sell the gear and get ANY money out of it you'll be doing well.) Note: politically speaking, because you'll need the approval and possibly assistance of immediate family members, it's a good idea to involve them in the planning and construction and certainly, make them happy. "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" is a pretty good guideline here...<br />
<br />
:'''Theme'''<br />
::Some DIY'ers have a theme that changes from year to year. One year it might be "Santa" or another year, "Christmas Trees" or even "Winter Olympics." Then upwards of half of the props, sequences and music they select for the show puts a focus on the chosen theme. Some DIY'ers might use "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" as the focus of their shows but celebrate Jesus' birth in different ways, perhaps in a similar way to what Disney has done with their "It's a Small World" ride -- celebrating different cultures all over the world. Some shows might focus on new movies or use a "Star Wars" theme -- certainly the Star Wars music is vibrant and exciting and provides plenty of opportunity to make zany light effects. There's no limit to the thematic ideas you might use -- you're only limited by what you can afford to do in the space you have to do it.<br />
<br />
:'''Scheduling'''<br />
::Plan to have both fast and energetic and slower and calmer music in your show to give your viewers a break. The wild and crazy blinking flashing lights can be fun and certainly dazzling, but it can wear them out in no time. Believe it or not, it's a lot of work to watch an energy-packed, highly-animated lightshow. Too many high-energy songs in a row creates sensory overload for your visitors. Give them a break every now and then both in light effects and music energy.<br />
<br />
:'''Imagine-Ear-ing'''<br />
::Selecting music takes time and a lot of listening. As you're listening to potential musical selections, try to imagine various props in your yard or on your house and how you'd animate them. You might have to listen to the same selection four or five times before you even decide it's on a "maybe" list. You might eventually listen to a selection twenty or more times before you decide it's right for what you want to do. By then you'll have formulated some pretty good ideas for the effects you'd use and sequencing the actual effects and synchronizing them to the music will actually be easier!</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3169Understanding Music2020-07-24T20:54:52Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. <br />
<br />
:Understand that it's not necessary to memorize or study everything presented here -- this is a general explanation of how music is designed and its effects on the listener. This is intended to help the non-musically-trained person learn what to listen for and be able to find specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, can and will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely require a lot more energy to play it and therefore, putting more of energy into the lighting effects makes sense.<br />
<br />
::'''Note Grouping'''. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a ''''pace'''' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." And more than not, the pace becomes what's called "the measure" where each group of notes becomes a "measure" on the written score. For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "'''SIIII'''-ih-lent '''NIIII'''te, '''HOOOO'''-o-ly '''NIIII'''te", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? But you'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song -- like a count of 2! You'd sway left/right for each "measure" of the song. This is why a 6-meter can sound like two groups of three beats.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.<br />
<br />
:'''Music Construction'''<br />
::Generally speaking, we think that if something goes up, it will come down again; if a road turns left, somewhere ahead it'll turn to the right; if something is too soft to hear, it'll probably get louder, etc. These things are all true in most musical compositions. It's this way because humans like balance. We're willing to go out on a limb for a little while but after that, we like to come back to the trunk of the tree for safety, don't we? Music composers use this technique all the time. There's always a center -- a "core" to a popular piece of music. Sometimes it's the chorus or refrain, but it's always there. In the song 'Silent Night,' it's the phrase "sleep in heavenly peace" -- a line that's repeated for assurance. Therefore, look for similarities in the music. Does the music's melody start in one place and then at some later point, you hear the same basic melody but it's noticeably higher in pitch. That's called a "key change" or "modulation." In any event, the composer did it to make a similar line of music sound different. It's something new. Use that to your advantage in your lighting effects by doing something similar yet different with the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::Music is full of repeats of things and you need to listen for them. Earlier we covered he concept of groups of notes, which then become "measures" of the song -- the "pace." When groups of measures are assembled together, they become "phrases" in exactly the same way that poems often are constructed with lines that have exactly the same number of syllables and even rhyme. Why is this important? Well, humans like balance. We like it when something we hold in one hand is balanced off by something in the other hand. So you listen to the rhymes, and listen to how the music goes up and down, or how the music may move left-to-right, from soft to loud and then soft again, etc. and you can mimic those things with light.<br />
<br />
:::You will find that 95% of the time in a song, a group of four "measures" will constitute a phrase, and it will be followed by another set of four measures as an offset phrase to balance it out. Then you'll discover that those eight measures will be balanced off with another set of 8 measures, after which the song will change and do something new. This is the "16-measure bridge" that happens over and over and over, especially in vocal music. Recognizing this gives you the ability to divide a song into 3 parts or 4 main sections, each of which has essentially the same length and number of beats, and often there's a short ending, sometimes a repeat of the last line of the song. For example, you might have this:<br />
::::::Section 1: Instrumental introduction (16 measures)<br />
::::::Section 2: Vocal, first verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
::::::Section 3: Instrumental bridge (16 measures)<br />
::::::Section 4: Vocal, 2nd verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
::::::End (optional, sometimes because they're out of words - 4 measures, sometimes 8)<br />
<br />
:::You'll find the above structure in most country music songs and to a slightly lesser extent, pop music. You'll even find it in traditional classical orchestral music, although not nearly as often as pop or country. You'll find it in Broadway show music. You'll find it's a common structure of church music, and certainly, in Christmas music. Note that sometimes, the number of measures per phrase is cut in half because of the lyrics used, but the concept is the same. If it's not 16-16-16-16-4 it's likely 8-8-8-8-2. The point is, it's '''predictable.''' Use that to your advantage when you design your lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:::Grab a church hymnal sometime and look at commonly well-known songs such as Silent Night, We Three Kings, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and others. You'll easily be able to recognize their structures and you'll see that analyzing musical construction doesn't have to be that hard.<br />
<br />
:::Silly Tip: sometimes the music is so predictable that you can even take the first section of the song and copy and paste it two or three more times into your sequence -- and it'll still work!<br />
<br />
:'''Surprises - things that happen out of the norm'''<br />
::For fun, many modern composers (over the past 100 years anyway) inject a little something extra into their music every now and then. Mannheim Steamroller and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra do this all the time. Usually it's an extra beat, or an extra pair of beats, a half-measure or sometimes a whole extra measure -- and they do it to create something different. It's ear candy. And you find these things by analyzing the music's structure, asking yourself, "why does this part of the music seem slightly out of balance?" Well, it sounds that way because is IS out of balance -- by design! The composer injected something into the music to flick your earlobes and wake you up! These musical ear-tweaks are fantastic opportunities to add something unexpected into your lighting effects, too. Use them to your advantage. Do they repeat? Sometimes. Sometimes not.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3168Understanding Music2020-07-24T20:36:51Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. <br />
<br />
:Understand that it's not necessary to memorize or study everything presented here -- this is a general explanation of how music is designed and its effects on the listener. This is intended to help the non-musically-trained person learn what to listen for and be able to find specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, can and will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely require a lot more energy to play it and therefore, putting more of energy into the lighting effects makes sense.<br />
<br />
::'''Note Grouping'''. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a ''''pace'''' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." And more than not, the pace becomes what's called "the measure" where each group of notes becomes a "measure" on the written score. For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "'''SIIII'''-ih-lent '''NIIII'''te, '''HOOOO'''-o-ly '''NIIII'''te", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? But you'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song -- like a count of 2! You'd sway left/right for each "measure" of the song. This is why a 6-meter can sound like two groups of three beats.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.<br />
<br />
:'''Music Construction'''<br />
::Generally speaking, we think that if something goes up, it will come down again; if a road turns left, somewhere ahead it'll turn to the right; if something is too soft to hear, it'll probably get louder, etc. These things are all true in most musical compositions. It's this way because humans like balance. We're willing to go out on a limb for a little while but after that, we like to come back to the trunk of the tree for safety, don't we? Music composers use this technique all the time. There's always a center -- a "core" to a popular piece of music. Sometimes it's the chorus or refrain, but it's always there. In the song 'Silent Night,' it's the phrase "sleep in heavenly peace" -- a line that's repeated for assurance. Therefore, look for similarities in the music. Does the music's melody start in one place and then at some later point, you hear the same basic melody but it's noticeably higher in pitch. That's called a "key change" or "modulation." In any event, the composer did it to make a similar line of music sound different. It's something new. Use that to your advantage in your lighting effects by doing something similar yet different with the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::Music is full of repeats of things and you need to listen for them. Earlier we covered he concept of groups of notes, which then become "measures" of the song -- the "pace." When groups of measures are assembled together, they become "phrases" in exactly the same way that poems often are constructed with lines that have exactly the same number of syllables and even rhyme. Why is this important? Well, humans like balance. We like it when something we hold in one hand is balanced off by something in the other hand. So you listen to the rhymes, and listen to how the music goes up and down, or how the music may move left-to-right, from soft to loud and then soft again, etc. and you can mimic those things with light.<br />
<br />
:::You will find that 95% of the time in a song, a group of four "measures" will constitute a phrase, and it will be followed by another set of four measures as an offset phrase to balance it out. Then you'll discover that those eight measures will be balanced off with another set of 8 measures, after which the song will change and do something new. This is the "16-measure bridge" that happens over and over and over, especially in vocal music. Recognizing this gives you the ability to divide a song into 3 parts or 4 main sections, each of which has essentially the same length and number of beats, and often there's a short ending, sometimes a repeat of the last line of the song. For example, you might have this:<br />
::::::Section 1: Instrumental introduction (16 measures)<br />
::::::Section 2: Vocal, first verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
::::::Section 3: Instrumental bridge (16 measures)<br />
::::::Section 4: Vocal, 2nd verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
::::::End (optional, sometimes because they're out of words - 4 measures, sometimes 8)<br />
<br />
:::You'll find the above structure in most country music songs and to a slightly lesser extent, pop music. You'll even find it in traditional classical orchestral music, although not nearly as often as pop or country. You'll find it in Broadway show music. You'll find it's a common structure of church music, and certainly, in Christmas music. Note that sometimes, the number of measures per phrase is cut in half because of the lyrics used, but the concept is the same. If it's not 16-16-16-16-4 it's likely 8-8-8-8-2. The point is, it's '''predictable.''' Use that to your advantage when you design your lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:::Grab a church hymnal sometime and look at commonly well-known songs such as Silent Night, We Three Kings, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and others. You'll easily be able to recognize their structures and you'll see how easy it can be.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3167Understanding Music2020-07-24T20:35:15Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. <br />
<br />
:Understand that it's not necessary to memorize or study everything presented here -- this is a general explanation of how music is designed and its effects on the listener. This is intended to help the non-musically-trained person learn what to listen for and be able to find specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, can and will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely require a lot more energy to play it and therefore, putting more of energy into the lighting effects makes sense.<br />
<br />
::'''Note Grouping'''. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a ''''pace'''' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." And more than not, the pace becomes what's called "the measure" where each group of notes becomes a "measure" on the written score. For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "'''SIIII'''-ih-lent '''NIIII'''te, '''HOOOO'''-o-ly '''NIIII'''te", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? But you'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song -- like a count of 2! You'd sway left/right for each "measure" of the song. This is why a 6-meter can sound like two groups of three beats.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.<br />
<br />
:Music Construction<br />
::Generally speaking, we think that if something goes up, it will come down again; if a road turns left, somewhere ahead it'll turn to the right; if something is too soft to hear, it'll probably get louder, etc. These things are all true in most musical compositions. It's this way because humans like balance. We're willing to go out on a limb for a little while but after that, we like to come back to the trunk of the tree for safety, don't we? Music composers use this technique all the time. There's always a center -- a "core" to a popular piece of music. Sometimes it's the chorus or refrain, but it's always there. In the song 'Silent Night,' it's the phrase "sleep in heavenly peace" -- a line that's repeated for assurance. Therefore, look for similarities in the music. Does the music's melody start in one place and then at some later point, you hear the same basic melody but it's noticeably higher in pitch. That's called a "key change" or "modulation." In any event, the composer did it to make a similar line of music sound different. It's something new. Use that to your advantage in your lighting effects by doing something similar yet different with the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::Music is full of repeats of things and you need to listen for them. Earlier we covered he concept of groups of notes, which then become "measures" of the song -- the "pace." When groups of measures are assembled together, they become "phrases" in exactly the same way that poems often are constructed with lines that have exactly the same number of syllables and even rhyme. Why is this important? Well, humans like balance. We like it when something we hold in one hand is balanced off by something in the other hand. So you listen to the rhymes, and listen to how the music goes up and down, or how the music may move left-to-right, from soft to loud and then soft again, etc. and you can mimic those things with light.<br />
<br />
:::You will find that 95% of the time in a song, a group of four "measures" will constitute a phrase, and it will be followed by another set of four measures as an offset phrase to balance it out. Then you'll discover that those eight measures will be balanced off with another set of 8 measures, after which the song will change and do something new. This is the "16-measure bridge" that happens over and over and over, especially in vocal music. Recognizing this gives you the ability to divide a song into 3 parts or 4 main sections, each of which has essentially the same length and number of beats, and often there's a short ending, sometimes a repeat of the last line of the song. For example, you might have this:<br />
:::::Section 1: Instrumental introduction (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 2: Vocal, first verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 3: Instrumental bridge (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 4: Vocal, 2nd verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::End (sometimes because they're out of words - 4 measures, sometimes 8)<br />
<br />
:::You'll find the above structure in most country music songs and to a slightly lesser extent, pop music. You'll even find it in traditional classical orchestral music, although not nearly as often as pop or country. You'll find it in Broadway show music. You'll find it's a common structure of church music, and certainly, in Christmas music. Note that sometimes, the number of measures per phrase is cut in half because of the lyrics used, but the concept is the same. If it's not 16-16-16-16-4 it's likely 8-8-8-8-2. The point is, it's '''predictable.''' Use that to your advantage when you design your lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:::Grab a church hymnal sometime and look at commonly well-known songs such as Silent Night, We Three Kings, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and others. You'll easily be able to recognize their structures and you'll see how easy it can be.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3166Understanding Music2020-07-24T20:33:11Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. <br />
<br />
:Understand that it's not necessary to memorize or study everything presented here -- this is a general explanation of how music is designed and its effects on the listener. This is intended to help the non-musically-trained person learn what to listen for and be able to find specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, can and will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely require a lot more energy to play it and therefore, putting more of energy into the lighting effects makes sense.<br />
<br />
::'''Note Grouping'''. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a ''''pace'''' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." And more than not, the pace becomes what's called "the measure" where each group of notes becomes a "measure" on the written score. For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "'''SIIII'''-ih-lent '''NIIII'''te, '''HOOOO'''-o-ly '''NIIII'''te", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? You'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song. You'd sway left/right for each "measure" of the song.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.<br />
<br />
:Music Construction<br />
::Generally speaking, we think that if something goes up, it will come down again; if a road turns left, somewhere ahead it'll turn to the right; if something is too soft to hear, it'll probably get louder, etc. These things are all true in most musical compositions. It's this way because humans like balance. We're willing to go out on a limb for a little while but after that, we like to come back to the trunk of the tree for safety, don't we? Music composers use this technique all the time. There's always a center -- a "core" to a popular piece of music. Sometimes it's the chorus or refrain, but it's always there. In the song 'Silent Night,' it's the phrase "sleep in heavenly peace" -- a line that's repeated for assurance. Therefore, look for similarities in the music. Does the music's melody start in one place and then at some later point, you hear the same basic melody but it's noticeably higher in pitch. That's called a "key change" or "modulation." In any event, the composer did it to make a similar line of music sound different. It's something new. Use that to your advantage in your lighting effects by doing something similar yet different with the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::Music is full of repeats of things and you need to listen for them. Earlier we covered he concept of groups of notes, which then become "measures" of the song -- the "pace." When groups of measures are assembled together, they become "phrases" in exactly the same way that poems often are constructed with lines that have exactly the same number of syllables and even rhyme. Why is this important? Well, humans like balance. We like it when something we hold in one hand is balanced off by something in the other hand. So you listen to the rhymes, and listen to how the music goes up and down, or how the music may move left-to-right, from soft to loud and then soft again, etc. and you can mimic those things with light.<br />
<br />
:::You will find that 95% of the time in a song, a group of four "measures" will constitute a phrase, and it will be followed by another set of four measures as an offset phrase to balance it out. Then you'll discover that those eight measures will be balanced off with another set of 8 measures, after which the song will change and do something new. This is the "16-measure bridge" that happens over and over and over, especially in vocal music. Recognizing this gives you the ability to divide a song into 3 parts or 4 main sections, each of which has essentially the same length and number of beats, and often there's a short ending, sometimes a repeat of the last line of the song. For example, you might have this:<br />
:::::Section 1: Instrumental introduction (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 2: Vocal, first verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 3: Instrumental bridge (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 4: Vocal, 2nd verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::End (sometimes because they're out of words - 4 measures, sometimes 8)<br />
<br />
:::You'll find the above structure in most country music songs and to a slightly lesser extent, pop music. You'll even find it in traditional classical orchestral music, although not nearly as often as pop or country. You'll find it in Broadway show music. You'll find it's a common structure of church music, and certainly, in Christmas music. Note that sometimes, the number of measures per phrase is cut in half because of the lyrics used, but the concept is the same. If it's not 16-16-16-16-4 it's likely 8-8-8-8-2. The point is, it's '''predictable.''' Use that to your advantage when you design your lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:::Grab a church hymnal sometime and look at commonly well-known songs such as Silent Night, We Three Kings, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and others. You'll easily be able to recognize their structures and you'll see how easy it can be.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3165Understanding Music2020-07-24T20:29:40Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. <br />
<br />
:Understand that it's not necessary to memorize or study everything presented here -- this is a general explanation of how music is designed and its effects on the listener. This is intended to help the non-musically-trained person learn what to listen for and be able to find specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, can and will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely require a lot more energy to play it and therefore, putting more of energy into the lighting effects makes sense.<br />
<br />
::'''Note Grouping'''. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a ''''pace'''' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." And more than not, the pace becomes what's called "the measure" where each group of notes becomes a "measure" on the written score. For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "SIIII-ih-lent NIIIIte, HOOOO-o-ly NIIIIte", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? You'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song. You'd sway left/right for each "measure" of the song.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.<br />
<br />
:Music Construction<br />
::Generally speaking, we think that if something goes up, it will come down again; if a road turns left, somewhere ahead it'll turn to the right; if something is too soft to hear, it'll probably get louder, etc. These things are all true in most musical compositions. It's this way because humans like balance. We're willing to go out on a limb for a little while but after that, we like to come back to the trunk of the tree for safety, don't we? Music composers use this technique all the time. There's always a center -- a "core" to a popular piece of music. Sometimes it's the chorus or refrain, but it's always there. In the song 'Silent Night,' it's the phrase "sleep in heavenly peace" -- a line that's repeated for assurance. Therefore, look for similarities in the music. Does the music's melody start in one place and then at some later point, you hear the same basic melody but it's noticeably higher in pitch. That's called a "key change" or "modulation." In any event, the composer did it to make a similar line of music sound different. It's something new. Use that to your advantage in your lighting effects by doing something similar yet different with the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::Music is full of repeats of things and you need to listen for them. Earlier we covered he concept of groups of notes, which then become "measures" of the song -- the "pace." When groups of measures are assembled together, they become "phrases" in exactly the same way that poems often are constructed with lines that have exactly the same number of syllables and even rhyme. Why is this important? Well, humans like balance. We like it when something we hold in one hand is balanced off by something in the other hand. So you listen to the rhymes, and listen to how the music goes up and down, or how the music may move left-to-right, from soft to loud and then soft again, etc. and you can mimic those things with light.<br />
<br />
:::You will find that 95% of the time in a song, a group of four "measures" will constitute a phrase, and it will be followed by another set of four measures as an offset phrase to balance it out. Then you'll discover that those eight measures will be balanced off with another set of 8 measures, after which the song will change and do something new. This is the "16-measure bridge" that happens over and over and over, especially in vocal music. Recognizing this gives you the ability to divide a song into 3 parts or 4 main sections, each of which has essentially the same length and number of beats, and often there's a short ending, sometimes a repeat of the last line of the song. For example, you might have this:<br />
:::::Section 1: Instrumental introduction (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 2: Vocal, first verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 3: Instrumental bridge (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 4: Vocal, 2nd verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::End (sometimes because they're out of words - 4 measures, sometimes 8)<br />
<br />
:::You'll find the above structure in most country music songs and to a slightly lesser extent, pop music. You'll even find it in traditional classical orchestral music, although not nearly as often as pop or country. You'll find it in Broadway show music. You'll find it's a common structure of church music, and certainly, in Christmas music. Note that sometimes, the number of measures per phrase is cut in half because of the lyrics used, but the concept is the same. If it's not 16-16-16-16-4 it's likely 8-8-8-8-2. The point is, it's '''predictable.''' Use that to your advantage when you design your lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:::Grab a church hymnal sometime and look at commonly well-known songs such as Silent Night, We Three Kings, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and others. You'll easily be able to recognize their structures and you'll see how easy it can be.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3164Understanding Music2020-07-24T20:28:30Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. <br />
<br />
:Understand that it's not necessary to memorize or study everything presented here -- this is a general explanation of how music is designed and its effects on the listener. This is intended to help the non-musically-trained person learn what to listen for and be able to find specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, can and will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely require a lot more energy to play it and therefore, putting more of energy into the lighting effects makes sense.<br />
<br />
::Note Grouping. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a ''''pace'''' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." And more than not, the pace becomes what's called "the measure" where each group of notes becomes a "measure" on the written score. For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "SIIII-ih-lent NIIIIte, HOOOO-o-ly NIIIIte", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? You'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song. You'd sway left/right for each "measure" of the song.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.<br />
<br />
:Music Construction<br />
::Generally speaking, we think that if something goes up, it will come down again; if a road turns left, somewhere ahead it'll turn to the right; if something is too soft to hear, it'll probably get louder, etc. These things are all true in most musical compositions. It's this way because humans like balance. We're willing to go out on a limb for a little while but after that, we like to come back to the trunk of the tree for safety, don't we? Music composers use this technique all the time. There's always a center -- a "core" to a popular piece of music. Sometimes it's the chorus or refrain, but it's always there. In the song 'Silent Night,' it's the phrase "sleep in heavenly peace" -- a line that's repeated for assurance. Therefore, look for similarities in the music. Does the music's melody start in one place and then at some later point, you hear the same basic melody but it's noticeably higher in pitch. That's called a "key change" or "modulation." In any event, the composer did it to make a similar line of music sound different. It's something new. Use that to your advantage in your lighting effects by doing something similar yet different with the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::Music is full of repeats of things and you need to listen for them. Earlier we covered he concept of groups of notes, which then become "measures" of the song -- the "pace." When groups of measures are assembled together, they become "phrases" in exactly the same way that poems often are constructed with lines that have exactly the same number of syllables and even rhyme. Why is this important? Well, humans like balance. We like it when something we hold in one hand is balanced off by something in the other hand. So you listen to the rhymes, and listen to how the music goes up and down, or how the music may move left-to-right, from soft to loud and then soft again, etc. and you can mimic those things with light.<br />
<br />
:::You will find that 95% of the time in a song, a group of four "measures" will constitute a phrase, and it will be followed by another set of four measures as an offset phrase to balance it out. Then you'll discover that those eight measures will be balanced off with another set of 8 measures, after which the song will change and do something new. This is the "16-measure bridge" that happens over and over and over, especially in vocal music. Recognizing this gives you the ability to divide a song into 3 parts or 4 main sections, each of which has essentially the same length and number of beats, and often there's a short ending, sometimes a repeat of the last line of the song. For example, you might have this:<br />
:::::Section 1: Instrumental introduction (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 2: Vocal, first verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 3: Instrumental bridge (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 4: Vocal, 2nd verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::End (sometimes because they're out of words - 4 measures, sometimes 8)<br />
<br />
:::You'll find the above structure in most country music songs and to a slightly lesser extent, pop music. You'll even find it in traditional classical orchestral music, although not nearly as often as pop or country. You'll find it in Broadway show music. You'll find it's a common structure of church music, and certainly, in Christmas music. Note that sometimes, the number of measures per phrase is cut in half because of the lyrics used, but the concept is the same. If it's not 16-16-16-16-4 it's likely 8-8-8-8-2. The point is, it's '''predictable.''' Use that to your advantage when you design your lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:::Grab a church hymnal sometime and look at commonly well-known songs such as Silent Night, We Three Kings, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and others. You'll easily be able to recognize their structures and you'll see how easy it can be.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3163Understanding Music2020-07-24T20:22:23Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. <br />
<br />
:Understand that it's not necessary to memorize or study everything presented here -- this is a general explanation of how music is designed and its effects on the listener. This is intended to help the non-musically-trained person learn what to listen for and be able to find specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, can and will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely requires a lot of energy to play it and therefore, putting a lot of energy into the lighting makes sense.<br />
<br />
::Note Grouping. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a ''''pace'''' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." And more than not, the pace becomes what's called "the measure" where each group of notes becomes a "measure" on the written score. For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "SIIII-ih-lent NIIIIte, HOOOO-o-ly NIIIIte", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? You'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song. You'd sway left/right for each "measure" of the song.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.<br />
<br />
:Music Construction<br />
::Generally speaking, we think that if something goes up, it will come down again; if a road turns left, somewhere ahead it'll turn to the right; if something is too soft to hear, it'll probably get louder, etc. These things are all true in most musical compositions. It's this way because humans like balance. We're willing to go out on a limb for a little while but after that, we like to come back to the trunk of the tree for safety, don't we? Music composers use this technique all the time. There's always a center -- a "core" to a popular piece of music. Sometimes it's the chorus or refrain, but it's always there. In the song 'Silent Night,' it's the phrase "sleep in heavenly peace" -- a line that's repeated for assurance. Therefore, look for similarities in the music. Does the music's melody start in one place and then at some later point, you hear the same basic melody but it's noticeably higher in pitch. That's called a "key change" or "modulation." In any event, the composer did it to make a similar line of music sound different. It's something new. Use that to your advantage in your lighting effects by doing something similar yet different with the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::Music is full of repeats of things and you need to listen for them. Earlier we covered he concept of groups of notes, which then become "measures" of the song -- the "pace." When groups of measures are assembled together, they become "phrases" in exactly the same way that poems often are constructed with lines that have exactly the same number of syllables and even rhyme. Why is this important? Well, humans like balance. We like it when something we hold in one hand is balanced off by something in the other hand. So you listen to the rhymes, and listen to how the music goes up and down, or how the music may move left-to-right, from soft to loud and then soft again, etc. and you can mimic those things with light.<br />
<br />
:::You will find that 95% of the time in a song, a group of four "measures" will constitute a phrase, and it will be followed by another set of four measures as an offset phrase to balance it out. Then you'll discover that those eight measures will be balanced off with another set of 8 measures, after which the song will change and do something new. This is the "16-measure bridge" that happens over and over and over, especially in vocal music. Recognizing this gives you the ability to divide a song into 3 parts or 4 main sections, each of which has essentially the same length and number of beats, and often there's a short ending, sometimes a repeat of the last line of the song. For example, you might have this:<br />
:::::Section 1: Instrumental introduction (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 2: Vocal, first verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 3: Instrumental bridge (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 4: Vocal, 2nd verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::End (sometimes because they're out of words - 4 measures, sometimes 8)<br />
<br />
:::You'll find the above structure in most country music songs and to a slightly lesser extent, pop music. You'll even find it in traditional classical orchestral music, although not nearly as often as pop or country. You'll find it in Broadway show music. You'll find it's a common structure of church music, and certainly, in Christmas music. Note that sometimes, the number of measures per phrase is cut in half because of the lyrics used, but the concept is the same. If it's not 16-16-16-16-4 it's likely 8-8-8-8-2. The point is, it's '''predictable.''' Use that to your advantage when you design your lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:::Grab a church hymnal sometime and look at commonly well-known songs such as Silent Night, We Three Kings, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and others. You'll easily be able to recognize their structures and you'll see how easy it can be.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3162Understanding Music2020-07-24T20:18:18Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. <br />
<br />
:Understand that it's not necessary to memorize or study everything presented here -- this is a general explanation of how music is designed and its effects on the listener. This is intended to help the non-musically-trained person learn what to listen for and be able to find specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, can and will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely requires a lot of energy to play it and therefore, putting a lot of energy into the lighting makes sense.<br />
<br />
::Note Grouping. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a ''''pace'''' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." And more than not, the pace becomes what's called "the measure" where each group of notes becomes a "measure" on the written score. For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "SIIII-ih-lent NIIIIte, HOOOO-o-ly NIIIIte", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? You'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song. You'd sway left/right for each "measure" of the song.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.<br />
<br />
:Music Construction<br />
::Generally speaking, we think that if something goes up, it will come down again; if a road turns left, somewhere ahead it'll turn to the right; if something is too soft to hear, it'll probably get louder, etc. These things are all true in most musical compositions. It's this way because humans like balance. We're willing to go out on a limb for a little while but after that, we like to come back to the trunk of the tree for safety, don't we? Music composers use this technique all the time. There's always a center -- a "core" to a popular piece of music. Sometimes it's the chorus or refrain, but it's always there. In the song 'Silent Night,' it's the phrase "sleep in heavenly peace" -- a line that's repeated for assurance. Therefore, look for similarities in the music. Does the music's melody start in one place and then at some later point, you hear the same basic melody but it's noticeably higher in pitch. That's called a "key change" or "modulation." In any event, the composer did it to make a similar line of music sound different. It's something new. Use that to your advantage in your lighting effects by doing something similar yet different with the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::Music is full of repeats of things and you need to listen for them. Earlier we covered he concept of groups of notes, which then become "measures" of the song -- the "pace." When groups of measures are assembled together, they become "phrases" in exactly the same way that poems often are constructed with lines that have exactly the same number of syllables and even rhyme. Why is this important? Well, humans like balance. We like it when something we hold in one hand is balanced off by something in the other hand. So you listen to the rhymes, and listen to how the music goes up and down, or how the music may move left-to-right, from soft to loud and then soft again, etc. and you can mimic those things with light.<br />
<br />
:::You will find that 95% of the time in a song, a group of four "measures" will constitute a phrase, and it will be followed by another set of four measures as an offset phrase to balance it out. Then you'll discover that those eight measures will be balanced off with another set of 8 measures, after which the song will change and do something new. This is the "16-measure bridge" that happens over and over and over, especially in vocal music. Recognizing this gives you the ability to divide a song into 3 parts or 4 main sections, each of which has essentially the same length and number of beats, and often there's a short ending, sometimes a repeat of the last line of the song. For example, you might have this:<br />
:::::Section 1: Instrumental introduction (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 2: Vocal, first verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 3: Instrumental bridge (16 measures)<br />
:::::Section 4: Vocal, 2nd verse and chorus/refrain (16 measures)<br />
:::::End (sometimes because they're out of words - 4 measures, sometimes 8)<br />
<br />
:::You'll find the above structure in most country music songs and to a slightly lesser extent, pop music. You'll even find it in traditional classical orchestral music, although not nearly as often as pop or country. You'll find it in Broadway show music. You'll find it's a common structure of church music, and certainly, in Christmas music. Note that sometimes, the number of measures per phrase is cut in half because of the lyrics used, but the concept is the same. If it's not 16-16-16-16-4 it's likely 8-8-8-8-2. The point is, it's '''predictable.''' Use that to your advantage when you design your lighting effects.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3161Understanding Music2020-07-24T19:24:35Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. This paper is intended to help you understand how music is designed by the composers so that you'll be able to listen for specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If the music seems fast, the players likely requires a lot of energy to play it and therefore, putting a lot of energy into the lighting makes sense.<br />
<br />
::Note Grouping. Huh? Wha?!? This is what's called the 'time signature' or 'meter' of the music and it's closely related to the tempo but is a bit broader in scope. The time signature is designed into the music by the composer and it's intended to help the musicians physically play the music in a way so that it sounds how the composer intended it to sound. Grouping several beats together into regular-sized groups gives the music a 'pace' so that the music seems to flow more smoothly. (For the director who's waving his arms out there in front of the orchestra, pace also makes the music directable instead of the director wildly flapping his arms as if he's trying to lift himself off the ground.) For the players, the music's meter/time signature makes it easier to play and allows a way for all the players to be synchronized together. Typically, the meters used for most music is called either duple or triple -- music using two or three beat groups of notes. Time signatures of four are still called duple meters because they are easily divisible by two. A time signature of 6 can be looked at in two ways: two groups of three notes each or three groups of two notes each. Lesser-used time signatures of 5, 7, 9, 11 and even 13 exist, but the further you get past divisible by 2 or 3 makes the music difficult to play and sometimes, even harder to listen to because it doesn't seem to make sense -- it just sounds "off." The good news is that almost no Christmas music uses any of the weird time signatures. (Can you think why? Right! Because Christmas music is supposed to be 'feel-good' music -- you don't want it to sound harsh.)<br />
<br />
::But note grouping -- i.e. the time signature -- is important because of how it helps make the music flow at a regular, predictable speed. The 'pace' of the music is what causes people to "tap their toes." For example, think of the song, "Silent Night." Got it in your mind right now? Can you hear it and maybe hum or sing it a little? Well, Silent Night's time signature has beats that sound like they're organized into groups of 3. "Siiii--ih-lent niiiite, hoooo-o-ly niiiite, right? It's not "Si. Lent. Night. Ho. Ly. Night." straight away from one to the next, is it? No, it flows. It flows because the syllables of the song's lyrics match groups of 3 so well. Organized in this way, when we sing the song, we usually put a little emphasis on the first beat of every group of 3 beats so it we sing it as "SIIII-ih-lent NIIIIte, HOOOO-o-ly NIIIIte", don't we? We sometimes even sway from side-to-side singing a song like this. Now you understand what 'pace' means. (Don't blow your mind when I tell you that Silent Night is actually written in a 6 time signature with the counts being 1-2-3, 4-5-6 -- two groups of 3 beats each -- but it still "feels" at its base like the triple meter 1-2-3, doesn't it? You'd sway to the music because of its 1-2-3, 4-5-6 pace with a sway one way on 1-2-3 then a sway the other way for 4-5-6 and comfortably back-and-forth through the whole song.) <br />
<br />
::Pace is one of those warm-and-fuzzy things that gives viewers a comfortable and friendly experience watching your show. It's calming and non-threatening. They'll say "I liked that one" when it's over because they not only knew the song, they could participate along with it. On the other hand, if you threw some avant garde, wild-and-wooly, super-high-energy loud and dissonant blow-your-hair-back music at them that they've never heard before, they might start the car and drive away.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3160Understanding Music2020-07-24T18:17:46Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. This paper is intended to help you understand how music is designed by the composers so that you'll be able to listen for specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Other Dimensions'''<br />
::But sound has much more than left-right, top-bottom and front-back dimensions to it. It has '''loudness''', for example. Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft? Music does that, too -- and often, only a moment apart. Loudness can be used to help simulate depth in your show because loudness will push the viewer back while soft musical passages can draw his/her attention in. Loudness can also be thought of as light intensity where the lights are super-bright for super-loud passages and softer/dimmer for quieter sections.<br />
<br />
::Human hearing spans a wide frequency range. In this context, music has a '''pitch''' dimension. At the high end, piccolos, flutes and violins generally rule; at the low end, tubas, bassoons, double-basses and some percussion take over. Horns, clarinets, saxophones, violas and the like are generally mid-range instruments. All instruments are capable of playing very wide ranges of pitches but when you push a musical instrument outside its "normal" range, the sound it makes can become a bit strange, unpredictable and downright awful. But here again, music shows it's "height" component. You can use that as you design your lighting sequences.<br />
<br />
::Another dimension is '''timbre'''. Timbre is what the sound is apart from its loudness or pitch. Timbre is what allows you to hear the difference between a horn and a violin even though they may be playing the same note. Vocally, female and male voices generally have different timbres, which is partly because of different physical factors in the throats of the singers, the lengths of their torsos and sizes of resonating cavities inside their heads and chests. In a way, the speakers that you use to listen to music emulate these factors by having "woofers" and "tweeters" -- large or small speakers inside the speaker cabinets. So as you listen to your show music, consider what instruments are highlighted and use that to create different highlights in your lighting.<br />
<br />
:'''Speed'''<br />
:: Musical speed is called ''''tempo'''' and it's related to how fast the music is moving. We typically measure tempo in terms of 'x number of beats per minute' where a lot of beats is generally considered 'fast' and few beats is 'slow.' This isn't completely correct though, because music has a lot of mathematical components built into it and here's where things get a little wacky because music has different kinds of notes. It has 'whole' notes, 'half'-notes, 'quarter'-notes, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second and even sixty-fourth notes. And believe it or not, there's even a 128th note, too. The wacky part of this is that these fractional notes work just like fractions in math where the tempo of a whole note is the same as two half-notes because two halves make a whole. Or a whole note can be represented by four quarter-notes, or eight eighth-notes. You get the idea. Well a slow tempo of perhaps one beat per second (60 beats per minute) sounds a whole lot faster to the ear when instead of playing only one note every second, the musician plays four notes per second: to the listener, it ''sounds'' four times as fast. In any event, you don't need to know what the exact tempo is, but you need to be sensitive to what the speed "sounds" like. If it seems fast, it likely requires a lot of energy</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3159Understanding Music2020-07-24T17:29:00Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. This paper is intended to help you understand how music is designed by the composers so that you'll be able to listen for specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display area where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Musical sound can do the same thing because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer. As you're standing in front of your display are, close your eyes and think about a piece of music you can't wait to use in your show. Is it quiet and calm? Is it wild with lots of drums, guitar riffs and horns? Is it a duet with a piano on one side and the vocalist on the other? Is it an orchestra on stage with violins in the front left, heavy kettle drums in the back, a snare drum back-center, a harp or piano on the back-left, maybe a flute, clarinet or saxophone in the center, trumpets and trombones on the back right and maybe violas on the front right and double-basses way off on the far right? Maybe it's the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from G.F. Handel's oratorio, 'Messiah' where you hear the orchestra in front and the massive choir behind them standing on risers. As humans, we sometimes "move with the sound." When an actor is on the left or right side of a movie screen sometimes his/her voice will come from speakers on that side of the room, too. A train the comes to the station gets louder as it approaches and then the noise moves from left to right as the train passes, doesn't it? Are you starting to see how sound has "geometry" too? Maybe then you can also see how you can use music to highlight different props or areas in your show.<br />
<br />
:'''Forcefulness'''<br />
::Have you ever gone to a movie and at a certain part of the movie, the sound is REALLLLLLY LOUD!!!? It kind of pushes you back in the seat, doesn't it. Or have you ever leaned forward in the seat to hear some dialogue that's especially soft?</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Music&diff=3158Understanding Music2020-07-24T16:39:42Z<p>Dirknerkle: Created page with ":Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the s..."</p>
<hr />
<div>:Music is one of the most complex forms of communication there is, and unless you're listening to a recording alone in a dark room, no two performances are even close to the same. The old adage, "goes in one ear and out the other" is literally true. Once the music has happened, it'll never be heard the same way again. Ever. <br />
<br />
:However, music can be written down so that the printed form is exactly the same every time you look at it. Music uses a "system" for recording the notes to be played, the relative speed and volume in which they're to be played and the musical instruments to be used to play them -- which includes the human voice. But because there are no two human beings who think, feel or do things exactly the same way as a machine might, this infinite human variability creates the wonderful potential for different performances of the same pieces of music. Likewise, there is infinite variability in those that hear the music, too. This dual-variability is why music is so complex -- it's never performed the same nor is it ever heard the same. But it always communicates ''something'' in the process. This paper is intended to help you understand how music is designed by the composers so that you'll be able to listen for specific kinds of musical nuances which, in turn, will help you design visual representations of what you hear with your ears.<br />
<br />
:'''Geometry'''<br />
::Stand in front of your display where your viewers might be and just look. Your yard/house/shrubs, etc. all have 3D physical properties. There's left-to-right width, top-to-bottom height and front-to-back depth. Likewise, most people have a head that turns left and right (width), up and down (height), and eyes that can focus close and far away (depth). Can you see everything all at once, or do you have to move something to view an object on the left side of your house, or the top of your roof, or the base of your front steps, or the bicycle by the garage? Well, it's quite obvious how lights can be used to move the viewer's attention from one place to another in your display, isn't it? <br />
<br />
::Music can do the same thing, but auditorily because the ears on either side of your head can discern left-right, up-down, near and far dimensions, too. When you couple the music to the visual effects, it opens a whole new and pleasurable experience for the viewer.</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Sequencing_for_Impact&diff=3157Sequencing for Impact2020-07-24T16:04:24Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:There's more than meets the ear to using music effectively in your light show. Here's some information and short videos for those that need some help understanding how this works.<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Understanding Music]]''' - Knowing how music is constructed can help you design your show<br />
<br />
:* '''Sequencing for Impact - 1 - [https://vimeo.com/307778247 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:*'''Sequencing for Impact - 2 - [https://vimeo.com/307815356 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:*'''Sequencing for Impact - 3 - [https://vimeo.com/307878350 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:*'''Sequencing for Impact - 4 - [https://vimeo.com/308104996 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:*'''Sequencing for Impact - 5 - [https://vimeo.com/308298386 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:*''' Sequencing for Impact - 6 - [https://vimeo.com/308352150 WatchVideo] '''</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Sequencing_for_Impact&diff=3156Sequencing for Impact2020-07-24T15:35:04Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:There's more than meets the ear to using music effectively in your light show. Here's some information and short videos for those that need some help understanding how this works.<br />
<br />
:* [[Understanding Music]]<br />
<br />
:'''* Sequencing for Impact - 1 - [https://vimeo.com/307778247 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:'''* Sequencing for Impact - 2 - [https://vimeo.com/307815356 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:'''* Sequencing for Impact - 3 - [https://vimeo.com/307878350 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:'''* Sequencing for Impact - 4 - [https://vimeo.com/308104996 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:'''* Sequencing for Impact - 5 - [https://vimeo.com/308298386 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
:'''* Sequencing for Impact - 6 - [https://vimeo.com/308352150 WatchVideo] '''</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Sequencing_for_Impact&diff=3155Sequencing for Impact2020-07-24T15:33:52Z<p>Dirknerkle: Created page with ":There's more than meets the ear to using music effectively in your light show. Here's some information and short videos for those that need some help understanding how this w..."</p>
<hr />
<div>:There's more than meets the ear to using music effectively in your light show. Here's some information and short videos for those that need some help understanding how this works.<br />
<br />
:* [[Understanding Music]]<br />
<br />
''':* Sequencing for Impact - 1 - [https://vimeo.com/307778247 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
''':* Sequencing for Impact - 1 - [https://vimeo.com/307815356 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
''':* Sequencing for Impact - 1 - [https://vimeo.com/307878350 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
''':* Sequencing for Impact - 1 - [https://vimeo.com/308104996 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
''':* Sequencing for Impact - 1 - [https://vimeo.com/308298386 WatchVideo] '''<br />
<br />
''':* Sequencing for Impact - 1 - [https://vimeo.com/308352150 WatchVideo] '''</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Audio/FM_Radio&diff=3154Audio/FM Radio2020-07-24T15:26:49Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:To the visitor, a silent animated light show doesn't make much sense by itself -- it just appears to be random blinking and flashing lights. But when you link the lighting effects to an audio track, ''that's'' when the show really takes off! The audio track pulls it all together and gives purpose to the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:But it's not just ''any'' audio that turns your show loose -- playing a local radio station's Christmas carols while your show is running most likely won't work that well and achieve the impact you hope. It's audio that's been carefully selected so that together, the audio/music and lighting effects compliment one another to create the most enjoyable viewing experience. What's more, the audio track needs to have good audio fidelity, too, and the topics below can help you create an excellent audio track.<br />
<br />
:'''Jason Rasmussen''' (jtrpop) provided a wonderfully informative presentation at the 2020 Virtual Christmas Summit that addresses many of the topics below -- highly recommended viewing!: '''[http://bit.ly/xe-audio2 WatchVideo]'''<br />
<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Selecting Music]]''' How to select music that matches the overall theme of your show<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Editing Audio Files]]''' Information about inexpensive tools and methods for enhancing your audio track<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Voiceovers/Announcements]]''' How to make your own announcements -- or where to you have them recorded for you<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Radio Transmitters]]''' Information about selecting and using low-power FM transmitters<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Transmitting Antennas]]''' Information about antennas; how to build your own inexpensive, high-performance dipole antenna<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Sequencing for Impact]]''' Tips/tricks for making your show pop<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Products/Sources]]''' Where to find hardware, software, or more help</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Audio/FM_Radio&diff=3153Audio/FM Radio2020-07-24T14:39:20Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:To the visitor, a silent animated light show doesn't make much sense by itself -- it just appears to be random blinking and flashing lights. But when you link the lighting effects to an audio track, ''that's'' when the show really takes off! The audio track pulls it all together and gives purpose to the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:But it's not just ''any'' audio that turns your show loose -- playing a local radio station's Christmas carols while your show is running most likely won't work that well and achieve the impact you hope. It's audio that's been carefully selected so that together, the audio/music and lighting effects compliment one another to create the most enjoyable viewing experience. What's more, the audio track needs to have good audio fidelity, too, and the topics below can help you create an excellent audio track.<br />
<br />
:'''Jason Rasmussen''' (jtrpop) provided a wonderfully informative presentation at the 2020 Virtual Christmas Summit that addresses many of the topics below -- highly recommended viewing!: '''[http://bit.ly/xe-audio2 WatchVideo]'''<br />
<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Selecting Music]]''' How to select music that matches the overall theme of your show<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Editing Audio Files]]''' Information about inexpensive tools and methods for enhancing your audio track<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Voiceovers/Announcements]]''' How to make your own announcements -- or where to you have them recorded for you<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Radio Transmitters]]''' Information about selecting and using low-power FM transmitters<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Transmitting Antennas]]''' Information about antennas; how to build your own inexpensive, high-performance dipole antenna<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Products/Sources]]''' Where to find hardware, software, or more help</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Audio/FM_Radio&diff=3152Audio/FM Radio2020-07-24T14:35:34Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:To the visitor, a silent animated light show doesn't make much sense by itself -- it just appears to be random blinking and flashing lights. But when you link the lighting effects to an audio track, ''that's'' when the show really takes off! The audio track pulls it all together and gives purpose to the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:But it's not just ''any'' audio that turns your show loose -- playing a local radio station's Christmas carols while your show is running most likely won't work that well and achieve the impact you hope. It's audio that's been carefully selected so that together, the audio/music and lighting effects compliment one another to create the most enjoyable viewing experience. What's more, the audio track needs to have good audio fidelity, too.<br />
<br />
:'''Jason Rasmussen''' (jtrpop) provided a wonderfully informative presentation at the 2020 Virtual Christmas Summit that addresses many of the topics below -- highly recommended viewing!: '''[http://bit.ly/xe-audio2 WatchVideo]'''<br />
<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Selecting Music]]''' How to select music that matches the overall theme of your show<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Editing Audio Files]]''' Information about inexpensive tools and methods for enhancing your audio track<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Voiceovers/Announcements]]''' How to make your own announcements -- or where to you have them recorded for you<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Radio Transmitters]]''' Information about selecting and using low-power FM transmitters<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Transmitting Antennas]]''' Information about antennas; how to build your own inexpensive, high-performance dipole antenna<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Products/Sources]]''' Where to find hardware, software, or more help</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Audio/FM_Radio&diff=3151Audio/FM Radio2020-07-24T14:33:03Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:To the visitor, a silent animated light show doesn't make much sense by itself -- it just appears to be random blinking and flashing lights. But when you link the lighting effects to an audio track, ''that's'' when the show really takes off! The audio track pulls it all together and gives purpose to the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:But it's not just ''any'' audio that turns your show loose -- playing a local radio station's Christmas carols while your show is running most likely won't work that well and achieve the impact you hope. It's audio that's been carefully selected so that together, the audio/music and lighting effects compliment one another to create the most enjoyable viewing experience. What's more, the audio track needs to have good audio fidelity, too.<br />
<br />
:'''Jason Rasmussen''' (jtrpop) provided a wonderfully informative presentation at the 2020 Virtual Christmas Summit on Transmitting Your Audio over FM: '''[http://bit.ly/xe-audio2 WatchVideo]'''<br />
<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Selecting Music]]''' How to select music that matches the overall theme of your show<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Editing Audio Files]]''' Information about inexpensive tools and methods for enhancing your audio track<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Voiceovers/Announcements]]''' How to make your own announcements -- or where to you have them recorded for you<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Radio Transmitters]]''' Information about selecting and using low-power FM transmitters<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Transmitting Antennas]]''' Information about antennas; how to build your own inexpensive, high-performance dipole antenna<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Products/Sources]]''' Where to find hardware, software, or more help</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Audio/FM_Radio&diff=3150Audio/FM Radio2020-07-24T14:31:42Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:To the visitor, a silent animated light show doesn't make much sense by itself -- it just appears to be random blinking and flashing lights. But when you link the lighting effects to an audio track, ''that's'' when the show really takes off! The audio track pulls it all together and gives purpose to the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
:But it's not just ''any'' audio that turns your show loose -- playing a local radio station's Christmas carols while your show is running most likely won't work that well and achieve the impact you hope. It's audio that's been carefully selected so that together, the audio/music and lighting effects compliment one another to create the most enjoyable viewing experience. What's more, the audio track needs to have good audio fidelity, too.<br />
<br />
:Jason Rasmussen (jtrpop) provided a wonderfully informative presentation at the 2020 Virtual Christmas Summit on Transmitting Your Audio over FM: '''[http://bit.ly/xe-audio2 Video]'''<br />
<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Selecting Music]]''' How to select music that matches the overall theme of your show<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Editing Audio Files]]''' Information about inexpensive tools and methods for enhancing your audio track<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Voiceovers/Announcements]]''' How to make your own announcements -- or where to you have them recorded for you<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Radio Transmitters]]''' Information about selecting and using low-power FM transmitters<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Transmitting Antennas]]''' Information about antennas; how to build your own inexpensive, high-performance dipole antenna<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Products/Sources]]''' Where to find hardware, software, or more help</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Audio/FM_Radio&diff=3149Audio/FM Radio2020-07-24T14:29:20Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::To the visitor, a silent animated light show doesn't make much sense by itself -- it just appears to be random blinking and flashing lights. But when you link the lighting effects to an audio track, ''that's'' when the show really takes off! The audio track pulls it all together and gives purpose to the lighting effects.<br />
<br />
::But it's not just ''any'' audio that turns your show loose -- playing a local radio station's Christmas carols while your show is running most likely won't work that well and achieve the impact you hope. It's audio that's been carefully selected so that together, the audio/music and lighting effects compliment one another to create the most enjoyable viewing experience. What's more, the audio track needs to have good audio fidelity, too.<br />
<br />
Jason Rasmussen recorded a very informative presentation at the 2020 Virtual Christmas Summit: [http://bit.ly/xe-audio2 Video]<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Selecting Music]]''' How to select music that matches the overall theme of your show<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Editing Audio Files]]''' Information about inexpensive tools and methods for enhancing your audio track<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Voiceovers/Announcements]]''' How to make your own announcements -- or where to you have them recorded for you<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Radio Transmitters]]''' Information about selecting and using low-power FM transmitters<br />
<br />
:* '''[[FM Transmitting Antennas]]''' Information about antennas; how to build your own inexpensive, high-performance dipole antenna<br />
<br />
:* '''[[Products/Sources]]''' Where to find hardware, software, or more help</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=FM_Transmitting_Antennas&diff=3148FM Transmitting Antennas2020-07-24T14:25:55Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>::If you're using a low-power FM transmitter, you're going to need a good antenna so that your station's signal is clean and clear.<br />
<br />
:'''* [[How to Make a Dipole Antenna]]''' - an easy DIY project for an inexpensive yet high-performance antenna<br />
<br />
-in progress-</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=How_to_Make_a_Dipole_Antenna&diff=3147How to Make a Dipole Antenna2020-07-24T14:21:04Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:This DIY FM antenna project is inexpensive and takes roughly an hour to assemble. The resulting antenna is very efficient and puts out a strong, clean signal. It can also be mounted either indoor or outdoor. A PDF version of this how-to is available here: '''[[Media:Dipole_antenna.pdf]]'''<br />
<br />
'''Materials'''<br />
:• 1 - 6’ length steel cable. (Romex® cable or other stiff copper wire also works fine)<br />
:• 1 - 8’ length 1” PVC pipe<br />
:• 1 - PVC 1” T- connector<br />
:• 2 - PVC 1” end caps<br />
:• 1 - PVC 1” 90-degree corner connector<br />
:• 2 - 8” or longer zip ties<br />
:• 1 - 2”section of perf board or other piece of plastic or non-electrically conductive material<br />
:• 2 - 1” diameter washers (same diameter as PVC pipe. The hole in the washer must be smaller than the locking end of a zip tie yet large enough for the flat zip tie to fit through.<br />
:• TV coax extension cable (with connectors) in the length you’ll need from your transmitter to the antenna.<br />
:• Optional: 2-3” of shrink tubing (or electrical tape)<br />
:• Optional: 2 pipe clamps (to fit around the PVC pipe for wall mounting)<br />
:• Optional: choke core balun to fit the coax cable<br />
:• Optional: PVC cement or silicone glue<br />
<br />
'''Step-by-step directions'''<br />
<br />
:1. If you’re using steel cable, skip to step #2. If using Romex® cable cut a piece of 3-conductor Romex® cable about 6’ long. Romex® cable is the kind of wire used by home builders when installing the electrical wiring in a home. Any gauge is fine. Strip the bare ground wire out – it’s the only wire you need.<br />
<br />
:2. Make a small loop in each end, about ½” across. Either solder the loop wires together or tightly twist the wire so it will not come apart.<br />
[[File:Ant-1.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:3. Measure and cut the wire '''exactly''' in half so you have two identical lengths.<br />
<br />
:4. Decide on the frequency of your FM station. Then use the following formula to determine the length of each of the half pieces in inches: 2803/frequency in mhz. Example: suppose your station will be transmitting on 87.9mhz: 2803/87.9 = 31.888 inches (31-7/8” is close enough).<br />
<br />
:5. Don’t cut, but mark this length on each half using a Sharpie measuring from the loop end. This is the ideal radiating element length for your chosen frequency. Make a 90 degree bend in both wires at '''exactly''' that point.<br />
<br />
:6. On a small piece of perf board, plastic or other strong, non-electrically conductive material that’s narrow enough to fit through the PVC pipe, drill a row of four small holes just large enough for the wire to fit through, and place them close together – no more than ¼” apart.<br />
[[File:Ant-2.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:7. Insert the bent wires into the inside holes and bend them back out through the outer holes on each side.<br />
<br />
:8. Solder the wires together where the ends come out and cross; clip off the excess wire.<br />
[[File:Ant-3.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:9. Clip off one of the end connectors from the TV coax cable, strip down the insulation and separate the center wire from the outer “ground shield” wire. Make sure the shield wire does not touch the center wire. <br />
<br />
:10. Solder the center coax wire to one of the wires and the ground “shield” wire to the other. It doesn’t matter which is which, although the side that connects to the center wire will be the “top” of the antenna if the antenna is mounted vertically (preferred!). Note: to prevent against accidental shorts, you may want to use shrink-tubing or electrical tape to insulate the center wire from the shield wire.<br />
[[File:Ant-4.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:11. Extend the wires from the center junction and adjust them so they’re straight. Just eyeball it – no need to make them exact. At this point, you actually have a working antenna, but you’ll want to finish it off.<br />
<br />
:12. Insert the coax cable through an end of the PVC “T” connector and then out through the middle opening. Then push one end of the antenna wire all the way through the “T” connector and out the other side. Carefully pull the coax cable out the middle until the center junction fits into the center of the “T” connector so that antenna wires come out each end and the coax cable comes out the middle. Your result may not look exactly like this example, but it should give you a good idea of what the end result should be like. It’s perfectly okay if the center connector sticks out a bit from the “T” connector.<br />
[[File:Ant-5.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:13. Mark the outside of the “T” connector with a pen or tape to tell which is the “TOP” end.<br />
<br />
:14. Measure a length of PVC pipe so that after being inserted over one of the looped antenna ends and into the “T” connector, it’s about 1” to 2” longer than the end of the wire. Do the same with the other end.<br />
::[[File:Ant-6.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:15. Loop the zip tie through the hole in the washer, down into the pipe, through the loop in the cable and back out through the washer. Then loosely tighten the zip tie so there’s some play. Do the same with the other end. (Note: the washer isn’t a necessity and you could certainly drill holes in the PVC end caps instead, although this may allow rainwater to seep in and create a problem for an antenna that’s mounted outdoors.) <br />
[[File:Ant-7.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:16. You should have something that looks like the picture below. Now tighten each zip tie so that the center junction remains inside the “T” connector. When you’re done, the inside antenna wire should be taut -- not touching anything -- and held securely at each end with the washers flush against the ends of the PVC pipe. <br />
[[File:Ant-8.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:17. Slip a PVC end cap onto each end of the pipe. This will cover the washers and make the antenna virtually waterproof. Your antenna will look something like this:<br />
[[File:Ant-9.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:18. With the remaining PVC pipe, cut two lengths about 6” long and push each into an end of the 90-degree PVC corner piece. This will become the antenna mounting post. Then slip the coax wire through it and push it into the open middle of the “T” connector. When done, your antenna will look similar to this picture:<br />
[[File:Ant-10.png | center]]<br />
<br />
<br />
:19. Note the marking you placed on the “T” connector for the “TOP” and how the “post” points downward in the picture to the right. You can mount the two pipe clamps onto a wall in your garage or side of the house and slide the mount down into them. A dipole antenna works best when the antenna is mounted vertically, with the “top” upward and the “ground” side pointed toward the ground. Try to keep about 6” or more space between the vertical section and any walls for best performance.<br />
[[File:Ant-11.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:20. You may be able to increase the efficiency of your dipole antenna by affixing a choke core balun around the coax cable. You should place it as close as possible to the center junction and it will fit quite nicely inside the short PVC pipe that comes out of the “T” connector. The radiation pattern of a dipole antenna mounted vertically is horizontally omni-directional, much like the shape of a donut.<br />
<br />
:21. After you test your antenna, if you plan to put the antenna outdoors, you may wish to use PVC cement to make joints permanent. Alternately, you may use just a small bit of silicone glue around the joints to make the antenna truly waterproof yet still easy to dismantle. Note: transmitting antennas always work better when mounted outdoors!<br />
<br />
:22. '''REMINDER: your transmitter is always sending out a signal when it’s powered up. Be sure to power it off BEFORE you disconnect the antenna or you may damage the transmitter’s final amplifier circuit.'''</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=How_to_Make_a_Dipole_Antenna&diff=3146How to Make a Dipole Antenna2020-07-24T14:13:17Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:This DIY FM antenna project is inexpensive and takes roughly an hour to assemble. The resulting antenna is very efficient and puts out a strong, clean signal. It can also be mounted either indoor or outdoor. A PDF version of this how-to is available here: '''[[Media:Dipole_antenna.pdf]]'''<br />
<br />
'''Materials'''<br />
:• 1 - 6’ length steel cable. (Romex® cable or other stiff copper wire also works fine)<br />
:• 1 - 8’ length 1” PVC pipe<br />
:• 1 - PVC 1” T- connector<br />
:• 2 - PVC 1” end caps<br />
:• 1 - PVC 1” 90-degree corner connector<br />
:• 2 - 8” or longer zip ties<br />
:• 1 - 2”section of perf board or other piece of plastic or non-electrically conductive material<br />
:• 2 - 1” diameter washers (same diameter as PVC pipe. The hole in the washer must be smaller than the locking end of a zip tie yet large enough for the flat zip tie to fit through.<br />
:• TV coax extension cable (with connectors) in the length you’ll need from your transmitter to the antenna.<br />
:• Optional: 2-3” of shrink tubing (or electrical tape)<br />
:• Optional: 2 pipe clamps (to fit around the PVC pipe for wall mounting)<br />
:• Optional: choke core balun to fit the coax cable<br />
:• Optional: PVC cement or silicone glue<br />
<br />
'''Step-by-step directions'''<br />
<br />
:1. If you’re using steel cable, skip to step #2. If using Romex® cable cut a piece of 3-conductor Romex® cable about 6’ long. Romex® cable is the kind of wire used by home builders when installing the electrical wiring in a home. Any gauge is fine. Strip the bare ground wire out – it’s the only wire you need.<br />
<br />
:2. Make a small loop in each end, about ½” across. Either solder the loop wires together or tightly twist the wire so it will not come apart.<br />
[[File:Ant-1.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:3. Measure and cut the wire '''exactly''' in half so you have two identical lengths.<br />
<br />
:4. Decide on the frequency of your FM station. Then use the following formula to determine the length of each of the half pieces in inches: 2803/frequency in mhz. Example: suppose your station will be transmitting on 87.9mhz: 2803/87.9 = 31.888 inches (31-7/8” is close enough).<br />
<br />
:5. Don’t cut, but mark this length on each half using a Sharpie measuring from the loop end. This is the ideal radiating element length for your chosen frequency. Make a 90 degree bend in both wires at '''exactly''' that point.<br />
<br />
:6. On a small piece of perf board, plastic or other strong, non-electrically conductive material that’s narrow enough to fit through the PVC pipe, drill a row of four small holes just large enough for the wire to fit through, and place them close together – no more than ¼” apart.<br />
[[File:Ant-2.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:7. Insert the bent wires into the inside holes and bend them back out through the outer holes on each side.<br />
<br />
:8. Solder the wires together where the ends come out and cross; clip off the excess wire.<br />
[[File:Ant-3.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:9. Clip off one of the end connectors from the TV coax cable, strip down the insulation and separate the center wire from the outer “ground shield” wire. Make sure the shield wire does not touch the center wire. <br />
<br />
:10. Solder the center coax wire to one of the wires and the ground “shield” wire to the other. It doesn’t matter which is which, although the side that connects to the center wire will be the “top” of the antenna if the antenna is mounted vertically (preferred!). Note: to prevent against accidental shorts, you may want to use shrink-tubing to insulate the center wire from the shield wire.<br />
[[File:Ant-4.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:11. Extend the wires from the center junction and adjust them so they’re straight. Just eyeball it – no need to make them exact. At this point, you actually have a working antenna, but you’ll want to finish it off.<br />
<br />
:12. Insert the coax cable through an end of the PVC “T” connector and then out through the middle opening. Then push one end of the antenna wire all the way through the “T” connector and out the other side. Carefully pull the coax cable out the middle until the center junction fits into the center of the “T” connector so that antenna wires come out each end and the coax cable comes out the middle. Your result may not look exactly like this example, but it should give you a good idea of what the end result should be like. It’s perfectly okay if the center connector sticks out a bit from the “T” connector.<br />
[[File:Ant-5.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:13. Mark the outside of the “T” connector with a pen or tape to tell which is the “TOP” end.<br />
<br />
:14. Measure a length of PVC pipe so that after being inserted over one of the looped antenna ends and into the “T” connector, it’s about 1” to 2” longer than the end of the wire. Do the same with the other end.<br />
::[[File:Ant-6.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:15. Loop the zip tie through the hole in the washer, down into the pipe, through the loop in the cable and back out through the washer. Then loosely tighten the zip tie so there’s some play. Do the same with the other end. (Note: the washer isn’t a necessity and you could certainly drill holes in the PVC end caps instead, although this may allow rainwater to seep in and create a problem for an antenna that’s mounted outdoors. <br />
[[File:Ant-7.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:16. You should have something that looks like the picture below. Now tighten each zip tie so that the center junction remains inside the “T” connector. When you’re done, the inside antenna wire should be taut -- not touching anything -- and held securely at each end with the washers flush against the ends of the PVC pipe. <br />
[[File:Ant-8.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:17. Slip a PVC end cap onto each end of the pipe. This will cover the washers and make the antenna virtually waterproof. Your antenna will look something like this:<br />
[[File:Ant-9.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:18. With the remaining PVC pipe, cut two lengths about 6” long and push each into an end of the 90-degree PVC corner piece. This will become the antenna mounting post. Then slip the coax wire through it and push it into the open middle of the “T” connector. When done, your antenna will look similar to this picture:<br />
[[File:Ant-10.png | center]]<br />
<br />
<br />
:19. Note the marking you placed on the “T” connector for the “TOP” and how the “post” points downward in the picture to the right. You can mount the two pipe clamps onto a wall in your garage or side of the house and slide the mount down into them. A dipole antenna works best when the antenna is mounted vertically, with the “top” upward and the “ground” side pointed toward the ground. Try to keep about 6” or more space between the vertical section and any walls for best performance.<br />
[[File:Ant-11.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:20. You may be able to increase the efficiency of your dipole antenna by affixing a choke core balun around the coax cable. You should place it as close as possible to the center junction and it will fit quite nicely inside the short PVC pipe that comes out of the “T” connector. The radiation pattern of a dipole antenna mounted vertically is horizontally omni-directional, much like the shape of a donut.<br />
<br />
:21. After you test your antenna, if you plan to put the antenna outdoors, you may wish to use PVC cement to make joints permanent. Alternately, you may use just a small bit of silicone glue around the joints to make the antenna truly waterproof yet still easy to dismantle. Note: transmitting antennas always work better when mounted outdoors!<br />
<br />
:22. '''REMINDER: your transmitter is always sending out a signal when it’s powered up. Be sure to power it off BEFORE you disconnect the antenna or you may damage the transmitter’s final amplifier circuit.'''</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=How_to_Make_a_Dipole_Antenna&diff=3145How to Make a Dipole Antenna2020-07-24T14:10:31Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:This DIY FM antenna project is inexpensive and takes roughly an hour to assemble. The resulting antenna is very efficient and puts out a strong, clean signal. It can also be mounted either indoor or outdoor. A PDF version of this how-to is available here: '''[[Media:Dipole_antenna.pdf]]'''<br />
<br />
'''Materials'''<br />
:• 1 - 6’ length steel cable. (Romex® cable or other stiff copper wire also works fine)<br />
:• 1 - 8’ length 1” PVC pipe<br />
:• 1 - PVC 1” T- connector<br />
:• 2 - PVC 1” end caps<br />
:• 1 - PVC 1” 90-degree corner connector<br />
:• 2 - 8” or longer zip ties<br />
:• 1 - 2”section of perf board or other piece of plastic or non-electrically conductive material<br />
:• 2 - 1” diameter washers (same diameter as PVC pipe. The hole in the washer must be smaller than the locking end of a zip tie yet large enough for the flat zip tie to fit through.<br />
:• TV coax extension cable (with connectors) in the length you’ll need from your transmitter to the antenna.<br />
:• Optional: 2-3” of shrink tubing (or electrical tape)<br />
:• Optional: 2 pipe clamps (to fit around the PVC pipe for wall mounting)<br />
:• Optional: choke core balun to fit the coax cable<br />
:• Optional: PVC cement or silicone glue<br />
<br />
'''Step-by-step directions'''<br />
<br />
:1. If you’re using steel cable, skip to step #2. If using Romex® cable cut a piece of 3-conductor Romex® cable about 6’ long. Romex® cable is the kind of wire used by home builders when installing the electrical wiring in a home. Any gauge is fine. Strip the bare ground wire out – it’s the only wire you need.<br />
<br />
:2. Make a small loop in each end, about ½” across. Either solder the loop wires together or tightly twist the wire so it will not come apart.<br />
[[File:Ant-1.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:3. Measure and cut the wire exactly in half so you have two identical lengths.<br />
<br />
:4. Decide on the frequency of your FM station. Then use the following formula to determine the length of each of the half pieces in inches: 2803/frequency in mhz. Example: suppose your station will be transmitting on 87.9mhz: 2803/87.9 = 31.888 inches (31-7/8” is close enough).<br />
<br />
:5. Don’t cut, but mark this length on each half using a Sharpie measuring from the loop end. This is the ideal radiating element length for your chosen frequency. Make a 90 degree bend in both wires at exactly that point.<br />
<br />
:6. On a small piece of perf board, plastic or other strong, non-electrically conductive material that’s narrow enough to fit through the PVC pipe, drill a row of four small holes just large enough for the wire to fit through, and place them close together – no more than ¼” apart.<br />
[[File:Ant-2.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:7. Insert the bent wires into the inside holes and bend them back out through the outer holes on each side.<br />
<br />
:8. Solder the wires together where the ends come out and cross; clip off the excess wire.<br />
[[File:Ant-3.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:9. Clip off one of the end connectors from the TV coax cable, strip down the insulation and separate the center wire from the outer “ground shield” wire. Make sure the shield wire does not touch the center wire. <br />
<br />
:10. Solder the center coax wire to one of the wires and the ground “shield” wire to the other. It doesn’t matter which is which, although the side that connects to the center wire will be the “top” of the antenna if the antenna is mounted vertically (preferred!). Note: to prevent against accidental shorts, you may want to use shrink-tubing to insulate the center wire from the shield wire.<br />
[[File:Ant-4.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:11. Extend the wires from the center junction and adjust them so they’re straight. Just eyeball it – no need to make them exact. At this point, you actually have a working antenna, but you’ll want to finish it off.<br />
<br />
:12. Insert the coax cable through an end of the PVC “T” connector and then out through the middle opening. Then push one end of the antenna wire all the way through the “T” connector and out the other side. Carefully pull the coax cable out the middle until the center junction fits into the center of the “T” connector so that antenna wires come out each end and the coax cable comes out the middle. Your result may not look exactly like this example, but it should give you a good idea of what the end result should be like. It’s perfectly okay if the center connector sticks out a bit from the “T” connector.<br />
[[File:Ant-5.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:13. Mark the outside of the “T” connector with a pen or tape to tell which is the “TOP” end.<br />
<br />
:14. Measure a length of PVC pipe so that after being inserted over one of the looped antenna ends and into the “T” connector, it’s about 1” to 2” longer than the end of the wire. Do the same with the other end.<br />
::[[File:Ant-6.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:15. Loop the zip tie through the hole in the washer, down into the pipe, through the loop in the cable and back out through the washer. Then loosely tighten the zip tie so there’s some play. Do the same with the other end. (Note: the washer isn’t a necessity and you could certainly drill holes in the PVC end caps instead, although this may allow rainwater to seep in and create a problem for an antenna that’s mounted outdoors. <br />
[[File:Ant-7.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:16. You should have something that looks like the picture below. Now tighten each zip tie so that the center junction remains inside the “T” connector. When you’re done, the inside antenna wire should be taut -- not touching anything -- and held securely at each end with the washers flush against the ends of the PVC pipe. <br />
[[File:Ant-8.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:17. Slip a PVC end cap onto each end of the pipe. This will cover the washers and make the antenna virtually waterproof. Your antenna will look something like this:<br />
[[File:Ant-9.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:18. With the remaining PVC pipe, cut two lengths about 6” long and push each into an end of the 90-degree PVC corner piece. This will become the antenna mounting post. Then slip the coax wire through it and push it into the open middle of the “T” connector. When done, your antenna will look similar to this picture:<br />
[[File:Ant-10.png | center]]<br />
<br />
<br />
:19. Note the marking you placed on the “T” connector for the “TOP” and how the “post” points downward in the picture to the right. You can mount the two pipe clamps onto a wall in your garage or side of the house and slide the mount down into them. A dipole antenna works best when the antenna is mounted vertically, with the “top” upward and the “ground” side pointed toward the ground. Try to keep about 6” or more space between the vertical section and any walls for best performance.<br />
[[File:Ant-11.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:20. You may be able to increase the efficiency of your dipole antenna by affixing a choke core balun around the coax cable. You should place it as close as possible to the center junction and it will fit quite nicely inside the short PVC pipe that comes out of the “T” connector. The radiation pattern of a dipole antenna mounted vertically is horizontally omni-directional, much like the shape of a donut.<br />
<br />
:21. After you test your antenna, if you plan to put the antenna outdoors, you may wish to use PVC cement to make joints permanent. Alternately, you may use just a small bit of silicone glue around the joints to make the antenna truly waterproof yet still easy to dismantle. Note: transmitting antennas always work better when mounted outdoors!<br />
<br />
:22. '''REMINDER: your transmitter is always sending out a signal when it’s powered up. Be sure to power it off BEFORE you disconnect the antenna or you may damage the transmitter’s final amplifier circuit.'''</div>Dirknerklehttps://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=How_to_Make_a_Dipole_Antenna&diff=3144How to Make a Dipole Antenna2020-07-24T14:08:47Z<p>Dirknerkle: </p>
<hr />
<div>:This DIY FM antenna project is inexpensive and takes roughly an hour to assemble. The resulting antenna is very efficient and puts out a strong, clean signal. It can also be mounted either indoor or outdoor. A PDF version of this how-to is available here: '''[[Media:Dipole_antenna.pdf]]'''<br />
<br />
'''Materials'''<br />
:• 1 - 6’ length steel cable. (Romex® cable or other stiff copper wire also works fine)<br />
:• 1 - 8’ length 1” PVC pipe<br />
:• 1 - PVC 1” T- connector<br />
:• 2 - PVC 1” end caps<br />
:• 1 - PVC 1” 90-degree corner connector<br />
:• 2 - 8” or longer zip ties<br />
:• 1 - 2”section of perf board or other piece of plastic or non-electrically conductive material<br />
:• 2 - 1” diameter washers (same diameter as PVC pipe. The hole in the washer must be smaller than the locking end of a zip tie yet large enough for the flat zip tie to fit through.<br />
:• TV coax extension cable (with connectors) in the length you’ll need from your transmitter to the antenna.<br />
:• Optional: 2-3” of shrink tubing (or electrical tape)<br />
:• Optional: 2 pipe clamps (to fit around the PVC pipe for wall mounting)<br />
:• Optional: choke core balun to fit the coax cable<br />
:• Optional: PVC cement or silicone glue<br />
<br />
'''Step-by-step directions'''<br />
<br />
:1. If you’re using steel cable, skip to step #2. If using Romex® cable cut a piece of 3-conductor Romex® cable about 6’ long. Romex® cable is the kind of wire used by home builders when installing the electrical wiring in a home. Any gauge is fine. Strip the bare ground wire out – it’s the only wire you need.<br />
<br />
:2. Make a small loop in each end, about ½” across. Either solder the loop wires together or tightly twist the wire so it will not come apart.<br />
[[File:Ant-1.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:3. Measure and cut the wire exactly in half so you have two identical lengths.<br />
<br />
:4. Decide on the frequency of your FM station. Then use the following formula to determine the length of each of the half pieces in inches: 2803/frequency in mhz. Example: suppose your station will be transmitting on 87.9mhz: 2803/87.9 = 31.888 inches (31-7/8” is close enough).<br />
<br />
:5. Don’t cut, but mark this length on each half using a Sharpie measuring from the loop end. This is the ideal radiating element length for your chosen frequency. Make a 90 degree bend in both wires at exactly that point.<br />
<br />
:6. On a small piece of perf board, plastic or other strong, non-electrically conductive material that’s narrow enough to fit through the PVC pipe, drill a row of four small holes just large enough for the wire to fit through, and place them close together – no more than ¼” apart.<br />
[[File:Ant-2.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:7. Insert the bent wires into the inside holes and bend them back out through the outer holes on each side.<br />
<br />
:8. Solder the wires together where the ends come out and cross; clip off the excess wire.<br />
[[File:Ant-3.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:9. Clip off one of the end connectors from the TV coax cable, strip down the insulation and separate the center wire from the outer “ground shield” wire. Make sure the shield wire does not touch the center wire. <br />
<br />
:10. Solder the center coax wire to one of the wires and the ground “shield” wire to the other. It doesn’t matter which is which, although the side that connects to the center wire will be the “top” of the antenna if the antenna is mounted vertically (preferred!). Note: to prevent against accidental shorts, you may want to use shrink-tubing to insulate the center wire from the shield wire.<br />
[[File:Ant-4.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:11. Extend the wires from the center junction and adjust them so they’re straight. Just eyeball it – no need to make them exact. At this point, you actually have a working antenna, but you’ll want to finish it off.<br />
<br />
:12. Insert the coax cable through an end of the PVC “T” connector and then out through the middle opening. Then push one end of the antenna wire all the way through the “T” connector and out the other side. Carefully pull the coax cable out the middle until the center junction fits into the center of the “T” connector so that antenna wires come out each end and the coax cable comes out the middle. Your result may not look exactly like this example, but it should give you a good idea of what the end result should be like. It’s perfectly okay if the center connector sticks out a bit from the “T” connector.<br />
[[File:Ant-5.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:13. Mark the outside of the “T” connector with a pen or tape to tell which is the “TOP” end.<br />
<br />
:14. Measure a length of PVC pipe so that after being inserted over one of the looped antenna ends and into the “T” connector, it’s about 1” to 2” longer than the end of the wire. Do the same with the other end.<br />
::[[File:Ant-6.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:15. Loop the zip tie through the hole in the washer, down into the pipe, through the loop in the cable and back out through the washer. Then loosely tighten the zip tie so there’s some play. Do the same with the other end. (Note: the washer isn’t a necessity and you could certainly drill holes in the PVC end caps instead, although this may allow rainwater to seep in and create a problem for an antenna that’s mounted outdoors. <br />
[[File:Ant-7.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:16. You should have something that looks like the picture below. Now tighten each zip tie so that the center junction remains inside the “T” connector. When you’re done, the inside antenna wire should be taut -- not touching anything -- and held securely at each end with the washers flush against the ends of the PVC pipe. <br />
[[File:Ant-8.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:17. Slip a PVC end cap onto each end of the pipe. This will cover the washers and make the antenna virtually waterproof. Your antenna will look something like this:<br />
[[File:Ant-9.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:18. With the remaining PVC pipe, cut two lengths about 6” long and push each into an end of the 90-degree PVC corner piece. This will become the antenna mounting post. Then slip the coax wire through it and push it into the open middle of the “T” connector. When done, your antenna will look similar to this picture:<br />
[[File:Ant-10.png | center]]<br />
<br />
<br />
:19. Note the marking you placed on the “T” connector for the “TOP” and how the “post” points downward in the picture to the right. You can mount the two pipe clamps onto a wall in your garage or side of the house and slide the mount down into them. A dipole antenna works best when the antenna is mounted vertically, with the “top” upward and the “ground” side pointed toward the ground. Try to keep about 6” or more space between the vertical section and any walls for best performance.<br />
[[File:Ant-11.png | center]]<br />
<br />
:20. You may be able to increase the efficiency of your dipole antenna by affixing a choke core balun around the coax cable. You should place it as close as possible to the center junction and it will fit quite nicely inside the short PVC pipe that comes out of the “T” connector. The radiation pattern of a dipole antenna mounted vertically is omni-directional, much like the shape of a donut.<br />
<br />
:21. After you test your antenna, if you plan to put the antenna outdoors, you may wish to use PVC cement to make joints permanent. Alternately, you may use just a small bit of silicone glue around the joints to make the antenna truly waterproof yet still easy to dismantle. Note: transmitting antennas always work better when mounted outdoors!<br />
<br />
:22. REMINDER: your transmitter is always sending out a signal when it’s powered up. Be sure to power it off BEFORE you disconnect the antenna or you may damage the transmitter’s final amplifier circuit.</div>Dirknerkle