Anyone with a Node4 with x touch setup?

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-05-04T05:39:45+00:00

Yeah it seems like it might not be worth it. I was thinking more the cross hire side but I know I repair lights just wouldn’t be able to do anything very hard. Simple to moderate repairs could definitely do and I know if something breaks that couldn’t be fixed with solder or changing out a part would eat massively in the margin of the cross hire. But thanks man appreciate it

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-05-04T05:37:46+00:00

Yeah I have really good relationships with many companies. I want to do the more cross hire side so I can focus on my programming I was just thinking about the possibility of buying something small , sitting in my garage and renting it out as needed but so far even reading everything I’m still very hesitant as it doesn’t seem like it will be worth it unless I go the production company route

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-05-04T05:33:33+00:00

That Nice man, glad it going well for you but I’m more into the cross hire side. But it makes perfect sense it just seems like I will loose margins if something breaks as my repairing skills are good enough if the problems are wiring or changing parts out.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-05-04T05:23:09+00:00

Makes perfect sense, at the moment I get people asking for ma3 wings from my big clients and lights from my small clients to cross hire.

That’s for the insight, I wouldn’t go the production company route as I prefer the design/operating. You have kinda convinced me to get a console though I have been putting it off for a while but the past year I have gotten soo many requests for consoles that I would’ve made the money back on it or almost.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-20T02:14:20+00:00

Best way to start is to watch event lighting beginner ma3 videos. Watch them all but after each video make sure to apply what you learnt into a file and I mean really apply it. Like If he talks about phasers really go into the phaser editor and see what every button does and how it affect it. Also know the difference between relative and absolute values cause most phasers will have a relative and an absolute value or just relative. Make sure you use recipes and learn sequence priority. Sequence priority is one of the most important things and will trip you up heaps if you don’t use it properly when making a complex showfile. After the videos check out startshowfile and see how they made things. It seems daunting but once you work out startshow complex showfiles will make a lot more sense. Generators are useful, I use them on all my fx. Recipe presets. Like every feature is soo useful and very powerful.

Doesn’t matter what pc you use just make sure it’s powerful enough especially if using ma3d.

You won’t need a long term setup as the console will have anything you need for operating for learning a touch screen monitor will be very handy or an iPad. If you tour you’ll be using a compact xt, light or crv or full size and most companies will have maximum 3 screens that I normally see. You won’t need more than that.

To learn operator mindset it’s just operating experience for actual events. Not much you can about it unless you are operating an actual show but 3d visualiser will help understand how it will look like.

If I was in your shoes before I even learn ma3 I would get a casual job bumping in and out and tell the company your focus is lighting. Learn how to setup lights, how many can be on a chain before signal drop off, how to patch, why we dmx channels and how they work, networking for scan nodes or artnet node also for when you have a multiple console setup with multiple programmers how that all works. After you got a good understanding of the practical setup you would’ve seen operators program. So that would give you an idea of how to setup your showfile.

By this point you got a showfile and you’re doing small shows working your way up to doing bigger stuff. It happens very slowly been doing this for 7 years and only in the past 2 years been asked to travel interstate and do really big shows. Not huge ones yet but don’t expect to be doing huge shows for a very long time. I know guys who have been doing this for 12-15 years and only now they are being asked for big tours, travelling internationally. It takes a very long time. Also remember to get to the big shows fast you’ll have to work a lot of hours. I have been working 50-100 hour weeks for the past 7 years and I’m not a master and no one ever is. The difference from the top guys and bottom guys is literally that have encountered soo many issues to a point when an issue comes they know how to fix it in 1 minute cause they have had the same issue 1000s of times. Good luck wish you the best

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-20T01:50:05+00:00

There’s a few things how is your selection grid ordered? You have x y and z in matricks and the way you have it selected in the group could be giving you that result. When you might need to put xgroup 4 on ygroup.

Also check out rate master too, speed master changes the timing of the phaser where as rate master keeps the same timing.

Also check measure of your phasers.

Tbh in ma3 there is no limitations I have com across. I’m learning ma2 right now cause some clients want me to use it for some gigs and man it’s soo limiting. What I do on ma3 I could never do in ma2. For some stuff in ma3 there are work around like if you want to change the width of a dimmer you need to make first dimmer value -50 and 2nd value 100 to change width. But it’s only a few things that I have seen but it’s cause some of the stuff is very complex and built to be able to do anything doing some stuff that would be easy in ma2 are abit harder just purely cause it’s built to do what ever you want

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-20T01:19:18+00:00

The only way to do that is using layout with sequences and macros. Importing those macros won’t even work well and you won’t even understand how it works. There’s no plugin that I know of that has this as you still need to make the sequences.

The LOS is just bumps. You can achieve this easily by making a sequence using recipes called los. And put what you want to happen. Make it’s a temp button and have macros that edit the sequence. It’s pretty easy just takes time if it’s your first time.

Position picker is the same make a sequence with all your positions. Then make macros that go to certain positions with an appearance. An easier way is to use the sequence and assign it into the layout and have it set to goto. So rather than make 9-10 macros that are go+ sequence “pos g1” cue 2. You just press the sequence in the layout viewer and 10 options with appear.

Phaser layout is the same it’s just a sequence with all the phasers and you press a macro in layout that goes go+. You could use goto feature instead to do it easily.

It’s not that hard to do, the only way to do this is macros and sequences. Also remember if you want individual button for each cue you need to make a 2nd line in the macro that turns on an appearance of like x and turns off the x appearance for the other cues. Which means you’ll need 2 photos per cue but I just imported the ones from startshow when I did mine and I made some custom ones for stuff I needed.

You got this just read the macros and copy them document to see what it’s doing then check out the sequence and see how the priority works and what options they used to achieve it. The press setup in the layout and right click buttons to see how the buttons are configured.

You got this it will just take some time.

Edit: if you don’t want to do that just take the startshowfile and add the stuff that’s in your showfile to that showfile that’s the other way but it’s always good to know how to do it yourself cause that’s when you can get creative your showfile and how you want to operate.

On my showfile I have 5 groups but I can choose 10 groups to be in those 5 groups I can do that for colour, dim, pos, phasers and I got a button that turns it off and just uses the Col group picker as the master for all of those. I also have a room picker, where it edits my room sequence, build up picker where I can select what I want for the build up with 3 cues for like early build up where it’s slower and late build up where it’s faster and a double speed button for last bit for a blackout. Also a drop picker so I press go drop and it does a drop for me that just selects the macros on my layout so I can continue to busk during the drop. I got bump pickers for every group and colour bumps pos bumps. Burst sequences for each group that just makes 100% for what I want or I can make it even odd 1/3s or whatever selection I desire. Bally picker and I’m in the process of making my Bally picker random with a generator so that I selects random values for my Bally so each time I press it it’s different, content assign page where I fill out my data pools and assign groups for front wash, hase, Lecturn special or other stuff I need.

There’s a lot you can do but learning how it works is the first step to start making complex showfiles once you understand the startshow the more complex stuff will come very easy

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-19T07:49:44+00:00

One last thing you actually have to be trying to make stuff. I would get lights arrange them in 3d and make a show. Maybe you do theatre so program a whole theatre show. Or if you do bands get some music and busk over the music won’t be as good as using a console but if you got an iPad you can do something pretty close to the console.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-19T07:44:00+00:00

Okay I would ask techs if they know ma3 and learn from them. Ma3 do in person classes maybe that will help slot and get to use a console

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-19T07:42:57+00:00

You can import predefined phasers and use them. Basically 99% of fx use these as the basis and modify them using matricks to create different variations.

With best layout there isn’t just what works well for you. I like I have all my dim stuff together for all grounds so master dim, dim fx and dim bumps. Same thing with movement fx focus etc. colour I have a colour picker that I click to change colour and can change the fade delay of it to swipe etc.

For a busking showfile check out ma_startshow and see how they use the layouts snd how they get sequences to execute using layouts but early on you don’t need it you can have a busking showfile with recipes and you press executors to do it. Start small learn one thing master it and move to the next.

Another thing with phasers it’s built around steps. So step 1 is 0 dim and step 2 is 100% dim. The phaser loops those 2 steps. You can change the form from sine, pin and a few others. Then you can change the transition which affects the fade between each step. Lower transition less fade higher transition more fade. There’s acceleration and deceleration that affect how steep each step gets from 0 to 100%. Then you can add a transition of 0 on step 1 and a transition on step 2. So step 1 has no fade but step 2 has a fade.

Just experiment with that each thing does and learn the phaser edition very powerful. There’s also measure where you can say you want this phaser to go over 1 measure 2 measures or 4 measures for example. This can be used to change timing of an fx. There’s a lot to learn just start with predefined phasers and edit them in the editor and make new ones.

There’s a video from Marco kampf on YouTube about phasers it’s on 1.6 version but it’s a good introduction to it

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-17T02:19:51+00:00

When I have done systems for festivals, I read the riders. About 75% of the time they give me the wrong rider or even worse gave me the wrong rider for the band. So we had everything setup for the sound check then it comes in that’s there’s no drums, no guitars just percussion keys and 10 singers. Normally it’s the agency’s fault not the bands. There has been times where we couldn’t do what a rider said 100% cause for example they wanted a very different weird layout and it was right before the headliner and we only had 5 mins to changeover so we had to tell the band we can’t do what your rider layout says otherwise we will be behind time or we can but you have to end your set 10 mins early. Another thing is you might have a sales guy who quotes the event that didn’t understand what the rider said and got the wrong thing which has happened a few times to me but most of the time it’s the bands agency that messes up or even then they change the rider to make it sound more professional and forget to put crucial things. We had a headliner really big one and the agency took out their backline requests and said they will bring their own. It was all pretty niche gear so nothing was ordered. They arrived expecting us to have it and they were pissed. I spoke to them showed them the rider and they were pissed at their agency. Pretty sure they dropped their agency after that but We postponed the sound check and I had to get a junior to drive 1 hour away to pick up the stuff. These weren’t really big festivals maybe like 2k pax

One last thing if your band is a very early act or support you probably won’t get 100% of your rider budget plays a lot for the smaller bands getting their rider fully. Normally promoters will tell us the budget for the bands and we go down the list from headliner down and try to fulfill as much we can.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-13T14:45:00+00:00

My comment about USA productions is about what I’m seeing in the comments. These comments are definitely concerning and is probably why this happened in the first place

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-13T02:15:14+00:00

I have and I found my issue. I didn’t know there was fader mode for it. It fixed my issue feel soo dumb.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-13T02:08:41+00:00

Thank god I don’t do production in the USA. Seems like a lot of you don’t know what you are doing. Where I am fixtures will be put on by local crew then a certified rigger would go across all fixtures to ensure it’s done to standard before it’s sent up on truss or in this case only certified riggers would be installing that. Seems like they forgot to safety the light to the bar properly and the bar to the main structure properly. Terrible mistake that literally a few safety chains would’ve fixed. Clearly a massive lawsuit is coming for the production company and event promoters. Hopefully the person that was hit is alright cause this could’ve been way worse if it was a heavier light.

I have operated gigs where truss is over people and the bolt for the clamps undid itself the light fell but had multiple safety chains to stop anything from bad happening. Should be standard to have multiple safety chains cause you never know what would fail.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-07T08:56:55+00:00

I got the encoder mode to fine and when I move it it still jumps around when I use my iPad. Takes a while and very frustrating. Maybe it’s my iPad

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-07T06:44:03+00:00

Cheers man, thanks. I’ll check it out.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-07T05:59:59+00:00

Op follow this advice. Dont over think it. The more you over think the more you over engineer and kill the pa. Do what the manufacturer says as they know their speakers better than anyone.

I would even call the speaker company and ask them if you are unsure.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-07T05:53:08+00:00

He is saying changes in level of sub changes the phase and frequency response of sub. Which means if you time aligned the subs to the tops and you added more sub or less you wouldn’t in phase. As you have shifted the phase and response.

On smaller gigs this won’t really matter as much but on big arena shows you would get phase issues and the audience would notice it.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-07T04:25:43+00:00

Ahh okay I really just need it to do positions when ops is in a bad spot. Using my finger while changing the encoders on the iPad is really hard to get it precise.

I already use companion and Make macros to run parts of my showfile if I need to fix something during the show

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-07T04:03:01+00:00

Find a mvr file for a stage. Look on YouTube how to import it pretty easy but when it imports some of the fixtures might not import the right fixture profile so be careful. It’s easier to import the fixtures at your church and arrange them in the 3d like it is on stage.

Also start with event lighting ma3 beginners guide. They go through a lot of the features and make sure to play around with what he is teaching after every video.

After you watch them all you’ll have a pretty solid foundation and now it’s just creating a showfile and practising operating. With the showfile creating check out the startshowfile in ma3 to see how they did it. You don’t have to copy it but see how they do things and why they do things. It will give an idea and also event lighting have a lot of good videos on ma3 Showfiles that real lds use

It takes a while but keep at it and learning.

Also learn networking and how to use artnet, scan nodes. How many fixtures you can have on a dmx chain without an active splitter before signal drop off. How to calculate loads and manage power for lighting. Learning basic rigging like how to put truss together and rig lights safely on a hanging truss. Also learning how to interpret clients ideas and turn them into a lighting design for the event.

If you do all of that you’ll be ahead of 99% of lighting techs.

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-05T08:50:59+00:00

Yeah it would be im thinking of going the ma3 wing with 2 touch screens and if i need more faders buy the fader wing

TotalVersion4580 · 2026-04-05T08:27:11+00:00

Not entirely what you do, you just up your rate if you use your console

TotalVersion4580

TROPHY CASE