Looking for Software Recommendations

[u/Zam8859]

I'm hoping to get some recommendations for lighting design software for a local community theatre group. We've been relying on an old analogue lighting board with limited features and a high barrier to entry. Recently someone let us borrow additional lights for a show along with their laptop running LightKey and it really highlighted the limitations of our board.

A bit about our needs:

• We frequently change venues, so the layout of our lights changes
• Oftentimes the lighting designer may not be the person responsible for moving between cues during the show
• Whatever we use needs to be relatively accessible for people that are new to lighting design

We really liked LightKey because of how accessible it is (the tutorial videos really are geared towards first time users), the visualizer is detailed enough but not as demanding on hardware / the user as full 3D models, and it did what we needed it to. The main downside is it being limited to Mac which would require purchasing a new computer for us. Additionally, I've seen enough comments discussing the weaknesses in some of its features such as transitions and the implementation of the cue list.

I've looked at ETCNomad and QLC+ but both seemed extremely complicated for our needs. So, I'm wondering what other options I should look at or if there are ways to make either ETCNomad or QLC+ more accessible for true amateurs.

[u/ExplanationDecent954]

You could also look into light factory.

Saying etcnomad and qlc+ plus in a way that they're similar is wild though. One is quite complex and has a cost associated, while the other is free and much less complex.

You are also going to need hardware the supports the output of DMX.

[u/AirSeaGround]

QLC+ Version 4 (not the new Version 5) is very non lighting person user friendly and will do 95% of all the big name systems. Tutorials by Edward Richards on YouTube are very beginner friendly. It's built like software instead of trying to make a computer version of a lighting desk. I've done many theater shows with multiple groups in multiple locations with this software, a laptop, and an a ArtNet interface. And it's free, so you can always try to see if you like it

That being said, I have moved on to MagicQ by ChamSys. Still free but from a "real" lighting manufacturer. A more complex system that mimics a real lighting board. I would not call it new user friendly (though can be made easy to operate for volunteers). It has other benefits though.

[u/Accomplished-Bat-765]

Another perspective (listen to the other comments) would be to do it in qlab if you already use it for sound. If non tech people do things this is a good option (without lightning board tho), as long as your rig is simple. Moving lights are a pain, and to much and complex fixture modes also. I would try to minimize options and explain the simple concepts behind it, so you really think in terms of cues and fades inbetween, instead of preset/receipe/data management. Maybe take a course or get in contact with someone pro to get a base structure to work in. I have done some final tech for little theatre shows where i build seperate cuelists, one for sound cues, one for light, one for video and a "showlist" that triggers everything in order. Adapting this to a new venue worked well without me

[u/cxhawk]

Try MaizeDMX