MIDI Cues

MIDI cues allow you to send MIDI voice messages, MIDI Show Control (MSC) messages, or MIDI System Exclusive (SysEx) messages.

When a MIDI cue is selected, three tabs will appear in the Inspector:

• Basics
• Triggers
• Settings

The Basics and Triggers tabs are the same for all cue types, and you can learn more about them from the page on the Inspector in the General section of this documentation.

Settings

MIDI Destination. This drop-down menu shows the eight MIDI patches, or destinations, to which QLab can send MIDI messages. You can edit this list in MIDI Settings.

Message Type. You can choose among MIDI Voice Message, MIDI Show Control Message, and MIDI SysEx Message.

MIDI Voice Message (“Musical MIDI”)

Command. QLab can send the following types of MIDI Voice commands: Note On, Note Off, Program Change, Control Change, Key Pressure (Aftertouch), Channel Pressure, and Pitch Bend Change. All commands require a channel, but the other controls available will vary depending on the type of command selected.

Control Change, Key Pressure, Channel Pressure, and Pitch Bend commands can be faded from one value to another over time. If you select any of these options, a set of controls will appear to enable fading.

To fade a message, check the box marked Fade over duration and enter the desired duration in the field provided.

You can also adjust the curve of the fade using the graph on the right.

Because MIDI cues have no way of knowing the current value of the parameters that they are controlling, you need to enter both a starting value, which is the field labeled Value or Velocity underneath the Command drop-down menu, and an ending value, which is the field labeled Fade to value or Fade to velocity towards the middle of the inspector.

MIDI Show Control Message (MSC)

Command Format. The MSC spec defines a number (a surprisingly large number, really) of specific categories within which devices or software can self-identify. Choose the category for the receiving device here.

Command. Select the MSC command you wish to send here.

Device ID. Enter the MSC device ID number of the receiving device here. Device ID 127 is the “all-call” ID, and all MSC devices on your MSC network will respond to the message.

Q Number, Q List, and Q Path should be filled in according to the needs of the receiving device. If you’re having trouble in this area, there are two quick guidelines that can help:

1. If you’re sending MSC to an ETC Eos family console, leave Q List blank if the cue you’re triggering is in the active cue list. Only fill it in if the cue you’re triggering is in a different cue list.
2. As far as we’ve seen, very few devices or programs use Q Path. It’s usually best to leave it blank.

MIDI SysEx Message

Enter your SysEx message here in hexadecimal format. Omit the leading F0 and F7; QLab adds those for you.

Send Message. Click this button to test-send your message.

Broken Cues

MIDI cues can become broken for the following reasons:

No MIDI destination.

Choose a MIDI destination in the Settings tab of the inspector. You may also need to visit the MIDI section of Settings and connect a MIDI device to the desired patch.

Illegal characters used in SysEx message.

Edit the SysEx message in the Settings tab of the inspector.

Length of SysEx message is invalid.

Edit the SysEx message in the Settings tab of the inspector.

A license is required to reactivate this saved cue.

You’ll need to install a license in order to use this cue.