Lighting grid numbering

[CPlater1]

Our school has a weird layout

 

-1-2-3----------4--------5--------6------------

-------21-------22-------23-------24---------- Stage

--25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36--

=========================== Proscenium

--13---14---15---16---17---18---19---20--

--7------8------9------10------11------12-- Hall

 

7,8,9 and 10 are also linked to low level sockets on the stage.

 

It was done that way to avoid having two phases on 1 bar.

[congoblues]

I currently work in a school with the following layout:

 

LX 3

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 patchable to 55-62

LX2

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 patchable to 47-54

LX 1

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 patchable to 39-46

________Pros___________

Boom_______Boom

35-38_______23-26

FOH 1

10-9-8-7-6__5-4-3-2-1

Boom_______Boom

27-30_______31-34

FOH 2

22-21-20-19-18-17__16-15-14-13-12-11

Floor

39-43 DSL

47-51 DSR

63-66 USL

67-70 USR

71+72 Rear of auditorium

 

As you can imagine, it's taken a while to get used to this and I would have really appreciated a more logical layout. One very useful thing is that I have a DMX port at every position. IMHO I'd stand in the control room and number everything from left to right, near to far as you look at it just like Jamtastic3's old school. I'd certainly agree that 3 LX bars above stage would be an excellent idea.

[steve h]

All you lucky people with control boxes and FOH bars! The school where I work has the following layout

 

----------------------------------------

----25----26----27----28----29---30----

-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-

==============Pros==============

|---------------------------------------------|

12-------------------------------------------6

|---------------------------------------------|

11 ------------------------------------------5

|---------------------------------------------|

10-------------------------------------------4

|---------------------------------------------|

9--------------------------------------------3

|---------------------------------------------|

8--------------------------------------------2

|---------------------------------------------|

7--------------------------------------------1

 

Yes thats right...no FOH bar, only 2 bars running down the sides of the hall...up to recently there was only 1 IWB on stage, and that was 5amp sockets - and you'ld plug 1 into the dimmers and 2 would turn on (never the same 2) - im glad thats gone

 

Back on topic...if number left to right near to far so you can quickly work out the number, as congoblues says. However with the grid you mentioned in one of your posts I would either number it separatly, or maybe put a G (or any other letter for that matter) in the number (ie G1, G2 etc) so that when your in the round you also know where you're at

 

Steve

 

EDIT: For some reason the post has lost the space I put between the 2 bars No. 1-12. It's now back (hopefully)

[nothingatall666]

hmmm, I've been to all sorts of venues, and seen all sorts of lx numbering.

 

my favorite one went something like;

 

E 12345678

D 123456

====Pros=====

C 123____456

B 123456

A 12345678

 

this way you can easily count from FoH the bars in letters until your at the letter you want then just count along... it makes it quick to find a light

 

the school I usually help out at (avoiding the word 'work') has a layout like Steve's.

[Stu]

Personally my favourite is to have everything numbered L -> R from the board op's POV, starting with the FOH bar nearest the back of the auditorium then working upstage.

 

So in your situation chil6ep,

 

LX2 37-48

LX1 25-36

---PROS----

FOH2 13-24

FOH1 1-12

 

In any other situation, after the last overhead bar I would have the floor circuits working L to R again (any FOH slips circuits between FOH and overhead dimmers). Seems the most natural way (especially when your board oping) to me numbering L -> R as it's like you would read/write etc. However, everyone has different ways of doing it...

[ocfe]

I once worked as a technician at a college where the bars were called W, X, Y, Z. Each outlet on the bar was labelled A - M (12 circuit bars) ofcourse they had missed out I to save confusion.... What a nightmare that was!!!

 

I'd stick to a purely number based system, so much easier to count from either end in numbers than back thru the alphabet in letters!!

 

HTH!

[u_dakka]

At the theatre I use at uni we have A-F for what bar it is on, and numbers for the plug socket on the bar, starting at stage left.

 

i.e. the socket on the bar at the back of the auditorium on stage left is A1

 

It's good to use as we don't have enough working dimmer sockets to permently have wired in all the lights (and we're also on analogue, so it isnt just a case of repatching channels).

 

Previously at school it was a case of having numbers all the way for the lighitng bars that were on both bars that went down the side of the hall 1 - 18 down one side and 19 - 36 up the other. That was a lot harder to work out what light I meant as the two sockets closes to stage was 1 and 36 and I had to work them out from there.

 

I like the letter for the bar and number for its place, but that's just me (and all our bars are parallel as well, which helps)

Andy

[Gerry]

I wish I had enough circuits to worry about numbering :o

 

In the "theatre" here in Spain that I help an amateur group there is 6 circuits on the FOH bar, which is approx half the length of the pros opening, 6 circuits on the SL wall and 6 circuits on the SR wall

 

Cheers

Gerry

[the kid]

We just have 1-16 and 17-36 on patch with side bars 33-44 that run from foh to the back of the stage (our space is a bit weird) but it works well.

 

I have to say the worst I have worked on was am-dram the rig was designed and wired for one show, it worked well for that show and now its a $%# any time anyone wants to use it.

 

it is 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-5-6-3-4-1-2 foh and on stage was just 1-6 as normal

[Bryson]

As long as the numbers are clearly readable and in some kind of consecutive order (and never, ever paired) then who cares? Just softpatch it when each show comes in. Dimmer numbers are irrelevant. The LD for each show will decide how he wants the channel numbers.

[diarmaidol]

I'll cut it simple, assuming you will have more circuits than dimmers.

 

XX/YY type naming is best , with XX being the bar number / letter going up down in a logical way, and YY being the bar position going left to right.

 

With 10 Bars and 2 layouts available you are always going to have to draw up a circuit/dimmer/patch docs...

 

Just make sure it's easy count to location !!! Hence I would use all numbers. axxx counting forward from one datum (proscenium??), bxxx counting the other way.

[Just Some Bloke]

Could I just point out, at this junction, that the OP was asking for advice on what you would do if you were starting from scratch. He didn't ask what you happen to have now by virtue of all the times things have been added ending up in a right old mess you would never recommend to anyone else. Frankly a thread containing the current patching of a whole load of obscure (with respect!) venues the rest of us are never likely to tour to, is simply DULL.

 

Any chance of keeping this thread on topic by only giving suggestions of what we would do if we were starting from scratch and not "this is my patch plan"?

 

Many thanks.

[random_techi]

Another vote for numbering left to right as you look at the stage from the desk.  I can't stand it when people number looking out from the stage as you spend more of your time at the desk looking the other way.  Also number from the bar furthest from the stage all the way until you reach the back stage bar, with floor boxes or random sockets being numbered after all the bars are done

 

Most importantly - whatever layout and numbering you pick, make sure there is a drawing stuck to the wall above the hard patch. This will allow anyone patching to check if in doubt and if it is stuck to the wall shouldn't walk too far

[Ynot]

Any chance of keeping this thread on topic by only giving suggestions of what we would do if we were starting from scratch and not "this is my patch plan"?

 

Actually, the plot I published was one that was drawn up when we DID start from scratch and rewired 5 years ago....

 

B-) :D :D :P

[stujoy]

As seems to be the favoured way here - From the desk view, numbered left to right, starting at the rear of auditorium...

 

That's how our studio space is numbered. However, our main theatre (designed at the same time by the same people - big theatre consultant company in UK) is numbered right to left from the desk view. The sound inputs are numbered right to left in BOTH spaces - I.e completely the wrong way round, logically. Very confusing.

 

Moral - put some thought into it and consider your operators at the design stage, and keep it consistent throughout. LDs will soft patch to their desires but if a lot of things in your space use a generic rig you need to keep that simple, preferably with a one to one patch. An easy to read channel plot at the hard patch (if there is one) and at the desk is also a must.