Live Performance


Contacting Us

If you are wanting to project Vusic LIVE for an audience, we request that you contact Morgan-Hocker Group. We would like to know when Vusic LIVE is being used in this manner for marketing purposes. This is only necessary if you are projecting Vusic LIVE to an audience of 250 people or more. If so, e-mail us at inform@vusic.com.


Projectors

Most recent video and data projector models (very large projectors are often referred to as Light Valves) will work with Vusic LIVE. Some data projectors do not refresh quickly enough for clear video display (resulting in smearing of moving images) and are less desirable. All types of projection screens should work. You can project onto white walls or improvised screens and get satisfactory results. Of course, a properly coated screen designed for projectors will yield the best brightness and sharpness.

The video connection may be established via "VGA" connectors as if it were a standard computer monitor. This should probably be your first choice. Most projectors also have video inputs (Composite and S-Video). Some have video inputs only and can be used with computers with direct video outputs or a scan converter which converts VGA/SVGA to video. Although the "VGA" connection has the best fidelity, using video allows you to mix Vusic from multiple machines and Chroma-Key Vusic over itself or other visual content. A Video Toaster can handle the switching and keying. In some cases, logistics will demand that you have to run a long cable to the projector and that may require a line amplifier to drive the long cable. These are readily available from people who rent projectors.


Music Input

For music input you simply need to get an audio feed from the sound system and connect it to the sound card on the computer or computers that you are using for Vusic LIVE. This can be an auxiliary output from a mixer or a "Splitter" box which is inserted in-line with the feed to the audio amplifiers. Adapters are usually called for to mate the cables to the sound card. Any audio input that can be routed through a mixer or connected ("Line-Level") to the sound card will work. This includes microphones, guitars and synthesizers.

The best DJs always spin vinyl, but it goes into a mixer just like anything else and works fine with Vusic LIVE. The only thing required of the mixer is that it have "Turntable" inputs (with a RIAA audio curve) and all DJ mixers have it. The "splitter" box can be used when the mixer doesn't have auxiliary outputs.

You can set up Vusic LIVE to respond to a line-in input. First, attach the sound cable into the line-in port of your computer's sound card. Then, select "Sound Input..." from the Settings popup menu. Next, change the sound input channel by selecting "Line-in" or "Sound in" in the Current Input popup menu. Make sure that "listening" is turned on. The "Listen" button in the top row of buttons should be highlighted.


Hiding the Controls Window

If you are projecting Vusic LIVE, you do not want the audience to see the Controls Window. There are two ways to hide the Controls Window. If you have one monitor, then click on the Animation Window or press the space bar on the keyboard. This will hide the Controls Window and the mouse cursor. If you have two monitors, then drag the Controls Window to the second monitor that is not being projected.


Two Monitor Support

For live performances, Vusic LIVE works best with two monitors. When you use two monitors, the first monitor is used for projection and the second monitor is used to control Vusic. This means that you will need two video cards or a single card with dual-monitor support. Since the first video output gets connected to the video projector, you won't need a monitor to be attached to the card as the display is projected onto a screen. The second output will need a monitor as this monitor will not be seen by the audience, but only by the performer. Drag the Vusic Controls Window to the secondary monitor. This way, you can control the animation from the second monitor without having the Controls Window visible to the audience. For more information on setting up two monitors, click here.


One Monitor Only

If you only have one monitor, you can completely hide the Controls Window and control the animation from the keyboard. There are keyboard shortcuts for most animation changes. You can hide the Controls Window by clicking the Animation Window or by pressing the space bar on the keyboard. When the Controls Window is hidden, the mouse cursor is also hidden so that it will not be projected during live performances.


Chromakeying

If you are attempting to drop in video as a Vusic background, use the Chromakey fills available on this web site. You can use the Red_Key, Green_Key, or Blue_Key fills that are found on the Package 6 page.


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