Automated lighting consoles are filled with unique features to assist in the programming and organization of a show. Some consoles have exclusive features unavailable in other desks, but all consoles share many of the same principles and features as well. One feature that is commonly found on automated lighting consoles is called "groups." This relatively simple concept is proving more and more valuable as shows use more and more fixtures.
The Basics
A group is basically just a reference to a fixture selection. For instance, a group may contain fixtures 1-12 while another contains 31-64. When a group is selected, it will recall the fixture numbers stored within it and activate them for programming. The group function is merely a quick method to recall a specific, pre-defined selection of fixtures. Once a cue or playback is created, the reference to the group is lost, and only the fixtures and their data are stored. If the cue is edited later, the programmer must re-select the groups used to build the cue (if he/she remembers).
Groups are great for organizing your show because they allow you to label various selections of fixtures for quick recall. Because the fixture numbers are not actually stored within a group but are instead recalled by a group, you can have multiple groups referencing the same fixture numbers. For example, you can have fixtures 1-12 in one group, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 in another and 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 in yet another. You can then label these groups appropriately like "All Front Truss Wash," "Even Front Truss Wash," and "Odd Front Truss Wash." Now if the LD asks you to select all the front truss wash fixtures, point them at center stage, and make half red and half blue, you can accomplish this task quickly by using your groups.
Too Many Numbers
Groups are a wonderful tool that, when properly set up, can greatly reduce the amount of time a programmer spends looking for fixture numbers. Typically, the console will provide the auto-generation of common groups by fixture type. When this feature is used, the desk will create a fixture group for all fixtures, all odd numbered fixtures and all even numbered fixtures, based on fixture type. The result is usually automatically labeled and organized for you. Furthermore, some consoles will split up fixture groups further than just odd/even – they will separate by thirds, fourths, or more. This provides the programmer with a great starting set of groups, but there are always more to make.
The auto-generated groups by fixture type are useful, but they are not specific to the show you are working on. For instance, all your wash lights may be in one group, but you probably also want groups that select them based on location within your rig. You will need to build custom groups that break the selections down by location and then label them accordingly. Some consoles with built-in fixture plot features can also auto-generate groups based on location, but most consoles are not this sophisticated. It is up to the programmer to look at the plot or rig and determine how to best create groups to be used in programming. Furthermore, you may wish to build groups based on intended fixture usage within the show. If you have 24 hard-edge fixtures and you know that numbers 421, 434, 465 and 472 are to be designated for the drum special, then you may want to create a group that contains these fixtures. Additionally you probably want to exclude these fixtures from your other groups of hard edge fixtures so that they are not accidentally selected.
When preparing your show file, you should sit down with the plot and the concepts for the show and define what groups may be useful during programming. Remember that if you are working with an LD who will call out the programming to you, then the LD will want to help define and number the groups. I often create many groups based on fixture types, locations, uses and more. I always label them clearly so I can quickly understand their intended purpose.
Selecting with Groups
Once groups are built, then you should get into the practice of using them to select your fixtures quickly. I like to reserve the first nine groups as my main selections by fixture type. The first nine groups are single digit group numbers, which means I can select them quickly from the command line of my console using a few keystrokes. I also always use group nine for "All Moving Fixtures." In this manner I can quickly select this group to create a blackout or block cue.
During my programming sessions, I often use groups to help select complex combinations of fixtures. When the LD asks for the entire front truss in green, the back truss hard edge in red, the floor fixtures in blue/white and the strobes at 50 percent, I know that I can select these groups as he is speaking and build the look without regard to memorizing and typing in fixture numbers. This helps the programming session move along very quickly and ensures I do not forget some fixtures. However, I also need to be careful to not solely depend upon the groups for selections. If the LD suddenly asks for the third fixture on the mid truss to point at the cyc, I better know its fixture number or have a method to look it up quickly.
Additional Features
The main purpose of groups is very straightforward. However, groups usually have even more power. Most automated lighting consoles not only store the fixture numbers within a group, but also retain the order of fixture selection. For example, imagine if I select fixtures as 2, 5, 3, 1, 4 and 6 and store this as a group. Now when I recall this group, the desk will select fixtures 1-6, but it will also remember the order I had previously selected them. This order can be seen when I then use the Next key to cycle through the selection or when I make use of Fan/Align features. I often store various groups specifically to remember the order of fixture selection. This is very useful to make random selections, or for when the fixture numbering does not line up in a symmetrical method with the rig. For instance, let's say you have four upstage vertical trusses with four fixtures down the front of each. You probably want a group that has each truss with the fixtures in order down each truss. However you probably also need four groups that each have the fixtures going horizontally across the four trusses.
Automated lighting consoles also provide cool shortcuts to combine or merge groups, or even select the intersection between two groups. The intersection feature will allow the programmer to choose two groups, and the desk will only select the fixtures within both groups. This is very useful when working with conventionals or other large numbers of fixtures.
Read All About It
With practice, you can improve your programming and organization through the use of groups. Every console has slightly different methods and features related to groups, so it is important for you to read your console's documentation to ensure you are getting the most out of its grouping abilities. In the future, consoles may retain more information as to how a cue was built and "embedded groups" may become the norm. Until then, groups will remain a simple but powerful selection tool to aid in all types of programming.
