CueluxPro Tips: Speed Up Your Lighting ProgrammingLighting programming can be time-consuming, especially when deadlines loom and setups are complex. CueluxPro is a powerful lighting control software, and with the right strategies you can dramatically speed up your workflow without sacrificing reliability or creativity. Below are practical tips, techniques, and habits to help you program faster, stay organized, and deliver polished shows more efficiently.
Plan before you touch the software
A clear plan is the fastest path to a finished show. Before opening CueluxPro:
- Gather the venue plot, channel list, fixture profiles, and input from directors/designers.
- Create a cue list outline on paper or in a spreadsheet: group cues by section (act, scene, song) and note timing, transitions, and key looks.
- Identify repeating cues and shared looks that can be templated. Spending 20–60 minutes planning often saves hours in the software.
Use consistent naming and numbering
Consistent, descriptive names and logical numbering speed search and reduce mistakes.
- Name fixtures with location/type (e.g., “LX01_EllipA”, “StageL_Follow”).
- Use cue numbering conventions (e.g., 1.1, 1.2 for subcues) to reflect structure.
- Keep gobo and color names consistent across fixtures.
Leverage Presets and Palettes
CueluxPro allows you to create presets or palettes (colors, gobos, positions, intensities) that can be reused.
- Build a library of common colors, gobos, and positions for quick recall.
- Save frequently used intensity levels and beam shapes as fixtures’ palettes.
- When programming a new cue, recall palettes rather than rebuilding looks from scratch.
Group fixtures and use submasters
Group fixtures by purpose—front wash, backlight, specials—and control them together.
- Create groups for commonly used combinations to adjust many fixtures at once.
- Submasters are invaluable for manual blending and live mixing; use them for complex fades and effects that you’ll tweak during rehearsals.
Master the timeline and executor tools
CueluxPro’s timeline and executors let you pre-program automated fades and effects.
- Use the timeline to pre-visualize transitions and overlap fades to avoid dead time.
- Assign frequently used cues or sequences to executors for one-button playback.
- Use time-stamped cues for music synchronization rather than manual triggering.
Use copy/paste and clone functions
Don’t recreate similar cues—copy and adapt.
- Duplicate cues and adjust only changed fixtures or parameters.
- Clone whole cue lists or sequences for similar scenes to maintain consistency.
Utilize effects generators and macros
Automate repetitive movements and effects.
- Use built-in effects for chases, color blends, and position sweeps instead of keyframing every step.
- Write macros for multi-step tasks you execute often (e.g., blackout → house lights → reset).
- Keep a library of reusable macros for setup and common show tasks.
Optimize fixture profiles and patching
Correct, compact patching reduces confusion.
- Only patch channels you actually use.
- Use merged or grouped universes thoughtfully to keep addressing simple.
- Import accurate fixture profiles and, when possible, simplify complex profiles to essential functions to speed up response.
Use keyboard shortcuts and customizable UI
Learn shortcuts for common actions and tailor the interface.
- Memorize the most-used shortcuts (copy, paste, play, record).
- Customize the layout to keep frequently used windows visible.
- Save workspace layouts for different phases: setup, programming, rehearsal.
Preview and virtualize
Work smarter by previewing cues before they go live.
- Use visualizers or the internal preview to check looks when the venue is unavailable.
- If you have a visualizer integrated, program rough looks there to finalize in the rig later.
Keep an organized backup workflow
Regular backups avoid losing progress and save recovery time.
- Save incremental versions (e.g., show_v1, show_v2_after_rehearsal).
- Export cue lists and critical palettes as separate files.
- Before major changes or rehearsals, duplicate the show file so you can revert quickly.
Collaborate effectively
Programming often requires coordination with directors, sound, and other departments.
- Use notes in cue descriptions to communicate intent and changes.
- Make small, testable adjustments during rehearsals and document them.
- When handing off the system, provide a short cue map with executor assignments.
Speed-focused programming session example (2–3 hours)
- 10–20 min: Load patch, import profiles, and set up groups/palettes.
- 30–40 min: Create main cues for each scene’s key looks using palettes and copy/clone.
- 30–40 min: Add transitions, fades, and effects using timeline and macros.
- 20–30 min: Assign to executors, build submasters, and test cues in sequence.
- 10 min: Backup and export files.
Troubleshooting time-sinks
- Slow fixture response: check network/DMX routing and reduce profile complexity.
- Confusing cue names: enforce a naming convention and clean up old cues.
- Overuse of per-cue tweaking: rely more on palettes, groups, and effects.
Final tips and habits
- Automate repetitive setup with macros and palettes.
- Program at higher abstraction (groups/palettes) then refine.
- Practice common tasks to build muscle memory for shortcuts and workflows.
- Keep files tidy — a clean file is a fast file.
CueluxPro becomes faster the more you standardize and reuse. Build reusable assets (palettes, macros, groups) and a consistent workflow; think in templates and components rather than single cues. The time invested in setup pays back many times during programming and rehearsals.
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