Timing marks

[RobertB]

I was following Gill's video on Papagayo Matrix Faces. I imported the lyrics to "Shake It Off". In trying to get the phrases separated, it wouldn't let me go in between the marks that I originally set up. This was at 100ms. Also it was almost like they were locked in on each other. I had a little bit of success breaking down the phrases, but even then ran into problems. Everyone says this is really easy to do. Maybe I am not doing something correct.
Help!
Robert

[Gilrock]

I really can't tell everything you mean so I'll just pick one thing I think you meant.  "Separating phrases":  Just goto the right and grab the midpoint and drag the whole phrase to the right and continue moving left dragging each phrase.  That will pull it away from the phrase beside it.  OR...to disconnect two timing marks put the cursor near the timing mark and move it away till it turns into a pointing hand and then you can pull it away from the effect beside it.  I'm assuming you are using a fairly recent version.

[gerry]

Robert,
Also use the zoom to magnify out and then u can either move the timing mark or drop a anew one  and then shift or merge if that helps with what you are trying to do.

[RobertB]

Yeah... the pointing finger did it. Guess the "fickle finger of fate" worked ;-)

Now, if I can just find the "undo" button... we will even e happy :-)

[Phrog30]

Yeah... the pointing finger did it. Guess the "fickle finger of fate" worked ;-)

Now, if I can just find the "undo" button... we will even e happy :-)

I think you right click to undo. Not 100% on that.

[RobertB]

Not that I have found.

[RobertB]

Also can I not lay down timing marks ANYWHERE?  For example I would like to lay down a timing mark at 5.835. Marks are at 5.80, 5.90, 6.00, etc.  I can't put marks down in between.

[RobertB]

Not that I have found.

Ok. On the the effects bar there is. Sorry ;-)

However, in the faces effect... I can't get the "Lyrics" timing track to show up. It is just blank.

[Gilrock]

Also can I not lay down timing marks ANYWHERE?  For example I would like to lay down a timing mark at 5.835. Marks are at 5.80, 5.90, 6.00, etc.  I can't put marks down in between.

If you created a sequence with 100ms divisions you can't place anything in between.  For a "faces" sequence you may want to create a 25ms sequence.  If you wish to switch a current sequence you must do it manually.  Close everything, delete the fseq, and manually change the sequence frequency in the header of the xml file.

[RobertB]

Ok. I will go back to the other one (20ms?). However in using Auto Faces, I can't get it to recognize the timing track. I went into my pixel tree properties and changed it to a matrix. Also not sure if I have to put the mouth movements in there with Auto Faces or not. Can't find where to do that.

I guess with it just being a fraction of a second on the timing, it won't matter with the sequencing and dropping in timing marks?

[Gilrock]

Ok. I will go back to the other one (20ms?). However in using Auto Faces, I can't get it to recognize the timing track. I went into my pixel tree properties and changed it to a matrix. Also not sure if I have to put the mouth movements in there with Auto Faces or not. Can't find where to do that.

I guess with it just being a fraction of a second on the timing, it won't matter with the sequencing and dropping in timing marks?

We don't have a 20ms option...we have 20 frames per second which is 50ms and we have a 25ms option.  I forget all the variations but I thought the effect that you use with a Papagayo timing track was called "Faces".  For timing marks we round them to the same boundary they will be transmitted.  It doesn't help to get any finer resolution than what you will be transmitting to the controllers.  Are you on the Facebook group?  There are a ton of folks that have been successful doing this that could help out.  I haven't had time to use it.

[RobertB]

Ok on the resolution. It is kind of hit and miss when I can work on this, so that is why I am trying to "bang away" on this. My time is NOW ;-). No I am not on the facebook group. What is the link to that? Now on your video it shows that you were able to change your timing track to "Lyrics". Mine shows blank. Can't see how to change that in the Auto Faces mode.

[Gilrock]

On Facebook you just goto the top and search for xLights like you would any persons name.  There is an Official and unofficial one.  Sean runs the Official one.

I think I need to see a screenshot.  Show us what your timing track looks like and have the Faces effect window open.

[RobertB]

Unfortunately with tech difficulty here, can't get onto that Facebook page right now.

In this screen shot on the effect settings;
Left picture is mine. I drop down the timing track and nothing shows.
Right picture is yours Gil from the video showing the drop down with being able to choose "Lyrics".

I can't do that. You see my choices are empty. I think this is the problem.

[Gilrock]

Just as I thought.  Notice how I have 3 layers to my timing track and you have 2?  You have no phonemes.  You need to right-click on that timing track and select "Breakdown Words" and that will create your phonemes.  We split up the breakdown into 2 phases whereas my video did the phrase and word breakdown all in one step.  The reason is I expect you to want to reposition the word before they get broken down into phonemes.  So the process is:
1) Import Lyrics
2) Position your phrases
3) Right click select "Breakdown Phrases"
4) Position your words
5) Right click select "Breakdown Words"
6) Position phonemes if desired
7) Now you should be able to place the Faces effect and select the timing track.