Common Setups

Suggested setups to add MVP to your rig.

If you need ideas of how MVP could fit into your performance set up, here’s some common scenarios we see with the MVP:

DAW Playback (Ableton, etc.)

Ideal for: Artists already performing with audio backing tracks. Easy audio/visual sync for impactful moments.

For artists already performing with audio backing tracks, MVP makes it simple to add time-synced video and lighting cues to your performance by simply adding a MIDI track to your DAW session outputting to the MVP.

Many artists have a single video clip the length of each song and can synch their performance with a single MIDI note at the start of each song. If your videos are in ‘loop’ mode, remember to trigger a stop at the end of each song with MIDI note 0/C-2.

If you have shorter clips, or if you need multiple playback start points throughout a song, pencil additional MIDI notes trigger clips at the beginning of new song sections. You may even cut a longer clip into smaller individual sections to have fallback trigger points, so long as you ensure the MIDI triggers are appropriately timed for seamless playback.

MIDI Controller Playback

Ideal for: Artists not playing to audio backing tracks, more improvisational control

With any commercially available hardware MIDI controller, anyone can control video or lighting playback in real time. Controllers with a grid of sample pads that can be mapped to MIDI notes are the most natural for MVP control, such as the Roland SPD-SX, Akai APC, or Novation Launchpad.

Once configured, any performer on stage can use the MIDI controller to change dynamically between your video and/or lighting cues with the press of a button at the beginning of songs or sections. Or, you can easily give a non-technical crew member off stage control. For example, a front of house engineer can easily control lights as well without having to navigate an entirely separate console.

Video Outputs

For artists performing in multiple venues without house video screens, short throw projectors are often an economical and portable option to output your video to. Projectors can be pointed against a blank wall, or a simple portable projector screen of which many are available.

Lighting Packages

Because of the nature of the DMX protocol, the MVP currently needs to playback DMX cues specifically to the lighting package they were designed for and it will not produce consistent results across varying venue lighting packages. Artists using the MVP for lighting control typically tour with either a purchased or rented ‘floor package’ of consistent lights. Check our recommended partners page for more.

The types of fixtures that work best with the MVP are LED bars, strobes, or other non-moving heads that are relatively portable. LED bars in particular are easily programmed with many different effects and can be placed and configured in endless combinations. Depending on the size of your LED bars, they can generally be packed in a duffle bag or long rifle-style hard case for easy travel. On stage, they may be placed on the floor or mounted with simple bracket mounts.

Lighting vendors can also supply you with easily set up ‘pipe and base’ for mounting lights on if needed, but note that these will quickly add weight for traveling.