Playing a Random Sound Effect with Group Cues
The final mode of group cue is called “Start Random Child and Go to the Next Cue” or “Random” as I like to say for short. As you can probably guess, this group will randomly select one of the cues within itself, execute that cue, and move the playhead to the first cue after the group.
Here, for example, is a series of four different thunder cue sound effects. The group cue will select a random one and play it. Try it again and another one will play. In fact, QLab will make sure that every cue gets a chance before repeating itself. That’s just fair, right? Combine this will a few tools, tips, and tricks in other lessons and you could make a storm that plays indefinitely but randomly.
If you’re designing sound for a staged event with rehearsals, etc; I would actually caution you from using this type of group. Instead, I would suggest that you design what you want to hear. A random cue will be random. And you have the luxury of rehearsals, so carefully craft ever single moment, choosing which sound should be played at which time. The final product might seem random to an audience member, but you chose it for a reason and a purpose.
I personally like to use random groups for long projects where people come and go; museum installations, lobby displays, kiosks, etc. Here we want every moment to be fresh, new, unpredictable even. We don’t want to discern repeated moments. So here the random group becomes indispensable.
Assignment
Create a group with four different thunder cues. Set the mode to random. Try it out!
Were You Listening?
When using a “Start Random Child and Go to the Next Cue”, can a sound effect be played twice before every sound effect has had a chance to be played?
Answer
No