Light Show Design

The creative and software side of the installation — how pixel data becomes light, movement, and atmosphere.

Modes

Mode	Description
Unattended / ambient	WLED effects running autonomously — fire, pulse, twinkle, cathedral glow. No operator needed.
Sequenced show	Pre-programmed sequences designed in xLights, played back via FPP in sync with music.
Live reactive	TouchDesigner responding to sound/BPM in real time. Requires a collaborator on-site.

Software stack

Tool	Role
FPP (Falcon Player)	Runs on a Pi or dedicated machine; plays back xLights sequences; handles unattended show
WLED	Ambient effects engine — fire, twinkle, pulse, etc. Good for auto-pilot mode
xLights	Sequence design on laptop; exports to FPP
TouchDesigner	Live reactive control, driven by sound/BPM. Collaborator TBD.
Ableton Link	BPM sync from nearby art cars into TouchDesigner

Data flow

xLights (laptop) ──► FPP ──► F48V5 ──► SmartReceivers ──► LED strips/nodes
                      │
                    WLED (ambient effects, fallback)

TouchDesigner ──► F48V5 (live reactive mode)
    │
Ableton Link (BPM from art cars)

Open

Find a TouchDesigner collaborator
Design animation groupings for rose window (spine, sides, top cluster, big ovals/circles)
Plan ambient WLED palette for cathedral warmth mode