Learning to program timecoded lighting shows can feel like unlocking the next level of your career. Whether you're just looking for some consistent playback or programming a massive festival rig, programming to timecode removes any doubt that what needs to happen will happen right when it is supposed to. We are walking you through what you need to know about timecode in order to program with it.
What Is Timecode?
At its core, timecode is just a clock. It is a timing signal formatted as HH:MM:SS:FF (hours, minutes, seconds, frames). With timecode, you program cue lists or actions to trigger at precise frames, allowing for consistent, repeatable performances. In other words, it ensures all production elements—lights, video, pyro—fire off at exactly the right moment.
Here is an example of a timecoded lighting and laser show running all by itself.
Cue Lists with Assigned Frames – The Starting Point
If you're just starting out with timecode, the traditional approach involves manually finding the right timing through trial and error—listen, tweak, and test.
Here's how you tackle it:
Program a cue list: Start by building a list of cues, structuring your show section by section.
Identify the frames: Decide when you want different cues to trigger and assign that frame to each cue in your cue list options.
Play the timecode: Run through the track and watch how your cues align with the music or action.
Make adjustments: Fine-tune the frames until the cues deploy exactly how you want them.
Save, save, save: Self Explanatory .
While it may feel tedious at first, this method builds a solid foundation and teaches you the fundamentals of timecoded programming. Most importantly, it helps you understand the crucial relationship between what happens in the programming timeline versus how it plays out in real life.
Here is a BTS view of a timecoded show while running
Live Record – Feeling the Music
For the buskers reading this, consider live capturing your playback. Most modern consoles support this feature, allowing you to hit record and busk the show in real-time.
Tap buttons, trigger cues, and move faders in sync with the music.
The console records your actions to create timecoded events.
Playback will mirror your performance exactly.
Live recording is great for working with artists who want to feel more involved in the show. They can tap along with the music and see their ideas come to life, creating a more collaborative and dynamic production.
New software features in popular consoles will also let you go in and edit what the console has captured when recording if you want make adjustments.
Plug-Ins & Importing Markers – Advanced Stuff
Ready to take it to the next level? Importing markers is where things get serious. Many LDs use software like Adobe Audition to precisely analyze audio tracks and export markers as blank cues with pre-assigned timecode frames.
Scrub through the audio in a timeline view.
Drop markers for every key lighting moment.
Export the data and import it into your console.
CuePoints Screenshot
This method allows for precise, intricate cueing and minimizes manual adjustments later. Tools like Cuepoints, a dedicated software for LDs, simplify this process by letting you visually mark audio tracks and export them seamlessly. You can even use Cuepoints to export multiple cuelists, package the import with the proper settings like timecode offsets, and works with every major console on the market. Read our write up about Cuepoints here.
Don't Get Lost in the Sauce
Even with perfect calculations, lighting fixtures and video systems have real-world delays. It's essential to watch playback and make adjustments based on how things actually feel.
Timing should feel natural, not robotic.
Avoid overloading cues—sometimes less is more.
Use timecode to enhance your creativity, not limit it.
Timecode Clocks – Keeping Everything in Sync
Most lighting consoles come with an internal timecode clock, which is great for initial programming and smaller productions. However, when multiple systems—such as automation, pyro, lasers, and other potential hazards—are integrated into the show, an external timecode source becomes crucial.
Why Use an External Clock?
An external timecode clock provides advanced calibration capabilities, ensuring that all production elements stay perfectly synchronized without drift or lag. It allows for precise control over various devices across different departments, reducing the risk of timing errors in complex productions.
Timecode Offsets
Timecode Offsets are used to organize different playback sequences and prevent overlapping playback.
For example, a concert; when working with set lists, each song is often assigned its own "hour" to prevent playback overlap. Programming multiple songs in a timeline without offsets can cause cues to overlap because the timecode starts at 00:00:00:00 for each track. By shifting each song to a different hour—such as starting song one at hour 1 (01:00:00:00), song two at hour 2 (02:00:00:00), and so on—you ensure no conflicting cues trigger unintentionally.
Programming Timecode For Good Not Evil
Timecoded programming isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach—it’s a tool that should enhance your creativity, not limit or bog it down. Finding the right way to incorporate timecode into your workflow takes experimentation. Try out different approaches, mix and match methods, and discover what works best for your style and the demands of your productions. Whether it's cue lists, live recording, or marker imports, each technique offers valuable insights that can shape your programming process into something truly unique.What has timecode unlocked in your programming? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Want to take a deeper dive into timecode programming and other advanced topics like networking and system integration? Check out our online courses "So You Want To Be A Programmer" and "Lighting Consoles & Networking" available now at @LimeLightWired. Plug in and take your lighting game to the next level!
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