Creating Groups for large ensembles

Hello Danielle,

I'm not sure I understand the issue. Could you attach a screenshot and indicate what are the elements that are appearing on-screen that you don't want?

Creating groups replicates the project creation for different groups of people. IE, if you make a project with the following parts:
flute
clarinet
oboe
trumpet
trombone
horn

Then the 'Groups' you create will have all those windows visible.

How I typically use groups with my orchestras is that I will create one project with the following parts:
violin I
violin II
viola
cello
and I will assign 1 violin I to a group, 2 violin II to the same group, a viola to the same group, and a cello to the same group so that everyone will be able to hear each other recording's and play along with each other.

If you only want a single instrument to play with all like instruments (for example, you want all trumpets to play together in a group), then you will need to set the projects up differently. Perhaps you could do the following and name the parts:
1
2
3
4
etc. These parts will appear for all groups.
Then, you would assign ONLY trumpets to the 'trumpet' group.

I hope this answers your question. If not, please send along a screenshot so I can see better what the problem is.

Hello Danielle,

It looks like you have specified the following parts at project creation:

Piccolo
Flute 1
Flute 2
Clarinet 1
Clarinet 2
Clarinet 3
Clarinet 3
Bass Clarinet
Alto Sax 1
Alto Sax 2
Tenor Sax
Bari Sax
Cornet 1
Cornet 2
Cornet 3
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Trombone 3
Euphonium Iris
Euphonium Keith
Tuba Rico
Tuba Gabe
Timpani
Cymbals
Bass Drum
Xylo and Chimes
Snare Drum
Tenor
Oboe 1
Oboe 2
String Bass
Oboe 1
Oboe 2
String Bass
Oboe 1
Oboe 2
String Bass
Oboe 1
Oboe 2
String Bass
Bassoon 1
Bassoon 2

The project names that you specify at project creation will appear in ALL GROUPS. That is why in the Brass/Perc group all the parts appear. All groups will contain all parts specified at project creation.

Using Assign Groups merely replicates EXACTLY what is specified at project creation. It cannot divide a project that has been created into different sections, ie it cannot make different "Groups" appear differently between other "Groups". Assign Groups makes available the EXACT project to smaller groups of people.  The program does not currently support the workflow you've described.  "Assign Groups" and "Assemble" groups are for fundamentally different workflows.

However, we're really excited to say that we're already working on features to enable a workflow compatible with what you're trying to do.  We'll be back in touch once the feature is implemented and a tutorial made available.

For now, depending on your timetable with this project, the project you are attempting may need to be postponed.  We are happy to pro-rate a refund for your subscription if you'd like to cancel.

You are correct that there is a way to have your ensemble record in small groups and export it to create one large "mega" video. It is possible through using "Assign Groups" and Mega Export.

This is how it is possible:

Step 1) create project with ONLY the number of parts you wish to have for EACH GROUP.
Example:
violin I
violin II
viola
cello

Step 2) assign groups, assigning one instrument part per group.
Example:
"Group 1"
Person A (plays violin I)
Person B (plays violin II)
Person C (plays viola)
Person D (plays cello)

"Group 2"
Person E (plays violin I)
Person F (plays violin II)
Person G (plays viola)
Person H (plays cello)

Please note that the assignments for each group are EXACTLY the same parts.

Step 3) Persons A-H record in Collaboration mode for their groups.

Step 4) Mega export. Groups 1 and 2 are combined into one large, combined video.

It is easiest for string orchestras and choirs to use this workflow since there are not too many different parts (violins, viola, cello, string bass/soprano, alto, tenor, bass), so each smaller group is able to replicate the entire ensemble on a smaller level. This means that the parts specified at project creation are able to be mirrored across all groups without creating confusion.

Please let me know if this makes sense how your current workflow is different from the workflow that Cyborg Llama currently supports.

Hello Danielle,

We certainly are sorry that there was a misunderstanding about what "Assign Groups" can do. We will be happy to pro-rate a refund if you would like. You may email us the request at cyborg.llama.app@gmail.com

That being said, there are certainly work-arounds for how you would like to use the program. There is just not a feature to do exactly what you want.

For example:
#1:
you could keep the project exactly as it is now.
Students would have to go into "Assemble" group each time they want to record and Assemble their group every time

#2
You could remake the project, calling each part a number, and including the maximum parts there are in a Group. Let's say the largest single Group is 10 parts (like, the "Brass" Group).   In other words, there will be no single Group with more than 10 parts.
It would look like the below at project creation (I'm sorry for the image size; if you click it, it will become larger):





Then, you would Assign Groups. It might look like this:

"BRASS GROUP"
Person A (plays cornet 1)
Person B (plays cornet 2)
Person C (plays cornet 3)
Person D (plays trombone 1)
Person E (plays trombone 2)
Person F (plays trombone 3)
Person G (plays Euphonium)
Person H (plays Euphonium)
Person I (plays Tuba)
Person J (plays Tuba)


Then all of those assigned to the "BRASS" group would record together.

There will be sections that do not have as many musicians in them. For example, let's say the "PERCUSSION" group has only 3 people. The "Assigned" groups would look like this:
"PERCUSSION GROUP"
Person K (plays timpani)
Person L (plays chimes)
Person M (plays snare)

These people will still be able to play with their Assigned Group.  There group will just have some empty video windows.  When Mega Exporting, the fact that some video windows remain open in some groups won't matter - the Mega Export won't include blank windows.

If it were me, I would do work-around #2.  I would do the 2nd work-around because it will be less work for students (since they won't have to assemble their own custom group each time they want to record), and the video windows will be much larger and record controls accessible, since there will not be 30 video windows on-screen at one time.

I am suggesting something slightly different that what you have already done.

I am attaching screenshots of what I suggest:

Step one: PROJECT CREATION





Please note how there are only 10 windows. There are not all 30 parts, and they are not named so as not to confuse students.

Step two: ASSIGN GROUPS



Step three: THIS IS WHAT THE BRASS GROUP LOOKS LIKE NOW:


There are spaces for each Brass instrument to record.  Only Persons A-J will have access to this group.

I am at the limit for attachments I can include in a single forum post, so will attach the final screenshot to illustrate my suggestion in another comment immediately following

So in this workaround I don't assemble the groups at all?