Lighting Training

Creative Team Training • Lighting

LIGHTING
OPERATOR

Learn to run a Sunday confidently using grandMA2 onPC + Command Wing—without needing to become a full MA programmer first.

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Estimated training time

45–60 min

LIGHTING / MA2

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Role System Startup Sunday Worship Executors Busking Troubleshooting Shutdown Checkoff Quiz

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01 / THE ROLE

Your job is bigger than pushing buttons.

Lighting supports what is happening in the room. The goal is to help people engage without the lighting becoming a distraction.

01

KNOW

Know what's coming before it happens.

02

NOTICE

Notice when the room doesn't match the plan.

03

RESPOND

Respond appropriately—without panicking or overreacting.

Core principle: Lighting follows the room—not merely the clock or service plan.

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

02 / KNOW YOUR SYSTEM

Learn the 20% you actually use.

grandMA2 is huge. A Sunday operator does not need to understand everything before serving confidently.

grandMA2 onPC

The software running the lighting show. Think of it as the brain of the system.

Command Wing

The physical surface that gives you faders, buttons, encoders, command keys and hands-on control of grandMA2 onPC.

FixtureA physical lighting instrument such as a moving light, LED wash, PAR or strobe.

PresetA saved property such as a position, color, gobo or beam setting.

CueA saved lighting state—what the room should look like at a particular moment.

SequenceA group of cues arranged in order.

ExecutorA physical or on-screen control used to run programmed content.

PageA different bank of executor assignments. Changing pages changes what the physical controls access.

PLACEHOLDER: YOUR COMMAND WING PHOTO Later, replace this with a photo of your actual console and add numbered hotspots for the controls your operators use.

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

03 / STARTUP

Start clean. Verify before changing anything.

This is a sample workflow. We’ll replace the placeholders with your exact Sunday process after your walkthrough video.

1

Turn on the lighting computer

Confirm displays, network and control peripherals come online normally.

2

Power the Command Wing

Confirm the surface connects and responds in grandMA2 onPC.

3

Launch grandMA2 onPC

Verify the expected show environment is present before making changes.

4

Load the Sunday show

REPLACE WITH YOUR EXACT SHOW FILE PROCEDURE

5

Confirm output

Verify a known house or stage look behaves as expected.

6

Check Grand Master

Normally 100%. If everything suddenly looks dark, check this before assuming the rig failed.

7

Confirm executor page

SAMPLE: PAGE 1 — SUNDAY

8

Confirm starting cue

SAMPLE: WALK-IN / PRE-SERVICE

Never troubleshoot by randomly pressing things. First identify the current cue, page, active sequence, Grand Master position and any other active executors.

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

04 / SUNDAY WORKFLOW

See the whole service—not just the next cue.

A confident operator stays ahead of the room and understands what is coming next.

Walk-In→Soundcheck→Rehearsal→Pre-Service→Worship→Teaching→Response→Walk-Out

Before service

Confirm show file and executor page. Verify stage / house looks. Check service order and song structure. Note special moments or unusual transitions.

During service

Watch the stage—not only the console. Know current cue and next cue. Anticipate transitions. Stay calm when the plan changes.

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

05 / RUNNING WORSHIP

Look. Read. Think. Go.

The most important skill is not speed. It is knowing when the next programmed look actually belongs.

Before pressing GO

1

LOOK

What is actually happening on stage?

2

READ

What is the next cue?

3

THINK

Does that cue make sense right now?

4

GO

Press once and watch the result.

PLACEHOLDER: YOUR MA2 WORSHIP SCREEN Later this can show the real current cue, next cue, executor layout and Planning Center / service-flow setup.

If the worship leader repeats a chorus, starts praying, shortens a song or changes the plan, follow what is actually happening—not what the order predicted.

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

06 / EXECUTORS + CUES

Know what you are controlling before you touch it.

Your final training will identify every executor your Sunday operators are allowed to use—and what each one does.

GO+

Advances the active sequence to the next programmed cue.

PAUSE

Stops cue progression or movement through a timed transition, depending on programming.

BACK / GO-

Can move backward through a sequence when configured for your show workflow.

PLACEHOLDER: YOUR EXECUTOR MAP Example future labels: Worship Cue Stack • House Lights • Stage Wash • Effects • Haze • Teaching Look • Safe Look

Another executor can still be active even when you are looking at a different page. If the stage looks wrong, identify what is active before trying to “fix” it with more buttons.

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

07 / BUSKING BASICS

Use fewer things—intentionally.

Busking means controlling parts of the look live instead of relying only on a completely predetermined cue stack.

Color

Choose a palette that supports the moment. Avoid unnecessary color changes simply because buttons are available.

Movement

Movement should add energy when appropriate—not distract from what is happening on stage.

Intensity / FX

Dimmer effects, strobes and other dynamic looks should be used deliberately and sparingly.

Start simple. A restrained operator who understands the room is more valuable than an operator who uses every effect in the show file.

Good habits

Match energy instead of chasing every beat. Stop movement before a teaching / prayer moment when appropriate. Know how to return to a neutral look.

Avoid

Random executor presses. Constant color changes. Movement during moments that should feel still.

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

08 / TROUBLESHOOTING

Don't panic. Diagnose in order.

Click a symptom below to reveal a sample response path. Your final version will use your exact network, show and console procedures.

Everything is darkTap to troubleshoot

1. Check Grand Master.
2. Confirm expected sequence is active.
3. Confirm current cue.
4. Confirm output / session / network status.
5. If unresolved, call the lighting lead.

Wrong lights are movingTap to troubleshoot

Check whether a movement FX executor is still active, including executors on other pages. Stop only the correct effect using the house procedure.

I advanced the cue too earlyTap to troubleshoot

Stay calm. Determine whether the show is designed for a safe BACK / GO- recovery. If not, move to the approved safe look or communicate with the lighting lead.

The console looks right, stage looks wrongTap to troubleshoot

Check active executors, Grand Master, current cue, fixture output / network status and whether a manual value is overriding programmed playback.

EMERGENCY RECOVERY

SAFE LOOK

Create one obvious neutral lighting look that an operator can activate when they become completely lost. Your lighting lead should decide exactly what it contains and how it behaves.

• Stage wash on
• Teaching positions covered
• No movement
• No strobe
• No distracting effects
• Comfortable background level

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

09 / SHUTDOWN

Finish the day cleanly.

Operators should know exactly what remains on, what gets saved and what gets powered down.

Confirm service is actually over. Activate the approved walk-out / post-service look. Set house lighting appropriately. Stop unnecessary movement / effects. Follow haze shutdown procedure. Save only if your role is authorized to save the show. Close grandMA2 onPC using the approved process. Power down computer / Command Wing if required. Report anything unusual to the lighting lead.

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

10 / RELEASE CHECKOFF

Can you run a Sunday without someone rescuing you?

The trainer should verify these skills before releasing an operator to serve independently.

System Skills

Start the system correctly. Load the correct show. Identify Grand Master and executor pages. Explain cue vs sequence vs executor. Find current and next cue. Shut down correctly.

Sunday Skills

Advance cues appropriately. Handle a repeated song section. Handle an unplanned prayer / transition. Stop an unwanted effect. Recover from an accidental cue advance. Know when to call the lighting lead.

Training progression: WATCH → LEARN → PRACTICE → LEAD → RELEASE → REVIEW

Finished this lesson? Mark Complete

FINAL / KNOWLEDGE CHECK

Quick knowledge check.

This sample quiz can later be replaced with questions based entirely on your actual MA2 show and Sunday procedures.

1. Everything on stage suddenly looks dark. What should you check first?

Start pressing executors until something turns on. Check the Grand Master and confirm the expected sequence / cue is active. Restart the computer immediately.

2. The worship leader repeats a chorus unexpectedly. What should you do?

Follow the service plan anyway. Follow what is actually happening in the room. Black out the stage.

3. Which statement best describes an executor?

A physical or on-screen control used to run programmed content. A physical lighting fixture. A network cable.

4. What is the best approach to busking?

Use as many effects as possible. Use fewer elements intentionally and match the energy of the room. Change color every few seconds.

5. Before pressing GO, what rhythm should you use?

Look → Read → Think → Go. Go → Look → Go → Fix. Read → Go → Stop → Restart.

Score Quiz Print Training

SAMPLE TRAINING PROTOTYPE

This page intentionally uses placeholders for church-specific show file names, executor layouts, recovery procedures and screenshots. Replace those after filming the real Sunday workflow.