Anybody use stage lights for your gigs?

[RickT]

I recently traded a guitar for some stage lights to use for the band. I ended up getting a pair of heavy duty stands with light bars on each one and a ten-foot truss to connect the two if its needed. I bought eight Thinpar64 LED lights for illumination and two Obey 3 controllers to control the lights. The nice thing about the LED lights is they only consume 17-watts apiece and they have all the colors in them so you don't need gels to change the colors. Not having run lights before, here is what I was thinking.

I wasn't planning on using the truss as it complicates the set up. I have four lights atop each stand. I have the lights daisy chained to the two controllers. One controller controls lights 1 and 3 on each stand while the other controller is connected to lights 2 and four on each stand. I have one of the controllers set to a solid color while the other is set in sound-activated chase mode with fade timer set so they don't "strobe". I've dialed down the intensity on the lights so as not to blind us. My vision is to adjust the sensitivity on the sound-activated chase lights so they don't constantly change colors. Meanwhile the static lights will provide stage illumination so we aren't in the dark at any time. I can change that color in between songs to change it up.

I have attached a picture of the practice space lit up with a combination of blue and magenta colors.

Comments and suggestions are welcome as to any pitfalls for lighting or recommendations on light stand placement.



Here is a picture of one of the light stands:

RickT

[darwinohm]

Rick, I ventured into this about a year ago. I do not have controllers and program them as I desire. I also have a ladder and never use it as it doesn't usually fit most places. I like the Blues and Magenta for lighting the ladies. They are much more sensitive to the lights than the guys. I also had some of the lights change with sound and after a lot of experimenting we just leave them pretty much the same and I may have one light with a slow fade to different colors. Steve and I are on the ends with the two ladies working the middle. It is amazing to watch the crowd as most of the ladies in the crowd are glued to the ladies signing. We have very tight vocals and I think the lighting could be a distraction if it were changing a great deal. if we were a big act then a lighting person would be the way to go. It would be difficult to program lighting unless you used a set list all the time. You can do changes between songs with you controller I assume and that would be okay but our gals do not want the lights changing. I especially like the LED lights because they do not generate a bunch of heat. Lighting is a big step if you want to look like a professional group. We are a cover band and entertain with our music. This gigging becomes complicated. I am now looking for a spare PA head as it is the only thing we don't have backup for. I am curious to hear your thoughts after you have used this for a while. The stage lights work fine but I think there is nothing like spot lights used to high lite the performers as they work. We had that at our theater show last fall and that was very nice. -- Darwin

[blargfromouterspace]

LEDs are brilliant - cheap, cool, light (hehe) weight. We have two per side - one blue, one red - and one on a floor stand for the drummer. We avoid green, it makes you look very ill and creepy. We've never bothered with the controllers, but it sounds like you've got a pretty good understanding of it. We just leave them static for a nice wash over the stage.

Whatever you do with them is good and makes you look that bit extra professional. Well worth the extra trip to the car!

[Boogie Bill]

I like lights, and in my experience the bands I have been in have always played better, and sounded better, when we played under lights. It makes the gig special for both the player and the audience.

I have three sets of the inexpensive American DJ Par 38 packages, each with four lights. Set up is one on each sides, doing slow fades, each stand has two reds, orange and blue. I don't have a DMX controller, eash does pre-programmed fades. Then if I can, set one stand in back of the drummer, set high with the lights pointed nearly straight down with the lights splayed across the stage. These are primary colors--red, green, yellow, blue--and I set them to dance with the beat of the music. I have a foot controller to turn them on and off. I would love to have the LED versions, but...these are paid for!

And then I have some moving heads that I can sync up to run internal programs, and a set of disco lights to light the dance floor. I also have fog machines, but I rarely get to use them.

I really like to use the reds, magentas and blues, but I use a couple of Par 38 on the floor around the drum set, washing the chrome in a deep purple and a deep green. With the reds and blues layered over the top, it looks killer.

One of my best music gear investments ever! LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!

Bill