Lighting Question

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
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Lighting Question

Hey DJTT!
I don’t know if this is in the right forum or not but I didn’t really see anything on here for lighting and seeing as how this is my favorite forum, I thought I’d start here.

Recently I got hired to do the first big dance my fraternity is putting on on our college campus. I have two qsc k 12 and a kw 181 so I’m not worried about sound in this venue, but it is significantly bigger then what I’m used to as far as lighting goes.

I will be on a stage with a dance floor (30 ft by 30 ft approximately) and the entire building (50 feet by 50 feet approximately) will be dark. My fraternity wants fog as well as some other lighting effects.

My questions are:
What kind of advanced lighting set up should I be working with? I currently only have a chauvet equivalent to the adj vertigo
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/american-dj-vertigo/810025000000000

and a chauvet mini
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/chauvet-mini-4bar-wash-system/h65844000000000

Should I add more wash and effects or will the chauvet mini be enough for wash and then add effects? I’m willing to spend up to five or six hundred for the additions to my set up

Also, any recommendations on a decent fog machine? Will I need 2?

I know it’s just a lot of general questions but any help would greatly be appreciated!

-Brent

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my first light i bought was the ADJ REVO SWEEP
a great buy, cheap and cheer full and its got a great lighting spread…
and its DMX if you choose to link it up to other lights

i only have one of these but im thinking of getting another one because i like it so much.

i also have a ADJ REVO 4 a great light for the price.
if you got a flat ceiling it loks great on that, but it really looks great on the (empty) floor and that light alone can get people in the mood to dance.

id also recommend getting a controller for it, i have a foot pedal and its so handy to be able to change effect or even switch off to give other lights more effect at the click of a switch.

id also recommend the ADJ REVO 3

regarding smoke machines/foggers there are many differnt types depending on types to go for depending on the average venue size you’ll be playing at. in the end i choose a HAZE/HAZZER MACHINE as its more sutble than a normal smoke machine and the effect lasts/floats longer in the air and you get great effect for the lights without people been badly choked with the overwhelming burst of smoke,
(kids love the smoke machine-adults tend to frown about it)
i choose the Stairville SH-150 Hazer because it suited my needs and budget. i love it

there are many scanning lights that are also great for dynamic effecr rather than a static lighting system, and many have a good starting price too.

also if you play somewhere that has disco balls, you might wanna check out some spot lights. i got me 2 of these colour changing DMX spot lights.
also great for highlighting a specific area like a stage/you etc
EUROLITE LED PST-9W TCL DMX 6°

you may want some lazers, but you wont need them, but there actuallt very cheap nowadays too :slight_smile:

just a few ideas for you to consider, i would highly recomend looking around in store and online for best prices.

im in Europe Ireland so i would reccomend this site

(if anyone has some great/better sites for ordering from europe please share)

oh and dont forget a lighting stand. a T-BAR or 2 would be fine if your budgets a bit tight

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oh and dont forget (or knock) the old style dj box flashing bulb lights. they can be very handy for when its a very bright place and your not aloud to use any smoke, they do there job and have there place in a mobile set up

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i can second the revo recommendation, also led bars are cheap and great for colour washes and strobe type effects. I have a lazer and dont get great use from it, but it needs fog or haze and most venues here dont allow it, sets off their smoke alarms. Dont skimp on your t-bar as it will drop or save your lighting investment.

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IrishBlaggard thank you so much for the response! I am definitely getting both lights from the videos and the fog machines and i think that will be plenty of effect lights.

Quiggers thanks for the T Bar advice, I’ll be sure to invest properly.

What do you guys think about the Chauvet Mini for wash lighting? Is it going to be too little to get the full effect on the dancefloor or will it be enough? I also just found out it wasn’t dmx controllable so I may be upgrading to the regular size (below) anyways.

Thanks again guys!

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for djing washing lighting is best used from time to time, as it will pretty much wipe out the full effect of the other lighting as its washing over it,
so make sure you have some sort of switch/controller to be able to mix it up,

with lighting you gotta remember, there is such a thing as too much.
its very good for older music types and bands i think. but thats just my opinion, each to there own

a good budget thing to consider is something like this if you dont have the money right away for a DMX controller or if your lights are not DMX

(with extension leads)

also with dmx lighting (most kinds-check compatabilty between units) can be just linked and slaved giving a good effect minamal effort when in sound activated mode

ps. 400 dollars seems fairly expensive to me for that kind of lighting.
id look around for better deal/package if i was you

pps. always keep lights and sound equipment on different plug sockets and not all piled up into the one socket or you’ll hear the nasty pop every time you turn on and off a light, a simple mistake to make and you may not notice it till your in the middle of your gig and then its too late to switch plugs/leads over… also dont have the smoke machine on the sound side or ya could get the same popping some every time its activated.

just more fuel for thought :wink:

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Hi all,

Im new here so forgive me If Ive posted wrong, but Im looking for some advice on moving lights, Ive been looking at http://www.speakersandlighting.co.uk as they seem to have a lot of Showtec kit which I already have and am very pleased with.
I want to step up into Movers, and wondered if anyone has experience with the Indigo 5500 http://www.speakersandlighting.co.uk/indigo-5500-515-p.asp
or the Phantom 50`s http://www.speakersandlighting.co.uk/phantom-50-led-spot-323-p.asp

I prefer the indigo`s as seem to have a bit more on them, but would be happy with either, has anyone had any experience with this goog or bad and is the output good…

Cheers