Members xmacvicar Posted June 19, 2013 Members Share Posted June 19, 2013 Hey everyone!We are a small town rock / coverband and I am interested in lighting. I purchased two Chauvet 4 Bars...in my basement where we reherase they are quite good and fun, but based on reading the forum here it seems like alot of people state the 4 bar's are pretty crappy out in the field.....we have a gig on June 30th so I am looking to sort of make the best of what we have. Like I said, we have the two 4 bar systems. I am thinking of putting them in the back on both sides of stage as a back/wash lighting. I am considering buying two 4 Play CL lights to put on each stand with the 4 bars AND thinking of buying some Colorstrip Mini's to uplight the drum kit. The only problem is there is nothing really for front lighting in this scenario.Anyways...looking for some feedback on how I can make the most of what I have with these two 4 bars. I am ok with spending a *bit* more money, but really want to get away with any new purchases being as cheap as I can get 'em.Thanks for any input in advance!David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted June 19, 2013 Members Share Posted June 19, 2013 4 Bar is definitely too weak. Even the more powerful 4 Bar Tri is also weak....unless you use it when your Hall is totally dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted June 19, 2013 Members Share Posted June 19, 2013 I use this powerful 18 x 8w RGBA PAR LED as my Front Lighting....aimed towards the performers' faces. Ideally it should be 1 Par Light for per performer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted June 21, 2013 Members Share Posted June 21, 2013 xmacvicar... I hope there will a more powerful BRANDED 4 Bar 7 x 8W LED RGBW coming out soon for you. That is the one I use. The colors are far superior and a lot more powerful.... almost 3 times more powerful...to be exact.The 4 Bar Tri Led will be passable for small venues....as in SMALL VENUES. You have to place them very close to the stage...if not they will be too dim. I have tried it before and it is really weak for medium sized Venues. Forget about Big venues...cos they will only be as bright as a household torchlight.----------------------------------- Did you compare the two side by side? How did you measure the output in lumens? Care to present your and testing methodology and resulting data? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted June 21, 2013 Members Share Posted June 21, 2013 Stratguy...yes I did. Side by side. The difference in brightness is very very obvious. You dont need any special tool to measure it as everyone in the Lighting Showroom confirmed that my UNIT is a lot brighter and superior in color mixing. The funny thing is...they were not aware that there is such a powerful 4 BAR with 7 x 8w LED...and in the lovely RGBW setting. Yes..the difference is really Obvious.Imagine...my single (not a pair) 4 BAR alone is brighter than a PAIR of 4 Bar Tri.That's 4 par lights vs 8 par lights .... yet the 4 is more powerful than 8!That's how bright it is...and how helpful it is in Medium to Big Venues.The 4 Bar Tri is so weak in comparison....it is so funny just looking at it after the side by side comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted June 21, 2013 Members Share Posted June 21, 2013 Pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xmacvicar Posted June 21, 2013 Author Members Share Posted June 21, 2013 a 4 bar 7x8W LED RGBW......Is this a product that will for sure be coming out soon or is this just the logical next step product - a 4 bar with that feature set?I am trying to sell my standard Chauvet 4 Bar's (I think I have a buyer for July 6th) and purchase two sets of 4 Bar Tri's..... however, if there is an even better/bigger product coming down the pipeline...I should hold out?Truth be told - I REALLY enjoy the 4 bar package. I love being able to get a nice carry case, setup TBar, plug it in and have the footswitch all within 2 minutes. This form factor suits me well - that being said, I do hope I can find the most powerful, feature laden light in this form possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xmacvicar Posted June 21, 2013 Author Members Share Posted June 21, 2013 ok so then the next question is... what is the likely hood of such a light being released? I'm not familiar with product cycles or releases for chauvet or ADJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted June 22, 2013 Members Share Posted June 22, 2013 Usually things are announced at NAMM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChiroVette Posted June 22, 2013 Members Share Posted June 22, 2013 I am actually considering buying a few of the low-priced no-name fixtures, to be honest. Look, I won't lie, I don't want to have to depend on knockoffs as my only fixtures. But I have been doing some thinking of late: If I spend a few hundred, even if I have problems, it isn't like my whole light show will tank, because I still have all my Chauvet lights to fall back on. I was thinking a good plan of action would be to go with one of the 4Bar RGBW fixtures that SB ordered as well as maybe two or three of these: (Oh, does anyone know what these even are? Brand, model, or at least something I can use to look them up?) One more thing: I noticed they seem to have two mounting brackets, which I assume means they are compatible with putting them on the floor/ground and pointing up at the singers' faces. Is this okay to do, run them from the floor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted June 22, 2013 Members Share Posted June 22, 2013 I'm sure you can run them facing up from the floor. They might not be real flattering, thing of the "ghost face" when you shone a flashlight up from below as a kid. Make sure they are UL approved... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChiroVette Posted June 22, 2013 Members Share Posted June 22, 2013 Strat, I am not married to doing it that way, it as just a passing thought I wanted to ask about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted June 22, 2013 Members Share Posted June 22, 2013 You work for Chauvet? That sounds like some insider information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Miko Man Posted June 22, 2013 Members Share Posted June 22, 2013 CV, the floor bracket setup is (as I understand it) for up-lighting walls, drapes/fabric, and as truss totem "warmers". As a general rule, front lighting looks best (most flattering) from approx. 45 degrees above horizontal. Two lights focused from above and SL and SR of the focus point looks more flattering that straight on from directly in front, too. In a venue without lighting battens installed, and no FOH truss, you just do the best you can with what you have. Halos (overhead specials) and backlighting is good, but the first rule is (usually) let the folks see the act. YMMV, and bands playing in a bar may be a bit different. Mark C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltage55 Posted June 24, 2013 Members Share Posted June 24, 2013 If you burn down a club I think youre screwed regardless of the lighting manufacturer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChiroVette Posted June 24, 2013 Members Share Posted June 24, 2013 Voltage55 wrote: If you burn down a club I think youre screwed regardless of the lighting manufacturer. No, that isn't what nchangin is saying. He isn't talkint about putting on some manic pyrotechnics show here. He is saying that if there is a flaw in the electronics of your lights and this starts a fire, that the venue owner and any injured patrons would be able to go after Chauvet if they were Chauvet fixtures, let's say. BUT if the fire was caused by flaws in knockoff lights from the other side of the globe with absolutely NO certifications whatsoever, this would make you into the defendant, not the no-name, knockoff comnpany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 True dat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimeFurnace Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 I used to run light shows from the stage using four 4-bar minis and the foot controller. I actually used two foot controllers, one for the pair of 4-bars lighting band from front and one for the pair providing eye candy for crowd at rear of stage. I found it to be clumsy and I was just playing bass so had little need for my feet. As a drummer, if you keep it simple it can work but it isn't going to "do much" for the crowd. I did not do too many shows this way before deciding to get a USB DMX dongle and run automated shows via a MIDI foot pedal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Miko Man Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 Stunning, I do not own any effects lights. I just got six of the Blizzard Fab5 RBGAW fixtures from dcastar. However, I tech (part time) at a 2000 seat venue that has about 150 conventional lighting fixtures and 4 Martin Mac 500 fixtures. (And two of the biggest follow spots you are likely to see - 2.4kw HID lamps in each. They will nearly melt your makeup at full power with fresh lamps!) I plan on building my lighting inventory, and plan on getting some moving head fixtures in a while. LED fixtures are improving so rapidly that I'm not going to buy a bunch of stuff before I have a real need for it. (Audio equipment, especially microphones and speakers, on the other hand, are pretty mature technology, and hold their value better over time.) I'm building a small production company in a small town, and not necessarily limiting my market to popular music scenes. That means pipe and drape, lecturns, flags, etc , for spoken word events too. Lighting is part of that, but only a part. A long answer to a short question; my apologies if I've gone off track. Mark C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xmacvicar Posted June 25, 2013 Author Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 our setlist issue this: 1. Are you Going to go my Way2. Born to be Wild3. New Orleans (Canadian band tragically hip)4. Come Together5. Sunshine of Your Love6. Cuts like a Knife7. Betterman8. Proud Mary9. Smoke on the Water10. Rocking in the Free World11. Little Bones ( tragically hip )12. Tie Your Mother Down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 I think you can get by with WHite Lights then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 That sounds wonderful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stunningbabe Posted June 26, 2013 Members Share Posted June 26, 2013 Hi gentlemen. Here is a photo of my RGBW. This time I used all 8 units. As you can see...the Lights are pretty far away....yet are still beautiful and powerful. Please focus on the Lights ya There was no stage Lighting at all from the Hotel. The hotel only has Lighting for the Diners. All the Stage Lighting and colors on stage are totally from my RGBW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JV90 Posted July 9, 2013 Members Share Posted July 9, 2013 I'm looking this thread as like we say over my country in my main language, that is "viendo los toros de lejos" meaning: "looking the bulls from far" typical phrase that we use over here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JV90 Posted July 9, 2013 Members Share Posted July 9, 2013 Cv, I just bought 6 led par 64 3 watts rgbw, and they have been great for my user over here, this are Chinese copies from the Colorado one, the guys over Elation maded the profiles to use them over my compuware lighting software; just give it a try to Chinese lights, of course there are Chinese and Chinese, some are good, some are bad, maybe I got lucky with mines but they work and they are reliable up intl this moment, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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