Lighting & Effects

[mstreck]

Can you guys recommend lights that bands should focus on adding to their rig (or stay away from)?

We're just starting to put together a light rig for our band. Here's what we're thinking.

Top of truss:
(2) American DJ Fusion Tri FX Bar (already own one, will have another soon)
(1) American DJ Fusion FX Bar 2

Bottom of truss:
(8) Par Cans (already own - using dimmer packs)
(2) Chauvet Intimidator scanner(not sure which ones - 1.0? 2.0?)
(2) Blinders  (maybe, not sure if we need them)

Are we heading in the right direction? Thanks!

Mike

[BillESC]

Band lighting should light the band.  You don't indicate any front lighting.

[mstreck]

Sorry - two Chauvet 4BARs for front lighting.

[CaptainBetty]

If you are going with Chauvet 4bars... I'd strongly suggest the 4Bar-Tri. The standard 4bars are too weak IMHO. I've had both and the Tri's work very well for front lighting.

[mstreck]

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CaptainBetty wrote:

If you are going with Chauvet 4bars... I'd strongly suggest the 4Bar-Tri. The standard 4bars are too weak IMHO. I've had both and the Tri's work very well for front lighting.

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Awesome! That's the kind of info I need! Thank you!

Is there a target Lux spec that I should be looking for so I can tell how bright an LED fixture is? I really have no way of testing anything out before I order something.

[BillESC]

Four of Blizzard's Fab 5's (2 per side) will knock a 4 Bar Tri's output out of the water and give you additional amber and white diodes.  Less gear to carry, more output and a better color palette.  And less money too.

[mstreck]

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BillESC wrote:

Four of Blizzard's Fab 5's (2 per side) will knock a 4 Bar Tri's output out of the water and give you additional amber and white diodes.  Less gear to carry, more output and a better color palette.  And less money too.

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Thank you! I love this place!

[Mutha Goose]

If you're looking to save a little money, the Blizzard Q6As also make an excellent front fixture IMO (at least 2 per side). Compared to the FAB5, you will lose the white diodes and some brightness (still plenty bright), but it is still a very good fixture.

[StratGuy22]

Here's one Fab5 on each side at a small gig. On sound random.

http://youtu.be/6DdbvbyuO_0

I did a gig last night with one each on each speaker. I had the left one do a slow fade from purple to blue and the right one with amber full and white fading from 60% to 0%.

Forgot to take video.

[nchangin]

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BillESC wrote:

Four of Blizzard's Fab 5's (2 per side) will knock a 4 Bar Tri's output out of the water and give you additional amber and white diodes.  Less gear to carry, more output and a better color palette.  And less money too.

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Hi Bill. That sounds like a lot of light per the investment $. I have a 4 bar I am using now which this is mostly for DJ applications. How are the built in programs on these lights (blizzard fab 5's)? Are they adjustable for as far as how fast they switch? trying to get away from the super uber fast blinky light syndrome while avoiding the hassle of running a DMX line\controller. I often end up doing two shows on holidays and currently I have been sending my DJ for my b unit out with a chauvet 4 play and as  you may know they don't put out a lot of light at all. Thanks for the input!

[nchangin]

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StratGuy22 wrote:
Here's one Fab5 on each side at a small gig. On sound random.

http://youtu.be/6DdbvbyuO_0

I did a gig last night with one each on each speaker. I had the left one do a slow fade from purple to blue and the right one with amber full and white fading from 60% to 0%.

Forgot to take video.

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Hey, lot of light for only two lights! Where do you have them mounted? Basically one on the left (seems like the only one I can see) you just have it aimed at the band as a spot light? Also saw your demo on DMXIS, that looks pretty cool. I would like to look into that as an alternative to a hardware controller as I just run my stuff on auto. 

[gjb3]

2 Fab 5's per side (for front/side lighting) is likely overkill for most venues. One per side would do it. They are very bright, and the color palette is amazing, but don't forget that it's not uncommon to use only amber for front lighting, rather than trying to make everyone look green or blue or magenta (depending on the genre, I guess). So if it's going to be amber all the way, a couple of incandescent par 38's with bastard amber gels would be cheap and effective, and you could save the Fab 5's for back lighting, to wash the stage.

As for lights to avoid - are you able to use fog or haze at your gigs? If not, and assuming you are playing in smoke free venues, then avoid moving heads/scanners/derbys, because you won't see much of the beams without fog or haze. In that case, you might try putting up a backdrop that you can light from the side or top to add color to the show. 

[StratGuy22]

Hey, lot of light for only two lights! Where do you have them mounted? Basically one on the left (seems like the only one I can see) you just have it aimed at the band as a spot light? Also saw your demo on DMXIS, that looks pretty cool. I would like to look into that as an alternative to a hardware controller as I just run my stuff on auto.
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The other light was on the other FOH stack as well. They were on random for that clip. The last gig I did the same thing, but I used DMXIS to control them.

The one side I had the light slowly fade from a purple to blue (raising and lowering the red level from 100% to 50%) then on the other side I had amber at 100% and faded the white between 50% and 0% it worked out really well, and made. A big difference from using nothing at all which we did for a long time. They would just dim the lights and that was it.

But yeah, lots if light for one Fab5 on each side.

[nchangin]

Strat guy: Thank you for the info. I did some reading last night and the fab 5's are pretty cool that you can adjust for colors and intesity of the light as you did which can be very useful. I am trying to maximize get more light with less crap to setup. I have a american dj crank truss that I hate and refuse to use cause it's just a pain in the arse and I feel it's unstable and a liability, so would like to stick with a couple stands and a couple lights and roll with the show. Fab 5's get good reviews, are there any other lights in the blizzard famil you would reccomend? Also I saw some of them have batteries built in and saw a review they would get 14 hours of use, is that certain models only?  I like how they can be used for many applications such as uplighting as well.

[StratGuy22]

My rear truss lights in my videos are 3NX's, they are non-battery. They are just an RGB fixture. If I had to do it again I'd probably go with all Fab5's for more of a color palette. They weren't announced when it was time to buy my back lights.

I know with the rechargeable ones, blizzard now sells a case that's set up to charge all the lights while in the case. There's a main power area and then pigtails for all the lights.

I'm not 100% familiar with their whole line, BillESC is the guy to talk to.

[bigjd]

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gjb3 wrote:

2 Fab 5's per side (for front/side lighting) is likely overkill for most venues. One per side would do it. They are very bright, and the color palette is amazing, but don't forget that it's not uncommon to use only amber for front lighting, rather than trying to make everyone look green or blue or magenta (depending on the genre, I guess). So if it's going to be amber all the way, a couple of incandescent par 38's with bastard amber gels would be cheap and effective, and you could save the Fab 5's for back lighting, to wash the stage.

As for lights to avoid - are you able to use fog or haze at your gigs? If not, and assuming you are playing in smoke free venues, then avoid moving heads/scanners/derbys, because you won't see much of the beams without fog or haze. In that case, you might try putting up a backdrop that you can light from the side or top to add color to the show. 

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Good advice here! Keep it simple,Effects in back for eye candy and dynamics,light th performers so they don't look like aliens

[abzurd]

Is 1 light per side of any of "puck lights" really a good idea? It seems like that's not enough to get front light on a full band and at least 2 per side with 4 per side being ideal would work best. You want even light and to avoid shadows and the "Phantom of the Opera" look where you can only light 1/2 of someone's face.

[BillESC]

My suggestion of two per side was not so much for intensity but coverage and the ability to layer the stage in color.

I see one fixture from each side focused across the down stage mic line with the other pair further upstage hitting the drums/amp line.  This gives you the ability to have the singers lit with a natural color (bastard amber) while the back half of the stage is blue or magenta or two colors (one from each side.

This will multiply the number of "looks" your fans see making your presentation more interesting.

[StratGuy22]

I wish I had of taken video. I have another gig on the 22nd, I'll take video of the slow fades.

[mstreck]

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BillESC wrote:

Four of Blizzard's Fab 5's (2 per side) will knock a 4 Bar Tri's output out of the water and give you additional amber and white diodes.  Less gear to carry, more output and a better color palette.  And less money too.

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I saw a band using two 4Bar trees last night and I was very disappointed with their output - the band, on the other hand, was phenomenal!