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Help with basic light show.


Axiz7

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Hi all,

 

Looking for a small stage light set up for a 3-piece classic rock band. Like the LED stuff, can anyone recommend preferred brand. MTB, American DJ or Chauvet. And really interested in wash/soft-edge type of effect. Thinking under 1K here.

 

Thanks much

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My 3-piece uses 4 Chauvet Colorstrips for washes and 4 Chauvet LEDRain56s for more of a spot lighting effect. All run by a DMXIS system. It is a great easy to setup and awesome looking system. The Strip lighting is a great value because it can handle stage wash and can make some pretty cool eye candy if used from the back. $1000 can put together a pretty decent system if you shop around.

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I'm sure others will chime in, but Blizzard Pucks can fit that bill nicely.






Map of $199 and $169.99 respectively, can be had for less.

 

 

Good call. We are going to replace the LEDRains with Pucks when we actually get around to ordering them. The Pucks are very good for a bright narrow beam. Great choice.

 

The RGBA are great for front lighting as the amber give the skin tones a nice color. RGB LEDs are a bit harsh with skin tones.

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My 3-piece uses 4 Chauvet Colorstrips for washes and 4 Chauvet LEDRain56s for more of a spot lighting effect. All run by a DMXIS system. It is a great easy to setup and awesome looking system. The Strip lighting is a great value because it can handle stage wash and can make some pretty cool eye candy if used from the back. $1000 can put together a pretty decent system if you shop around.

 

 

Berg thanks the Puck look like a good future prospect!

 

JW, Have you compared the Chauvet 4 bar LED system to these LED rain 56's?

I'm thinking of 2 of the 4 bars. Thanks

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In my opinion, stay away from the 4 bar. It is not very bright and is more marketed for DJs lighting a dancefloor with flashing lights then lighting a band. It is being used out there but every single set I've seen has been woefully inadequate for live bands unless you are just trying to light a solo or duo act. The stands are also pretty short for any real practical use. Again, this is just my opinion. Two pucks will be much brighter then 2 4-bars in real use. The 56s are much brighter then the 4-bars, too. The advantage of the 4-bar is the quick setup. Other then that they are not a very practical for a live band (in my opinion - I know people here use them...).

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Berg thanks the Puck look like a good future prospect!


JW, Have you compared the Chauvet 4 bar LED system to these LED rain 56's?

I'm thinking of 2 of the 4 bars. Thanks

 

 

4bars are great for back "show" lighting but wouldnt be my first choice for front wash. Personally I use good old fashion par38's with gels for that. Heres a vid of our setup:

 

 

 

I was sequencing the 4 bars a bit fast there, it looks better when its 5-6 seconds between steps.

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4bars are great for back "show" lighting but wouldnt be my first choice for front wash. Personally I use good old fashion par38's with gels for that. Heres a vid of our setup:




I was sequencing the 4 bars a bit fast there, it looks better when its 5-6 seconds between steps.

 

 

JW thanks makes sense.

 

Steve, nice show! Get the "back show" idea...where are the PAR38's on the celing and how many?

 

Thanks much

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The 4 Bar doesn't use a standard T bar so you wont be able to just add the light and a clamp. Not much room either. Don't be seduced by the cheap price. Do it right and be happy with what you pay your hard earned cash for. You will also need to run a separate DMX line and power for an added light as the controller is specific for the 4 Bar. Not worth the added hassles in my mind. You can always rig something but there is also the liability standpoint.

 

Start with something that is able to be added to. Start with a pair of Colorstrips or Zippers then add lighting as you go. The 4 Bar is a closed system. Don't tie yourself down unless you are absolutely sure the 4 Bar is all you will need for a next few years. If you decide to add something like a 56 or 64 or a Puck to the 4 Bar, those new lights will be brighter then the 4 Bar so you will really see what the 4 Bar is. Think it through and have a plan in mind when you purchase. Don't just buy the cheapest thing just to have lights. You will be throwing your money away.

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The 4 Bar doesn't use a standard T bar so you wont be able to just add the light and a clamp. Not much room either. Don't be seduced by the cheap price. Do it right and be happy with what you pay your hard earned cash for. You will also need to run a separate DMX line and power for an added light as the controller is specific for the 4 Bar. Not worth the added hassles in my mind. You can always rig something but there is also the liability standpoint.


Start with something that is able to be added to. Start with a pair of Colorstrips or Zippers then add lighting as you go. The 4 Bar is a closed system. Don't tie yourself down unless you are absolutely sure the 4 Bar is all you will need for a next few years. If you decide to add something like a 56 or 64 or a Puck to the 4 Bar, those new lights will be brighter then the 4 Bar so you will really see what the 4 Bar is. Think it through and have a plan in mind when you purchase. Don't just buy the cheapest thing just to have lights. You will be throwing your money away.

 

 

Didn't think the 56 or others would adapt...good info. Do have video of your rig by chance? Thanks

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Didn't think the 56 or others would adapt...good info. Do have video of your rig by chance? Thanks

 

 

I probably have some laying around somewhere. There are some good videos on this site with demos of various fixtures. Google "Blizzard Puck" and "Chauvet Colorstrip". Lots of YouTube videos of those...

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My 5 piece band currently uses four pucks, two chauvet mini strips and two chauvet color strips.

 

The four pucks are used for front lighting, and are controlled by a Obey40 running a single programmed chase. Currently works out one for each member of the band, other then the drummer.

 

The drummer gets the two mini strips. These are mounted on the floor, and angled up towards him. The toms and cymbals help to keep the lights out of his eyes but they wash up on his set REAL nice. They are master/slaved to each other and running in sound active mode.

 

The two full color strips are either behind us, angled down so they wash across the stage (but just high enough that they don't shine into the crowds eyes.) If it's not possible to mount them behind us, they go up on tripods and wash across the stage. Just like the mini strips, they are master slaved and in sound active mode.

 

The current set up works nicely for us. But there is room for improvement.

 

I plan on ordering four more pucks, two of which will be RGBA. I also plan on ordering two more ministrips and one whitestrip.

 

Once these six pieces are in place, the real madness will begin and I will program multiple chases that will be controlled by me through a foot board.

 

In the end I should have about 2k invested in lights, but it will be one of the better shows in town.

 

For starting out, I would strongly suggest you look at the rooms you will be playing, size up what the other bands are using (if anything) and copy what they are doing subbing in LED's for PAR's.

 

I would also strongly suggest the mini-strips to wash the drummer. It just looks freaking cool!

 

These links below should give you an idea of what I am doing. Please disregard the bad aiming, I aim a bit low because our lead singer is 5'2". Compound that with 6'7" lead guitarist and things look whack! (Now you see why I am getting 4 more pucks)

 

180737_187126011320035_108763735822930_4

 

168968_187126761319960_108763735822930_4

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Question for you guys using the Pucks for Frontlighting. Are you just keeping them on Amber and using them as a substitute for more traditional PAR cans, with your colors coming from the backlighting? Or are the Pucks actively changing colors?

 

I'm trying to put a good rig together one step at a time, starting with the front lighting, and am trying to figure out whether to go with a more traditional PAR can with an amber gel, or save up a little more and go with a Puck (and thereby delaying purchasing backlighting.)

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Can't you use the same combination of lights??? What exactly is the need? Can you demonstrate it on paper and paste the image? i would love to help.. i m not clear with your question..

 

 

We aren't clear who you are asking. Are you talking to the OP or one of the other posters?

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How you use a Puck RGBA depends on the type of music you perform and the image you wish to project.

 

Examples:

 

A solo folk singer would probably set the pucks to a flesh tone and leave them there.

 

A heavy metal band would probably use all the colors available in sequences.

 

A top 40's band may use some color during the number then fade to flesh tones for talking between numbers.

 

There is no set in stone answer to the question, only what works for you.

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How you use a Puck RGBA depends on the type of music you perform and the image you wish to project.


Examples:


A solo folk singer would probably set the pucks to a flesh tone and leave them there.


A heavy metal band would probably use all the colors available in sequences.


A top 40's band may use some color during the number then fade to flesh tones for talking between numbers.


There is no set in stone answer to the question, only what works for you.

 

 

Interesting. I guess one advantage of going with Pucks early on is that you can starty with the flesh tones to get a general stage lighting and then experiment from there, where as if you go with just the PARS you're going to be a little more limited.

 

We're a country band, so I see us sticking mostly with flesh tones, but I guess you never know and it might make sense to go with some colors eventually. If we get the Pucks and then find we're not using the colors up front we can always replace them with PARs and move the Pucks to the back.

 

Am I correct in saying that if you want flesh tones up front from a LED style light you need the RGBA, rather than just and RGB? It seems like the Puck is the consensus right now for that.

 

Also, am I right in focusing on the front lighting first before worrying about the colors in the back? It seems to me the colors in back won't do us much good if no one can see us.

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Yes and yes. RGB PARs are not great for front lighting because of the lack of a natural looking amber color. Plenty of bands get away with it bit the added amber adds a warmer, less harsh look for skin tones. RGBA fixtures are kind of new and ones in the price range of the Pucks are pretty much unheard of.

I personally believe front lighting should be the priority then the eye candy. Like you said, unless you are going for the silhouette look, back lighting without lighting the face is not generally a good place to start. People are there to see the band, not their lights.

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Yes and yes. RGB PARs are not great for front lighting because of the lack of a natural looking amber color. Plenty of bands get away with it bit the added amber adds a warmer, less harsh look for skin tones. RGBA fixtures are kind of new and ones in the price range of the Pucks are pretty much unheard of.

I personally believe front lighting should be the priority then the eye candy. Like you said, unless you are going for the silhouette look, back lighting without lighting the face is not generally a good place to start. People are there to see the band, not their lights.

 

 

Great, thanks for the advice.

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