Stage Lighting

[goingdownslow]

Not exactly bass related but......
What do you guys use for lighting in venues that don't have their own.
I'm looking for something not over the top, (eg, scaffolding ) and to fit in my car with rest of equipment.
This is a new area for me, we are a 4 piece rock/blues band, don't want anything techno, just a dash of colour to set the mood.
Just having a brief search and saw this [url="http://www.stagebeat.co.uk/P/8681/i-SOLUTION++i-COLOUR+4+PACK+WITH+STANDS++%26+CABLES"]http://www.stagebeat.co.uk/P/8681/i-SOLUTI...NDS++%26+CABLES[/url]
Anyone had and experiences ?

Cheers,
Pete.

[bass_ferret]

There was a long and informative thread on bass talk - shame you did not ask before it was deleted.

[BOD2]

We've used that system but without the foot-controller.

It's a good system. Very powerful lights but there's a dimmer on the controller to adjust the brightness as required. We actually use them to light the dance floor area (and have used them at some big venues) so they'd certainly be up to the job of lighting up the band. They're quick and easy to setup and can operate fully automatically so need to for anyone to monitor them once you're playing.

Also available here [url="http://www.ebdj.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?product_id=11139"]www.ebdj.co.uk[/url] but without stands or case and you could build up what you need from here [url="http://www.terralec.co.uk/floods_and_blinders/i_colour_light_mixer_4_x_500_watt/15831_p.html"]www.terralec.co.uk[/url].

I'm not sure how useful the foot-controller is but that's something you could judge yourself.


The other options are traditional PAR cans (the 300W or 500W variety would be necessary) which are often sold as complete packages. They do a great job but are more time consuming to setup. Examples here [url="http://www.terralec.co.uk/stage_lighting/stage_lighting_sets/213_0c.html"]www.terralec.co.uk[/url].

Better still are LED PAR cans. Essentially the same setup/operation as normal PAR cans but they use very little power and therefore generate very little heat, which is great for keeping the stage cool and also enables you to use more without overloading the power supply at a small venue ! Bear in mind that the i-Colour lights are potentially 2000 Watts each (4 kWatts total = 17.4 Amps) if they were on full, although in normal use they are unlikely to be on full.

From what I recall from the old thread the LED PAR cans from [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/search_dir.html?sw=LED+PAR&x=0&y=0"]www.Thomann.de[/url] were probably the cheapest and seemed to do a good job.

[Muppet]

We use two t-bars with four PAR56 on each plugged in to a foot controller. Works fine but won't win any award for light shows.

[Steve_K]

Last time we had lighting it was mainly comprised of ETC Source Four 50's, gelled up in nice combinations - Purple and orange being my favourite

[Kiwi]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='14661' date='Jun 9 2007, 03:41 PM']There was a long and informative thread on bass talk - shame you did not ask before it was deleted.[/quote]

If you can remember any unique keywords such as bassworld, lighting or similar, you might be able to find remnants of it under Google cache.

[redroque]

don't understand that cache thing - but i put lot of stuff in that subject ( as redroque1) - poss words to use LED, par56, stairville, i-colour

I use 4 x par 56 LED cans ( 2 a side at present) with a stairfille controller so they all change colour together. Power consumption is 15 watts each and I love 'em! They all connect together in a daisychain arrangement with xlr terminated 110 ohm cable for the dmx control.
The 6 channel ones i have i thnk hav been discontinued from thomman but they have 4 ch one still at about £45 each. There are some new ones just available from KAM with adjustable beam spread - 15-60 deg, not horribly priced either.
[url="http://www.jbsmusic.co.uk/kam-led-par56"]KAM par56[/url] is just one supplier - not tried them - just googled it!
max

[woolleydick]

What a timely thread - just received our lighting set from thomann with 8x8 PAR 56 plus dimmers and controller, however I have no idea whatsoever of what to do with it all and the manual for the controller desk is in German (I have emailed thomann to ask for an english version)

So...................

Has anybody found any good online guides to using dmx controllers? I do not know what half the labels mean on the front panel so it will be a long guessing game, and we have to use them for a guest band next week who are coming over to Libya from UK.

[BOD2]

[quote name='woolleydick' post='16171' date='Jun 12 2007, 12:41 PM']What a timely thread - just received our lighting set from thomann with 8x8 PAR 56 plus dimmers and controller, however I have no idea whatsoever of what to do with it all and the manual for the controller desk is in German (I have emailed thomann to ask for an english version)

So...................

Has anybody found any good online guides to using dmx controllers? I do not know what half the labels mean on the front panel so it will be a long guessing game, and we have to use them for a guest band next week who are coming over to Libya from UK.[/quote]

General purpose DMX guides tends to be very confusing as they cover every aspect of DMX control as opposed to just what you need for a simple lighting show. DMX can do loads of other stuff that's irrelevant for simple lighting (e.g. scanner control, strobe light control etc.) so it's quite mind boggling. Also, most lighting controllers have built-in programs that mean you don't need to know much about DMX itself, whereas the DMX guides take you through everything !

Your best bet is probably to get an English manual for your controller. If it's from Thomann then it might have the "Stairville" brand name but the chances are the exact same controller is available under several different brand names and you might get an English manual from a website of one of the other brands.

What model is the controller ?

Also, do you know how to connect it all up ?

If not, then let me know what equipment you've got and I'll have a look (give me the Thomann part numbers and I can identify it from these).

[woolleydick]

it is a stairville light command 24

I know how to wire everything up - not the most difficult thing luckily!

[BOD2]

OK.

This one here looks similar [url="http://www.skytronic.co.uk/product/product.php?s=154.062"]Skytronic 24[/url] and has a downloadable manual.

Another one here [url="http://82.112.116.238/product_more_info.php?hdnProductID=144"]Transcension Scene Setter[/url] with user manual.


It may be that these products are not identical but you might get an idea of how they work from these manuals.

Hope this helps.

[woolleydick]

[quote name='BOD2' post='16238' date='Jun 12 2007, 04:10 PM']OK.

This one here looks similar [url="http://www.skytronic.co.uk/product/product.php?s=154.062"]Skytronic 24[/url] and has a downloadable manual.

Another one here [url="http://82.112.116.238/product_more_info.php?hdnProductID=144"]Transcension Scene Setter[/url] with user manual.
It may be that these products are not identical but you might get an idea of how they work from these manuals.

Hope this helps.[/quote]

It certainly looks the same - so barring any firmware differences let us hope it is the same!

Thank you kindly sir - very much appreciated.

What a lovely place this forum is.

[Adee]

Anyway back to the question in hand

We use two i-Color 3 lights with the mixer and foot controller and they are superb !
Simple to use and set up and you are able to chase and change colour wash
at the tap of a foot ! Create single colour 'mood' wash and chasing 'disco' effects
and built in sound to light

The i-Color3's are cheaper and you have less chance of blowing the mains
as its a 3K light rig on full blast the i-Color4 is 4K ! The range of colours are the same
they just mix them in a different way.

We have had loads of comment, how good our lights are and "where is the
lighting control chap"? . . . Its me playing bass, doing backing vocals and
dancing around the foot controller like a loony !
Loads better and more compact than Par cans and the bulbs are std halogens 99p from B&Q

By far one of the best £400 we have ever spent . . but make sure you get the carry case to keep it all in.

We actually clamp the lights onto the poles on our PA between the tops and the subs, saves space
and you dont have to lug around lighting tripod stands.
Have a look at :

[url="http://82.112.116.238/product_more_info.php?hdnProductID=340"]i-Color3[/url]

[url="http://www.bluearan.co.uk/menu/index.php?id=ACMISIC02A&product=ACME_iSolution_iColor_3_Complete_2_Head_System&browsemode=category"]Blue Aran[/url]

[url="http://www.prolight.co.uk/item.php?hdnID=507003"]Prolight Clamp[/url]



I will say it again - THEY ARE SUPERB :wub:

Edited June 14, 2007 by Adee

[woolleydick]

I wish this thread had appeared 2 weeks earlier - hey ho, I will know better the next time I go shopping for lights or anything else I have no experience with, to ask here first - Stupid Boy that I am.

[stingrayfan]

One of the places we play at also use those all-in-one systems and it's great. It's called [url="http://http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NJD-NJ116K-Quartet-Combined-Spot-Light-Set-Package_W0QQitemZ110115238072QQihZ001QQcategoryZ14984QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem"]an NJD Quartet[/url] and works a treat. Don't bother with PAR cans - getting them in the car is a real pain and they take up loads on room on stage.

[goingdownslow]

Cheers for the replies guys.
Compactness, ease of setting up and transportation was main criteria, as well as giving a good performance.

[rohan]

Hey guys! Sorry to hijack this thread but I'm after something fairly similar, two small stage rigs. One would consist of a foot controlled front of stage lighting rig and the other would be a foot controlled strobe. I've tried to research this but I can't really find anything. The strobe I want would be a tap tempo controlled switch, so that it can be synced with the song. If anyone has had any experience with something like this let me know!!

[dave_bass5]

My band did a gig at a social club last week and they let us use one of these.
Its ok i guess. we were surprised at how thin the lights are, very compact.
I had great fun playing with the footswitch, to the point of playing badly because i wasn't concentrating.

[url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=228057&C=Froogle&U=228057&T=Module"]KAM LED PARBAR[/url]