Do you use lights when gigging?

SongCarver · Post by **SongCarver** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:42 pm

my band is looking to add a little colour to our sets, and we were looking around at putting a few lights on the floor to point at the drums etc.

Do any of you guys and gals use lights? Is there any new light-technology around?

is it worth doing?

please share.

(my band was thinking 2-5 lamps, not 3 phase, some coloured gels, maybe a light mixer - not really 'lighting' the band, but colouring the walls behind us etc)

D K · Post by **D K** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:54 pm

hi
i do video by using modul8 on one computer, controlled by midi clips via live on another.
great stuff!
cheers
d

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:01 am

SongCarver wrote: Is there any new light-technology around?

is it worth doing?

YES! LED-lights are the newest thing, controllable over DMX (so you can do midi->DMX conversion for that), low price, don't get overheated, don't burn out bulbs which cost a fortune, and use very little power as well.

Quick google brought up this:
http://www.n-joymusic.nl/euroliteledwms ... -5547.html

-you'll probably find something even cooler. If not, then ask Hambone1, although he'll probably pop by soon enough

DeadlyKungFu · Post by **DeadlyKungFu** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:08 am

The cheap ass solution is to get some solid state relays at your local electronics wharehouse, they're $5-$20 each and simple to use.

They take a small (2-12V) input to control a large (120-240Vac) voltage. Just connect the low side to an audio output and the high side to Xmas tree lights, flood lights, anything that can run on wall current. Put a potentiomenter in line with the small side control input to get some control over it.

cheesy but simple.

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:08 am

Now that you mention it...

I run lasers, scanners, washes, floods, strobes and video from Live via MIDI-DMX. It works great!

LED fixtures are useful and are certainly the future, but at present aren't very bright unless you plunge for the expensive ones that incorporate the Luxeon LEDs.

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:28 am

Waterwave II is good for putting sparkle on the drums.

I like having red, orange and blue/lav, orange is good for drum solos and
stuff to light the drums up, red for power, blue for mellow bits. With some
audience blinders for accents....... Tho I tend to do stuff in sections and
accents rather then flashing them on and off like crazy.

-Ben

borg · Post by **borg** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:41 am

SongCarver wrote:is it worth doing?

i'm a theatre technician, and all i can say this early in the morning is, that it can't be stressed enough how important appropriate lighting is.

you really don't need much: some par64's with a couple of gels will do wonders. the behringer consoles seem to be really good for the money. dmx dimmer racks can be found cheap as well.
still, quite an investment for non professional musicians.

i'd rather buy a nice beamer first (meaning a lcd projector for video)

jerry123 · Post by **jerry123** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:45 am

I was going to sugest a video projector of some sort. shining on the band or from behind the band or through smoke or fog.

SongCarver · Post by **SongCarver** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 4:32 am

cool! thanks guys. keep it coming!

I had considered a vid projector, but thought that it might be not worth the hassle... but even a crappy one would be ok, (doesnt have to be in focus etc)

icedsushi · Post by **icedsushi** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 5:38 am

D K wrote:hi
i do video by using modul8 on one computer, controlled by midi clips via live on another.
great stuff!
cheers
d

Cool, how do you project the video from your computer though? What hardware is necessary?

Also saw that other VJ program, Livid I think it's called...anyone like that one any better?

SongCarver · Post by **SongCarver** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:17 am

well, the easiest way as a powerbook user is just to use the built in osx app Quartz composer. I was just going to trigger some simple textures etc using midi and quartz composer.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:02 am

SongCarver wrote:cool! thanks guys. keep it coming!

I had considered a vid projector, but thought that it might be not worth the hassle... but even a crappy one would be ok, (doesnt have to be in focus etc)

video-projection is easy! Most laptops have a video-output that can go straight into a projector - hell, winamp visualisation studio and you'll be off.

SongCarver · Post by **SongCarver** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 11:04 pm

has anybody used any of these?

http://www.mediamat.com/lightmaster.html

or anything similar?

DeadlyKungFu · Post by **DeadlyKungFu** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 11:11 pm

since we're blue skying here...

Amoeba light show
Go retro 60s style with the Amoba light show. Get an old overhead projector, some colored oils, water, food coloring and glass plates.

Cheap laser show
Get two small DC motors, the ones that can run off a small battery. Mount them at 90 degree angles to each other. Connect a left audio output to one and a right audio output to another. Now bounce a laser from one to the other to the wall. The laser is now in sync with the music, great with BASS.

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 11:14 pm

SongCarver wrote:has anybody used any of these?

http://www.mediamat.com/lightmaster.html

or anything similar?

I haven't use one, but they look simple and useful for basic lighting.

I use a MIDI-DMX interface instead, which is more flexible as it lets me use any DMX fixture.

Video projection has gotten relatively inexpensive, too. I use two 3500 lumen projectors running VJ software, but it doesn't have to be that complicated. There are lots of visualizers out there (I use G-Force) that will respond to sound and generate some pretty cool graphics. Using Charlie Roberts' midiKeys, you can even have MIDI control from Live over the visualizer's parameters.

Do you use lights when gigging?

Do you use lights when gigging?

Re: Do you use lights when gigging?

Re: Do you use lights when gigging?