Simple Stage Lighting for band - any advice welcome :-)

J

JimmyBee

Junior Member
Hi all. We're looking to improve our lighting without breaking the bank or getting into anything at all complex.

Please see picture - all we have a the moment is the 4-light on the bar at the back (seen behind a guitar player here). It's set to "Sound Activation" and is too flashy. It's probably better placed at the front aiming to the dance floor or something, with a slow changing colour mode?

Also we have no lights for the band members - is there a clamp that exists which we could attach say 2 lights on each PA speaker and aim at each band member? I read somewhere a constant fixed colour - say orange or something - is better for lighting band members?

I have tried to do some research but the choice is bewildering to me.... example - look at the choice here https://www.thomann.co.uk/multi_color_led_par.html?oa=pra&filter=true&ls=100&gk=LILEPAMC&sp=solr&category[]=LILEPAMC&cme=true


Any suggestions welcome - thank you in advance!



Pelican.jpg
 
Last edited:
Check out American DJ. It’s not great, but a cheaper way to purchase lighting gear. A couple of those 4-LED bars on stands that come with remote controls shouldn’t cost too much.
 
Cheers Bo. Where would you place those to light the band? I'm thinking something clamped to each PA Speaker would be less obtrusive?
 
JimmyBee said:
Cheers Bo. Where would you place those to light the band? I'm thinking something clamped to each PA Speaker would be less obtrusive?
Click to expand...
Well, depending on the space you have available. I played a venue that had them on stands and just put one on each side of the band and it provided some color. It seems easier to deal with if they’re independent of the band gear though - then you can just stand them up anywhere. In fact, somebody else can be in charge of them altogether. I may get a couple for myself. LED technology has really made simple stage lighting cheap.
 
For stage lighting I use two LED Flood Lights (800W) that I have attached to a speaker stand. You can also buy separate stands. They are inexpensive and you adjust the color and intensity from a phone. They are water resistant (water proof assuming they are not dropped in a pool) and have different color mode settings to change the colors automatically. I bought them as a two pack from Amazon (Canada). They currently retail for about $72 Canadian for the pair. I am sure they have similar flood lights on the US Amazon site. Here is a link:

 
I would not place the lights behind the band, especially if they are the only color....I see a lot of smaller bands, with their own light gear, doing this. It just creates silhouettes of the members on stage. Put them side-stage so that he colors shine on your faces, or at least not in the audiences eyes.

my country/rockabilly band has 2 four light LED racks that are pretty old, but they fill up most of the places we play pretty well. They also have a "synced to the music" setting that works fine.

I also feel like you can get pretty good lighting systems any more for cheap...and not like "junk" cheap. Again, the placement is the more important thing.
 
I also say, check American DJ, and if you do buy lights that hang from a tree, put them on the sides, not in front or back. I presume you're playing bars and restaurants, etc. A couple of lighting rigs on each side that change with the music won't send you to the poor house. Don't bother with gimmicky stuff, and stay away from strobe lights. They make me nauseous after about five seconds.
 
We keep it minimal, it looks classier. We use a couple of LED lights in front of the band and a couple of lights kinda level with the amps.

I dep for a band that goes a bit overkill with the lighting and it looks a bit cheap and tacky
 
mikyok said:
We keep it minimal, it looks classier. We use a couple of LED lights in front of the band and a couple of lights kinda level with the amps.

I dep for a band that goes a bit overkill with the lighting and it looks a bit cheap and tacky
Click to expand...

yeah...if you are playing "local dive bar/watering hole/neighborhood craft beer place", rolling in with light rigs equal to amount of musical gear looks a little overdone...I see this a lot.

And I am almost always thinking: "if they spent half of the amount they spent on lights, on music lessons, this might have been a great show"...
 
Here are the lights we use (two sets of four lights). We place them more on the sides now with two of each set facing us and two facing the crowd. We've considering attaching them to the tops of our PA speakers but haven't done it yet (there are good YouTube videos about this). One thing to consider is the brain. You can keep it simple and cheap but consider the new maestro DMX. There is a good review on the cover band confidential YouTube channel.
 

Attachments

  • FB_IMG_1725056049129.jpg
    FB_IMG_1725056049129.jpg
    75.7 KB · Views: 16
We have similar light bars, that we use to the front of the stage, pointed at the band. Those bars should have spots on the side not being used (in the example in your photo, the "top" side, where you could attach a couple more individual lights. We use the bars like yours mounted upside down, and attach a couple single lights to the underside of the bar, pointed out to the dance floor.

(For the average gigs we do...we do have a small truss with about 8 better lights that we put up behind the band for the better, bigger gigs. Too much work for most smaller venues.)

We also have one light bar in back pointed out to the dance floor, as well. Three light bars total, quick and easy to set up. We do have the two at the front of the stage connected to a proper controller, with programmable scenes, so they can change without being set to sound activated, which is admittedly too much. But many of these light bars can be set to change randomly without being sound activated, if you don't want to deal with a controller unit.
 
Bo Eder said:
Check out American DJ. It’s not great, but a cheaper way to purchase lighting gear. A couple of those 4-LED bars on stands that come with remote controls shouldn’t cost too much.
Click to expand...
Bo could I ask you link to the item you mentioned or upload a picture please? I need a visual on what you are describing. Thank you.
 
Thanks, but they're just website links. No actual direct link or image of the product you suggested. I still don't know what it looks like. So I have no idea what is be searching for. Get what I mean?
Bo Eder said:
Try www.adj.com. Or search American DJ in Sweetwater or Amazon..
Click to expand...
 
I-P said:
Thanks, but they're just website links. No actual direct link or image of the product you suggested. I still don't know what it looks like. So I have no idea what is be searching for. Get what I mean?
Click to expand...
I guess you’ll have to do your homework and go discover what it is you’re looking for. We can’t do all the work for you.
 
Bo Eder said:
I guess you’ll have to do your homework and go discover what it is you’re looking for. We can’t do all the work for you.
Click to expand...
I was just asking if you could post a picture or a link to this 4-LED stand you described.
Wasn't "work" as such. You would be just helping me to understand what this lighting system (you mentioned) look like so I know what to search for.
 
In case it helps anyone, (and taking MorrisMan's advice above), I bought a pair of these floodlights and we tried them out on the weekend. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09QQTGMWT?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title plus some lighting clamps for the PA stands.

Still playing around with the colours and brightness settings, but generally they provide much better (static) lighting for the band members. Might get a couple more for the backdrop as they're relatively cheap. Note they are only RGB - not RBGW - so if you want a whiter light they're no good. For Amber they are spot on.
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20240914_211345440.jpg
    PXL_20240914_211345440.jpg
    520.3 KB · Views: 15
Last edited:
  • Like!!
Reactions: I-P
I may be in the minority here, but I think sound-activated lights look stupid. Want the flashy-flash during a fast song? You're in luck! However, don't want the flashy-flash in a slow song OR while you're talking to the crowd? Well, you're getting them anyways. I'd always opt for a nice color-wash with no movement or flashing unless someone is controlling them.

If I was in the market for some lights, I'd try to find a DJ who is either upgrading or going out of business. At this point, I'd go with 100% LED. This would be a try-before-you-buy situation for me. I rarely buy anything electronic used, but I'm pretty sure I'd be comfortable buying lights. If someone is selling the old par cans that actually give off heat, then it's a hard pass.

Also, I'm here to tell you that you actually travel with a cheaper truss by someone like Gator or On-Stage, best of luck. These were NOT made for a ton of travel. Maybe our band is just hard on equipment, but we've had to buy so many nuts and bolts that fall out of those stands so many times it's ridiculous. I'm sure other people with disagree, but this has been my experience.
 
PorkPieGuy said:
I may be in the minority here, but I think sound-activated lights look stupid. Want the flashy-flash during a fast song? You're in luck! However, don't want the flashy-flash in a slow song OR while you're talking to the crowd? Well, you're getting them anyways. I'd always opt for a nice color-wash with no movement or flashing unless someone is controlling them.

If I was in the market for some lights, I'd try to find a DJ who is either upgrading or going out of business. At this point, I'd go with 100% LED. This would be a try-before-you-buy situation for me. I rarely buy anything electronic used, but I'm pretty sure I'd be comfortable buying lights. If someone is selling the old par cans that actually give off heat, then it's a hard pass.

Also, I'm here to tell you that you actually travel with a cheaper truss by someone like Gator or On-Stage, best of luck. These were NOT made for a ton of travel. Maybe our band is just hard on equipment, but we've had to buy so many nuts and bolts that fall out of those stands so many times it's ridiculous. I'm sure other people with disagree, but this has been my experience.
Click to expand...

I am with you on the sound activated lights....I think they are ok if they are one of the effects in the box, but as the only light source...not so much. They also work if it is like a dance party or rave...something where that kind of "light motion" adds to the effect
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top