Weekend Warrior Stage Lighting Discussion

[EdO.]

In all the years I've been a weekend warrior playing bars, clubs, parties, weddings etc there have been very few venues I've played in that provided any stage lighting or backline/house sound. We've always just assumed we need to provide our own lights and sound and always have. Just another cost of doing business. Most of those places wouldn't have a clue anyway, easier to just use our own stuff so we at least know what to expect and have control of it.

 

[EdO.]

Being a bassist and a pro photographer, I decided that we were seriously lacking in the lighting department, and I can use the lighting for both businesses. Light is everything to a photographer. So, I ended up buying 2 Chauvet 4BAR USBs, a Chauvet 6-spot, a colorstrip mini, a Chauvet Swarm 5FX, a Hurricane Haze 1D and an Obey 40 controller. I may have gone a little overboard, but the idea is to start doing lights/sound for other bands too.

One thing about it - that setup will definitely set you apart from the competition, at least visually.

 

[Goatee220]

One thing about it - that setup will definitely set you apart from the competition, at least visually.

I hope so. I want our show/presentation to be as good as our music.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I would be nice if venues knew what lights they had and could provide a DWG so you could model a complex show rather than wing it. Last big show I had to invent a QLCplus model for the moving lights, but 'saved time' by leaving out the pan, assuming I could pan manually initially and leave tgem but they always returned to zero. In the end I programmed the venues lighting guy: "green now. Red, spit there...". A learning experience

 

[SuperK]

Being a bassist and a pro photographer, I decided that we were seriously lacking in the lighting department, and I can use the lighting for both businesses. Light is everything to a photographer. So, I ended up buying 2 Chauvet 4BAR USBs, a Chauvet 6-spot, a colorstrip mini, a Chauvet Swarm 5FX, a Hurricane Haze 1D and an Obey 40 controller. I may have gone a little overboard, but the idea is to start doing lights/sound for other bands too.

Let me know what you think of the 6-spot. We're using 2 Chauvet 4-Bars, 2 cheap RGB pars for rear wall wash, and 2 Chauvet SlimPar Q6 fixtures for front lighting. I'm looking for something to put in back above the drummer and facing front. I keep looking at the 6-spot.

I'm also using an Obey 40 controller but with a Behringer FCB1010 foot controller. I programmed in banks of scenes for different moods and change them on the fly with the footswitch. It's not too complicated since I only play bass and don't sing leads or backups. I'll change the lighting 5 or 6 times during a song depending on the song dynamics.

We're at the point now where if we go to a venue and they have existing lights we ask them to turn them off because they just interfere with our own lights.

 

[EdO.]

My only negative comment on the 6Spot is that the light beams are pretty tight (focused) so the higher you get them the broader the spot. I also use them behind the drummer as down/forward lighting. With solid colors from the 4Bar Flex lights on both sides they make for nice complimentary accent lighting.

 

[EdO.]

@SuperK I'd be really interested in hearing about your experience hooking up and programming the Behringer FCB1010 foot controller to your Obey 40. I'm using a FootC right now but by itself it doesn't really do what I'd like to be able to do with our lights.

 

[SuperK]

@SuperK I'd be really interested in hearing about your experience hooking up and programming the Behringer FCB1010 foot controller to your Obey 40. I'm using a FootC right now but by itself it doesn't really do what I'd like to be able to do with our lights.

The FCB1010 works great with the Obey 40. BUT it all depends on how you approach it. Out of the box the FCB1010 is programmed to trigger scenes on the Obey 40 by sending MIDI notes. The FCB1010 has 10 pedals that can be programed in 10 banks. Each one of these pedal/bank combos corresponds to a specific scene on the Obey 40. For example:

Pedal 1, Bank 00 = Scene 1, Bank 01 on the Obey 40
Pedal 2, Bank 00 = Scene 2, Bank 01
Pedal 3, Bank 00 = Scene 3, Bank 01
etc.
Pedal 9, Bank 00 = Scene 1, Bank 02 on the Obey 40
Pedal 10, Bank 00 = Scene 2, Bank 02
Pedal 1, Bank 01 = Scene 3, Bank 02

Since I didn't have my Obey 40 programmed yet, I just programmed the Obey 40 to match up to the FCB1010 pedals. Bank 00 on the FCB1010 is my "generic" scene bank and I can switch between scenes as needed. I always leave one scene blank to act as a blackout. Bank 01 on the FCB1010 is set to call up scenes for a specific song. For example Sweet Child O Mine by GnR. I have a specific look for the intro, one for the first solo, one for the 2nd solo, one for the "Where do we go?" section, etc.

If you already have your Obey 40 all programmed it is still possible to manually assign specific scenes/chases to specific pedals but I didn't have any luck with that. You can download software to help interface to it but I am a total newbie with MIDI so I just used the factory defaults for the pedal to scene assignments.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[Big Hoss]

Okay not super fancy by anyone's measure, but out lighting and effects kit is coming along, on a shoestring budget as it were...

We've got 2 68LED Par cans linked that sync a random pattern, a red, and a blue / green LED kaleidoscope stake lights that we have custom mounts for that shoot down to a backdrop, a "Starflower" kaleidoscope and a new fogger. A home built stomp box is underway to power on / off each light / effect as needed.

Not super pretty, but effective enough for what we are doing... Certainly leaves a TON of room for improvement, but we are getting there.... Long term, DMX controller, a total of 8 LED RGB PAR cans, way to DMX control those LED kaleidescopes as the effect really is cool, a much better fogger, and some Chauvet BOB LED "Flame bowl" effects for front of the stage...

 

[Big Hoss]

Update.

The stomp box is done, and the lighting upgrades / post Christmas lighting clearance sales are done... We now have the following rig...

2 68 LED par cans on a home made clamp at the top of each main .
RGB Starflower on floor pointing up at backdrop.
2 each Red, blue, yellow, purple / orange and green LED Kaleidesope stake lights on home made bracket from our backdrop support (PVC pipe rig). These are aimed at the backdrop. They provide a color rippling water effect.

The fogger is still on hold but will be in the gear set soon.

The stomp box is literally a 4 gang sized project box with power in, with 8 on / off footswitches, and 8 power outs.

Only issue I have at this time is what fogger is a good one that won't break the bank?

 

[EdO.]

What did you use for the foot switches? How about a photo?

 

[Big Hoss]

What did you use for the foot switches? How about a photo?

It would be sort of spendy to do from scratch, but I have been collecting switches like these over the years... (You can IF there are any avaialble near you) use old automotive high beam foot switches for the same function. They are super cheap near me...

Heavy Duty Utility AC Push Button Momentary Switch - SPST : 30-1426: Electronic Component Pushbutton Switches: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Box used was one of these.

Electrical Box, Masonry, 63.5 cu in, 4 Gang - - Amazon.com

Cover is one of these...

Hubbell-Bell WW-BBBB Standard Metallic Wallplate with Blank, Four Gang, White Smooth - - Amazon.com

Cables are just cannibalized outdoor / exterior grade extension cords. The green ones you use with holiday lighting if you don't get snow, and of course, if your lawn guy clobbers your cables you end up with parts. (LOTS of these things hit curbs near me...).

As soon as I tear it back down and finish the cosmetics, I will be happy to post up a photo...

I put it together to test it out (works). Next phase was to tear it down. Paint it flat black, and label the switches, and lastly the female sockets for what lights they are supposed to run.

Sort of a junk yard DMX controller approach...

FWIW, a lot of this stuff can be sourced up at construction material salvage lots, and Habitat for Humanity ReStore centers on the cheap.

 

[Big Hoss]

I should point out on my build...

#1. I built it on the cheap out of salvaged parts. I wouldn't consider this if I had to buy fresh / new parts as it would be cost prohibitive.
#2. I know what I am doing somewhat when doing wiring work, and where I don't, I have an electrician friend that does... If you don't have access to the knowledge and skills, and USE them, steer clear of any project like that. Just go buy a true DMX controller and lights... I am making do because, well... I can.

 

[drummer5359]

I took a quick photo of our stage setup at a recent gig.

 

[DirtDog]

cool!

What's your setup on the rig above the drum riser?

I took a quick photo of our stage setup at a recent gig.

 

[drummer5359]

We are using six American DJ scanners, a Chauvet Circus light in the center and two off brand lasers on the ends. Two Chauvet Scorpion Dual Fat Beam Lasers arrived via UPS yesterday, they will replace the old lasers.

 

[SuperK]

What type of truss/lighting stand are you using over the drumkit? What do you have mounted up front?

 

[drummer5359]

We have several different trusses that we use depending on the size of the venue. The one in the photo is a global truss. As for up front, we use eight off brand par 64 LEDs and a couple of scanners that are used as moving spots. I'm working on replacing the PAR 64s with Chauvet Corepar 80s.

Here is a shot of the lights in action.

 

[SuperK]

We have several different trusses that we use depending on the size of the venue. The one in the photo is a global truss. As for up front, we use eight off brand par 64 LEDs and a couple of scanners that are used as moving spots. I'm working on replacing the PAR 64s with Chauvet Corepar 80s.

Here is a shot of the lights in action.

Do you use a hazer too? Looks nice.

 

[drummer5359]

Thank you, yes we use one at the rear of the stage and one at the front.