As any mobile DJ or concert producer knows, lighting really sets the mood. It does not matter if it is wedding reception or a metal fest...proper lighting is essential to create the look and feel of the event. In addition to engineering the sound at concerts, I really love creating light shows. As a lighting designer you really are an artist and can make a powerful statement about your business skill by proper use of lighting effects. In the past, when I used conventional lighting and effects I always had to worry about power outlets and current draw. I had to use a lot of lights so each act had a different look.More than a few times the breakers tripped due to overload.Lights Out kills an event! It looks unprofessional too.I dreaded running extension cords all over the venue, trying to get enough circuits for the lighting and the PA system AND the bands.While it seems I still have to run a lot of power cord, I am a LOT less worried that my lighting will trip a breaker. Why? Because I have switched over to LED fixtures. LED fixtures draw much less current and they do not get nearly as hot as the old-style light fixtures. If you are not using LED technology you are out of step with the exciting new developments in stage and event lighting. Let's focus on one fixture to begin our study on LED lighting... the humble par can.
When I first started out as a concert lighting designer I had a lot of traditional par cans. The were inexpensive, put out a lot of light onto the stage, and got the job done. They also produced skin-searing heat, were bulky, took up space in my trailer, and sucked up electricity and wall outlets. I also had to be careful not to overload the dimmer packs. I slowly started to try out some early LED pars. They were rather disappointing because they were not very bright and were obviously no replacement for the power of the par. But as LED technology improved so did the LED pars. They became brighter and more affordable. I tried several brands of fixtures including generic discount lights. In the end I settled with the Chauvet line of LED pars. I found them to be reliable (even when dropped), their tech support was responsive even though I rarely needed it, and the lights were easy to program. Program? Yes-that is one of the BEST features about LED par cans. No more gels. No more color limits. Every LED par can change colors on the fly or by programming a few simple scenes into a DMX controller.
When I first started out as a concert lighting designer I had a lot of traditional par cans. The were inexpensive, put out a lot of light onto the stage, and got the job done. They also produced skin-searing heat, were bulky, took up space in my trailer, and sucked up electricity and wall outlets. I also had to be careful not to overload the dimmer packs. I slowly started to try out some early LED pars. They were rather disappointing because they were not very bright and were obviously no replacement for the power of the par. But as LED technology improved so did the LED pars. They became brighter and more affordable. I tried several brands of fixtures including generic discount lights. In the end I settled with the Chauvet line of LED pars. I found them to be reliable (even when dropped), their tech support was responsive even though I rarely needed it, and the lights were easy to program. Program? Yes-that is one of the BEST features about LED par cans. No more gels. No more color limits. Every LED par can change colors on the fly or by programming a few simple scenes into a DMX controller.
Take a look at this drummer illuminated by four Chauvet LED PAR 64 fixtures. These fixtures look like traditional par cans but are powered by LEDs. All four lights draw only about 200 watts! Look at the full coverage and beautiful color. These Chauvet LED pars can be set to a static color, a program of ever- changing colors where you control the color fade speed, or color change to a music beat. All great options. I prefer to run the lights from a light board. I have the option of controlling each light individually or each one separately. In other words you can have all the lights do the same thing...strobe, turn red, turn green, fade up or down, etc. OR you can manually work the light board to control each light individually. I also create preset scenes on my light boards. I program a number of static scenes, such as all red light, all white, blue, yellow, etc, into the light board so all I have to do is hit a button for red, then a button for white, etc.I can also link individual scens into a show that runes through each scene automatically. Programming may seem confusing at first, it was for me (Wait until we take a look at moving lights!), but once I started practicing I began to learn how to program with confidence. Another important factor is the instructions that come with the lights and light board. Some manufactures have terrible instructions that actually provide INCOMPLETE instructions that cause you to fail. I write instruction manuals for a scientific company so I know how important it is to have clear, easy to read and FOLLOW user manuals. Chauvet has good manuals and they seem to get better with each new product they release. Chauvet has made it easy for me to move up to the next level of lighting. Bands, fans, and guests WILL notice the difference the beauty LED lighting brings to the event. So what are you waiting for? Make the switch and start having fun with your lights.
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