(Part 2) Best products from r/lightingdesign

Hey ShotgunMike32,

I found myself in a similar position that you were in a couple of months ago. There are so many options that it's hard to filter through what's good and what's bad. I found a forum called controlbooth.com that helped me excessively and put me in contact with a few people that were very helpful and guided me well. I can't promise that my solutions will work for you, but so far everything I've purchased has been quality and I'm very happy with it.

Here is what I ended up purchasing, I'll list the retail price, but on nearly every purchase, I received a pretty good discount in some way. www.kpodj.com gives you a good VIP price for only making an account:

• Chauvet LED Colorstrip | QTY = 1 | Video | Retail $179.99
  
• ADJ Dotz Tpar System | QTY = 2 | Video | Retail $399.99/ea
  
• Global Truss Mobile DJ Goalie Post Truss | QTY = 1 | Video | Retail $799.99 to $999.99 (depending on where you look)
  
• Blizzard Blade RGBW | QTY = 4 | Video | Retail $599.99/ea
  
• Blizzard Blade Case Quad | QTY = 1 | No Video | Retail $329.99
  
  I would say that the ADJ DOTZ TPAR SYSTEM is one of the best starter lights you could buy. Again, I don't have much experience, but these lights have a RF remote control, a foot pedal, sound active mode, auto modes, include a stand, and includes a very durable soft case. If I had to recommend just one of my lights, I would recommend the DOTZ.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With some guidance from some helper elves on controlbooth.com I ended up successfully making my own DMX cables
  
  
• Cat6 Stranded Ethernet Cable, black, CM, 1000 ft | $149.99
  
• XLR Male Plugs - 25 pcs | $3.54/ea
  
• XLR Female Plugs - 25 pcs | $3.44/ea
  
  I already had a soldering tool set. This advice has already saved me quite a bit of money. It takes all of 5 minutes for me to make a DMX cable of any length and it costs less than 1/3rd of what you would spend at Guitar Center.

FrostD makes a good point.

There are some standard textbooks that you might look into (with the accompanying knowledge that they will carry textbook-like price tags). I've found them more useful than websites, mostly because I had a lot of trouble finding any websites that did a broad overview of stage lighting.

Shelley's A Practical Guide to Lighting the Stage is a pretty well known one.

Personally, I learned a lot from Gillette's Designing with Light. But I also encountered it after I'd had some experience with the actual lighting instruments. So I remember it as a great introduction to "how do I design," but I can't remember if it covers any of the "this is a fresnel, this is a par" things.

If you want to learn how to program cues, I'd look into tutorials (or at least manuals) relating to whichever board you are likely to work with. If you don't know which board you're most likely to work with, there's a decent chance you'll end up behind an ETC Express [citation needed].

While I'm recommending texts, if you want to figure out how to draft a light plot (likely a further-down-the-line thing in your education), Hillmar's Light Plot Deconstructed is a pretty good way of learning how to make a plot in Vectorworks.

But really, the best way to learn is to do, or at least to be around people who do. If you're going to school, check out if the theatre program (if it exists) would like an extra set of hands on the next load-in/strike. Or if they need a board op (which was one of my favorite ways to pick up on lighting design without needing a lot of prior knowledge or experience).

If you're not going to school atm, see if there are theatres nearby who might want help. Often, even small places (high schools, churches, restaurants that host live acts) will have their normal "lighting guy/gal" they could put you in touch with. Most should be willing to at least point you in the right direction, even if they don't end up wanting/needing a hand with things.

This isn't by any stretch a complete guide, but hopefully it's enough to get you started in some direction or other.

OLA is Open Lighting Architecture .. lets you convert one type to another .. but generally it has an ArtNet interface and lots of fun output interfaces including SPI. For some thoughts: last year I built 4 4'x8x16' steps we used on stage. We drove them with SPI Controllers .. that worked great .. but was expensive. The reason I went pi is the pi itself is $35 and built in wireless .. fadecandy is $22 .. can drive a pixel set of 64x8. This year we're building 12 steps 8'x8"x9" with 6 rows of 64 px driving off the QLC. I have githubs of the ansible code I use for all of this .. happy to share.

Some things to consider:

• PI - there is raspberry pi zero form factor .. which is quite small ;) I am experimenting with those now as full replacements for the Pi-B's and C's I have ( I used to teach with PIs so I have a bunch of em )
  
• interference - 802.11 can be impacted by bad dimmers .. things near by ( high amperag fryer, microwave), channel collisions with existing APs and most easily .. if it's visible lots of things will try to connect even with a password. Set your wifi to NOT broadcast the BSSID. And check the wifi spectrum when you get to a venue ;)
  
• amperage .. make sure you have enough to drive your px .. specifically something north of 80 px in a single strand you'll wanna inject power on the other end. The overall power supply doesn't have to be crazy .. but investing in a good volt-ohm-amp meter meter is worth it for testing and validation.
  
• universes .. I've successfully transmitted 4-6 U over a single SSID of 802.11bng . If each px is individually addressed .. and you're using RGB .. then each px is 3 DMX channels. Each U is 512 channels .. that gives you 170 px in a single U and QLC doesn't handle crossing U in a single fixture.. but does handle things with matrixes .. so you'll have to play around with the config and layout. You can always use the same channel(s) for multiple fixtures of the same type.
  
• road-rash .. touring with such a rig .. plan spares of everything and have a test program you can run to make sure it looks right. The LED strips don't handle LOTS of bending .. but some. The "Sticky" on the back is for shit. plan clear tape or something else to make sure they stay mounted whereever you're putting them. Also .. the "joining" kits you can to connect 2 strips work reasonably well .. BUT they dont' like to move alot. We've started soldering them on to the strips once we have the design set.
  
  Please feel free to reach out any time .. do lots of work in this space and always willing to help ;)

Hi! This sub primarily deals with theater and event lighting. I suspect you may be looking for something more like architectural lighting, or possibly /r/lighting

That said, outdoor colored flood lights have gotten cheaper and cheaper, so if you wanted to light up your boathouse with a but more than the standard string lights, look into several 50W or higher waterproof flood lights like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FT7JXNM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5dY3Bb46N8G75

They don't get particularly warm, should be good for the next 10+ years, and can be wall-mounted. I have a few in my garden to provide some dramatic lighting. They retain their color setting when powered off.

Lastly - the key to good landscape lighting is that the bulb / light source shouldn't be visible to a person standing or walking by. Either place these on the ground (if you can do so safely) or up near the roofline and let the light beam "paint" the wall. You'll get a great look, and if the fixtures are set to different but complimentary colors you will get a nice blend where thy overlap. Plus you can change the color for seasons, holidays, special events (team colors!), etc.

Best of luck!

Two of these should do the trick and come in right at $600:

http://www.amazon.com/Chauvet-4-Bar-Lighting-System/dp/B0029WOLRU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416174458&sr=8-1&keywords=4bar

They include a footswitch to toggle colors and basic programs. You can link them together with a DMX or XLR cable, probably another $30. My buddy's bar band uses these, throws one on each side of the stage and they do a fine job for smaller venues.

Or you could go with one of these, it's the same thing, but more powerful:

http://www.amazon.com/Chauvet-4BARTRI-4BAR-Tri/dp/B004NNVPBI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1416174458&sr=8-4&keywords=4bar

Having 2 x 4Bar's would give more even light distribution across the stage. Having 1 x 4Bar Tri would be easier for setup and tear down. Since you're a 5 piece, I'd go with the 2 x 4Bar's.

The nice thing about these 4Bar's is convenience. No cables to run (except linking them) MUCH less setup and tear down, LED lights run cool and you don't have to change bulbs, and it includes everything to get started (stand, bag, footswitch.) It's made just for bands playing in smaller venues. Larger venues usually have their own lights. If you ever decide to move to DMX controller they will support that.

Get a fog machine on a timer (or a haze machine) and baby you got a stew going. The fog will greatly enhance the effect of the lights.

Disclaimer, I'm no expert. But good lighting technique would be a white wash in front of the band for natural skin tones, and a color wash behind the band for backlighting. See these pics for examples:

http://www.tailored-entertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Mr-K-Live-Promo.jpg
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/08/26/business/mlb2/mlb2-articleLarge.jpg

Notice how the backlights throw color on the hair and edges, creating depth and atmosphere. Many bands throw the color wash in front which is ok but doesn't give you that professional image. So I would eventually get a few white lights to put in front of you (try to get warm white for skin tones) then use these 4BAR's behind you.

Sure but it's a mapping nightmare. I love MA but there is soo much to it.
Titan one actually does have 3rd party software for midi mapping called Osi midi, + avo has a pretty decent visualizer now. I'm not a big fan of AVO but I would agree that it's a lot more user friendly than MA.





For learning the basics of lights.
I would say get a set of like 4 led pars (this will cover color mixing) and 2 LED moving head profiles (make sure they have at least a color wheel and a gobo wheel)

https://www.amazon.com/CO-Z-Controlled-Light-Lighting-Lights/dp/B019XM3XH2/ref=sr_1_13?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1492458026&sr=1-13&keywords=rgb+par

https://www.amazon.com/Lighting-Moving-Channel-DMX-512-U-King/dp/B01M0QAIPU/ref=pd_sbs_267_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01M0QAIPU&pd_rd_r=ZVARE59AWMTGTXSSJH33&pd_rd_w=zrb9S&pd_rd_wg=z70kQ&psc=1&refRID=ZVARE59AWMTGTXSSJH33

You should also look into getting an OpenEntecc and maybe using Martins M-PC
It has a decent FX engine + fixture library.

I'm a big fan of the 6" wide-mouth wrench. I've never found a situation where I need the additional torque of an 8" wrench (with the exception of when someone with an 8" wrench has come by and hamfisted something), and this one is lightweight and the long thin jaws are sometimes extremely convenient for reaching hard-to-reach fasteners. The bright blue grip also makes it easier to find in the dark if you put it down somewhere, those black Bahcos are so easy to misplace. The jaws are pretty sharp, though, so you need to be conscientious about that; they are very precise, though, they keep their spacing very well once set and have relatively little play. I have large hands so I also find the nice fat grip to be more ergonomic than a regular thin C-wrench or a Bahco. On the whole these are very similar to the Bahco wrenches but I definitely like them better, mostly due to the grip, the bright color, and the fact that they are slightly cheaper :)
http://www.amazon.com/Channellock-6WCB-WideAzz-Adjustable-Opening/dp/B0014FGUYU

If you want a package that works out of the box, then I might suggest something like this. It doesn't seem to offer much room for expansion, though.

I don't normally advise these kind of "DJ" setups, but if you want quick and easy set up of some uplights on a budget this may be the best route and a good starting point. You could always expand by investing in a better control interface. Chamsys has served me well on a budget and doesn't require a powerhouse PC.

You would need to purchase extension cords/stringers and 3 pin DMX data cable. I just picked the first results from Amazon, but you can get all those cables in different lengths.

If they don’t have to be moving heads, the ADJ COB Cannon Washes are freaking amazing lights imo. Very wide wash, extremely punchy, pretty good color reproduction. They run about $400 each i think.

If you want lights bright enough to be seen over say the effect of a few source fours, you won’t find much from “reputable” companies for under 500 bucks I’d say.

I have used these wash lights before. They’re cheap and might require some tinkering right out of the box but they’re surprisingly bright and have a nice beam angle. Not great color mixing/color reproduction but if you’re looking for a super cheap moving wash light, you could get say 8 of these and it would probably look fine.
Do you have any pictures of your venue you could share?

First things first, different areas are going to call different things different names. Never be ashamed about asking what people mean by a term, as clear communication is critical in this industry.

Next, three books that will help you.

1. Backstage Handbook while a little outdated, this is the stagehands bible.
   
   
2. Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician and Technician this is a good reference for how electricity works. Less of a what things are and more of a how things are. Good book regardless.
   
   
3. A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting also more of a how things are, this details more of the design and communication side of lighting. Also a very good read, as it details out paperwork for shows.
   
   As far as what equipment and systems you should be familiar with? ETC EOS family is a good starting point. It’ll get your mind familiar with how to program lights and is a pretty universal starting point. ETC Sensor Racks are also fairly standard for dimming. For moving lights, that’s really going to depend on what you’re able to get your hands on. If there’s a production shop nearby to you, call them up and see if they’re willing to take you on as an intern so you can learn things, or just ask them to spend a couple days showing you how everything works. Or see if there’s an IATSE chapter that’s nearby to you, they’ll also be able to help point you in the right direction.

Thanks for the reply. So let’s say I bought 4 of these CHINLY 16.4ft WS2812B Individually Addressable LED Strip Light 5050 RGB SMD 150 Pixels Dream Color Waterproof IP67 Black PCB 5V DC (Black PCB 16.4ft 150leds waterproof) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LSF4Q00/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lsGHAbSH2EMKY


What power supply would I need to buy just for these and what control board would be best?

You might mean 'cube tap' instead of 'cub tap'. It's a small cube-like plug that allows you to make 1 Edison receptacle into 3.

I'd recommend picking up a copy of Set Lighting Technician's Handbook…), best $40 you can spend for this sort of info.

The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook is the more updated version (I'm assuming) of "The Gaffer's Handbook". Definitely a good read OP.

I've used the DMXking LeDMX4 PRO (get the variable volatge version,) they run up to 4 full 300px strips and talk Artnet/SACN to your console; you'll need a 12v power supply rated for the strips, and 12v WS2811B, 5m strips. You'll need 8 universes free to do 4 5m strips.

DMX king:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXZS2LS/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01MXZS2LS&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyVTlNVFdEQVlZUVk4JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzkyOTI2MzhLMzFDRjdESFJBNSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzQwNDQyMzBNNkw3RDlUWEtYWSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Strip:

https://www.amazon.com/ALITOVE-Individually-Addressable-Flexible-Waterproof/dp/B018X04ES2/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=12v+5m+pixel+strip&qid=1569260147&sr=8-14

Hi Skyfod. I used: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FVR6W71/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Worth mentioning that you will want to ensure the appropriate power supply and that WS2812B is the appropriate LED for you project (probably is). As for what they are attahed to, I used corrugated plastic so they would be lightweight and durable.

Introduction to what, exactly? Stage lighting in general?

In my lighting design class in college, we used Lighting and the Design Idea by Linda Essig.

Steve Shelley is also well regarded.