What are the first lights we should get...

[Phil02]

My band wants to buy lights with a budget of around 150. We have nothing as of now. We were thinking maby we should just get some cans and stands. We also want some effects if possible. We will be playing smaller venues (coffe houses etc.) Can you brovide any suggestions. We are going to buy everything we can used.
Thanks,
Phil

[Zeromus-X]

I bought four 500-watt halogen lights from a local store for about $8 apiece. You know, the worklights. Pack of 4 colored gels shouldn't be but five dollars. $50 will build you a nice foot light controller, or you could find one used for about that. That still leaves you almost $70 for an effect light.

[fenfer air conditioner]

Before I answer, I would like to know:
Howmany piece band?
What instrumentation?
How big an area you will generally need to light?
Will you be controling from the stage or will there be a person running your lights?

[Phil02]

We have 6 people (singer, keys, turntables(he would be the person controlling the lights) BASS (o yea, thats me) guitar, drums)
We will need to light a farily small venue size for now ( coffe houses and such) Probably not more than 20 square feet.

[Zeromus-X]

*blink*

20 square feet? Hell, each speaker cabinet itself is probably four square feet. Hope you don't plan on fitting a drum kit there.

[Rimmer]

Yeah, the venue size is an issue. I would go with some pars on stands. Four per stand and then some floor cans for uplighting and back lighting (from below unfortunately).

Effects lights are far and wide in design. You would have to be specific about what you are requiring. Dance lights? Dancefloor lightings?

The type of music you do is important.


Rimmer

[Phil02]

well i didnt actually go there and measure it, but its maaby 30 square feet, bands usally put their light stands on the floor since the stage is only about 2 feet high

[Rimmer]

Originally posted by Phil02
well i didnt actually go there and measure it, but its maaby 30 square feet, bands usally put their light stands on the floor since the stage is only about 2 feet high

Some floor cans it is then... :D


Rimmer

[Zeromus-X]

Hey, two feet high isn't too bad. But I think you need to reconsider stage size a little bit... 30 square feet is only about a 6'x5' stage. You still couldn't even fit a drum kit on that.

[Phil02]

O, my bad, I've been out of school for 2 weeks and am already a total retard I meant a 20x20, so maby around 400 square feet.

[Sir_Matthew]

Zeromus-X,

You intrigue me. $50 will build a foot controller? I'm getting 4 worklights myself, and I'm trying to figure out how to make such a controller. Any blueprints or hints?

[meegaleedo]

Originally posted by Phil02
O, my bad, I've been out of school for 2 weeks and am already a total retard I meant a 20x20, so maby around 400 square feet.

Done that size with 150W par 38s. 4 either side. You can either buy the individual par 38 cans (I saw them at Musicians Friend for $30 for 2.) Or you can build them.

I used to have a plan for par 38 light trees. I will see if I can find it.

[narcolepticbass]

I'd like to know about these light tree and foot controller plans as well. I already have the parts to make my own par cans.

[Zeromus-X]

I'll see if I can get a nice wiring diagram done. Here's the parts I used:

4"x4" steel junction box with lid - $1 at any hardware store
4 SPST on/off switches, 6A - $5 apiece
Wire, electrical tape - $5 at most
Cable clamps - $3 for a bag of a dozen or so
Four 3' appliance extension cords - $3 apiece

There's 41 bucks. You'll need a drill capable of going through galvanized steel, but that's usually not too big of a problem if you're willing to possibly sacrifice a drill bit or two. Cut the extension cords in half, four female and one male coming out of the box. The male goes into an extension cord into the wall; the four female are for four lights. The switches are all wired in parallel, not in series, with the ground bridged between each one. Get the most heavy duty switches you can and you should be good -- remember, they'll probably take a good amount of beating. I used some kind of halogen lamp switches or something because I'm running 500W through each switch, and didn't want them burning up.

If you have about $10 extra, you can put in a colored LED for each switch to let you know which is on, or just use light-up switches if you can find them. The LEDs make it look a lot nicer though. Mine are on order (blue, red, green, white -- the local stores didn't have blue, unfortunately) so I have vinyl stickers on them for the time being. Make sure you get LEDs that can handle 115v, or you'll be doing a lot of work in there. There's not much room to work with at all; it took effort to even close the box when I was done.

I'll post a picture later.

[Sir_Matthew]

Fabulous! Thanks for the advice. I look forward to a picture of this creation, & a wiring diagram would be excellent. DIY is still alive.

[Zeromus-X]

To get the color, I aluminum duct taped gels to the front of the halogens. Just make sure you leave air space to vent the heat.

Pictures tonight.

[LynGrey]

BLACK LIGHTS!
18inch or 14 inch bar black lights!

[vltechmatt]

buy par can the cheapest and easiest way to light your band. But remember, you dont need them to flash all the time. set moods with your lights far better than random flashing.