DJ Lights for Beginners

Oct 27, 2009 in Uncategorized

I’ve got to admit it.No more than I realized what I could do with DJ lighting unit, I became a fanatic.If you are just starting your exploration of DJ lights, read on.Assuming that’s the case, let’s start at the basics and build from there.

Most of the DJ lighting units you see can be activited by sound. That means you can just plug the thing into a power source, point it in the desired direction, set it to respond to sound, crank the music, and let it go.However, you have to think this one out before going any further.

Be aware that many lighting units get terribly hot, so you must be careful that no one gets injured.We’re using a scortching hot device that runs on house current, so you must put safety first.If you decide to suspend the thing, as you probably will, be totally sure to use all safety procedures to be certain it doesn’t fall down on someone’s head. And don’t overload power outlets!It is terribly frustrating (and humiliating) to start up the system for the first dance, hit the lights, and have a breaker trip shutting down most of your system.Don’t overload any circuits and let all your gear operate at once for some time before the event starts.

When positioning the lights you need to be sure that each unit hears the music so it can respond properly.This is seldom a problem, but it does mean that shoving the thing away behind your speakers might not be a good idea.

What to select?The fixtures I like best are the scanners which are also called “intelligent” lights.You can thrill your crowd with laser lighting effects. If you’ve got some money to spend, some of the “moving yoke” lights are incredible.There’s no reason to discuss these now because you can examine them and watch little movies on the internet of how they work in action.Do a search for “Chauvet Lighting” if you don’t know where to find these.It is one of several good brands of lights and you’ll find quite a few videos there illustrating their lights.

It’s worth considering this recommendation: Only buy lights that offer DMX control.DMX refers a protocol that enables the controlling of the lighting units and their features from a remote programmable board or software-based device.What this means is that you can program the lighting units from a lighting board or other control device that interfaces with a computer.This means you’ll need to run a control cable to each lighting unit or use some form of wireless control, but you’ll love the creativity this gives you, and you’ll be eager to add this to your shows.

Looking to talk about DJ lights? They you need to be at my blog, Discovering and Shopping for DJ Lights.

A deeper look at DMX next time.Okay, go have some fun – check out what’s available!