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Forum: General Discussion

Topic: Best Practice For The Layout Of Our Lighting? - Page: 1

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I'm confused over the positioning of my lights.
Behind me may turn my appearance into a shadow shape.
Hence I may put my lights in line with the front edge of my table.
Then I need stage lighting to ensure I can be seen.
I'm thinking I should only cover the back of the mixer, and amp.
People need to see that my hand movements coincide with the changes in the music.

Comments.
 
Posted Tue 09 Jun 15 @ 4:36 pm
Do you have the option of setting up and trying different positioning?
In the following photo, there is a LED par can on the truss 10' up. You can see the crank stand at the middle position on the table.
The lighting is pretty good, the DJ's could be seen from all over the area.

I wish I had a photo of this in the dark. Here the truss is at the front edge of the table. Unfortunatly, my setup location was restricted to that spot. The angle on the ceiling would not let me raise the truss to a better height.
 
Given enough space I usually set up mine infront of the table too.
 
blckjck you confirm the 1st. law which is that the DJ should be framed by his lights.
Conventional wisdom would see the lights placed behind the DJ.
Is that a fallacy?
Often the constraints of the venue will impede this configuration.
However is it even desirable?

I love your lighting stand, elegant, and not too big.
 
Hi 938MyDJ, my cheerful Canadian friends who got my lights 10 foot up in the air !
What is your opinion of how the DJ should be illuminated ?
Is it important to clearly see the DJ, and what he's doing ?
 
For the moment putting the lighting on the front edge of the table seems to have shot into the lead !
 
blckjck if no stage/house lighting is present, or switched on, I normally use floor cans to illuminate my stage.
Our Canadian friends might lead me to your solution which is 10 ft. up !
I also have to consider singers, and their place in my world.
It's no good if no one can see them.
 
The lighting is safer behind us..true!
Comments.
 
Your first law is wrong, safety first. Lasers (if strong) above eye level, older incandescent lighting, recommended distance from flammable materials, you're an elec engineer so it's probably something you assess without thinking, sorry to be the downer but safety trumps aesthetics, it might seem be pedantic but I've seen near misses (melted tents, and plenty of "horror shows" as an electrician) with the "it'll be right" attitude.

So first thing assess the hazards then negotiate the aesthetics.

carry on.
 
I spend most of my time watching the audience, I try to look down as little as possible.
Should we keep eye contact with an audience?
I'll just backspin out of a song, and into the next if an audience is not responding.
 
safety first..nice one !
The first law.
Does that mean lights behind us?
It may.
 
To be honest I hate glares while mixing. The club was so excited to inform me that they've installed some new lights and that they 've dedicated a Wash to be focussed on the booth. I just told them it's not too dark up there from the floor-view at and I just asked them not to use it on me.

On mobile, I prefer an uplighting behind me whenever possible. Occasional red or purple slimpar on me if my table is set up away from the dance lighting.

It all falls under preference.

 
bigron1 wrote :
blckjck if no stage/house lighting is present, or switched on, I normally use floor cans to illuminate my stage.

bigron1 wrote :
I spend most of my time watching the audience, I try to look down as little as possible.


I put wash lights or spots on the truss.
You comment about not looking down. It makes me think of a post I made in another thread. I had to stop the rapid changing patterns on my wash because it was bothering the DJ's. I also needed to dim it down a little for them. This helped with visual fatigue and not having to block the light to see out on the dance floor.
 
I know I'm a little nuts but I practice little dances, body, and arm movements in my music room.
I'm glad no one can see me !
That actually trumps the mixes. VDJ has automated that aspect of our lives giving us the time to become one with the audience.
You're young 938MyDJ which means all things are possible in your life.
The superstar DJ's all seek unity with their audience...and hence all arms raise in the stadium at the same time !
We must be seen clearly.

Don't get me wrong, I don't wonder in waving my arms around like a maniac, I must wait for the moment, and it doesn't always come, but when it does it's great to be a part.
 
That's the thing if you understand that lights get hot then you'll apply safety first without thinking about it, but this is a public forum and people naive to applied science will follow online advice, unaware that given the wrong placement, hazards become dangers.
 
All my lights are cool running LED's Locodog.
The day of the 500w par 64 has gone.
But the first law is safety !
That's why conventional wisdom demands our lights behind us.
Hence we guard our lights.
Is the 2nd. then framing the DJ with his lights ?
Remembering we must be seen at our best, and the halo effect is excellent.
 
Hm Locodog you have clarified my thoughts.
Lights 10 ft. up in the air are just about acceptable when placed behind the DJ.
Note: It looks great when the lights are high.
 
Erm... another one Ron, go on Ebay and purchase a couple of led uplighters/colour wash cans they'll cost you 15 quid if you get the right deal, set to the colour and movement that you want even sound to light if that pops your cork, put them on the gantry facing down on you with your lights stands to the front edge of your desk/table. This will cover all the options that you need.

Haven't forgot about your singers either do the same for them except this time get a piece of flat bar four inches longer than the total width of your newly purchased lights and drill three holes into it, either side and centre, centre hole to attach to gantry and the two outer ones to place your lights into. Jobs a good un!...

No applause necessary.... rofl.

(You can spend a bit more on LED bars like we use as well, but for this exercise the ones I mentioned will be fit for purpose)

Sent you a link to our website by pm
 
..another for the stands on the front edge of the table !
This does carry a safety penalty since the lights become increasingly safe as they move closer to the wall behind the DJ.
Come on Locodog, let's have more of your wisdom on this one issue.
Can we sacrifice some safety for appearance?

What has recently worried me is that people thought that the curtain rail supported by two microphone stands was something for them to lean on.
It is of course just a light weight facade.
In fact no more than a curtain.
I just tell them to get off it, no big deal, it's not going to collapse, and kill someone.

I've already got quite a few of the led uplighters/colour wash cans Tayla, except they go on the floor at the moment.
I wouldn't miss something so cheap, effective, and lightweight.
Two go in one bag with two lasers.
Yep it's mobile.
 
It looks like I'm going to retain my old layout, but add a new one with the lights 10ft up in the air, but behind me against a wall.
Here are some pictures of a disco in a shoe box with a five piece band.
Space is at a premium.
We even have a drummer.




I know my lights are a bit low, but if you saw the chaos setting up then you would appreciate that getting things to work was an achievement.
I even had to move the pool table.
 
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