lighting

Subject: RE: lighting
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 05:43 PM

Gosh, this is informative! I've done hundreds of gigs and not once ever had any choice regarding lighting. I'm obviously playing in the wrong places!

mcmoo

Subject: RE: lighting
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 05:29 PM

Herge, I take it you're looking for a folk type stage setup where the lighting is to enhance the intimacy of the act instead of becoming part of the act (like disco lighting etc.) If you're going with a couple of cans (say PAR 38's) you might want to start with some light peach gels (I don't have my book handy but the colors are roughly the same as a 1A Skylight filter for color film. I'd throw one to each side of stage 30-45 degrees to either side and 60 degrees from above so to reduce shadows without getting in your eyes. The gels will take out the pasty face that bare high temp bulbs will give, looks good on all instruments except banjos, and by throwing an additional weaker light directly overhead, can be cooled off if you think it's showing too warm. If you have a couple extra cans, then the dark blue idea (two overhead and to the rear of the front line of the performers, showing about 60 degrees down, and missing the heads of the performers but lighting up the rear wall and instrument stands would work well. This set up will work well for up to three people on stage, but after that you're going to have to open it up with other cans to prevent one performer from throwing shadows on another. If you are going cheapo by wiring house dimmers into each extention cord, remember they can cause a hum in any sound applification, so get a good RFI-EMI power conditioner and plug everything involving sound (not lights)into that. Good Luck!

Subject: RE: lighting
From: black walnut
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 04:51 PM

I'd like some advice here too, please, if I may. We're doing our first house concert at our place in June. Once we've cleared out the side tables, the only available lighting will be our overhead low voltage potlights that make one look rather dead when used alone. We would like to add spotlights for the perfomer, but how do we make them be not overly bright and blinding? Just wondering what other people have done...

~black walnut

Subject: RE: lighting
From: Hollowfox
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 04:03 PM

How big is the stage? 8'x10', bigger or smaller? How many performers are we talking about? How big is the hall; church basement with brick pillars, school auditorium, modern college "rathskellar"?

Subject: RE: lighting
From: Dave Swan
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 03:52 PM

Exactly! The secret of my success.

Subject: RE: lighting
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 03:38 PM

bastard amber gel....................Why not coat yourself with Man-Tan? Or just wipe yourself down with some of that Stadium Brown Mustard instead? I mean, how can they hate you if you smell like a Hot Dog?

Spaw

Subject: RE: lighting
From: Mark Clark
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 03:27 PM

I always use switched banks of colored floods with 4 arrays of laser lights and a smoke generator. If the club has enough room adding the rear projection silhouettes is nice.

What would folk music be without the proper staging.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: lighting
From: Dave Swan
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 03:00 PM

Another way to go is bastard amber gel on everything. It adds a warm glow overall, and doesn't call attention to itself.

Subject: RE: lighting
From: SeanM
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 02:55 PM

Small stage gig? Unless you've got a board, lighting tech and enough lights to make it worthwhile (and then it's not really a small gig anymore), stick with white and soft white. If you've got limited access to a dimmer or somesuch, you might consider one or two (but don't go overboard) 'spotlights' with gels for heightened impact - like a dark blue over the lead spot for emotional solos and such.

But if it's a small gig, don't knock yourself out. Spend the money you'd spend on a lighting rig to make sure that your sound is good - rent a tech for the evening or something.

M

Subject: RE: lighting
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 02:30 PM

That's the same lighting scheme I have over my bathroom sink!

LOL!!!

Subject: RE: lighting
From: UB Ed
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 01:50 PM

Red, blue, yellow, green

Subject: lighting
From: GUEST,Herge
Date: 25 Apr 01 - 01:39 PM

What colours do you recommend for ambient lighting from power cans for small stage gigs?

Herge