IMO its better. would you rather have a crazy ass light show inside of a gym, or the lights just off playing music?

lights give a wayyyyy better atmosphere.

how does that fit into the price? and how long does it take to setup? Like I said I've never used them so I'm curious. Also do you have to get a trestle to mount everything on?

depends on what you buy, prices can range from 100$ - 1500$, setup is pretty quick. im always an hour and a half early before every gig to do setup. You can rock truss systems, you can get some deecent ones for cheap or use t-bars :)

I mean how does that fit into the price you charge? Do you charge extra if you use lights?

oh, yea forsure. i usually add on like 100 bucks to my price i charge if they want lights/fog. since i only use a t-bar with 3 lights and a fog machine.

i charge extra for lights too you dont need to go crazy some led washes and 2 scanners go a long way

amen to that. its not the quantity of lights , its how you use what you got.

I don't like using Smoke Machines. They're a pain. Many places don't want you to use them because they're afraid to set off the smoke alarm. They also keep you from taking decent photos (smoke bounces the flash back)

They DO add a great effect to your lights though :)

the pro lasers that make like walls of light with smoke look amazing

do you guys use Midi to control the lights or something else?

i use sound activated, and chases on DMX but i this local dude has an interface that you can program each light and run it off software, you can actually make a mockup of the actual space youre in, pretty sick

bro trust me it makes a lot of difference, it gets the people in the party mood more then just having the music..I have a T truss with 3 lights.. Revo 4..Galaxian lazer,a TRI LED and 2 small moonflowers with a smoke machine..people love it..and yes charge more. trust me start getting into lights even if you buy them on craigs list..also LED is the way to go..good luck

+1 on lights. but it's way worse having cheesy lights than it is having no lights at all. do it right. you can drop a grand and get a great setup. i'd recommend LED Bars or Pars for wash lighting and if you must, DMX scanners for effect. less is more.

in my opinion, fog is not professional. it's just as bad as cheesy lights. it smells bad and makes the dance floor slippery. clubs and concert light shows use haze... it's oil based and mostly invisible unless light passes thru it. much more effective and much more expensive.

Lights definitely help make the party better. I started with just a couple, and built up my light show gradually, one or two pieces at a time. And by charging extra, they pay for themselves relatively quickly. (and then some)

+1 on LED lights, they barely consume any power vs. halogen lights that can blow a circuit if not applied properly.

tinypic.com

tinypic.com

check those out and you'll get some ideas of what you can do with lighting

I have always used lights at my events. I work alone and easy setup and teardown is probably one of the most aspects for my rigs. I prefer not to use trusses so, I use C or S clamps to mounts LED lights strategically on the speaker stands. I usually bring 4 Lights to each event. 2 mounted , and 2 intelligent Moving heads next to me.. Believe me, you can market and package your prices pretty effectively by using lights.

Lights R ALWAYS A PLUS.... I use lights ONLY IF THE VENUE DOESN'T HAVE ANY & "YOU DO HAVE 2 CHG XTRA ($100 - $300 is good depending on venue).

Basic Set-Up 1: 1 - Siren (Red/Blue) amazing 4 places w/out a system & simple.
Basic 2: 2-Sirens & 2-Mini Strobes.
Then I have a Quad-Color Light Bank & a Mayhem (Both Chauvet & affordable) & 4 Strobes...and price accordingly.
I have a fogger, but here in Philly alot of places won't let U use'm unless you got Ins. & they also claim the fog sets off their sprinklers (??).
But you cant go wrong w/some basics. Hoped that helped....

As the official Alarm System Auditor II DJ here, I don't believe there is another, the use of fog can/might set off the Fire Alarm System, which in turn will send a pre-activation signal to a Deluge type sprinkler system. It won't actually set off the sprinklers but that pre-action will upset the owner/manager. Those sprinkler pipes are dry until that signal is sent. They do not like those pipes full of water. Trust me, it's happened during inspections, they look at me and I just point to the Alarm company I am auditing.

In reference to lights, what do you guys think of the Chauvet 4Play? Looks like a neat little light. I am thinking of buying two.

I have 2 vertigo lights that go on top of my mackies.. They work great. Most people want lights at their parties anyways. I suggest you get some. Dont go all out either, these suckers take up space in the car.

what ever you do, just don't rock some old par cans or one of those cheap chauvet 4 color light boxes you can buy at spencers. I have been using avengers, dj scans, moon flowers for years, everyone loves them, as for the strobes, dont use those mini ones you get at the Halloween stores, you can get a 70 watt one for 50 bucks these days... Last year i FINALLY upgraded to a crank up stand, best 200 i have ever spent... i haven't invested in LED lighting yet as my old stuff works fine but its heavy as hell... also the deluxe 250 scans are a bitch to haul unless you have them in cases, even bags make me worry about the mirrors, i have my buddys LED moving head lights, and those things are so dim they just sit in the box, for most small events i would say the vertigos are fine, also those 4plays looked kinda cool. as for my scans, i occasionally use a DMX controller for spot light dances, and i usually use it for the liquid sky laser, but depends on the venue and what im trying to accomplish with the lighting...

You can do like I do and just rent them and charge an extra 70 bucks on what it cost to rent them. I always wanted to get some lights but this for sure makes me less mobile. I can get everything on my cart with one trip by myself. Cdj/mixer coffin two subs, two tops, two laptops, one projector and fast fold screen... If I add lights that's another trip maybe two not to mention more time to set up. I guess I am lazy or just really want to be a mobile ,,,,,mobile dj. Either way lights do add a little hypeness. Somebody define mobile DJ.. I think it might need to be changed to mobile club erector...than comes with a dj.

I include lights as a part of the basic package. You should add some basic lights just to have, I think most customers expect it.....

I can't imagine doing mobile without lights, unless it's just a basic "background music" style event. You don't have to go overboard with your lights if you're doing basic mobile events, but definitely get some sort of truss system, basic fills that you have set up to chase (no crazy midi controller required - but they are nice), and some decent, durable effect lighting. A fog machine optional but very effective; however some venues will ask you to not use the fog.

cant go wrong with moving heads and uplighting

damn right

+1 on uplighting.

Alot of my wedding clients specifically ask for uplighting, and are willing to pay quite a bit extra for it... but LED par cans are the safest because they don't get hot, and with RGB color mixing you can have customized colors for them to choose from.

Thanks for all the input. It's just me doing all this. Can the lighting be setup with just one person? Lrocks setup is hot but That's a lot of stuff. Also do they have lightweight trusses? If not it's cool but I'm gettin older so I've been looking to upgrade to lighter equipment. (Like the new lightweight QSC amp)

Yeah man, crank up truss is pretty easy for one person to set up. It just takes a bit longer to set up and strike your rig for an event.

my stands are basically speaker stands with a t-bar at the top.

global truss is very lightweight. 8 ft section is like 30 lbs. a very popular wedding setup is 2-6' or 8' sticks, uplit, and you can put a mover on top or clamp stuff on the sides. 2x2 base plates are 50lbs

+10000..... The LIGHTER, The better (Pun N10did)

i agree 3000% with the lighter is better, back in college i was putting those lights on the t-bar and lifting it 3 nights a week, i have really cut the gigs back, but i almost threw my back out at a gig last year and went out and bought the crank up stands, also get a drill bit for the hex fitting on the stand and use your drill to crank it up, super easy, i also have 60+lbs of weight on there between the lazer, fogger, dj scans and star ball....

Gud Look Dan....Good 2 Kno they wasn't Lyin 2 me cuz its hard to find a venue to use my Fogger. I've only been able to use it @ outdoor events (BarBQs, Picnics...) & sometime I kno I b lookin crazy.....but I BOUGHT IT, DMAN IT I WANNA USE IT!!! (LOL)

In 2 years at the club I've never set off the smoke alarm but one busy day I set it off with a "smoke in ceiling" alarm due to overfogging...

And this is from a place that we use almost a gallon of fog a day (2 x 25 ton AC units + 1 x 100 ton A/C unit disperses it in less than 5-6 mins). In fact, we bought some Chauvet fog machines which lasted all of about 3 months before dying... Now we have 2 Martin 800's and they fog so much I have to keep them turned down..

I love everything that Martin makes. I wish I had bought all Martin when I started up.

i have trouble believe fog will set off a smoke alarm. especially an industrial one.

but as i said before, fog is played out. it's not as effective as haze, it smells bad, it leaves the dance floor slippery.. and it looks like the price/charlie murphy skit on that chapplle show, or a bad halloween party. and most importantly, it looks unprofessional. seriously. look into haze.

it can

i have had many arguments about the fog that set off the fire alarm with the fire martial, and depending on the bar, they may only have heat detectors, as did the last bar i use to dj at, so if you were feeling crazy you could fog up the place, also you have to be using some cheap fog juice or wwwwway to much to get the floors that sticky and smelly, get some high end juice and you dont need to use that much and it hangs forever.

a couple basic links on the difference between fog and haze:

www.laserfx.com

Watchwww.youtube.com

I've always been too afraid to put effects on top of my speakers. People at mobile events often exhibit conspicuous levels of clumsiness or idiocy, and the last thing I need is something falling on a guest.

Fog can set off some smoke dectors.....I am not a fire cheif but I do intall fire alarm panels and understanding the diffrent types of smoke dectors will defently let you know if you would have a problem. As stated above a heat dector would not be set off by fog because they are what thier name says they are they dectect heat. There are others such as optical detector, ionization, Air-sampling, Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide detection..... Look them up then you will see just how easy it is set off and not set smoke dectors.

I'm running Global Truss tripods, a Martin EFX600, Martin SCX700s, SCX500s, ADJ Megapixels. I use a LeMaitre Radiance Hazer for atmospheric effects and it reaLLy makes the beams pop!

My advice is to buy it right the 1st time. The cheapest light I ever bought was a Chauvet Cyborg. It was big and gawdy and I didn't make the same mistake again. If you buy quality, like Martin, I'd recommend getting cases of some sort to protect them long term.

nice rig. pics?

^^^ Not yet (sorry). The next big gig I do with full lighting will definitely have pics taken of it. I'll probably get a 'real' photographer to go along with me as they are great for websites and potential clients.

That's some good advice, but not even I can know what type of smoke detectors are installed in a venue just by looking at them. Heat detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are easier to identify but not for everyone.

I emailed the martin people and asked them if they could recommend a starter package Other than a crank up stand any suggestions on what I should by first? So far I 've heard about avengers, dj scans, moon flowers strobes, Use Haze instead of Fog. Are American DJ Products any good? I appreciate all the help, I think buying Audio is so much easier

The American DJ Revo 4's are pretty cool. I got a couple of those for smalls events. they're about $300 each.

Martins aren't cheap, but they are very high quality.
The ADJ Revo4 is a pretty cool effect and can be found for around $260 (I have two)

jinx

seems like martian is the Vestax of lighting... American DJ is the Gemini.

it all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. i have 12 elation design spot 250's. those are about $1700 a piece, and chauvet colorados which are also expensive. I also have Revo 4's. so it all depends on your goal, and client.

A pair of Martin Raptors to go with your fill lighting is a great start.

Starter Kit That Will Go Along Way 4 Ur Buck
Basic Set-Up 1: ($45 - $65ea)
1 - Siren (Red/Blue) amazing 4 places w/out a system & simple.
Basic 2: ($140 - $180)
2-Sirens & 2-Mini Strobes.
Then I have a Quad-Color Light Bank & a Mayhem (Both Chauvet & affordable @ $220 - $250) & 4 Strobes (about $75ee/$300 set)... The Mayhem can b run DMX, Sound or Program; Has about 8 - 10 diff patterns & doesn't get hot +++)

But as stated by the other DJs, depends on what U want & want 2 spend.... If U got it, GP QUALITY 1st (as some1 stated); Then go the Best U Can Afford; & finally, GO w/what U really got in your pocket. But having them & NOT needing them IS FAR BETTER than needing them & Not havin them.....

i definitely wouldnt put strobes at the top of my lighting list

In the last few years I've had more and more gigs where they specifically asked for no strobes...

Me neither, but for cost effectiveness and/or If the palce Has NO set up of their own they work pretty good. And when you place them on the floor or shoot'em off your table back behind the DJ....they make some "Cool Effects"..... Sometime we gotta b creative LRock, esp if we ain't got the $$$ to go TOP - MID

Yeah i kno, it makes people feel dizzy(er), but i shoot back @ me sometimes w/diff set-ups going to the floor....its diff & creates an all around effect. If you get a chance, clamp under ur table & shoot back @ yourself w/ur set-up...do it @ home and see what you think. Im Jus Sayin...

just get regular lights that you can make strobe

Thats cool too, cuz thats one of my pattern turns. But since I had them already & they relatively low cost I started being creative w/them & i wasn't sure what dudes pockets cud stand.....so i suggested it as part of a Low Cost Starter Kit

i wouldn't rip on American dj/elation lighting to much, i have used there products for years with out a problem, i would compare it to AJD- Cadillac vs Ferrari being the martian lighting and Chauvet being a ford. i know LED's dont get as hot so they can use plastic housings but they just seem build cheap to me... i like my all metal housed fixtures.

As for strobes i sold my pair of 75 watts when i thought i was done being a dj, since then i got the 250 scans and use the strobe function on the dj scans if need be, most people HATE strobe lights and there's not that many occasions that they can be used enough were its worth dragging them along with you, but if your going to get strobes don't get those cheap ones from the Halloween stores, at least get a big shot or two... if your going to do it, do it right...

and for siren lights IMO I CANT stand those things, personally i feel that they are super unprofessional. anything that you can buy at spencers probably doesn't belong on your rig... just saying...

Uh... if you're comparing American DJ lights to Cadillacs you've got issues.

not there lowest end stuff, but they have been a huge part of the mobile industry for years, and they make a very solid product, of course nothing really competes with Martian, those are concert grade lights... unless you want to pay 800 for a martian scanner ADJ is the way to go... also what i have noticed is that ADJ gear holds its value, i rotate gear every few years and sell it for almost what if not more then i paid for it...

I feel ya.... I like the sirens tho. Only because the ones I have I had 4Eva. They the REAL 1s w/the metal base, changable light bulb & Hard Plastic Shells...emergency units use them mostly (Security/Emergency Gear Sites sellem btwn $60 - $120 now tho). So IF they Ever Go, I wudn't buy the Spencer brands either. I keep them in my Back Pack w/2 Mini-Strobes wrapped in fluffy towels (LOL), so i alwayz have'em & they have saved the day several time when ppl wanted lights @ the last minute ($50 - $70 Xtra)

Agree w/ most. Investing in lights, done right may cost you in the short run, but, the upside is selling the lights for weddings, etc.. For wedding gigs, I have worked w/ clients willing to spend 2 grand on lights alone.

this is what you should do, as we did with my frat, have them buy some of your equipment and volunteer to be the house dj, when you leave either take the equipment with you as "payment" or use it for other gigs while in school then go buy your own stuff once you get out or get enough cash, i wouldn't recommend leaving it since the first week after we left it all got stolen since no one understands what it takes to be a dj and to look after your stuff...

damn wrong thread

back to facebook games..

Yeah they're out of this world... Like they're from.... Mars...

I thought it was "Martin" in any case I don't really have a budget right now. I'm trying to build up my DJ Bizness and I'm not getting too many gigs (don't know if it's the economy, my market, or how I'm marketing myself) in any case I wanted to know where I should start. The good thing is at least I know to get a crank truss and if I wind up getting crappy lights to start out with, there's always craiglist

It is Martin.. Just a play on words.. But unlike a mobile PA, where one cheap component can make the whole system sound bad, lights can be many combinations, and no matter what you buy it isn't going to detract from the rest of your rig...

Martin Raptors and T-Rex are better investments than ADJ Aggressors, Vertigos, or whatever they're calling them these days. Those Martins will last.

too bad they aren't DMX. they would last a day for me.

Just talkin' entry level stuff. But yeah, I hear ya on that.

I had an aggressor for 4 years used three days a week, its been dropped, spilled on, and dragged all around the state. I only changed the bulbs twice, but i did care for it and always kept it clean, you have to pay attention to the run time on it and give it a chance to cool down, but now with the LED's you can let those lights run all night... I had a Raptor that i used a couple times, didn't work all that well and sold it on Ebay, also that t-rex isn't dmx whats the point in spending money on something like that that is not linkable to the rest of your show?

I was simply comparing lights with similar capabilities and scope from the two companies. Similar to the T-Rex and Raptors, the aggressors aren't DMX controllable. It sounds like you're pleased with your ADJ purchases, and that's awesome. However, in my experiences and in the experiences of many people whose opinions I've read online, the entry-level ADJ lights didn't have the same durability as comparable ones from Martin.

djlj, do you work for Martin? and if so can i get a discount, haha, but if anyone has the money of course they should by the top of the line, but for the value ADJ gear isn't that bad, Chauvet has come a long way too since they started making lights, I'm not sure i would go as far as recommending there scanners, but i had some of there strobe lights 10 years ago and they worked great for years, and i have the liquid sky laser that has been working great the past year too...

martin is actually 5 minutes from me.. they're warehouse and showroom is insane

i could only imagine....

chauvet is here too.. i get a lot of stuff from them simply because they're so close

so can someone recomend and put links to a starter dj light kit... if we have to go to diffrent spots to buy each light that's cool but supply the links.

whats your budget?

i really like the Zipper led bar from ESC:

www.shopesc.com

they also make a nice led Par:

www.shopesc.com

i've got two of the Zippers and they will light up a gym. never tried the puck but i'm considering it for upligthing/booth lighting.

i've got a couple of Chauvet Double Derby X's. They're great but the DMX doesn't control the color so i'll be flipping them soon for something else. Probably another Chauvet.. good basic effects for the money.

Nah, just talking about my experiences with them. :) That's why I was saying it's cool if you had good times with the ADJ stuff, I just wasn't so lucky there. I wish I had a Martin discount!!!

i think serato needs to work with some of the manufacturers to get some kind of hook up for all the forum members with discounts...... hmmmmmmmm

i havent seen a group buy on anything in a while

+1000. Now THAT wud make Start Up Kits Cost Effective, AND imagine what you could do w/your existing packages by adding the right stuff you needed or wanted.......

im sure if we all agreed on a product and contacted them with a good number minimum order they would go for it

ya thatll happen

I'm pretty sure we all agree that discounts are a good thing!

just nominate some and then vote... or come up with a different idea

old ass discussion but....
on military bases, they have pretty much written off all foggers. they cannot be used. they even stopped in the club I DJ at.
as for lights...they are so worth it.
here is a vid i did at a recreation center on base for a party of about 80.
Watchwww.youtube.com