{"id":749,"date":"2021-11-30T07:43:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-30T07:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spinbad.com\/?p=749"},"modified":"2021-12-21T15:35:04","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T15:35:04","slug":"best-dj-lighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spinbad.com\/best-dj-lighting\/","title":{"rendered":"Best DJ Lighting"},"content":{"rendered":"
Your mixing and beat matching are second to none, you\u2019ve got scratching down to a fine art, you have your finger on the pulse of music trends, and you know what beats fill the dance floor \u2014 all the rudiments of a great DJ, and yet\u2026 something\u2019s missing.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re an amazing performer, but your shows seem to lack the flash and flare of your contemporaries. No matter how much you practice, you still can\u2019t seem to create the energy you see at your friend\u2019s shows.<\/p>\n
Well, if it\u2019s not your DJ chops to blame, then it\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s something more tangible, something like your light show… or absence of one, anyway.<\/p>\n
Lighting can make or break our shows, so although it has nothing to do with our abilities, it\u2019s an important performative aspect to consider, which is why I\u2019m hooking you up with this list of the 5 best DJ lights around.<\/p>\n
Incorporate some of these luminous hype men into your set, and you\u2019ll achieve that electric atmosphere you\u2019ve been seeking all this time.<\/p>\n
OUR TOP PICK<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>\n Chauvet DJ PAR Can Wash Light<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n EDITORS CHOICE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>\n Chauvet DJ Shocker Panel LED<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n BEST VALUE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>\n U`King Laser DJ Lights<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n OUR TOP PICK<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s best to approach your lighting the way a painter approaches their canvas. Start with a mellow foundation that you can build upon with more prominent details later on.<\/p>\n This moody foundation should always be established with a PAR light, and this Chauvet PAR is the best in the business.<\/p>\n Featuring full DMX-compatible RGB color mixing, you don\u2019t have to settle for one color, rather you can program the light to shade shift and evolve with your set as it plays out.<\/p>\n Then again, if you\u2019re still finding your light designing feet, you needn\u2019t program it at all, as it arrives with sound activation mode, meaning it can sense your beat and will create a corresponding light show automatically.<\/p>\n It also features an auto mode for instant pre-programmed light sequences out the box.<\/p>\n But the benefits of this PAR don\u2019t begin and end with its lighting potential, it\u2019s also an incredibly practical object.<\/p>\n The space-friendly, slimline design makes it highly portable, perfect for the touring DJ, and it\u2019s easier to store once the tour comes to a close, too.<\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n \n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n EDITORS CHOICE<\/strong><\/p>\n We all know how effective a strobe can be in a club gig. It can single-handedly take the energy of a show to the next level and beyond, but only if you find a good one, and the Shocker Panel, my friend, is the best!<\/p>\n Featuring four discrete controllable zones, you can take what is a fairly one-trick-pony lighting effect, and add some nuance to keep things fresh.<\/p>\n This prevents your audience from feeling like they\u2019re being battered over the head with a single form of illumination.<\/p>\n The LEDs are insanely powerful, guaranteed to give you that true frame-by-frame strobe effect that makes a show such an otherworldly experience for the audience.<\/p>\n And thanks to the preset sequences, you don\u2019t even need to know much about programming to start using this light.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re ready to take more of a hands-on approach to your lighting, the D-FI support means you can control them wirelessly with a DMX controller or even link multiple Shocker Panels together to create articulate slave\/master or chaser sequences.<\/p>\n Putting the icing on the strobe cake is the virtually indestructible die-cast housing, ensuring it can handle the rigors of club gigs, no matter how wild they get.<\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n \n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n BEST VALUE<\/strong><\/p>\n Forget about buying multiple lasers and trying to get them to play well with one another; this 5-beam monster takes care of business entirely on its own.<\/p>\n Featuring red, blue, green, yellow, and cyan lasers, you can let your creativity run free and create some truly mind-bending visuals.<\/p>\n Not only does this thing feature 100 pre-programmed laser patterns, it also boasts 300 graphics and effects, so you can vary the light design and keep long, all-night shows feeling fresh throughout.<\/p>\n You get 4 modes of control to play with: audio activation senses the bass frequencies in your music and sends the lasers dancing accordingly, auto mode runs presets, DMX mode offers comprehensive laser control, and master\/slave mode allows the lights to follow one \u201cmaster\u201d laser.<\/p>\n The motors are pretty noisy, so it\u2019s best not to use them during intervals or the quiet phase of a rise, but as soon as the beat is bumping, they\u2019re an awesome show enhancer.<\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n \n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n RUNNER UP<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for a moonflower-style effect light to bring a bit of flavor to the dance floor, then look no further than this unit from Aoellit.<\/p>\n This 30-watt RGB light is capable of transforming a boring venue wall into a mesmerizing psychedelic display with hundreds of different patterns and sequences, and it arrives with a remote control, so you can use it independently of your DMX setup.<\/p>\n In fact, if you\u2019re not feeling up to programming just yet, you can fall back on sound activation and auto mode and let this multifaceted light take care of itself.<\/p>\n Alternatively, you can set up master\/slave mode and have it follow a pre-programmed light\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n It also features laser and strobe functionality, so if you\u2019re looking for something with a broad range of applications, it\u2019s a great place to start. Considering just how compact this unit is, you won\u2019t believe how much it can do!<\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n \n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n RUNNER UP<\/strong><\/p>\n A powerful centerpiece can kick the immersive aspect of your show up a notch, showering the audience in a phantasmagoria of shifting colors and patterns, making the Starburst an indispensable part of any performer\u2019s arsenal.<\/p>\n Featuring 34 super-brilliant beams, you can think of it as your digital mirror ball. Simply program your own custom sequence using the 5-color LEDs and you can turn a hum-drum show into a futuristic rave.<\/p>\n Much like the other lights on my list, you don\u2019t have to be an experienced programmer to have fun with this thing.<\/p>\n Sound activation mode automatically gets the Starburst dancing in time to your music, and auto mode doesn\u2019t even require a beat.<\/p>\n But what makes this centerpiece stand out – for me at least – is the 0\u2013100% dimming function that allows you to create smooth lighting transitions that truly compliment the dynamics of your mix.<\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n What exactly constitutes a piece of \u201cDJ lighting\u201d? Are there lots of this sort of product out there? Which would complement my show?<\/p>\n If you\u2019re new to the visual side of performance, it can be tough figuring out what you should be looking for, but this buyer\u2019s guide will nudge you in the right direction and give you all the info you need to buy with confidence.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n PAR stands for parabolic aluminized reflector. These lamps are often used in theater for their flat, even light, but they can be incredibly effective in any situation involving a stage. <\/p>\n Applying color filters to PAR lights lets you easily set the mood of your booth. When you see a DJ behind decks completely saturated with a mellow glow, that\u2019s PAR lighting.<\/p>\n You can then highlight performers or specific areas of the stage with a narrow-beam spotlight, adding a bit of nuance to a show.<\/p>\n These lights aren\u2019t exactly going to whip the crowd up into a frenzy, but they will give you gravitas behind the decks and help to set the mood before more mobile lights get the people dancing.<\/p>\n PARs with traditional bulbs can get pretty hot, so I\u2019d recommend looking for some with LEDs, as they run way cooler.<\/p>\n If you really want to create an immersive experience for audience members, then you should consider investing in some motorized lighting.<\/p>\n Set on tripods, mounted on-stage, hung over the stage, or even set up on the dance floor itself, these lights react to your music in real-time, spinning, tilting, panning, and generally adding a more dynamic element to your show.<\/p>\n Most of these lights feature sound activation modes, meaning you won\u2019t have to program them, just link them up and watch them dance to your beats.<\/p>\n Capable of transforming a venue into an otherworldly ride through space and time, you should always have at least a couple of strobes in your arsenal.<\/p>\n Loaded with either super powerful LEDs or high-watt Xenon lamps, strobes emit a pulsing light that bumps up the energy of a show like nothing else, helping people to forget themselves and their anxieties, give in to the rhythm, and throw some shapes on the floor.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s another club staple. Laser lamps fire off tons of superfine beams of light that – when mixed with a smoke machine – can stretch across entire venues, adding yet another immersive visual element to your show. <\/p>\n They may not be as essential as some other lighting types, but lasers can really make for a memorable performance and make your show feel special.<\/p>\n The constant whir of colorful beams creates an intoxicating soup of sensory overload that leads to one thing and one thing only\u2026 a full dance floor!<\/p>\n Effects lighting is a rather broad category that spans from moonflower lamps that can create a dizzying display of moving spots on the dance floor, to Gobo projectors that enable a custom output.<\/p>\n You can use this sort of lighting to compliment your existing array, or as a way to spruce up otherwise dull areas of a venue that your other lights perhaps don\u2019t quite reach.<\/p>\n Now you know what your options are, you\u2019re probably wondering how the hell you\u2019re supposed to control all these lights. After all, you\u2019re not an electrical engineer; you\u2019re a DJ.<\/p>\n DMX stands for digital multiplex. It\u2019s a protocol for connecting your lights and running them into some sort of control console.<\/p>\n As I\u2019ve touched upon already, some lights feature sound activation, meaning they just need to hear your bass pumping to burst into action. You won\u2019t have to do any linking or programming whatsoever. Mount them, turn them on, and play some beats.<\/p>\n A lot of lights come with preset light sequences, so they can be used right away. This feature gives your lights license to do as they please while you do your thing behind the decks.<\/p>\n The light show won\u2019t be tailored to your performance, but it can hold you over until you learn to program.<\/p>\n Master\/slave mode allows numerous (slave) lights to follow a single (master) light. Chase is similar, but the lights follow the master light in a staggered sequence.<\/p>\n Got time to check out a brief DJ lighting FAQ segment before your next show?<\/p>\n DJs do normally bring their own lights, but that\u2019s not to say a venue won\u2019t have some in-house lighting as well. It\u2019s your job to assess the established lighting situation in a venue and work out how your array will fit into the ecosystem.<\/p>\n It\u2019s very easy to get carried away with your DJ lighting, and while the right combination of fixtures will improve your show, there\u2019s definitely such a thing as too many lights.<\/p>\n Have you ever heard a musician say how it\u2019s important to \u201cserve the song\u201d? Well, you have to approach your lighting in the same way. Does each light really serve the set, or can some of them stay in storage for this particular show?<\/p>\n DMX is the protocol used to link all of your lights together. A DMX lighting controller is the physical console that you plug your linked lights into, so you can orchestrate your light show. You can think of it as a mixer, but for lights rather than audio.<\/p>\n Context is critical when it comes to DJ lighting. Playing a club downtown is not the same as playing a wedding in a rustic barn out in the country.<\/p>\n You need to tailor your light show to the venue, the event, the type of music you\u2019ll be playing, and the people who will be attending the show.<\/p>\n Selective visibility refers to how lighting can be used to control what is and isn\u2019t visible on stage.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve equipped yourself with all the DJ lights you require, your next port of call should be to invest in either a smoke or haze machine.<\/p>\n Not only does smoke augment shows with another atmospheric visual dimension, but the way it interacts with light is truly magical.<\/p>\n I personally prefer haze machines over smoke machines, as they filter through a venue evenly in a more subtle and mystical manner.<\/p>\nChauvet DJ PAR Can Wash Light<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a>\n
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Chauvet DJ Shocker Panel LED<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a>\n
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U`King Laser DJ Lights<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a>\n
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Aoellit DJ Lights<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a>\n
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ADJ Products Starburst<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a>\n
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Best DJ Lighting \u2014 Buyer\u2019s Guide<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Types Of DJ Lighting<\/strong><\/h3>\n
PARs And Spots<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Motorized Lights<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Strobes<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Lasers<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Effect Lights<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Controlling Your DJ Lights<\/strong><\/h3>\n
DMX Controller<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Sonic Activation<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Automation<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Master\/Slave & Chase<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Best DJ Lighting \u2014 FAQ<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Do DJs Bring Their Own Lights?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Is There Such A Thing As Too Many Lights In A DJ Set?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What Is A DMX Lighting Control?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Is Context Significant When It Comes To DJ Lighting?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What Is Selective Visibility?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Should I Get A Smoke Or Haze Machine?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n