Greetings - getting back in the game.

[Excalibur]

I've considered the gigbar at times but having repaired a few would steer well clear! Dud. power supplies, LEDs going off ... And the build quality is just shocking for something that's supposed to be a professional product for mobiles. As for the programs. Mmmmmm flashy flashy strobey flashy.

No, if you're thinking of going that way invest in a multihead COB LED wash system instead. Who even wants a cluster laser and puny 'strobes' anyway? Sure you can disable them but why are you paying money for stuff you're not likely to use? Bonkers.

Anyway good luck to the OP & welcome aboard!

You jaundiced young whippersnapper, Justin!

The only part of your rant I would take serious issue with is your dismissal of the programs. This is what ( in my humble opinion, and also that of many esteemed colleagues ) makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts. There's nothing exciting or ground breaking lashed to a Gigbar, it's just a lightshow on a stick.


Mind you, it was once possible to get a Gigbar in a box. Still is, if you have money, and a DMX controller big enough.

The Swiss Army Knife of lights. Everything that's on a Gigbar, but in a box, for half the price. Sadly discontinued.

Blimey, they've rationalised the DMX channels! The Chauvet that the Hadron copied. It used to use over fifty channels, but now it's two or eighteen. Game changer for a man with a thirty two channel controller. Oh dear, I think I've just identified my next lighting purchase.

[Nakatomi]

You jaundiced young whippersnapper, Justin!

The only part of your rant I would take serious issue with is your dismissal of the programs. This is what ( in my humble opinion, and also that of many esteemed colleagues ) makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts. There's nothing exciting or ground breaking lashed to a Gigbar, it's just a lightshow on a stick.


Mind you, it was once possible to get a Gigbar in a box. Still is, if you have money, and a DMX controller big enough.

The Swiss Army Knife of lights. Everything that's on a Gigbar, but in a box, for half the price. Sadly discontinued.

Blimey, they've rationalised the DMX channels! The Chauvet that the Hadron copied. It used to use over fifty channels, but now it's two or eighteen. Game changer for a man with a thirty two channel controller. Oh dear, I think I've just identified my next lighting purchase.

After repairing said gigbars I felt obliged to give them a soak test, ie make them work. I thought I'd found programs I liked then they'd just start flashing like it was some sort of rave. Did I miss a trick? Maybe. Anyway, I'd be paying good money for a light with a cluster & strobes I'd neither want nor use, so it's a no from me.

My old gigAbar did plenty I liked, but I 'levelled up' & got rid of it and its German clone. I love my movers, but hate that in their cases they weigh so much

[Excalibur]

Anyway, I'd be paying good money for a light with a cluster & strobes I'd neither want nor use, so it's a no from me.

Now this is the difference between the 3-in-1 Hadron type lights, and the 4-in-1. The whacking great lights round the perimeter on the 3s are white strobes. On the 4s, they're colour wash, and there's a ring of dinky little decorative strobe LEDs on its nose. Difference is night and day.

[mbp]

I've been on the edge of getting back into the business for a few years.... but the thing that's 'worrying' me, more than anything, is the range of music that people are asking for nowadays.

There are so many, so called, 'different charts' that everyone refers to and the diversity of music is simply baffling....

What are your views?

Ta

[Excalibur]

I've been on the edge of getting back into the business for a few years.... but the thing that's 'worrying' me, more than anything, is the range of music that people are asking for nowadays.

There are so many, so called, 'different charts' that everyone refers to and the diversity of music is simply baffling....

What are your views?

Ta

Jaundiced Old Gits might tell you that there isn't a range of music nowadays, and all the modern stuff is sub 120bpm dirges and filth, especially when they'd had a couple of small sherries.

If you could catch them in a lucid moment, they might say that for them, Promo Only tends to satisfy most of that market, The Usual Suspects still are The Usual Suspects, ( " Rollin' on a River " is still virtually a guaranteed request every night ) and 90's dance and Indie are the hot Genres. Soul and Tamla still exist, and even NS gets aired sporadically. ( Usually to a surprised and rapturous reception to those who requested it, as the pimply youth they see every other week normally replies " Wossat"? )


Right, the ills are kicking in, and while the second paragraph is indeed what I tend to find currently, I don't think I answered your question. We might need the Whippersnappers to do it justice. I really aren't qualified to explain the subtle differences and nuances of House, Deep House, Trance, Hard House, Balearic Beats, Nu School, Old School, Grime, Jump Up, and a thousand other sub genres.

Newsflash: Often the clients aren't either. Their categorisation of certain artists leaves a lot to be desired.

[DJ Jules]

I've generally been finding that new music has an even shorter shelf life than it did before and streaming services have brought 'popular music' to the younger generations. I did a couple of photo booths over the summer for Yr 6 kids. At one they had a DJ who played dance music from the last 2yrs or so for 2hrs and had an empty dance floor until he hit Cha Cha slide. At the other prom the kids all contributed to the playlist and we had 2 hours of crazy dancing to everything from Abba through to Chesney Hawkes with just a few current tracks from Lizzo and Dua Lipa.

I can't speak for others, but if you're playing weddings and general parties I'm finding that the usual suspects are still the songs that people want, regardless of age group or demographic with only a few exceptions from older generations who have specific music tastes (likes 80s punk, NS, etc) and club nights that have been marketed with a specific theme or target a particular music taste.

Ask Alexa to play party music and you'll get the general gist of what I mean....

Julian

[Excalibur]

I've generally been finding that new music has an even shorter shelf life than it did before and streaming services have brought 'popular music' to the younger generations. I did a couple of photo booths over the summer for Yr 6 kids. At one they had a DJ who played dance music from the last 2yrs or so for 2hrs and had an empty dance floor until he hit Cha Cha slide. At the other prom the kids all contributed to the playlist and we had 2 hours of crazy dancing to everything from Abba through to Chesney Hawkes with just a few current tracks from Lizzo and Dua Lipa.

I can't speak for others, but if you're playing weddings and general parties I'm finding that the usual suspects are still the songs that people want, regardless of age group or demographic with only a few exceptions from older generations who have specific music tastes (likes 80s punk, NS, etc) and club nights that have been marketed with a specific theme or target a particular music taste.

Ask Alexa to play party music and you'll get the general gist of what I mean....

Julian

Your observations tally exactly with mine, but were explained in a much better fashion.

Edit: Sometimes we get the " No Cheese " gigs, but the definition of Cheese is " flexible/dubious/uncertain" to say the least, and often the cheese board is allowed after three hours of an empty dancefloor. How many 18ths have I seen with requests for moden music played to total apathy, and yet the floor fills to Barbie Girl? Lots.

[mbp]

Thanks guys....

Also is the 'minimalist' set up theme still on trend and if so anyone got any piccies for inspiration?

Ta

[Excalibur]

Thanks guys....

Also is the 'minimalist' set up theme still on trend and if so anyone got any piccies for inspiration?

Ta

Ah. Well, from what I see on Facebook, there are still a lot of folk cramming multiple fixtures on an overhead. My standard rigs are one or two Polar speakers, and gravity poles with one batten each vertically, and one effect light. Many others are on the same page, Wayne ( Imagine ) for one, but with Ev speakers.

It expands for certain functions and venues accordingly, but usually only gains t-bars.



My Facebook page below for piccies of mine



https://www.facebook.com/Maui1155/

[Nakatomi]

Thanks guys....

Also is the 'minimalist' set up theme still on trend and if so anyone got any piccies for inspiration?

Ta

Minimalist? I like to think of it more as taking enough gear needed to do a good job, as opposed to stuffing a rig with a headache inducing cacophony of effects

My rig doesn't look like much, but it's neat, doesn't take too much space or time to set up - and by jingo it more than does the job.

Two rcf HD12A, Two stairville crown fx pars,. Up to four 60w led movers. Each half of the lights goes on a mini t-bar which is mounted atop a gravity lighting pole. I can be inside & fully rigged in most ground floor venues in about half an hour

Not relying on mounting lights to the booth (err WHAT BOOTH? LOL) via overhead truss or otherwise affords me the luxury of being able to set up the PA & lights where they're best placed & be able to keep myself & the playout out of the way.



In my main venue with own PA...

Or in a posh venue with a different PA...



Lights on!