Light show in time to the music

[Tom]

Been thinking about asking this for a while.

When I first started DJing I used to turn the lights on (sound to light) and leave it at that. I soon learned about master/slave (ca-8 controller) and soon after that I learned about DMX (only last year to be honest).

Now I currently run my laptop for my light show with Daslight and a Rygerfoot controller. I bought the foot controller if I didn't need the laptop but since going back to CD's, I take it all the time. Anyway.


What I do is select certain light shows for each song. So if the song is fast, I select a upbeat light show to match the music. Same goes for slow songs. All of us do this im sure. :)

Also, if there is a break in a song like the grease megamix for example (don't use this that often but it's a good song for this example. :)

Near the end of the song before the track slows down, there is a break where there is nothing. In this break I cut all my lights out then everyone looks at me thinking what's going on, I then have the moving heads set to pink flowers which scan the ceiling and have the par cans set to pick and purple for example. Sometime I get the odd ooooh and ahhhh which I think is nice as its different but in time to the music.

Sorry for the mini lecture but who else does stuff like this with the lighting to match the music? Just interested. :)

[DazzyD]

Sounds good, Tom.

I'd like to say I do something like that but, tbh, I know diddly squit about DMX at the moment but it's something I've started to look in to over the last few days.

Mind you, I need to complete the upgrade of the lighting first!

[thex-faders]

ive also just got into dmx tom and have a starville master controller so have set up varies scenes / chases wwhich vary in colour, speed and variation in lights being used which helps greatly in doing what you said, slow for dnaces and fast for upbeat etc
all of or just laser in some clubs tunes etc

DMX is really effective! Just gotta get rid of the sound to light stuff now and DMX it all!!

[Vectis]

Oh yes, I'm a master at it. Having the touch-screen DMX computer really helps as I can set oodles of sequences and chop and change between them in a heartbeat.

[WWDJ]

I do some of it. I have fast and slow sequences and some that are more 'strobey' than others for a more club feel. I mix and match as per the tempo of the music.

i don't have pink flowers though.

I do have 'Happy Birthday' gobos in my scanners which i project onto a wall or floor at the start of the evening which is nice and effective.

So i think the answer is Yes, but the music comes first and if I have time I play with the lights.

[Charlie Brown]

I don't use DMX.

On my ultimax stand is a four way extension lead. Each individual plug space is controlled my a remote control. http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=222869

I can then flick through my lights using this whilst any where in the room. My smoke machine is also wireless. I also use a CA-8 controller for the par can's to strobe/slow fade etc....

It's easy and works well for me. When I have movers etc I will certainly use DMX.

[Ryu]

I have a lot of fun with Bohemian Rhapsody and our Par controller, but until we get either scanners or moving heads, I'm not able to really go further. CA-8s for the Impossibleds and thats about it!!

[Disco Tech Liverpool]

A mate of mine who is a guitarist goes out with 10 Isolution Imove 250s lights (6 spots & 4 washes). They are all controlled with Martin Light Jockey 2 and everything he plays through the laptop for his backing tracks, is programmed to light him up and also give an awesome light show for the audience. Very clever, but expensive and also time consuming. I was thinking of doing it myself but have only got as far as downloading the LightJockey 2 software and setting my various lights up - then it got complicated... maybe in time though.