The Basics of Bringing Lighting to your Venue

When it’s time to party, you want to do it properly. You need to get out there and show your guests that you want to show them a good time. The best party hosts, though, know that it takes more than some good tunes and a dance floor to get everybody dancing. Here’s everything you need to know about DJ lighting effects and why you need to be using them in your celebrations.

You Need More Than a Good DJ to Put on a Great Show

A good DJ can go a long way towards making your party pop. They can read the mood of the room, play the tunes that the crowd seems to love, and take requests to ensure that everyone hears what they want to hear.

A DJ on their own though isn’t enough. The DJ needs the right finishing touches to really finish off the feel of the event. Imagine a DJ playing in a room with no lights or decorations. It’s odd, isn’t it? People attending events now expect the full package when it comes to the dance floor. That’s why you need something to take it to the next level.

Adding the Finishing Touches to Your Venue

DJ lightingSo, what is it that you need to really get the party started? The answer is good DJ stage effects. Gone are the days when a rotating light ball was enough to light up the dance floor. Nowadays there are all kinds of lighting effects you can buy, that help set the scene and tone of the party.

If you’ve never shopped for lighting before, you’d be amazed at what’s out there for you. Modern lights can be programmed to flash with the music, really integrating the effects with the songs, and creating a more integrated experience. It’s something you have to try at least once.

Lighting Equipment You Can Use At Your Next Celebration

Not sure where to start with lighting effects? Here’s some ideas, so you’ll know what you’re looking for once you start shopping:

  • Strobe lights: These lights are becoming more common, and so are becoming cheaper. They’re a simple effect, but they look great on a dance floor and are a good place to start if you’ve never bought lighting effects before.

 

  • Beam effect lights: These lights are made up of multiple colored lenses that rotate across a light, projecting different colors onto the dance floor. Again, it’s a simple effect, but if you combine it with a smoke machine you’ll love how it looks.

 

  • Moonflower lights: These lights hark back to the golden age of disco, as they are reminiscent of the old school disco ball that many people love. However, these lights bounce and refract all colors of light around the dance floor, creating a fun and exciting atmosphere.

 

  • GOBO projectors: You have already seen these lights in effect at weddings or other events. These light project any image you want into the walls, or the dance floor. A stencil is placed in front of the light in order to create the image. You can have any image you like, from writing that says something like ‘Happy Birthday!’ to images that evoke the mood of the event. You can really go wild with these lights.

Other Equipment You’ll Need

Of course, the lights on their own won’t do anything. You’ll need the equipment to go with it and really set your party off.

  • DJ stage effectsFog machine: As mentioned above, these, when combined with lights, can create a real ‘club’ feel and encourage your guests to get up and dance.

 

  • Cables: You’re going to need the cables to hook all your lights up. When ordering your lights, don’t forget these.

 

  • Control panels: If you’re looking to create more complicated lighting shows, then you’re going to need a control panel to arrange it all from. A DMX mixer is the best thing to buy, to get your lighting looking perfect.

 

If it’s time to buy DJ lighting, then come talk to us at Digital DJ Gear. We have the most comprehensive stock of DJ lighting effects around.

 

 

A Quick Buyer’s Guide for DJ Lighting

If you’re a self-employed DJ who is regularly booked for parties and corporate events, then you probably know the pain of arriving at a venue where the available equipment is less than ideal. When it comes to mixers, CD decks, or turntables, you may be prepared for every gig, but do you have your own stage effects to add to the atmosphere? If you’re without DJ lighting, then you’re probably not putting on the best show that you could. At Digital DJ Gear, we provide some of the best and most affordable solutions for working DJs, and if you’re not sure where to get started, then this quick guide will surely help you out.

Make Sure That You Choose Lighting That Will Enhance the Music

No matter what kind of set you regularly play, lighting will be able to create a better atmosphere for your audience. With that in mind, it’s important to choose the right kind of lighting for the music that you typically play. If you’re a DJ mostly involved with electronic music, then strobe lights and lasers might need to be in your inventory. If you play a lot of corporate events where the music is mostly mainstream, then you would probably want to use more traditional colored lights.

The most important thing for you to do is to choose the lights that will suit you the most, but also choose DJ lighting that is versatile. There will be times when you will need to accept contracts that are slightly outside of your comfort zone, but if you’re prepared with all of the right equipment that enhances the music, then you’ll always be able to perform a great job and continue to develop your reputation.

Start Small When You Are Investing in a Portable Setup

Chauvet DJ Gig Bar 2Full size stage lights can be expensive, they take up a significant amount of space, they’re heavy, and they need specialist truss systems to be mounted properly. When you need to buy DJ lighting that is portable, make sure you start with small items that have been designed for solo performers.

We supply a range of lights for productions at all levels, including smaller lighting arrays for solo musicians and DJs. If you’re looking for a great package to start with, then you could consider the Chauvet DJ 4 Bar package. This includes everything that you need for a basic portable lighting setup, including a professional LED light array, mounting hardware, and a tripod stand so that you can get set up anywhere that your next job takes you.

Don’t Forget About Your Effects

Standard lights are absolutely necessary for any DJ, but you should also consider adding some extra effects to your lighting setup, which will help you to create more impressive shows with improved overall atmosphere.

  • A cannon wash is becoming one of the essential DJ lighting effects, and there are great high powered and affordable options from companies like American DJ.
  • You could use an LED backdrop behind your DJ booth, or even behind a main stage, to create impressive and customizable lighting effects. Chauvet produces a high quality LED backdrop which can be operated alone with an included controller, or it can be connected to a DMX for integration with a larger lighting system.
  • You can use other effects such as smoke machines, color blasters, and moonflowers for highly impressive shows at almost any event.

If in Doubt, Go for an All-In-One Multi-Light Package

DJ LightingWant to have DJ lighting effects and a standard light show from a single package? Purchasing a kit like the Chauvet DJ Gig Bar 2 will allow you to get great effects and standard lighting from a single stand. It’s similar in design to other Chauvet packages, with the difference being that you could set up one or two of these at small to mid-sized venue, and you wouldn’t have to worry about other adding any additional effects to put on a professional DJ and lighting show. The Gig Bar even comes with a footswitch controller, so you can change your lighting show on the fly, even as you are working the mixer and your decks.

Purchase with Confidence from Digital DJ Gear

You’re the one who will have the best idea of your DJ lighting needs, and now that you know some more about what’s available, you’ll be able to make an informed decision for your next purchase. You can get the best quality equipment from Digital DJ Gear, so start browsing today, and become one of the countless DJs who have upped their stage game with our extensive range of products.

 

 

Three Types Of DJ Lighting That People Forget To Use

DJ LightingAs the DJ, you’re not usually thinking about the decor of the event you’re working at. Your concern is making sure you’re playing the tunes that get people up out of their seats and dancing. However, it’s not just your music choices that are going to do the job.

DJ lighting actually has a real effect on your performance. Having the right equipment on hand really shows that you are a professional, and it adds the finishing touches to your set. It can also encourage guests to get on the dance floor, believe it or not. Here’s the three types of lighting that most DJs forget to use in their sets, and how you can use them.

Why Lighting is so Important

Imagine a party, wedding reception, or Mitzvah that has no lighting other than the building lights. It’s dull, isn’t it? When it comes to creating memorable events, DJ lighting effects can really add the finishing touch to the room. The best DJs are those who take the time to ensure their kit really enhances the music they’re playing.

The Three Most Forgotten DJ Lighting Options

Many otherwise excellent DJs often forget these three lighting options when they’re working at events. Make sure they’re included in your equipment to get the most out of what you do.

  1. Uplights: These aren’t always near the dance floor, but often around the walls of a venue. They sit at the bottom of a wall, and cast a static light up the wall itself. They’re fantastic as they bathe the whole venue in any color of your choosing, meaning it’s easy to match it to the theme of the event.

What’s really great about uplights is that they can work wirelessly, too. That means you can change colors with a press of a button when you want to get people’s attention. For example, at a wedding you can change the lights for the first dance, for speeches, or the cutting of the cake. You can let your imagination go wild with them.

  1. Spotlights: You would think these lights are a staple in anyone’s equipment list, but you would be surprised. A spot light concentrates light on a certain point in a room, bringing people’s attention to it. It’s perfect when you want to showcase what’s happening on the dance floor.

The best spotlight to get is a follow light. These spotlights are easily aimed and moved, meaning you can follow someone as they move. They’re great for highlighting the bride and groom as they enter the room, picking out people on the dance floor, or showing somewhere else in the room, such as the bar, when needed.

  1. Gobo lights: You may not be familiar with this term, but you have most probably seen them before at past events. These lights work a lot like a spot light, but they’re personalised to show names and dates. For example, they could read ‘Ashley’s Sweet 16th 2017’, or ‘Congratulations Mark and Anna 2017’. It’s up to you how they read, and they can add an extra special touch to the dance floor. Photographers often take a shot of them, as they’re great for the covers of photo albums. They’re well worth investing in.

Other Options for Your Lighting

DJ lighting effects for saleOf course, these aren’t the only options you have when you’re looking for DJ lighting effects for sale. Here’s some of our favorites that we think would be great additions to your kit:

  • Sound activated lighting: These lights respond to the music you play, and change in time with the beat. They’re a staple of many parties, and with good reason. They look fantastic when set up, and there’s nothing more encouraging to guests than lights that dance with them. You can usually aim them at the dance floor, but they can also cover a small room if needed.

 

  • Laser lights: These lights are similar to Gobo lights, as they project an image onto the wall or floor. They can be set up to read names and dates, but you’re not limited to plain text. You can have images of almost anything you’d like. Buy a few different styles and you’ll be ready, no matter what kind of party you’re working at.

 

  • LED panels: These lights are really versatile, and every DJ should have some in their kit. They can be used to create spectacular light shows when combined with music, put into rope lights and draped around the rest of your equipment, or used as backlights to your entire set up. Use them in any way you’d like.

As you can see, there are a plethora of options when it comes to your lighting. If you don’t have any, now’s the time to get adding to your equipment set.

 

The Best Stage Effects for a Concert

There’s nothing like a good concert, but in order for it to be effective, the concert DOES actually have to be good, and sometimes that can be a bit of a tall order. Don’t worry, that’s nothing you can’t handle with the right stage effects and equipment. Here’s the question: what stage effects do you need? How do you make sure that your show is a smash it? Don’t worry, it’s not difficult, though you do need to make sure that you have a few essentials.

DJ Effects Checklist: Don’t Forget the Fog machines

Fog MachineIf you want to have a great rock show, then you’re going to need to make sure that you have fog machines. Seriously, if you don’t have them you might as well just pack up and go home. Here’s the thing: your performers need to make a fantastic entrance and if the entire audience can simply see them walking from the corner of the stage to the center, then it’s not exactly a dramatic entrance, is it? No, you need something far better than that, and if you can use foggers, then you can absolutely make it happen.

Fog and Haze machines are available in our online store, and the best part is that they don’t have to sit in a single position. You can place them on the floors, you can hang them from trusses, and you can put them at a myriad of different angles. No matter what, you’re going to be able to get the right effect for your show, and it won’t be too long before you’re thinking up new and improved configurations for your performers. The power of the fog machine is definitely not to be underestimated.

Spot Lights – The White Hot Effect

Throughout your show you’re going to want specialized and focused effects, but DJ lighting needs to include standard spotlights. Do you remember that Billy Joel song that talks about the ‘white hot spotlight’? That’s precisely what this is, and its’ something you want to start using. Spotlights, or wash lights if you wish, can be used to illuminate a specific spot on the stage, or to draw audience attention, if you will. If you don’t have one of these in your lighting arsenal, then we don’t know what you’re doing.

Moving Heads – Shedding a Little Light on the Topic

There is nothing more important than shedding a little bit of light on the subject and with moving heads you can do exactly that. Moving heads can be used to illuminate specific areas, but they can also mix and match different colors to create the desired effect on stage. Mostly, these are used to replace par cans and do an outstanding job of it, though they can also double as spot lights. Honestly, no rock concert is going to be complete without a set of these.

Strobe Lights – Getting the Flash you Need

Stage Effects for a ConcertDJ stage effects certainly wouldn’t’ be complete without a good set of strobe lights. Strobes are designed to illuminate an area quickly, but darken it just as quickly. Strobe lights can create visual effects that other lighting options certainly fall short on, and you’re going to want these at your disposal. Face it, you’ve been to concerts before and you can’t recall any that didn’t use a strobe light at one point or another. Who would you be if you didn’t use one in yours?

Light up the Venue

Putting all of these together you can create the perfect atmosphere and the perfect concert. Don’t settle for just one type of lighting at your concerts; experiment, find the perfect combination, and most importantly, keep your audience entertained. With the right lighting you can get it done in an utterly amazing way, and you can bring your show to an entirely new level. Look through our selection today and be ready to amazing your audience with some of the most incredible effects that the industry has to offer to both you and your venue.

 

Three Special Effects to go Along with your DJ Lighting 

DJ LightingYou’ve seen it before, more than once really. That perfect show with the perfect stage setting. You’ve watched in absolute awe as the performers have stepped from the shadows of the backstage area and crossed effortlessly to the center. The effervescent lighting adds dramatic effect, bringing them into the limelight as their figures shift from the ominous silhouettes and finally materialize into recognizable human figures beneath the shroud of flashing strobes and the glare of the wash lights, far off in the distance.

You’ve seen it before, in fact you’ve probably seen it many times, and they always make it look completely effortless. We’re here to tell you that it’s anything but effortless, and there are several components that serve to make it possible. We’re going to talk about three components today that work as a companion to typical DJ lighting.

Multi-Light Effects: An Essential of DJ Lighting

Multi-effects are a great way of bringing a wide range of features and effects to your statge,a nd the Chauvet GIGBAR IRC  2, while only one piece of equipment in an extremely wide range of selection, is one that you certainly want to own. First of all, it’s highly portable but does not sacrifice any of the features that you would normally find absent in compact setups. It features plenty of options for color mixing and strobes, along with two LED Derby fixtures.

LED Wash Lights ensure that you can always shine a light on a wide area, and you have your LED strobes, laser, and the was all mounted on the same bar. To make it even easier, it features sound activated controls, all of which are capable of sound activation, and controlled easily from an IRC-6 remote control. If you need to get in and out of the venue quickly, then this is your all-in-one lighting solution.

Obscure the View with a Little Bit of Fog

buy DJ lightsWhen you buy DJ lights you’re going to want to add a little bit of fog to the equation and we have just the thing. There is nothing quite like adding a bit of mystery to the show, and fog machines are the perfect way to get it done. Take the Nimbus, for example. It’s a professional grade dry ice machine capable of emitting thick clouds of white fog that are able to dissipate without rising.

It might not sound like much now, but you can trust us when we say that it’s a pretty amazing feature. The machine is able to create fog from 10 lbs of dry ice and exerts more than 10 minutes of run time. That doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but trust us, when you’re running a show, it can seem like an eternity.

Along with amazing theatrics, the Nimbus is able to bring quite a bit of tech to the table including a low water sensor, an adjustable multi-level control arm for output control, and an auto-shutoff for the heaters. It’s a safe fog solution that will add the dramatic touch you’ve been looking for.

Bubble Machines – Make it Interesting

Bubbles are another great way to bring a new level of drama to your show, and the Chauvet B-250 is probably one of the most preferred in the industry. If you have a larger stage, then you’ll definitely want to deploy this one, especially if you have a need for portability. It looks cool, it’ easy to use, and most importantly, the housing is made from plastic, so you won’t have to worry about rust. As you can see, this is a great solution for the portable, digital DJ, so make sure you don’t pass it up.

Getting the right effects onto your stage isn’t easy, and knowing what to do? That’s even harder. What we can do however is make sure that you have access to a wide range of equipment and accessories that will help to ensure that your show is not only a success, but highly memorable.

 

Shed Some Light on your Event with Wash Lighting

Putting on a show requires a lot of work, as you probably know, and there are quite a few pieces of equipment that you’re going to need to employ. The biggest mistake that new DJ’s or technicians make however is thinking that sound is everything. Sure, sound is a big part of creating the greatest show mankind has ever seen, but there’s so much more to it!

Today we’re going to be talking about lighting, which is arguably one of the most important stage effects you can employ. When you buy DJ lights, you should consider the subtle lighting as well as the more prominent lights – they will both be noticed, but one in a smaller way than others. So what is wash lighting? Why should you consider it when you buy DJ lights?

Wash Lighting – One of the Most Essential DJ Lights

DJ lighting effectsWhen it comes to DJ lights you have the basic LED’s that are meant to add that subtle effect, and then you have the wash lighting which can be considered floodlights. The idea is to literally light up an area on the stage. For example, let’s say you have a singer performing a solo in a play; you want the audience attention to be on her, and with that being the case, wash lights really are the best possible solution. They do a great job of illuminating a specific area, but they do have some downfalls.

The biggest problem with wash lights is that they cannot actually be focused, and should therefore only be used if you wish to light up a particularly large area. Floodlights do not have lenses in most cases, though there are some exceptions; Fresnel lights, for example. No matter what type of production you are holding or delivering, you need to make sure you have a few wash lights in your arsenal. In this article we’re going to talk about three of the most popular wash lights that we offer, and you might even want to consider implementing them into your stage routine.

The EZpar 64 RGBA

There are a lot of wash lights on the market, as you already know, but we are of the opinion that this is one of the coolest. Why? Because it’s wireless. If you’ve set up a stage before then you know exactly how irritating the wires can become, and let’s face it: they’re at rip hazard. Being able to get rid of even one wire is a blessing, which is why the EZpar 64 RGBA is so sought after. This is a battey powered wash light that will free you from the hassle of cables and make for a very quick and easy setup. This, of course, is only secondary to the level of performance that the 64 provides.

On top of being a high powered battery solution the 64 is able to deliver unparalleled performance using 180 red, gree, and blue Amber LED lights. In addition to that, the Lithium-Ion battery is capable of delivering 20 hours of performance on a single charge; if that isn’t cool we don’t know what is.

ColorKey StagePar64

It might not be battery powered, but the ColorKey does feature some of the most beautiful and powerful LED lights in the industry along with a COB to allow for smooth color mixing on the fly. It also features:

  • * Diffuser Lens
  • * Mounting Bezel
  • * Bright Output
  • * Modes Including:
    • * Dimming
    • * Strobe
    • * Gradual Change
    • * Color Fading
    • * Color Pulse

There are plenty of other included features including various control modes which will help you to keep your lighting and your production under control.

ColorKey MicroPar TRI

DJ lightsFinally we have the TRI which features a 25A Beam Angle along with typical RBG lighting to fit any situation. It comes with several different motes which include:

  • Dimming
  • Strobe
  • Gradual Change
  • Color Pulse
  • Color Fading

Set in an aluminum housing, this light is expected to last up to 100,000 hours, making it a worthy addition to your stage equipment.

The right DJ lighting effects can make all the difference in the world for you; make sure you’re getting the best hardware and bring your show to a brand new level.

 

DJ Lighting for Sale – The Benefits of LED’s

DJ lighting for saleThe art of DJ’ing is not new but we are definitely entering a new stage of technology where everything has to be questioned. The old ways just aren’t cutting it anymore and there are a great many people out there who are seeking newer technology and new ways to bring their show to life. Today we are going to have a discussion bout DJ lighting for sale and more specifically LED lighting – the new alternative to par cans. So what is the benefit of using LED lighting exactly? How is it different from any of the previous options that we might have had? We’re so glad you asked! Let’s address some of the differences.

Why are LED’s the Preferred Choice in DJ Lighting for Sale?

First of all, over the last few years, LED based fixtures have definitely seen some growth in sales whish shouldn’t be too surprising. Not only are they more fun, they’re a lot cheaper, which gives every startup DJ and every small organization the ability to experience premium lighting for their show with very minimal expenditure. LED lighting has in fact become so popular that rental companies have started stocking a wide range of them right alongside their conventional lighting options. If you haven’t worked with LED lighting before, we’re going to give you a few pointers and let you know exactly why it’s so exciting!

The LED Hype: Worth It?

Okay, let us start out by explaining exactly what LED lighting is. This stands for Light Emitting Diode, which is significantly different from a conventional bulb. Aside from being different in construction however, there are several other differences to consider.

It’s Low PowerLED’s draw a smaller amount of power than par cans or other lighting options which means you can use more fixtures with less power. Not only will the energy bill be lower, you can actually do more, and that’s amazing!

It’s CoolerHave you ever heard that Billy Joel song where he refers to a ‘white hot spotlight’? That wasn’t a metaphor; spotlights, by nature, are pretty hot. That being the case, if you find yourself beneath one you’re probably not going to be happy for very long. Now LED’s do most definitely produce heat, but they don’t cause quite as many problems.

They’re ConnectedNot only are LED’s lighter, they come with hardware that will actually allow you to connect to them via WIFI. Rather than manually turning them, you can connect with your phone or other device and interact with them remotely, even if you’re on the other side of the building.

Digital DJ GearThe Effects are AmazingThe brightness of LED’s is much greater, as you probably know by now, but you will also find that these fixtures are able to produce more colors by mixing all three of the primaries (red, green, blue). By blending these, producers are able to create some incredible effects and colors. Sure, it can be done with regular par cans but it’s not nearly as effective!

They Last for a Long TimeLED Manufacturers usually release an estimate for how long their LED fixtures will last in comparison to traditional light sources, and it’s not a small number. Sometimes it can be a difference of thousands of hours or even tens of thousands. That being said, LED lights are energy efficient and they will save you even more money in the long run as you won’t have to keep buying bulbs.

DJ lighting effects for sale are always going to be a bit expensive, but LED’s drive the price down and let everyone in on the fun which makes them better all the time. That said, if you are running any kind of venue or working as a DJ, switching to LED’s would definitely be within your best interest. It’s time to light up the room while cutting down on the energy consumption.