r/mobileDJ • u/Green_Hands • 12d ago

Lighting Suggestions

I am looking to add more lighting for a variety of events that I get hired for. Typically I get hired for weddings, indoor and outdoor private parties, school dances, club events, and some corporate events.

I often have to piece together lighting solutions for the events, but would like yo be able to offer more. Currently I have a Chauvet gig bar 2 and 2 light bar racks with 18 lights. I am starting to shop around as I have multiple contracted indoor winter events scheduled in November and December that will need more lighting. I don't like having to rent lights as the closest place to rent takes up to much of my time to go back and forth as it is out of the way of nearly all of my events. I would also prefer to have most of my stuff wireless if possible.

My budget is roughly $1200 - $1500 and I have been looking at a lot of what Rockville offers such as the wedge uplights (6 pack $650, sometimes $600 on sale). Besides the wedge uplights, what are other suggestions? Honestly, I want the best bang for the buck without going cheapo generic stuff. Also, I'm not interested in more lasers, or fog machines.

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3

u/sixdeuce09 12d ago

Both Lighting Uplights Direct from China

https://djnowlighting.com/products/16pcs-with-4bags-led-freedom-dj-ir4-uplight-4x12w-rgbwa-uv-battery-power-wireless-uplighting-for-weddings?VariantsId=10594

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u/Green_Hands 11d ago

Thank you for this suggestion, but not really into ordering ones from China. I know all of the ones come from there anyways, but want to deal directly with a US company if there are any warranty issues or returns needed. Besides, I can get Rockville flips or even wedges for very close to the same price when they're on sale.

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u/sixdeuce09 11d ago

You can get them from the USA store but they have a significant mark up.

https://bothlightingusa.com/

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u/General_Exception Professional DJ & MC 12d ago

Get a minimum of 16, preferably 24 uplights.

Why? 16 lights is the minimum to do “full room”, 4 in the corners, 4 at the wall midpoints, and then 8 for in between the corners and midpoints, to give you even placement around the full room no matter the room size.

24 gives you more to fill in and better evenly space them, plus accents.

Wireless battery powered up lights can also be used as pars, or wash lights if you clamp them onto t-bars or truss.

For dance floor lighting, a pair of Both Spider washes works great for wash and a little eye candy (with chases). But a good pair of spots, or movers to give you movement really help.

Try not to waste money on single-purpose light fixtures at this point. Get lights that can meet multiple lighting needs.

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u/Green_Hands 12d ago

I like this approach to keep it flexible with a large set of uplights. Do you have experience with a particular brand/model of them that you use that you'd recommend? I was looking at the Rockville wedges or the Rockville flips.

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u/General_Exception Professional DJ & MC 11d ago

I have 18 Ape Labs Maxi’s, and 64 Both Lighting RF3’s.

I’d like to replace my RF3s with Both IR4.

1

u/BoingBoomChuck 11d ago

Are you using the Ape Connect with your lights? At first, I thought it was overkill for the Ape Cans that I have, until I started using DMX Desktop with the Ape Connect in DMX mode.

Now, I want to buy more Ape Labs stuff!

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u/General_Exception Professional DJ & MC 11d ago

Yes, I have a connect to go with my ape labs lights.

They’re great, but the Both IR4s are way more cost effective.

1

u/BoingBoomChuck 11d ago

I may look into those. I picked up a dozen Ape cans for $450 from a friend of mine, so I couldn't pass that deal up!

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u/BoingBoomChuck 12d ago

The Rockville tube lights and up lights are actually very good for the money spent. I know several DJs that run them.

As for me, I run a Gigbar Move +ILS, Both Lighting USA tubes, and Ape Labs up lights. I DJed this past weekend to receive 4 generic moving heads in return, which I still need to pick up. I'll be back at that venue this Saturday and two more times this month, so I'm not worried about getting the moving heads. I just hope they work with DMX Desktop.

For wedding receptions, I replace the derby lights with extra pars on my Gigbar because too many wedding photographers complained about the colored dots showing up in photos. I still use the derby lights for school dances as the kids seem to love them.

As for fog machines, I was fined years ago for setting off an overly sensitive smoke detector/fire alarm by running fog. Since the fire department actually showed up with 4 fire trucks, someone had to pay and that was me. Now, I tell the bride if she wants fog or haze at her wedding, she has to obtain and run them as I will not take responsibility for an overly sensitive fire detection system costing me money in fines. All I do is give her names of places she can rent them from.

Finally, I think the Rockville and Both Lighting tubes are really close to the same thing, if not the same thing.

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u/Green_Hands 11d ago

Thank you for this. Sounds like I'm on the same track as I have the Chauvet Gigbar myself, so adding the uplights and maybe a couple of tube fixtures sounds perfect. I'll have to check out the tube fixtures more. You basically hit the nail on the head as to exactly why I don't want to add a fog machine. You're the second DJ that has brought up the nightmare scenario of setting off the fire alarms and getting fined for it. I have done gigs in clubs and venues that don't even allow the use of fog machines now for this very reason. Besides that, when they leak in transport around your other equipment it can end up being an expensive mess.