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Author Topic: What to add?  (Read 3912 times)

John Roll

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What to add?
« on: September 27, 2016, 10:34:08 AM »

I'm looking for some recommendations on adding fixtures to my small light rig. If I were to invest more fixtures, what would you guys suggest I consider. My "rig" is small, eight slimpar 64s on a truss in back and 4 Jellypars, two per side for the front. I use a Scenesetter 24 for control. More lights, movers? I never get any feedback from the bands or attendees, so here I am......

John
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John Roll
JMR Pro Audio

QSC, JBL, Presonus, Audix, K&M, EWI, Furman

TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: What to add?
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2016, 01:25:04 PM »

I'm looking for some recommendations on adding fixtures to my small light rig. If I were to invest more fixtures, what would you guys suggest I consider. My "rig" is small, eight slimpar 64s on a truss in back and 4 Jellypars, two per side for the front. I use a Scenesetter 24 for control. More lights, movers? I never get any feedback from the bands or attendees, so here I am......

John
It depends on what you're trying to do.  If you are a business, will your clients pay you more money?  If not, then don't add.  If yes, will they pay enough to cover gear depreciation plus the additional labor for setup and operation?

I have some Chauvet Rogue R2 moving wash fixtures that I get A LOT of mileage out of, but movers are significantly more work to operate well, and you're going to need a more substantial controller (and the experience to operate it).
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Jeff Lelko

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Re: What to add?
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2016, 05:45:55 PM »

My vote is a new controller, but it really depends on what you want to get out of your system.  An honest question - seeing as you say you get none, are you hoping/trying to get feedback from bands or attendees?  No complaints can be a good thing, especially if you're just trying to provide 'generic' lighting. 

Either way, your Scene Setter won't get you too far.  Nothing against the board - just remember that it was on the market way before LED stage lights had any presence and your average weekend warrior band wasn't running DMX systems beyond a few dimmers and maybe a couple 'budget' movers.  If I were you I'd explore the options for larger and more fully-featured light boards.  A laptop running software is also something to consider depending on your needs.  Either way, I wouldn't attempt using any moving light with the board you currently have right now.  Upgrading your controller will not only open up the possibilities for future growth, but will also almost certainly let you do more with what you already have.  Hope this helps!
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duane massey

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Re: What to add?
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2016, 06:37:50 PM »

+1 on controller upgrade. Everything depends upon your target budget.
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Duane Massey
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Mark Cadwallader

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Re: What to add?
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2016, 08:50:44 PM »

What is your budget/plan over the next two years?  What steps do you need to get to that destination?  If you don't have a plan (and budget), you are probably going to buy the wrong things in the wrong order.
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John Roll

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Re: What to add?
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2016, 08:43:30 AM »

What is your budget/plan over the next two years?  What steps do you need to get to that destination?  If you don't have a plan (and budget), you are probably going to buy the wrong things in the wrong order.

Good point. I don't have one. Also as TJ mentioned above, would an upgrade mean more $$ from my clients? Probably not. I would rather invest in the audio first. That too, falls into TJ's category. I'm leaning towards the laptop running software option though. I'm looking at Showexpress. Any other/better options to consider? (BTW, I'm a soundguy who also runs the lights)
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John Roll
JMR Pro Audio

QSC, JBL, Presonus, Audix, K&M, EWI, Furman

Jeff Lelko

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Re: What to add?
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2016, 09:10:24 AM »

Yeah, a lot of it comes down to what your business plan is and whether you're trying to operate for profit, trying to break even, or doing this as a hobby with no intent to make your investment back.  Getting a solid controller is a good first step to growing your light system, but it also helps to know what kind of rigs you'd eventually like to drive one day and what kind of jobs you plan to use it for. 

I'm personally not a huge fan of Showexpress, though I know there are a few happy users on here that can probably tell you more about it.  I'd also wager that Duane's going to recommend the Elation Show Designer series (beat you to it this time!), which being a smaller physical board is a whole other set of pros and cons to consider versus software.  M-PC is a very popular choice and there are a few wings you can use to get some hands-on control of the console.  MagicQ is another solid option, and I'm personally a user of the ETC Cobalt platform, which in your case would be utilized via the Nomad product.  Lots to choose from (and no shortage of previous threads discussion the pros/cons of each choice).  Most software will also feature a free demo so you can play with the interface before spending the money to use it.  Good luck!
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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: What to add?
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2016, 09:29:52 AM »

Yeah, a lot of it comes down to what your business plan is and whether you're trying to operate for profit, trying to break even, or doing this as a hobby with no intent to make your investment back.  Getting a solid controller is a good first step to growing your light system, but it also helps to know what kind of rigs you'd eventually like to drive one day and what kind of jobs you plan to use it for. 

I'm personally not a huge fan of Showexpress, though I know there are a few happy users on here that can probably tell you more about it.  I'd also wager that Duane's going to recommend the Elation Show Designer series (beat you to it this time!), which being a smaller physical board is a whole other set of pros and cons to consider versus software.  M-PC is a very popular choice and there are a few wings you can use to get some hands-on control of the console.  MagicQ is another solid option, and I'm personally a user of the ETC Cobalt platform, which in your case would be utilized via the Nomad product.  Lots to choose from (and no shortage of previous threads discussion the pros/cons of each choice).  Most software will also feature a free demo so you can play with the interface before spending the money to use it.  Good luck!
Those are the contenders for a software-based system.  I'm in the M-PC camp due to the low cost of a decent wing (M-Touch and/or M-Play).  Going from a SceneSetter to anything like those mentioned above is an investment in time in learning how to run the thing.  Once you have oriented your brain correctly it's no big deal, but it took me a while to understand how to think.  Hiring a lighting person to spend a few hours with you setting up your typical rig layout might be a good investment.
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Mark Cadwallader

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Re: What to add?
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2016, 02:59:29 PM »

FWIW, I have an Elation Show Designer 2. I run LED lights, including moving head zoom wash instruments. Depending on what you want to do, having a second dmx universe available is a nice feature (luxury?) for future expansion.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: What to add?
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2016, 02:59:29 PM »


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