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Lighting up a very small stage.


Bad_Rock

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Ok, you haven’t stated where these six parcans will be. Behind the band for “eye candy”/ back lighting presuming that restaurant lighting provides enough adequate front lighting, or will the cans be on two stands either side of the stage/in the audience providing lighting from the front.

 

This in my opinion affects what I would do with them colour wise.

 

If they are “FOH” I would put a cool, warm and a random interesting colour in. Two of each colour, or possibly if the stage is small enough two of each of the cool\warm lights then with the remaining two pars put a different “interesting” colour in each and get them to wash as much as the stage as possible.

 

Behind the band I would go for 3 different and interesting colours.

 

I am not going to get into the “if you just got a few more lights” route as we would go on forever how you could set up loads of lights, the fact is you have 6 (or maybe even 5) however if you did get more lights I would certainly recommend that some sort of floor can would be a good way to go (even only two) as these certainly do make great lighting in small set ups for bands.

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I am having a case of deja voo, but owing to the fact I am absolutely stuffed atm, I am not going to ;) it. Lee 117 is brill.

 

As is Lee 058/059 (which is a quite strong pinkish colour) - in this space, do you have black walls behind the tallent? If so, I would say go with saturated colours. I did a recent show (when I get arround to it I will put the pictures online) in a smallish venue and my primary lighting was from two trees (not T bars, but booms), 4 fresnels, paired with saturated colours on each side. Looked brilliant. If it was too dark, I used a frosted front light, or a combination of L117 (stage right) and Primary Red (# escapes me, Stage Left) at a low level to give the extra definition and space. However I emphasise the fact that I had a black backdrop - in a small space, the walls become something you need to worry about (so more info please)

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The par cans are going to be on the roof. Exactly over them. The par cans will be placed 90 degrees downwards aiming to the stage.

 

Can you tell me the numbers of the Amber/pink and blue that you suggest me?

 

BTW thank you very much for your help.

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Are you sure that vertical toplight is what you want?

 

It will produce an extremely spooky/goth-like effect on the band members - this can be great (I've used it on several occasions) - but it is a very harsh effect.

 

Most of the time, facelight and backlight are what you need - in Rock'n'Roll, backlight is probably more important.

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Downlight... As Tomo said is certainly not a good idea unless you specifically want that effect, I presume these lights are already rigged/fixed in position? As for colour depends whether you want strong saturated colours or light pastel colours?

 

For saturated: For Pink L795 (Magical Magenta) I have used it once and seemed ok, as for an amber colour I don’t' partially like deep saturated ambers however L166 (Pale Red) is a pink/red which is also quite nice (not and amber), for a deep saturated blue L732 (virgin blue) is also good as it's got the blueness with less of the turquoise of other blues.

 

For pastel or less saturated colours: Pink - L107 (Light Rose), for a light pastel blue it depends whether you want to just want to change the colour to a cool white or add a blue tinge... L202 (1/2 CT Blue) gives a nice cool white, where as L366 (cornflower) gives a slightly more blueish tint although I haven’t actually used it yet (soon though).

 

However the above are all personal opinion... and I regularly change my mind about colours I like the most, although off topic a little I would have to say one of my firm favourites is L183 (moonlight blue). Basically if you have a Lee (or even Rosco) colour book go through it and find colours which you like/test holding under a bright lamp. However having said that that doesn’t really give a definite indication of how a colour will perform but gives a fairly good idea.

 

Edit: Yes if they are directly above you will certainly get showy faces… with very dark eye sockets especially…

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This is the effect that vertical toplight creates:

 

http://www.theatrecrafts.com/images/lxantoplight.jpg

Image loaned from www.theatrecrafts.com

 

I would go for putting the six parcans in two banks of three,

one to the front-left of the stage and the other to the front-right

of the stage if your target is to illuminate the band.

 

EDIT: I mean hanging them in the roof in two banks, not putting them on the floor

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