Lighting a choir

[Techie]

Hi All

 

I normally deal with lighting theatre, rock n roll and corporate events. Howewver this fri ive got the fun of lighting a choir with backing orchestra with 4 64's a side(maybe 56's) with two soure 4 pars and scrollers.

 

What I am after is some ideas as for colours for the cans. scrollers already coloured rock n roll (take that 94 or 5 scrolls if I remember correctly). Im thikining of using some pastel colours (blue,pink,purple) in general. ANy comments.

 

PS whole rig getting run off 2 x 13A plug tops. All suggestion/comments welcome.

 

Kind Regards.

[ChrisD]

Last time I was being lit in a choir, it was at the uncle albert hall, and they just did a bunch of pars. I'd go for not changing colours much, it looks tacky.

[Andrew C]

Urgh!

Your musos will probably throw 40 fits if you use any colour at all. They have trouble seeing the tadpoles on the song sheets. They are likely to get even more grumpy if you change anything. Mind you, if they aren't professionals, they may be more amenable!

 

Flat, even, white, toplight is favorite, but no heat mind you. No lights backlighting the "stick-wiggler" from the bands point of view! They really hate that...

 

Can you tell that I've been bitten by pro-orchestras before? :P

[James]

With Choirs and orchestras you can never have enough top/back light.

 

oh and white white white.

 

I used to have a little bit of artistic fredom with colour in cyc lighting + some gobos behind them but that was all.

 

James.

[ChrisD]

Possibly go for your 4 64s either side on the choir and the orchestra, 3 from the front and one from behind. You could use the S4s to light the FRONT of the conductor creatively so that the audience don't see a glow (maby toplight?)

 

To echo Andrew C's point about colour, whatever you do, if u use it, make it subtle, and don't even think about changing it, make your job as easy as possible.

[J Pearce]

Colour wise, when I light the orchestras/jazz bands etc I play in I go for a subtle colour as open whit can be quite glary on the music. Make sure you light from the back as if you only light from the front you can't see the music as your eyes adjust to the front light and your sheet music disappears.

I generally use a flesh or blue facial (sorry I don't know the numbers I just flick through the unnumbered collection till I find something I like.)

Perhaps an 1/8th CT (218?) or a fleshy facial. It depends on the colour of the room and mood of the concert as to whether I use flesh or blue.

 

Thats my method and I hope you can find some inspiration in it.

[bassman]

Hi,

 

Having worked with both professional orchestras and amateurs alike, they all want the same thing - overhead white light with no colours (or lighting changes while they are playing) unless they have lit music stands to compensate.

 

Avoid extreme shadows on the music where ever possible but I guess with only a few PARs to play with, this could get tricky!

 

Could you get hold of some 500/1000W linear halogen floods and stick them on stands high up? Fairly cheap and cheerful but works well if budget and time is at a premium.

 

Hope this is helpful

 

S

[mac.calder]

A lot depends on the type of music and what they will be wearing. Do you know if the muso's have lighted stands? If they do you can go all out.

 

IE a choir I was in used to do a load of very dramatic pieces - ie chants. We wore reds and browns, so the stage was kept dark, with pretty much only floor lights, with the same sort of colours.

 

The other choir I was in did a variety, although it was much tamer than the tribal chants of the other, so it was usually only whites providing illumination.

 

If the orchestra have their own music lights, that in itself can provide a good light to build on for the orchestra.

[Jivemaster]

Simple light no changes Front light to show the faces, back light to let them read the music. Open white is adequate and doesn't lose light in filters! Really depends on the staging and the character of the music.

[James]

Simon.

 

You don't say about where this will be performed. (indoors or outdoors) but If this is indoors and there is a white celing above the performers then (to be brutaly honest) the best way of lighting the orchestra and choir would be to point your cans at the celing. This would create a loverly soft light that they will like. You do have a woefuly small inventory for lighting a whole orchestra and choir unfortunatly. Try your four pars pointing at the celing and the S4 pars from as far away as possible, (perhaps with some light frost) from either side trying to flood the whole group.

 

Good Luck, its just another thought

 

James

[Brian]

Remember that an orchestra and choir on stage take up a lot of room - meaning you've got a big area to light. I'd be suprised if 8 PAR64s, even with MFLs in, will give the cover you need.

 

Some orchestras can cope with colour though, but you'll need a lot bigger rig than you've got to play with.

 

http://www.necgroup.co.uk/images/whatson/NIA000107-2.jpg

 

For more details on the above photo click here .

[paulears]

As Brian says, colour isn't a no no, but everyone MUST have lit stands. What is out is noisy equipment - so scrap the scroller idea. Even if you change sooooo slowly it can't be heard, you're bound to forget and suddenly do a fast end-end! If they do a nice ppp section, then even the fans may be heard.

 

A lot depends on the brief -lighting for illumination or effect. Big difference. Most annoying things about choirs and orchestras is that they never notice anything you do unless the light goes out! Also watch out for lights shining in the eyes - they will moan like mad, unless the light sources are to the side or above.

[mac.calder]

As Brian says, colour isn't a no no, but everyone MUST have lit stands. What is out is noisy equipment - so scrap the scroller idea. Even if you change sooooo slowly it can't be heard, you're bound to forget and suddenly do a fast end-end! If they do a nice ppp section, then even the fans may be heard.

 

A lot depends on the brief -lighting for illumination or effect. Big difference. Most annoying things about choirs and orchestras is that they never notice anything you do unless the light goes out! Also watch out for lights shining in the eyes - they will moan like mad, unless the light sources are to the side or above.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Unless they are an ameature choir - they seem to love lights in the eyes - they cant see the audience, so like the ravernouse bugblatter beast of traal, they feel that the audience, there fore, cannot see them. Instant way to get rid of nerves.

[Techie]

Many thanks for all the ideas and suggestions.

 

I agree strongly with the lack of kit situation, but the let down unfortunately is the lack firstly of power ( 2 x13A on different unloaded rings) and then secondly of the budget (would have more than enough kit to suitably light a large gig).

 

Thankfully this is only a small outside stage so im going to have to try to make the best of a far from ideal situation.

 

Once again many thanks

[zonino]

Some orchestras can cope with colour though, but you'll need a lot bigger rig than you've got to play with.

 

http://www.necgroup.co.uk/images/whatson/NIA000107-2.jpg

 

For more details on the above photo click here .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

damn I'd like to work on that gig! oh well :P

 

2 13A feeds? thats nasty! when is the gig? early evening?