Stage, lighting and sound

[Andrew_C]

3 is ideal.

[dhicks]

3 is ideal.

 

Many thanks. I'm gradually working towards a solution that I can take to the parent's association and tell them exactly how many of what we want and how much it will all cost.

[Avonics]

The American DJ LED fittings mentioned above are just that, DJ fittings. I don't think they would be bright enough for stage use. Fine for a mobile disco.

You need to look at the beam angle and throw distance. Something like this may be more suitable at a good price

https://prolight.co.uk/DJ/item.php?id=509541/

Still low power consumption and low maintenance. You could go silly and buy Pixelpar but you budget would go on a couple of fitting.

I would also get a variety of fittings of different beam angles. This will give you more variety of light show. Some fittings are more flood than spot.

 

For control I would look at Showmagic running on a laptop or a great free program called FreeStyler. all you need is a USB-DMX interface. You can control FreeStyler from other devices such as an iPad.

Rather than just fitting a scaffold bar, look at Andolite - Lighting and sound equipment for entertainment venues These are internaly wired and they also sell all the hanging equipment to the correct safety rating. They can make bars to your specification. They come fully wired to a box at the end of the bar so they are easy to connect.

Rigging over public areas should always be done by a professional and don't forget to order safety chains!

You will also need to look at how you are going to distribute the DMX to each fitting. Andolites can add DMX points to the bars, otherwise you can end up with a lot of spaghetti hanging off your bars.

 

Sound wise I think with your budget you could probably get a small powered mixer, 2 speakers on tripods, two radio mic system and a bunch of lead mics and stands. A good basic starter system.

[Hacksawbob]

We are at the other end of an install from jigsaw24, lectern, lights and sound.

For the lights we have two chauvet qspot 560 moveable head lights. We have the hall as a multi use space so we had to mount them high and permanent, We also use the hall in two configurations portrait and landscape as it were, so we needed to be able to change the lights around to account for this. There was no backstage area either so all in all they seemed like the best bet. They are OK, quite a tight beam so not ideal as a main flood light source, in daylight (we have no blackout curtains just pale blinds) they add a slight accent to people at the front of the hall. In an evening performance the were OK for a performance but as they were overhead they tend to create shadow over a persons face, we had to supplement with 4 cheap T bar mounted LED par cans although they tend to give off a weak purple light when red green and blue were supposed to give white. they also give out quite a bit of fan noise which can be off putting but you get use to it and it is not so noticeable in a hall full of people.

 

We are running the lighting control from show express software via a USB/DMX dongle and then wireless Chauvet Dfi up to the lights. We had a faulty dfi unit initially so we had loads of issue but once we got the replacement everything seems to be working OK (be warned the chauvet USB dongle is supposed to be USB3 compatible but experience showed otherwise.) Ideally we will add to this setup in the future but its OK for now, we also used the lights for the school disco which was quite cool, gobos colour etc on an auto setting.

I am not a great believer in radio mikes for schools, I have worked on a show in the west end where all the cast had them, and basically every 9 volt battery was changed daily for a new one at £5 a pop! unless you have someone who knows how to use them I'd stear clear, you can get scratchy noises from movement, drop outs from failing batteries, interferance and there are only usually enough for the main cast to wear one, ideally you would have a dedicated sound engineer to bring each mic on when the wearer comes on stage and turn off when they leave. We stuck with good 'ol SM57 on a stand with a cable. Cast would deliver there lines without and then come up to the mic to sing. we looked at various shotgun mics retracting mics etc but decided against them in the end to keep it simple. I do have a couple of audio technica choir mics Audio-Technica - Microphones, headphones, wireless microphone systems, noise-cancelling headphones & more : Choir which I have used for picking up from overhead in a primary school and they work pretty well for a nativity when used in addition to a mics on stands. Bit of a ramble there let me know if you want more info.

[hallb15]

We use a combination of radio mics (hand held and headset), wired condenser mics and a couple of shotguns. It does take a lot of trial and error to get the placement of the shotguns and the EQ just right to stop feedback whilst getting the sound levels you want. A decent mixer will help with this.

As for the lighting, we went with LEDs as they are much more versatile, run cooler and use less power.

Get in touch with Steve at Astounded.com thats where we bought all our stage lighting and PA system from, he knows his stuff, and is very helpful.

[Chris_]

I am not a great believer in radio mikes for schools, I have worked on a show in the west end where all the cast had them, and basically every 9 volt battery was changed daily for a new one at £5 a pop! unless you have someone who knows how to use them I'd stear clear, you can get scratchy noises from movement, drop outs from failing batteries, interferance and there are only usually enough for the main cast to wear one, ideally you would have a dedicated sound engineer to bring each mic on when the wearer comes on stage and turn off when they leave. We stuck with good 'ol SM57 on a stand with a cable. Cast would deliver there lines without and then come up to the mic to sing. we looked at various shotgun mics retracting mics etc but decided against them in the end to keep it simple. I do have a couple of audio technica choir mics Audio-Technica - Microphones, headphones, wireless microphone systems, noise-cancelling headphones & more : Choir which I have used for picking up from overhead in a primary school and they work pretty well for a nativity when used in addition to a mics on stands. Bit of a ramble there let me know if you want more info.

 

Newer radio mics from the likes of Sennheiser and Shure use a couple of AA batteries and last ages so it's not so expensive when you're putting a new pair in for each show.

[Andrew_C]

I am not a great believer in radio mikes for schools, I have worked on a show in the west end where all the cast had them, and basically every 9 volt battery was changed daily for a new one at £5 a pop!

Err... where the hell are you buying your batteries? Try here! Plenty good enough for one show, and with "kind" mics, more than one. That said, the comment about the newer mics running on a pair of AAs is true. Again, good for at least one show, and even if you don't want to risk two, they will do a rehearsal as well.

[Avonics]

Err... where the hell are you buying your batteries? Try here! Plenty good enough for one show, and with "kind" mics, more than one. That said, the comment about the newer mics running on a pair of AAs is true. Again, good for at least one show, and even if you don't want to risk two, they will do a rehearsal as well.

We only ever use Duracell Procell Duracell Procell Battery Alkaline 9V Ref MN1604 [Pack 10]: Amazon.co.uk: Health & Beauty much better than the GP.

If you can find them cheaper from anyone other than Amazon, please do. I don't like giving the tax dodgers my money.

[localzuk]

Why not use rechargeable batteries? We use them with our Sennheiser mic's very successfully - Duracell 2400mAh ones. A pair will last ages. Then you slap em in the 1 hour charger and you're ready to go again.

[Andrew_C]

Many pro's don't like rechargables for three reasons:-

 

1) They start out at a lower voltage.

2) If doing a big show, with many sets of cells, it is very difficult to be sure you don't mix up part charged and fully charged cells.

3) The discharge curve is different to an alkaline. The mics sensing circuit will be off, and the battery "dies" suddenly rather than gracefully.

 

As to using Pro Cells, well all I can say is advertising works, doesn't it? The GP batteries are fine, and a whole lot cheaper. I've used hundreds and never had a dud one, I can't say that for Duracel. Some mics will be intermittent with Duracel as the positive "pip" is less pronounces, leading to poor contact.

[localzuk]

We work in schools, not the West End. A pair of charged rechargeable batteries works fine in a school. Even for 2 hour long shows. Managing them is easy One box for charged, one for empty. If you're really uneasy, swap at interval.

 

Buying single use batteries is simply wasteful in a school.

[john]

I would never ever use rechargeable in my wireless mics, infact I think the manual says you must not use them as well.

 

I have only ever use Procell for shows and events that matter, rehearsals, school disco etc... we do use the cheap greencells if it dies its 2 minutes to slap some more in and you don't have embarrassment in-front of parents, potential parents, paying guests etc... as you would with major events.

 

Batterys are used for one show only then kept for extra rehearsals, remotes, LAN testers, Clock Batteries etc.... its just not worth the risk if you know where to shop decent batteries don't cost the world.

[localzuk]

I would never ever use rechargeable in my wireless mics, infact I think the manual says you must not use them as well.

 

Nope. Manual I have her doesn't mention it at all.

 

I've been using rechargeable batteries with Sennheiser radio mics since I was 14. Never once had an issue, but have saved my various employers thousands of pounds by using them, and haven't been ruining the environment by using single use ones either.