People who have never been exposed to stage lighting are intimidated by the lighting operating system and have no idea how the lights are controlled. But after reading this article, you will find that controlling stage lights is much simpler than operating a mobile phone.
First of all, what are stage lights?
Stage lights can be divided into bulb light sources and LED light sources according to the light source. Now there are more and more stage lights with LED light sources, such as wash lights, par lights, stage strobe lights, etc, they are all LED light sources. Many beam lights are also LED light sources. If the beam brightness is required to be high, there are also many bulb light sources. The color temperature of the bulb light source is higher and the brightness is high, but the service life is much shorter than that of LED. We will talk about how to distinguish different stage lights later, please subscribe, so stay tuned.
Basic methods of stage lighting control
There are many ways to control the LED stage lighting system. Here are some of the most commonly used methods:
1.Manual control/power switch control
This is the simplest way to control lighting, usually achieved through a simple switch or dimmer. Usually, some small lamps (less than 30W) are used in small performance venues or home parties, and gorgeous lighting effects can be achieved without professional equipment control.
2. Remote control and app control
Many small LED stage lighting products offer the function of wireless control via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi through a remote control or smartphone app. This is very convenient for portable devices or mobile DJs. For example, some LED par lights are very suitable for small concerts, bars, home parties, and other places. They are simple to operate, easy to carry, and the effect is satisfactory.
3. DMX control system
The most widely used method for professional stage lighting is DMX (digital multiplexing). DMX controllers can accurately control multiple lamps, including brightness, color, horizontal/vertical movement, and effects such as strobe or fade in and out.
A small DMX controller can control dozens of channels, and one channel represents one effect. Most stage lights have several to hundreds of channels. We have to choose a suitable DMX console according to the channels of the lamps. For example, our 7R230beam light has 16 channels, so we use at least one console with 16 channels to control it. The value of each channel is 0-255, a total of 256 values, and different values on the same channel will present different effects.
Steps to use DMX:
Connect the lamp and DMX console to the power supply, and then connect your stage lights through the DMX cable, and the stage lights will automatically recognize the DMX control mode. We need to refer to the DMX channel sheet of the lamp. Just turn on the light source according to the channel sheet, and then push other channels one by one to see different lighting effects.
If you have multiple stage lights of the same model, you can set the master-slave mode on the LED panel of the lamp, and connect the DMX signal lines in series, so that you can use one console to control multiple lights to achieve synchronization effects.
If your venue has multiple lights, different models of beam lights and wash lights, and their channels are different, then you need a DMX console with more channels to control them at the same time. For example, 7R beam light has 16 channels, Mini740 wash lights have 23 channels, so your console needs to have at least 39 channels. Generally, DMX consoles on the market have hundreds of channels. I just gave you an example to let you understand how the lighting channels and consoles work.
4. Computer DMX Lighting control
There are also many large-scale concerts with hundreds or thousands of lights. Professional lighting technicians will use computer consoles to control the lighting, sound, special effects, and other equipment of the entire venue. The most common ones on the market are Avolites and MA consoles, which are indispensable control systems for most professional performances. The computer DMX console will record the channel information (light library) of the lamps in advance, and then the lighting technician will compile the effect program, so that complex stage lighting effects can be achieved with one click at the concert.
If you are an event organizer or DJ and want to add stage lighting equipment to your event, but have never used stage lights before and don’t know how to control stage lights, don’t worry at all. Some stage lights have remote control/APP control mode and DMX control mode, such as battery par lights. You can completely start with this light to master the control of stage lights, and you will find it very simple.
If you already have your professional console and find a lamp that is compatible with the console, before purchasing, please tell us what console you are using and which lamp library you need, and we can send the lamp library to your email.
Learning how to control stage lights is a key skill for any event technician or lighting enthusiast. Whether you use manual switches, a DMX console, or an app-based system, the right approach depends on your venue size, event type, and equipment configuration.
At KDJ Lighting, we offer a wide range of professional LED stage lighting solutions, from DMX-compatible fixtures to wireless control systems. Visit our store to explore products that make stage lighting simple and spectacular.