Hey everyone,

I'm a visuals and installation artist based in Melbourne, Australia and I am looking for some advice on what hardware and software I should be looking at to build a lighting control setup that works for live shows as well as standalone lighting installations.

Some background:

My background is predominantly in visuals. I use Resolume Avenue for live visuals and have some experience creating generative visuals in TouchDesigner, as well as projection mapping using HeavyM 2.

On the lighting side, I've got some basic DMX experience, including programming simple fixtures and lasers and creating and saving patches on an entry-level DMX controller. I've also worked on lighting and visual installations for club events and music festivals both for DJs and also as stand alone installations, but I'm still learning the technical side of lighting control.

I'm interested in building a system that lets me approach lighting more creatively, in a similar way to how I work with visuals, without necessarily having to dive straight into a full lighting desk workflow.

Looking for advice on:

I'm considering upgrading from Resolume Avenue to Arena so I can control lighting via DMX and integrate lighting into a workflow I'm already familiar with. I'm also looking at getting an Art-Net node (or something similar?), but I'm unsure which hardware and software combination would make the most sense and wouldn't be a massive investment. I currently run a 2023 Macbook Pro M2 Chip with 32GB RAM.

Ideally, I'd like a setup that can cover a few different use cases:

• Live shows: Control lighting alongside visuals, with the ability to trigger looks and effects in real time.
• Standalone installations: Record or program lighting sequences that can run autonomously without needing a computer or operator present.
• Creative control: Work with colour, gradients, movement and effects, rather than just triggering static looks.
• Future development: Learn the DMX side of TouchDesigner and eventually incorporate it into more generative, interactive and immersive installations.

I'm particularly interested in building a small, versatile lighting rig for creative events and installations, rather than a large conventional stage lighting setup.

A few things I'd love advice on:

1. Is Resolume Arena a sensible way to get into lighting control given that I'm already familiar with Resolume, or would I be better off learning a dedicated lighting software package from the start? The 500 Euro upgrade from Avenue to Arena is pretty huge just to get DMX, so not sure this is worth it.
2. What Art-Net node would you recommend for a small setup? Are there particular features I should look for to keep my options open as the system grows? 1-2 universes is probably all I will be needing at this stage. Something with recording ability would be ideal for stand alone playback.
   
3. Are there other software or hardware options worth considering that could cover both live control and autonomous installations without making the whole system unnecessarily complicated?
4. For someone wanting to get into more creative, generative lighting over time, is it worth investing in the Resolume workflow now, or would I be better off putting that money towards another system?

Budget is a consideration, and I'd prefer to build something incrementally rather than spend a lot upfront on gear that turns out to be limiting or redundant.

I'd really appreciate recommendations from people who use these systems in practice, particularly anyone combining visuals and lighting for live electronic music, creative installations or immersive environments.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I have a question regarding the industry-standard workflow for lighting timecode when running a DJ show.

During a transition, the DJ usually overlaps two tracks for 15–30 seconds—Track A is playing its outro while Track B is brought in via its intro. Since two different timecodes/clocks are running simultaneously during this crossfade:

1. How do lighting designers prevent timecode conflicts so the console doesn't cut off the final cues of Track A or miss the opening cues of Track B?
2. What is the standard approach for managing parameter priorities (Intensity, Color, Position, Effects) on the lighting console when two timecode sequences are active at the same time?
3. In professional touring/club setups, is it standard practice to use volume fader tracking, or transition manually?
4. Is using two dedicated timecode slots per DJ set (corresponding to Deck 1 & Deck 2) the standard solution for this scenario?

Note: This is based on my personal research so far as I’m trying to refine my setup. If I missed anything or if my understanding is slightly off, please feel free to correct me and add any additional insights!

I'd love to hear how experienced operators and LDOs handle this scenario seamlessly in real-world shows.

Thanks a lot!

Hi tech bubble,

Which hazers or hazer fluids are particularly voice-friendly for singers?
I’m currently on tour in Europe as a lighting operator for a band, and it’s a relatively small-scale production. Whenever our lead singer has a cold or is otherwise feeling a bit under the weather, the "classic" haze used at these venues (typically standard smoke factory tour hazers or similar models) really irritates her voice—to the point where I have to run the show without any haze at all.

Because of this, I’m considering bringing my own hazer along for future shows, but I’m not sure which one to choose.

What has your experience been? Do you have any recommendations?
An MDG hazer, for instance, isn’t really a practical option—considering the cost, the size, and the logistics involved with the CO2 cylinders.

Thanks for your help!

Hey yall I am being tasked to make a lighting plot for my current class im taking but cant seem to find a good lighting plot software that works on Linux and is free or cheap any suggestions?

(I tried Vectorworks I have been unable to find a way to get it working on Linux)

I am doing lighting design for an Agatha Christie adaptation. The director wants me to do less realistic lighting and more artistic, emotive lighting, which I'm having fun with. However there is a scene (two, actually) that is very very long, with not much change going on in dialogue, story or actor movement. There are no beats in the scene that I can use as motivation to change up the lighting, even in a more abstract way. It drags on quite a bit, which is sometimes an unfortunate symptom of book-to-stage adaptations I think.

The director and I were discussing how to make it more interesting with lighting, but we were both stumped, because the big emotional revelation is at the beginning of the scene and the rest is just nearly 30 minutes of the characters explaining their (already partially revealed) backstories to each other without much new emotion or dynamic motivation that might lead to a creative lighting moment.

What sort of design would you do in this situation? How would you make a long scene more dynamic with lighting when there aren't any major emotive or physical beats to play off of?

Looking for some advice.

Found space theater with low ceilings, usually the design accounts for this as I do moody and open concept designs.

Yesterday I turned on lights during rehearsal and found out afterward that all the lights were giving an actor headaches and trouble seeing. The lights are from the front at about 10' off the ground, side lights at head/chest height from SR, and floor movers from SL.

Today during tech we tried giving them sunglasses and our PM went out to get glasses that are specifically for LED sensitivities. Sunglasses didn't really help but the glare-specific glasses made it better. I am still wanting to do everything I can to make this actor more comfortable as the glasses the PM found today are not appropriate for the show. Other actors were encouraged to wear sunglasses if they wanted, but no one else seemed as bothered.

Anyone have any further advice beyond doing a redesign of the show? One plan is to get the SR heads up to high sides but I can only get up to about 13' and I fear it will be exactly the same problem if their sensitivity is to LEDs in general. They said they'd never had to act with a fully LED design, so this is new for them too.

Costume designer ordered amber and rose-tinted glasses (a very specific tint that the PM found was recommended for migraine sufferers), is this maybe going to solve it? I'm just worried about making this actor so miserable during the run of the show.

Or is it more subjective?

Cheers

Hey guys. My band plays at local bars, and we want to create a light show for our events. Here’s what I want to do. We use session view in Ableton which houses our backing tracks and click tracks. I want to drop in a midi file for each scene that contains our light show for each song. Is this possible, and if it is, how would I go about recording the light show?

Hi, I just got QLC+ on my computer and want to control 4 fixtures with it. However I don't know if what I am going to get to control my lights will work. I am going to try to get a USB to DMX cable but I am unsure if I can you that to control my lights.

Any ideas?

Ok, so I know of all of the dont support pirates and like all of the leagl action but is it really that big of a concern? Im looking at buying a command wing knock off mainly for home use but i would take it on like 3 gigs once a year. But i know its like aginst there pollicy or watever but then again its not like there updating it right? Idk Im not really sure if i just buy one or not because i feel like it would be the right fit for me but i also don't want to have it break.

Had this on my youtube frontpage, had to watch it again. Rob Sinclair you mad genius. The first one in the middle (no spoilers here) is already badass, but the one in the end...

I work in a convention space where we are constantly swapping gobos, and our clients will only use size B Gobos (per our sales team). Its a common issue for me to take a scissor lift up to our Source4s multiple times to adjust focus and rotation before the client sees it, and when they do see it, I usually end up adjusting it again until they are satisfied.

I'd like to have a fixture where I can just insert a size B gobo, and not have to pull out a scissor lift to adjust/fine tune it.

My question here is, is there a moving head fixture that can quickly swap custom size B gobos (doesn't need to hold multiple, just one is fine) and DMX control pan, tilt, zoom, focus, and rotation?

Work at a nightclub, we run a set of four Elation Dartz 360 beams in our rig.

Over the past three years, we've had a recurring malfunction that induces this continuous pan behavior. However, whenever we take the fixtures in for repair to our dealer, they can't seem to replicate the behavior, which has made it difficult to identify the cause of the problem. I wanted to share the problem with the subreddit for any extra insight before I pull out ALL my hair.

Information about the malfunction:

• The behavior begins after the fixture receives power + runs through its startup routine--not before or during
• The behavior is unrelated to bad belts or motors, as far as the repair techs have been able to identify
• The behavior persists even when the fixture has 1) been factory-reset, 2) powered on with a terminator at the end of the DMX line, 3) powered on while disconnected from DMX, 4) powered from a different circuit, 6) removed from the strut and powered on while upright on the floor, and 5) all of the above and allowed to rest disconnected from power/DMX for a week+
• The behavior has persisted across different DMX controllers (we currently run ONYX on an Obsidian NX4), which, along with the above, leads me to believe it's unlikely to be bad data or a corrupted signal
• EDIT 1: The address and channel mode on the fixture are correct and in alignment with the patch, forgot to mention that initially

The single piece of info I would consider positive correlation is that the affected fixtures have generally been in that exact position in the rig when they start malfunctioning--although they then continue to do so when placed in another spot on the rig or connected differently via DMX, even directly to the controller itself, etc.

The most perplexing aspect is that evidently as soon as the fixtures leave the building, they start behaving again.

Has anyone seen similar behavior to this, either from this exact model or on another moving head with continuous pan/tilt?

Any insight into causes I may have overlooked?

Happy to answer additional any questions! Desperate to understand a bit more.

EDIT 2: Thank you for all the replies! A faulty pan/tilt sensor strikes me as the most promising lead so far, but I'll keep exploring some of the other suggested avenues. I'm almost entirely self-taught and don't always feel confident in my terminology, so I was hesitant to post here, but I'm glad I did. I appreciate the help!

I am looking for a new computer for lighting design. (My current personal laptop is a Dell xps 2-in-1 and is on its last legs)

I am early in my career but so far have not had the need to run qlab (and I am not super concerned about having it). I am thinking of looking into other Dell laptops or at the very least something with gaming specs as one of my main concerns is being able to render shows and run software like the EOS Augmented Visualizer.

I have looked at Mac laptops before and while I understand the draw, they are a little out of my price range for what I feel like I’d need, and I don’t Love that you can’t upgrade storage and running power as it’s soldered in. Any recommendations are welcome.

Blackout just announced that they released V3 and It has some awesome features. I have been trying to find an easy to use pixel mapping program for a while and then blackout just makes one. The problem is that it's locked behind a subscription.

I get that I can still use V2 but just at least let me pay you the one time fee again for V3 or SOMETHING. It also looks like I can't even use pixel mapping with core so I'd have to pay for pro. I get that I can just pay for a months worth of subscription but that's still $100 per production that I need to get covered or be denied the use of a kickass lighting console.

I hate that the world is moving in this direction. It's the reason I stopped using the adobe suite and it's why I stopped paying for netflix and started using physical disks. I already have to work in retail on top of my film work just to stay afloat and not end up on the street. paying all these subscriptions is making that even harder.

Anyway that you for reading my complaint. I am going to take my V2 Blackout to the corner and cry now.

Hi everyone!

I bought an Obsidian NX DMX node a few days ago, and I’m having some mixed feelings about it.

My original plan was to buy a generic/universal Art-Net/sACN node to use with grandMA2 / grandMA3 and ETC EOS. However, the shop didn’t have any universal nodes in stock at the moment, and the seller recommended the NX DMX. I convinced myself to go for it thinking, "Okay, maybe this is my sign to finally stop using cracked software and run a 100% legit, licensed setup!"

The seller showed me ONYX, and it looked straightforward and easy to pick up, so I made the investment ($450 USD). But after testing it at home, I’m not sure how I feel about the ONYX ecosystem:

A generic Art-Net node goes for around $250, so there's a $200 difference, plus the freedom to use it across any software that outputs standard sACN/Art-Net. I still have time to return the NX DMX and wait for a universal node to ship.

Has anyone here worked extensively with the NX DMX or ONYX hardware setup? Would you recommend sticking with ONYX for live gigs, or returning it for a universal node and keeping my options open?

Thanks in advance for your insights and advice!

Heyo party people :)

A Lightdesign I'm doing rn has a few "normal lihgtbulbs" in the set design. And since those are pretty low wattage I have to always add another lamp to the same dimmer channel to up the wattage ans get acceptable dimming. (Sorry if I explain this horribly, english isn't my first language, we usually call it "Dummies")

now I'm wondering if there's a better option for this than plugging in pinspots or smth like that, since the extra light (and heat) is always a bit annoying if I can't plug them in in a secluded room.

Like a Balast I just plug in with the lightbulb :)

If anybody knows amything or has ideas I'd be really greatful!

Hi everyone! I’m a stage manager currently finishing my master’s in Design Management at SCAD, and my final project explores how people working in live entertainment find, share, and keep track of production information.

I’ve put together a survey about the information you use, where you access it, what works well, and what could make the process easier. I’d love to hear from people across different roles and settings. Whether you work in theater, touring, theme parks, concerts, or other live events, your perspective would be helpful!

The survey has 15 questions, mostly multiple choice or ratings, with an optional space to share anything else.

Survey: https://forms.gle/g879mLGouLimRuHE9

Thank you for taking the time to help! Feel free to share it with anyone else who might be interested.

A show I work for does a revolving setup of a new show once every month or 2 in the same space. Because the setup is pretty much the same each time in terms of general layout, each show tends to make an outline of a face. It just kind of happens this way.

I'm designing a designated entertainment area and would like to include some sort of​ water ripple effect projection feature onto the wall.

I'm after a projector or any gadgets that can create water ripple and northern light effects in different colours that can be set to cycle.

Also, ideally, it can respond to ambient and other types of music.

It needs to be IP67, ideally extra low voltage (24v or something).

Thanks in advance!