Tip 1: Use DMX control cables with your LED lights. While XLR cable connectors will fit, micophone cable is not designed for the high speed serial electrical data signals used by DMX lighting fixtures and DMX controllers .

Tip 2: The last fixture in the chain should be terminated with a DMX terminator. This helps reduce transmission errors caused by long cable runs and interference from AC power lines or other equipment. These are inexpensive, and you only need one. (I bought a spare, which I ended up using with a second setup.)

Tip 3: A standard par controller most likely won't work with DMX lighting fixtures, since you will run out of channels quickly. Instead, get a DMX controller that is designed specifically for multi-channel DMX lights.

Tip 4: Mount your LED enclosures close to the performers. Yes, this is contrary to old-school stagecraft technique. Since LED units emit a cooler light than regular bulbs, this maximizes the light energy and concentrates it on the band. Performers love LED lighting, since it generates almost no heat.

These audience members invited onstage sure look like they're enjoying the comfortable stage temperature! Note how the entire color wash was produced by three truss-mounted Opti RGB LED fixtures indicated by the arrows. (The PARs in the background contributed only to the ambience, since they were loaded with low wattage bulbs.)
Photo credit: Justin McCarron

Tip 5: Inexpensive road cases for LED lights. I discovered that a rolling Samsonite hard sided suitcase easily holds a pair of Opti LED enclosures. There's even room left over to store DMX cables. You can often find suitable luggage and road cases at secondhand stores.

Tip 6: Use a stage clamp for each of your LED fixtures. I went with an "O" style that practically eliminates scratching on my lighting truss. The Chauvet clamp comes with inserts so you can use a single clamp with 1", 1.5" or 2" pipe. It was also less expensive than clamps from other manufacturers.

Tip 7: Use a safety cable if there's any chance that a light fixture can come lose and cause injury. They're cheap insurance for performers and the audience.

Tip 8: Stock up on DMX cables. Since DMX cables can be daisy-chained together, having an assortment of various lengths will ensure that you can run your cables around obstacles and keep them out of traffic. You'll probably want a 50' length or two to go from the lighting tech's table to the first LED enclosure, several short lengths (5' or 10') to string between LED fixtures on a truss, and some 25' lengths to connect lighting trees across the stage, and from the front to the rear of the stage.

Tip 9: Quick way to store cables. I store each DMX cable in its own gallon size zip lock storage bag. The bags are clear, so it's easy to see what it contains. The bags that have a zipper on them are much quicker and easier to seal than the cheaper ones that don't. The bags keep your cords from getting twisted or tangled with each other. Label the outside of the bag with the length of the cable. For example "DMX-25" on the bag indicates it's a DMX cable (not a mic cable) with a length of 25 feet.

Tip 10: Label your DMX cables. Use a permanent marker or a label maker to indentify each DMX cable as "DMX" so they don't get stored with the XLR mic cables.

Tip 11: Instruct your sound and lighting crew to never use use mic cables with DMX lighting gear. While a standard low-Z XLR mic cable may work for a set or two, eventually it'll cause a lockup of the controller or lighting unit, requiring a power off reset. DMX lights can take a minute to reset from power off (especially moving head fixtures), which seems like an eternity during a live show. Be safe and use DMX cables only with your lights.

Tip 12: If it's a bright fixture, try aiming it at the performer's instrument. This should avoid blinding the artist during the show. There'll be plenty of light left over to light the performer's head and body. We mistakenly aimed a fixture at our bass player's face (see photo at left) and it looked like his head was on fire when the LED fixture was lit with red, yellow, or orange!
(Photo credit: Justin McCarron)

Tip 13: A digital camera, with the flash turned off, provides a quick indication of any needed lighting adjustments. It can also point out where a light may be improperly aimed. Too far to the left or right, or too much on the stage itself and not enough on the performer will defeat the purpose of having the light in the first place. Be sure to hold the camera extra still when not using the flash.

Tip 14: Don't face LED fixtures towards the audience. LED lights provide colors by color mixing red, green, and blue LEDs. This works great when the light hits the stage or the performer, but if the light is turned towards the audience, they instead see the individual LEDs colors that produce the light. This can be distracting. Keep the light away from the audience, or use a diffusion gel. Many acts (ours included) supplement the LEDs with traditional PAR lamps in back of the performers so the audience can see the lights.

Elation Opti RGB High-Output LED Color Changer The Opti RGB is a powerful DMX intelligent LED wash. This lightweight and compact wash is a great piece for mobile DJs and clubs. This unit can be used in stand alone or a sound-active mode. The unit can also be controlled via DMX controller.

Elation DMX Operator Programmable DMX Controller Control up to 192 DMX channels with the Elation DMX Operator. The DMX Operator is programmable up to 240 scenes and features 12 individual fixture channels, so you can control up to 12 separate intelligent lights with up to 16 DMX channels per fixture. Fixtures with less than 16 DMX channels may be combined on 1 DMX scanner button. You can also record up to 6 programmable chases with fade time and speeds. 8 individual faders provide easy programmability for Intelligent Lighting or Dimmer Packs. MIDI controllable.

American DJ 3-Pin DMX Cable This cable features 22 AWG stranded (0.15 x 19) tinned copper conductors, polyethylene insulation, twisted pair, polyethylene inner jacket, Duofoil (100% coverage) and cotton plus a tinned copper braid shield (85% coverage). PVC jacket.

Chauvet Pro Clamp with 360 Degree Wrap Fits 1", 1-1/2", or 2" pipes. Size 6" x 3-1/2" x 5".

American DJ Crank II Mobile Trussing System for Stage Lights The American DJ Crank II Mobile Trussing System is the ultimate mobile stand system making life on the road much easier. Before the Crank-2 you had to push your heavy lights up by hand. With this stage light truss system, you can set up everything at eye level, then easily crank up to 10" high. The rack offers heavy duty tripod stands and American DJ's road-durable steel I-beam trusses that hold up to 140 lbs.

Elation Opti 30 RGB PAR Can The Elation Professional OPTI 30 RGB is the next generation PAR can to the already popular OPTI 30. The OPTI 30 RGB is a powerful LED PAR can with twelve 1W LEDs (4 Red, 4 Green, 4 Blue). There is no need to add color gels because the OPTI 30 RGB is designed for RGB color mixing and can achieve almost any color desired. Consuming very little power and producing almost no heat, the OPTI 30 RGB is a great light fixture for any indoor application, such as stages, night clubs, restaurants, and retail environments.

American DJ PAR64 LED Package with Free DMX Controller This is a complete lighting and controller package consisting of eight P64 LED - DMX RGB Color Mixing LED Par Cans with a free DMX Operator Programmable DMX Controller included. Unlike conventional PAR cans, which produce a limited number of colors using gel filters, the P64 LED RGB color mixing process combines red, green and blue LEDs to create any desired shade. The P64 LED is equipped with 151 LEDs (51 red, 49 green, 51 blue). With cutting-edge RGB mixing, the P64 LEDs give you complete control over the color scheme of your lighting presentation, right from your DMX controller. Great for clubs, stage productions, concerts, churches, presentation ceremonies, displays and architectural applications, the P64 LEDs make it easy to design customized colors to set any mood or highlight any object or event.