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How to Build a Scanning Laser Light Show

Whether your a rock band or live dj, impressive lighting is always an important part of the show. A laser light show can take any stage from bland and boring to colorful and exciting. The major issue that most artists run across is putting on a spectacular lighting show on a shoestring budget. This is why some major lighting companies sell small laser arrays that are far more affordable than the arena sized laser lighting shows.

Things You'll Need

  • Small laser array system
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a laser array system. Most small systems run anywhere from $300-$1000 depending on all of the features that you would like. The most popular feature on these systems is the ability to have the laser react to audio cues. A small microphone built into the laser array will pick up the sound in the room and react accordingly.

    • 2

      Mount the array above the stage or at the back of the venue/nightclub. Most small arrays come with an adjustable handle that has a a C-mount attached to it. The C-mount can hook on to anything that you can fit around. Once you have chosen a location, turn the locking screw on top of the mount to tighten it down to whatever object you have chosen. Luckily, these arrays are very lightweight so finding a sturdy object to mount them to is fairly simple. A speaker stand or tall microphone stand will work as well.

    • 3

      Consult the manufactures instruction manual to determine the dip-switch settings for automatic "audio mode". A series of dip-switches on the rear of these units allows you to assign them to a certain channel by changing the order of the switches when using them in conjunction with a larger DMX system. Setting these dip-switches a certain way will tell the unit that it is being used automatically.

    • 4

      Turn on the laser array.

    • 5

      Play music in the room with the laser array and enjoy the show.

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