Light show

[colterphoto1]

I've been collecting lighting stuff over the years and occasionally now am hosting parties with my sound systems. What makes a more complete performance than adding a light show?

I have 6 pin spots, 4 Par 46 cans, 2 Par 38 cans, a 'spinner' light that bumps to music, an old 4 pin 'helicopter disco light, some strobe bulbs, two Cessna double beacon lights (red) with power supply, and F100 fog machine. Let's see what I can come up with, eh?

This afternoon after seeing the builder about my workshop I'm cleaning off and painting the Par cans. They used to hang in the barn, so I've sprayed/brushed off the pigeon droppings, now using sanding sponge to get the rust off. They look pretty nice after a coat of HIGH-Temp flat black Rustoleum.

[BLSamuel]

You need one of those color organs I think they were called where different colors would flash in beat to the different frequencies to the music... I had plans at home one time in a magazie I think on how to build a simple one. Sure sounded like a lot of fun and would seem to be really cool for a light show I'd think. Maybe you can build yer own mirrorred ball?

[colterphoto1]

Got a 4 channel chase scene that allows you to chase to a speed you select or it will bump to the next light with each beat of the music.

But a color organ would be tres cool.

[BLSamuel]

Went to the garage to take a quick look... maybe a small orange radio shack book with yellow letting and picture on the front? No. Though I did not find it, I think that was about speaker projects.

Ahhh... the memory is coming back. I think it was a Southwestern Technical Products Corporation catalong. The SWTPC catalog I recall from my high school years had all kinds of cool stuff ... a color organ kit, a theramin kit, kits for a preamp, and a couple of different models of amplifiers touting very low TIM distortion which I'm not sure I'd heard of before then. Wish I'd have built a pre-amp and amplifier for my 4-H project.... though SWTPC was also well known for home built personal computers early on but I had gotten their catalog more interested in the electronics kits. But I did find my 1980 issues of Speaker Builder Magazine. Issue 1 includes a one page Craftsman's Corner with a picture and small write up with a pair of 6 x 4 x 2.5 feet cabinets using 30" Electrovoice drivers.

Back on topic, I didn't find the SWTPC catalog from 1979 or 1980 whenever it was but did a search on the internet and from the SWTPC site, there's a link to a 1969 article published in the September issue of Popular Electonics to build the Psychedelia 1 http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/PopularElectronics/Sep1969/PE_Sep1969.htm This site has links to many SWTPC projects in Popular Science. I think the kit was just the controller in a box but this has plans for a box with prismatic sort of plexiglass front - I was thinking more colored spots or floods of colors bass to mid to treble. I think this claims to be able to contol 600 watts total and I'm sure could be upscaled to more than 3 frequency bands or to control more lights.

Of course Google it and there are all kinds of plans out there.... a couple examples...

http://www3.telus.net/chemelec/Projects/Color-Organ/Color-Organ.htm

http://www.discovercircuits.com/C/color-org.htm

And kits and ready made controller boards... (most of the kits are very sparse, no box, no power supply, not knobs... to the Velleman at Parts Express that comes with box and knobs).

http://www.hobbytron.com/UK186.html

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=C4530

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=320-210

http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/ColorOrgans/clobuy_CommercialColorOrgan.html#WhereAssem

The Velleman site has assembly manuals for the model sold by Parts Express (built in microphone though I though I saw a Velleman model with line in or microphone in option but not at their site so maybe no longer produced). http://www.vellemanusa.com/us/enu/product/view/?id=350616

I'm kind of envisioning 4 channels maybe, one to match each band of an MCM stack. Got the deep bass, the midbass, the midrange, and the treble. Maybe even more bands .... lights shimmering along with the cymbals, pulsing with the bass... and everything in between...

I didn't look but would imagine such devices can be found at the DJ suppliers? That said, you could probably build your own controller and I'm sure Doc or someone would be happy to assist in customizing it to your needs.

[Mr. RF62]

I have been looking for a color organ for years, tried some of the DJ suppliers and no one had any, and hadn't for a while. Now maybe I just didn't hit the right one, but when I was working for a sound/electronics company, couldn't find one either, and I'd prefer if it were already made. I can do soldering but bread boards make me nervous.

[colterphoto1]

I've got some square aluminum tubing, already drilled to accept light yokes. I think I'll put one each pin spot, Par 46, Par 38 on each tree- hooked up to chase circuit. Then I've got one spot per tree for a 'special light'.

A trio of pin spots, a single Par46 uplight, beacons, and strobes can be 'specials' that can be on/off switched via a DIN25 remote control device. Add F100 fog and I think it'll be a fun little setup.

Still looking for DMX controller for the Martin lights though.