Nowadays almost anyone can become a DJ, or at least try to. But being a DJ is not all about creating music that people can dance or trance to. It requires an eye for a glimmering lighting setup to brighten up the dance floor and have a show to carry everywhere. If you want to be mobile and have a good party consider – not every venue has in-house lighting to fit your needs. Thus you have to prepare some special bits and pieces yourself. So we’ve decided to pull together a few tips for selecting a basic setup and have an amazing gig on a tight budget. This article tells the tale of our five must have cheap DJ lights that are portable, fresh and will dazzle your party.
How to Choose DJ Lights on a Budget?
In the world of decent quality lighting equipment, affordable and portable is not as widely a thing as you would expect. Once the price becomes an issue, the quality can be a surprise, and not a good one. So you’ll need to save up for something a bit more high end if you aim for the stars with your show. The affordable, portable and decent quality DJ lights for the most part are available online. Even though everything is cheaper there, any equipment priced below 50$ can be enough to fill a small house party, but leave any larger event in the darkness.
Another thing to consider, when selecting your gear, is the event and the venue you’re doing the gig at. What fits a wedding at a ballroom might be too little for a rave at an underground club. But there are basic pieces of equipment to have in your setup to leave your audience craving for seconds. Moreover some lighting equipment won’t fit into anything smaller than a tour bus or cost a small fortune, but we’ve found basic pieces that almost any mobile DJ can afford and fit into a station wagon.
1. Fill the Room with LED Wash Lights
Our first tip is to fill the room with a boom of rich colour. LED Wash Lights will do the job perfectly. They will create a base layer of colour to build up more detailed layers on top. Wash lights are an essential piece for any show, either that is a wedding afterparty or your personal gig. The price varies, but if you are eager, you can find something affordable, easy to set up and easy to use for the perfect show to leave memories that last. LED wash lights come in many colour combinations – from RGBW and mix colours to fill up the room with glare! Usually they can be mounted to the ceiling or onto a tripod that is included in the set. As for the modes – the basic ones can work in three – automatic, strobe or sound control. Before the colour there was light, so if you need one of those cheap DJ lights for your radiant show, this is our top pick.
2. DJ Lights on a Stand
It is basically what was announced – a lighting system mounted onto a stand that will fire up any gig. There might be reasonable doubt about the portability of such stands. No need to worry – they can be as easy to move as any other piece of equipment. The trick is to get a collapsible aluminium tripod or a stand. For the most part, they are durable and can hold up pretty heavy lights, while being lightweight as well. Almost any lighting system can be mounted onto a stand. The stands themselves come in many shapes and sizes. Although the LED Wash Lights are quite common choice for mounting, other types can be compatible as well. The lights usually have three standard operating modes: self-propelled, master – slave and sound controlled. Light stand is a sweet addition to your basic DJ setup to take along anywhere you go. It is definitely our pick to level up any of the cheap DJ lights that you have bought.
3. Uniqcube Lightbox to Shine On
Probably a lightbox is something you have not even considered as an addition to your basic DJ set. We think it’s quite the contrary – having a glowing cube on the DJ deck is an incredible illumination for the show. Uniqcube lightbox is a fully customisable lightbox which can work either as a fun piece to interact with or a promo material. The size, colour and even the lightbulb can be adjusted to your personal requirements. By the way, it is the easiest one to transport, because it weighs around 4 lbs and the size is adjustable. Keeping a cube with the latest album art or any other images on your deck is a way to attract more attention and keep your partygoers entertained. This is a novel approach to self promotion and having something fun and easy to set up in any venue. We suggest you get the unconventional but nevertheless attractive piece ranked amongst cheap DJ lights to make a show no one will ever forget.
4. Laser Lights for Any Venue
Who doesn’t love a good laser show on the dance floor? Those colourful rays flickering to the beat… There’s nothing that will get the crowd going better. We think it is nice to get them warmed up by a few beams. Quality laser light set is a must have addition for a mobile DJ. It is easy to transport, carry and set up. Lasers usually have multiple modes, the rays can:
- Grove to the beat independently;
- Move in the one of pre-set modes;
- Create the right atmosphere via DMX.
These can be relatively cheap Dj lights perfectly suitable for a smaller venue. Even though the range is limited for the portable ones, they come in a variety of types – from simple RGB to 3D lasers. The choice is yours, but our tip for this one – don’t go for the cheapest possible option. It won’t last you a lifetime.
5. UV Lights: Put on a Glow Show
Have you ever been to a club where you also see the rhythm? That is the definition of a glow party enhanced with UV lights (also called black lights). A blacklight illuminates anything fluorescent and the party starts to shine! Most of the partygoers agree – attending a glow party dressed in all white is unforgettable. The question remains: Are these cheap DJ lights? If you are unsure about having a full-on blacklight setup, you can start by carrying with you a few light bulbs and changing them at the venue if the vibe is right. The light bulbs, depending on the light source, can be either:
- Incandescent – it works by heating the wire in the lightbulb to heat up the air;
- Fluorescent – the bulb is lit up by igniting the gas inside;
- LED (light emitting diodes) – a microchip ignites tiny light sources.
Summary
Of course as a mobile DJ there are many aspects to keep in mind when choosing equipment to put on a show without having a small fortune. The most important things to consider are:
- The venue,
- Type of the event;
- Means of transportation
- Cash available in your pocket.
To make your party an unforgettable one, there is no need to have a Madison Square garden for a venue, personal show, a tour bus full of equipment or a caviar budget. It is simple – the audience needs a good playlist, illuminations fit for the event and the glow of your unique energy. It is possible to have a ball with affordable DJ lights, if you yourself are the brightest of them all. All you need extra is to assemble the light sources mentioned in this article to keep the magical party going no matter where your next destination is.
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