Entertainment lighting is a pretty specific niche market, but anyone can use a disco light or strobe light to enhance a party. How you shop for entertainment effects will depend on your use.

At Home

For casual, home use, select basic items. Professional lighting effects will require different controls and cables than traditional lamps, so unless you have all of the installation equipment for a whole stage lighting set, you’ll want to be able to plug it in and place it where you want.

Professional

For DJ or theater-caliber user, you’ll need more specialty equipment. To get an engaging lighting system set up, you’ll need a combination of lights and motions. The first step is to determine which types of lights you want to include in your light show.

Most categories of lights are available in non-DMX or DMX, which is also called “intelligent” lighting. Non-DMX lights normally react to sound picked up to a microphone, but will only operate for a specified period of time before they must be turned off. DMX lighting can be controlled and programmed to make specific movements or patterns and will run until you turn them off.

•  •  Stage Lights are the basic building blocks for a light show. They provide a backdrop for other lighting effects and can significantly add to the room’s ambience.
•  •  Moonflowers refract and bounce light. The disco ball is the most common type of moonflower, but these lights can also be static with a moving mirror in front of the light to direct the beam.
•  •  Beamers are lights the project a solid beam of light. Many beamers can be programmed to move in time with the music or in a preset pattern.
•  •  Strobe Lights rapidly flash on and off, giving the impression of moving in slow or robotic motion.
•  •  Lasers can be programmed for precision lighting or to create specific designs.

Once you’ve determined which lights you want, you need more accessories to make them come to life. Lighting controllers are important to include in any set up. They range from basic to advanced, depending on your need.

•  •  Basic Lighting Controllers will be able to turn all of your lights on and off from one central location. Be sure to get a controller with the right number of controller spaces, so you can accommodate all of your lights.
•  •  Advanced lighting controllers provide more options for lighting effects, such as dimming and pattern programs.
•  •  DMX Lighting Controllers are the most advanced. These allow you to program how all of your lighting equipment will work together.

Lighting stands are essential to hold all of your lights. Make sure to choose a lighting stand to accommodate all of you lights and leave room to add more if you plan on expanding.

Connect lights to your controller with cables. Cables are rated by wattage, so be sure to buy cables that will work with your lights.

For more dramatic effects, consider adding dimmers or fog machines to your light setup.

With so many variables to choose from, be sure to pay attention to the description section. This will provide information on control capabilities, weight, color, range and more to help you make a decision.