Light Blinding Our Vocalists

[BackstageAlex]

At our church, we have a projector shooting at our back wall with the song lyrics to keep the vocalists prompted while singing. I know this is a pretty common setup.

It's always been difficult to see, but I just did a big refocus of our spots/front wash and now I'm getting complaints they can't see it at all. The trouble is, the lighting has never looked better.

Has anyone else run into this problem? My solution is for them just to know the words anyway (I'm a musician too, it's not that hard) but that doesn't seem to fly. We're very limited in the where we can put the lights.

 

[Esoteric]

Proper focus of the lights will always "blind" the musicians. There are a couple of solutions.

1. Learn the words and get over it. This is the one our church uses.
2. Get a higher angle on the lights. Need a new hang position, not always possible and can create "raccoon eyes" on the pastor/musicians.
3. Use an LCD monitor at the feet of the band (or in the first row of the congregation) as a confidence monitor.

Mike

 

[shiben]

The LCD monitor in front is probably the simplest and least intrusive. It really comes down to when a light is hitting you straight on, it will be blinding. I would invest in some confidence monitors and encourage the singers to learn their music so that they can look out into the audience.

 

[bishopthomas]

This reminds me of the other day when I provided a spot for a lecture. I was hired by the sound company (my friend, give me lots of work) and when we brought the spotlight in and turned it on he was afraid they would complain that it was too bright! It was in the back of the room on a 2' deck, no way to get it in the air, so it was what it was. We went round and round and he didn't get that "that's what they ordered: a bright light." What was I supposed to do, change physics and geometry for him?

 

[JChenault]

Another possibility would be to try to use more side light than front light ( if that is possible in your venue). Puts light on the vocalist but not in their eyes. Another possibility is more down light.

Now each of these approaches will change the look fo the lighting on the faces, but should help the vision issue.