’s no doubt about it, today’s mobile DJs have access to incredible lighting technology. The fixtures currently available, even the most affordable, offer a huge amount of creative potential through their various effects and features. However, to make the most of them, some form of DMX control is required. This is a hurdle at which many mobile DJs fall.

Setting up and programming an effective DMX-controlled lightshow can be a time-consuming and complicated undertaking. This is due in no small part to the lack of a control system on the market specifically targeted at DJs with simplicity of use at its core. That is – potentially – until now. 76 76 sponsored by When the new Light Rider app first began to be advertised here in Pro Mobile towards the end of last year, I was instantly curious as it is billed as ‘The Pro DJ Lighting App’.

It appeared that this could be the lighting control system many DJs have been looking for, one specifically designed for DJ use with a simple interface but powerful features. However, initially, only the app itself was released, which meant that it had to be used in conjunction with hardware from other manufacturers. Therefore we decided to hold off a full review until the dedicated Light Rider WiFi/DMX interface, the LR512, was ready. The first, pre-release, shipment of LR512s arrived in late March (they are due to be available publicly in June), which gave me plenty of time to try out Light Rider before putting this review together.

But before I get into my experiences of using the system, let’s first look at where the app has come from. Although Light Rider is a new brand, it has been created by a company with a wealth of experience in DMX control software, the Nicolaudie Group. Nicolaudie’s existing brands include Daslight, Sunlite and DmxSoft, and its products are used to control DMX lighting systems of all sizes in a wide variety of settings worldwide, from theatres to nightclubs, retail stores to cruise ships.

So if anyone can pull off an easy-to-use, but powerful, DJ-focussed DMX control solution, Nicolaudie is well positioned to do it. The story behind how Light Rider came about is recounted in the software’s manual through an introduction by Nicolaudie’s Product Manager, Simon Bennett. He explains that at BPM back in 2015 he spoke with many DJs and found out that although they owned the latest lighting fixtures, most just relied on the in-built ‘standalone’ programs.

They wanted to create a great looking lightshow but simply didn’t have the time to program the effects, or learn how to use the software tools on offer. Together with his colleague (Product Designer, Fred Revellat), Simon soon realised that to solve this problem they had to move away from the ‘scenes and steps’ approach used by conventional DMX controllers and software applications and create a system that generated as much automatically as possible.

Taking inspiration from games controllers, DJ music software and synthesiser keyboards, they came up with a completely new approach to lighting control specifically developed for DJs who ‘don’t do DMX’! The resulting Light Rider app is completely different to any other lighting control system I have ever seen. Its main interface is a collection of buttons, LIGHT RIDER which are labelled with imaginaone of the tive icons and arranged into two The software main areas: one that deals with address to set movements (for moving heads cluding a DIP / scanners) and one that is conif you have older cerned with colours. those for simply repeat The app itself is available for both all of your lights iPad and Android tablets and is You can then available as a free download from each fixture, the Appstore.

However, obvisomething ously, to connect the app to your setup (for DMX-compatible lighting fixtures Left’ or ‘Plinth a piece of hardware is required. While a number of other third Obviously, party devices can be used, the on your fixtures new dedicated LR512 is specifi- Rider’s database. cally designed to work with Light Rider straight out of the box. Setting up really is a very straightforward process. You simply plug in the LR512 to the mains and hook up your lights to the XLR output socket.

When it receives power, the LR512’s LEDs will start blinking and a wireless network is created. All you then have to do is connect your tablet to the network and select the LR512 within the app. It’s that simple! A blue LED on the interface lights up when a tablet is connected and starts to over 15,000 flash when a control signal is beshouldn’t be a ing sent by the app, which gives through the visual reassurance everything is products working as it should.

There is no the names I need for an internet connection many that I or a separate wireless router (as is the case with other solutions such Having used a as the Visual Productions Cuety), software and the LR512 and a tablet are all you over the years, need to control your lightshow. that this is ever setup. The next step is to setup your as complicated fixtures, which again is an incredapp gets. Once ibly straightforward process. You fixtures, simply select a manufacturer from nothing short a list, choose a specific model, decide on a channel mode and If you have press the ‘Add A Fixture’ button selecting one (repeatedly if you have more than movement SLITGAHYTIN RGI DMEORBILE light rider same type of unit). send their beams sweeping and then tells you what soring around the room.

You can on the fixture (inthen easily customise the effect Switch diagram for by altering attributes such as fixtures that use size, speed and fan. The interface addressing). You then is incredibly intuitive and easy to the process until use, so much so that my six year have been setup. old was even able to have a go! choose to rename to label them with The same applies for colour meaningful to your effects. There are seven types example ‘Moving Head to choose from, which can then Uplight Right’). be customised by selecting up to six colours.

These selected this system relies colours will then flash, chase or being in Light fade across all of your fixtures But, as there are creating fantastic effects that would be complicated and time-consuming to create using traditional hardware or software control solutions. Both types of effect can be independently set to either run a specific speed, a speed linked to the BPM of the music (entered via tapping in the beat) or a speed detected by the tablet ’s internal microphone.

GOBO, Zoom, Iris and Prism all have dedicated controls, so those features can also be easily integrated if your fixtures have them. There in there, that really is a dedicated Dimmer fader too, problem. Scrolling as well as a Strobe button with a manufacturers and corresponding speed control. included, I saw all of was familiar with and Once you have created a ‘look’ that wasn’t! you like – by combining movement and colour effects with the other wide variety of DMX attribute options – you can then hardware solutions save it to one of 50 pre-set slots I can honestly say and give it a custom name.

These the easiest one I’ve 50 pre-sets are arranged over What’s more, this is five pages of ten buttons and are as the Light Rider located across the bottom of the you’ve setup your main interface. controlling them really is of child’s play! In addition, the app features five ‘Flash FX’ that each have their moving heads, own dedicated button. These are: of the seven Smoke (triggers a DMX-compatible effects will instantly THE EARLY DAYS 7777 light rider fog machine), Blackout (instantly would suggest giving kills all your lights), WOW! (creyou decide to invest ates a build-up of strobing ef- It is written very fects synchronised with the BPM), English, and will Blinder (directs all lights forward the most from the and switches them to white) and Freeze (pauses the current move- I must admit, when ment / colour effect). about Light Rider, sceptical.

I thought It is also possible to create, save control system that and load ‘Projects’ which include all manufacturer’s both fixture setup and pre-set inallows for creative formation. This means that if you be created without have different rigs, which use difprogramming simply ferent combinations of fixtures, possible. However, you could easily setup and save a hold my hands separate ‘Project’ for each of them that I was wrong. A so that the pre-sets are designed thought has clearly around the fixtures that you are development of this using for a particular event. the result is a lighting that is both very Another useful feature is the abilcredibly easy to use. ity to set ‘Pan/Tilt’ limitations for individual fixtures, or groups of If you’d like to take fixtures.

This means, that wherlightshow and make ever your lights are located (all potential, especially at the front, or around the room moving heads, I’d etc.) and however they are rigged mend seriously (on plinths, or hanging from a Rider. I’m confident goalpost etc.) you can ensure complete DMX novices that movements and effects are centred on the dancefloor. Light Rider is designed to do all the heavy lifting for you, but through the ‘Fixtures’ screen it is possible to see the individual channel values for a specific fixture and even override them should you wish.

This is useful for trouble shooting (to check exactly what information is being transmitted) as well as for setting up a static ‘warmer’ look at the beginning of a gig. While the software is incredibly intuitive, and I was very quickly able to get to grips with it just by playing with it. When I got around to looking at the manual I found it to be useful, highlighting some features that I may have otherwise missed. I know it goes against the nature of many of us, but I really 7788 it a read if easy to get to grips with and its in the LR512. unique workflow really is incredclearly, in plain ibly well suited to DJs.

Setup is help you to get easy, creating effects is simple, system. storing presets is straightforward and running a show during a gig I first heard (using presets and Flash FX) can I was a little easily be done alongside a DJ’s that a DMX main job of playing the right muworks with sic to fill the dancefloor. products and lightshows to In creating Light Rider, the Nicocomplicated laudie team set themselves the wouldn’t be challenge of re-inventing DMX I must now control software in a way that up and admit will open it up to all mobile DJs, great deal of regardless of their level of technigone into the cal expertise.

Having spent some system and time trying out the system, I think control tool I can confidently say that they powerful and inhave not only achieved their goal but surpassed it. Not only is this a system that anyone should be control of your able to quickly learn to use, it is so use of its full powerful and intuitive that I can if you own imagine many DJs who already really recomuse more complicated control considering Light system choosing to switch over that even to Light Rider! will find it THEL EIGAHRLTY R DIDAEYRS IN STOCK & ON DEMO £1,059. /PHASE1DJSTORE , DARLINGTON, MON-FRI 9AM-5PM; LEDJ RAPID QB1 RGBW £219.

STORE AND ONLINE! /PHASE1DJSTORE /PHASE1DJSTORE COUNTY DURHAM, DL1 2RZ SAT 10AM-4PM