On big stages and in theatres, you'll often find at least a few moving heads hanging from the rafters. This type of lighting can take over the role of spotlights while adding the dynamics of programmable movements. With one or more moving heads, you can quickly adjust the lighting, switch up the atmosphere and move the shadows of objects on stage to ultimately create spectacular shows.
The Versatility of Moving Heads
Using DMX software, you can control things like when a moving head turns to the left or right (pan), or when it shifts forwards or back (tilt). Advanced models often have extra functions like a motorised focus and rotating gobos, but even the average moving head will be able to switch colours via a colour wheel or, when it comes to the popular LED versions, colours can be mixed via various LED modes. In short, moving heads can be extremely versatile additions to a lighting rig, which is exactly why they're used in venues and clubs all over. If you're looking for extra-fast and affordable moving lighting effects, then take a look at our range of scanners.
RGB or RGBW LED Moving Heads
As we've already mentioned, moving heads are used across a wide range of applications simply because they're such versatile lighting fixtures. LED moving heads are the most popular version, and can offer colour mixes of red, green and blue (RGB LED) or red, green, blue and white (RGBW), so a full array of different colours can be combined and mixed. With the addition of white, a moving head can project pure white light or mix it with red, green or blue to produce softer, pastel colours.
In principle, you can actually make white with a blend of red, green and blue, but using this method, you'll never get pure white. As such, going for an RGBW LED moving head gives you option of real white light.
Some moving heads feature a single white bulb and a colour wheel, so different coloured light can be projected by shining the white light through the various colours filters set into the wheel. However, this kind of model only projects pure colours, so you wouldn't be able to mix them.
LED or Halogen Lighting
Some moving heads (most of the more expensive and professional models) still come fitted with halogen bulbs. But these days, LED bulbs are replacing the traditional halogen bulb more and more. Halogen light has a particular warm glow to it, but this produces a lot of heat, meaning that halogen bulbs don't last all that long. The risk of fire when using halogen bulbs is also much higher. With LED lighting, less heat is produced so the bulbs have a much longer lifespan - up to 50,000 hours in fact. As a result, LED lighting is much cheaper, lasts longer, is safer, and is actually more energy efficient, so saves you money on your lighting bill. If you can't do without the warmth of halogen light, then you could get an LED moving head with amber, which delivers a halogen-like light.
Mini-Moving Heads
A mini moving head is actually just a moving head, but smaller. The mini versions are handy if you don't have much installation space available or you're working in smaller venues.
Spots, Washes & Beams
You can get different types of moving heads, namely washes, spots or beams. You can also get hybrid moving heads that combine a spot, wash and beam in one.
Spot moving heads are often used as projectors, so shapes can be projected onto a wall, ceiling or dance floor. These can be static shapes, like stars or text, but could also be dynamic shapes that rotate or appear to move. These shapes are projected by shining light through internal gobos, which can be static, rotating or both.
Wash moving heads have a large lens instead of a small lens so that they're able to cover a larger area with light. It's because these fixtures are literally able to wash massive walls in light that they are called washes.
Beam moving heads are similar to spot moving heads but have a smaller lens so they're able to emit a narrower and more focussed beam than a spot - hence the name.
Creating Moving Head Shows: With or Without Control
Most of the time, moving heads are controlled using a DMX controller, which is like an extensive remote control that's connected via DMX cables and provides a set of faders, buttons and knobs for triggering, adjusting and coordinating all of the features of the moving head from a distance. When working like this, it's important to know how many DMX channels your moving head has, so that this can be matched with the DMX controller. Every colour and function gets its own DMX channel, and since moving heads can come with an array of functions and colours, the number of channels can soon add up. The pan, tilt, RGB(AWUV) and often the beam angle, each need a channel so they can all be controlled separately, so you're already looking at between ten and twenty channels.
A lot of moving heads will also come with some automatic settings that play back preprogrammed light shows, which is a great option if you don't want to mess with DMX channels and manual show programming. Using the master/slave mode, multiple moving heads can also be chained to perform the same, synchronised light show.
Another option is to use a DMX interface in combination with a computer and some lighting software.
Emphasise the Effect with a Smoke Machine
To get the most out of your moving head (or, in fact, any stage lighting), you could combine it with a smoke machine. By filling the room or stage with plumes of smoke, any light is made more visible and creates a more spectacular effect. Even a little smoke can make a huge difference, so you don't have to get an insanely expensive smoke machine to do it.
Some Extras: Gobos & IP65 Housings
So they can project shapes and patterns, some moving heads feature gobos. These are glass or metal slides that can be placed in front of the lens to project shapes on a wall or ceiling.
If the housing of a moving head has an IP65 rating, it means that the fixture is splash resistant.
Budget-Friendly Moving Heads
At Bax Music, we know all there is to know about moving heads, so if you need any advice about these fixtures, feel free to reach out. If you're looking for a good, budget-friendly model to get you started, then take a look at Ayra's range of moving heads, which offer a great price-to-quality ratio.
