Articles – Contents
1. Building a Lighting System
(and that doesn’t just mean SmartShow Lights, it means lighting from ANY manufacturer)
But that question quickly leads to others:
- What budget do I have?
- How much light do I actually need?
- Will it integrate with my current system?
- How do people feel when they walk into my ‘space’, and how do I want them to feel?
- Can I scale the system if I expand?
- Does it offer ease of use AND professional functionality?
Lets break this down question by question
What budget do I have?
There are three types of purchaser:
- The best bang-for-buck buyer – happy to compromise slightly on brand or build quality to maximise value.
- The Premium Buyer – wanting the very best equipment for endurance, reliability, pride of ownership, and name-brand credibility.
- The Middle-Ground Buyer – one foot in each camp
Budgets can range from a hundred pounds to a few thousand. But most purchasers aren’t just asking what it costs, they are asking what return they’ll get for their investment.
For Example:
- A gigging band may have infrequent shows and tighter profit margins (after beers, kebabs, and string replacements!).
- A busy wedding DJ may have higher margins and see lighting as a key part of their visual branding, worth investing in.
One of the strengths of the SmartShow VIBE-Tube system is that it can start small (even with just one or two VIBE-100 units) and expand over time. That makes it accessible across different budgets while remaining future-proof.
How much light do I actually need?
This depends heavily on your performance environment.
- Small venue bands often need impactful lighting to compensate for limited stage presence and low ambient lighting.
- Pub bands need strong colour wash and energy to lift the room.
- DJs need to light themselves and create movement and pulse that drives excitement on the dancefloor.
Too little light looks underwhelming – Too much, used poorly, looks chaotic.
A VIBE-Tube System isn’t about brightness alone — it’s about control, movement, and energy shaping.
Will it integrate with my current system?
Most bands and DJs already own LED PAR lights and movers, usually mounted on a tripod bar.
These fixtures are :
- Sometimes DMX connected and configured correctly
- Sometimes DMX connected but configured incorrectly
- Sometimes not DMX connected but configured for basic sound-to-light
- Sometimes not DMX connected or configured at all
If properly configured (which requires some Fixture and DMX knowledge), multiple systems can be linked and run from PC software alongside your show.
In reality, most small bands don’t have the time or technical expertise to manage this, and only a handful of DJs operate fully programmed lighting environments.
With the SmartShow VIBE-Tube, the goal is simple:
You connect your existing DMX lighting into the VIBE-Tube system – and VIBE controls it.
The result?
A fully synchronised, harmonious lighting experience without needing to become a DMX programmer.
How do people feel when they see my ‘gig-space’?
How would I want them to feel?
This is the big one.
I’ve spent years watching audience reactions, there are:
- Those who don’t consciously notice the effort you have gone to, but feel the difference.
- Those who recognise when a great show truly lifts the room.
- And then there are the nerds (I’m one of them!) who analyse every detail of everything.
“Lighting Changes Emotion”
It can :
- Create anticipation.
- Raise energy.
- Build drama.
- Deliver release.
So ask yourself:
- Do you want to give your audience something visually exciting?
- Something they may not have seen before?
- Do you want to bring a stadium feel to a small stage?
The SmartShow VIBE-Tube system has been designed exactly for this purpose…
To create immersive, evolving lighting effects that elevate your performance from “Good” to “Memorable”.
Can I Scale the System If I Expand?
This is something many people don’t think about at the start.
When you first buy a lighting system, you’re usually solving today’s problem:
- A small stage.
- A handful of gigs.
- A manageable venue.
- Rehearse NOW, stage presence LATER.
But what happens when:
- You start playing bigger venues?
- You add extra band members?
- You upgrade to larger bookings/weddings?
- You want a wider stage presence?
- You want a second setup for simultaneous bookings?
The SmartShow VIBE-Tube system is designed to be modular: You can begin with a simple one or two-unit setup and expand gradually by adding more VIBE-Tubes.
Because the system is built around a unified control philosophy, you’re not “bolting on” random fixtures, you are expanding a coordinated visual environment.
This means:
- Your shows become wider and more immersive.
- Effects become more dynamic as more fixtures join the system.
- Your investment continues working for you rather than being replaced.
Scaling shouldn’t mean starting again – It should mean evolving.
Does it offer ‘Ease of Use’ and ‘Professional Functionality’?
This is where most systems fail.
They tend to fall into one of two camps:
- Plug-and-play simplicity: easy to use, but limited and repetitive.
- Fully programmable professional systems: incredibly powerful, but complex and time-consuming to learn
Most performers don’t want to become lighting engineers.
But they also don’t want their show to look basic.
A proper VIBE-Tube system needs both layers:
Ease of Use
- Quick setup
- Minimal configuration
- Intelligent automation
- Music-reactive behaviour
- Reliable, repeatable results
You should be able to turn up, plug in, and get a great show in minutes, without spending hours programming.
Professional Functionality
- DMX integration
- Expandability
- Advanced control when desired
- The ability to synchronise multiple fixtures
- Creative depth for custom looks
The SmartShow VIBE-Tube system has been developed with this balance in mind.
At its core, it’s designed to “just work.”
But underneath, it has the structure to grow into something far more advanced when you’re ready.
Because the truth is your lighting system should grow with your creativity, not limit it.
Final Thoughts
When chosen correctly, your lighting system should:
- Grow with you
- Integrate with what you already own
- Be simple to operate
- Deliver professional-level impact
- And most importantly – it should make people ‘feel’ something.
You aren’t buying Lights, you are buying ENERGY !
Managing Director
SmartShow UK Ltd
2. Using VIBE-Tubes with a Live band
In most cases, very little thought is given to fixture placement or how/why the lighting reacts to the music. Typically, tall, heavy tripods are placed behind the backline and drummer, fitted with LED PARs or moving heads running random auto programs, not connected or coordinated.
The result? A visual cacophony. Musicians are left in silhouette, making them difficult to see, photograph, or film.
As a musician myself, I understand the realities of small stages and cramped pub corners. Equipment goes wherever space allows — sometimes regardless of how it looks.
PA speakers usually occupy the front corners, so lighting often ends up at the sides or the back.
But the primary objective of stage lighting is simple:
Light the Musicians.
Lighting must sit between the audience and the subject you want to illuminate, facing the musicians.
It sounds obvious, yet badly positioned lighting can be worse than no lighting at all.
The Dilemma
Space is limited.
Front-of-stage real estate is precious.
So how do you solve positioning, visibility, and space issues all at once?
This is where SmartShow VIBE-Tubes come into their own.
Space-Saving Mounting Options
Floor-Mounted (Vertical)
VIBE-Tubes can stand vertically on their own base.
- Ideal when you need light “out in the open”
- Minimal footprint
- Clean, modern look
Mounted to the Vertical PA Support Bar
Mount directly to the pole between the bass bin and top cabinet.
- Makes use of equipment already at the front
- Especially effective with VIBE-100 models
Mounted to Existing Stands
Attach to:
-
- Lighting tripods
- Cymbal stands
- Microphone stands
If it’s already there — reuse it.
Mounted to the Side of a PA Top Cabinet
This solves two major problems:
- Getting light up high and level with faces
- Using existing structure
In our testing, this has proven to be one of the most effective solutions. VIBE-200s work particularly well in this configuration.
We have developed a special mounting device for this in our accessories section, call the TUBE-GRIP-SP, which uses self-adhesive Velcro to mount the gripper, which in turn holds the VIBE-Tube above and below the speaker cabinet, with easy removal. This does not present a safety issue due to the fact that the VIBE-Tubes are so light they present no strain on the Velcro.
Positioning Considerations
Once lighting is facing the musicians, consider:
- What part of the musician are you lighting? (Face, midriff, legs?)
- What area do they move within?
- Will the light blind them? (Never place fixtures directly beside lyric sheets!)
Keyboard Players
Usually static. Best lit from above to avoid shadows caused by their own equipment.
Drummers
Also static, but occupy a larger footprint.
Chrome hardware acts as a natural reflector. Floor-level lighting angled toward stands can bounce light forward beautifully.
Adding inward-facing lights from left and right captures movement and prevents the drummer from disappearing into darkness.
Guitarists & Vocalists
Typically front-of-stage and facing square-on to the audience.
These performers can be the hardest to light properly, especially centre-stage vocalists, unless you have a front truss.
This is where carefully positioned VIBE-Tubes of varying sizes, mounted considerately (like on the side of PA cabinets), can ensure everyone is properly illuminated.
VIBE-Tubes Facing the Audience = Eye Candy
Once your musicians are well lit from the front, you can add visual impact.
Consider placing four VIBE-Tubes at the rear, evenly spaced behind the drummer.
Using our GLARE-SOFT-TAPE will:
- Softens the light output
- Prevents glare
- Adds ambience without creating silhouettes
We only recommend placing GLARE-SOFT-TAPE at the very front of the stage IF they are outside the immediate performance area, for example, beside PA stacks.
Rear-Facing Reflectors = Eye Candy
We offer a fantastic accessory called the TUBE-REFLECTOR. These are clip-on parts that reuse any side-emitting (and potentially wasted) light, and bounce it backwards. This effect is amplified by the fact this this is “Per-Side”, so in effect you get multiple uses of the light from your tube.
- Main light output lights musician
- Reflected light produces audience eye-candy
- Everyone is happy!
Double Up Your VIBE-Tubes
Our TUBE-BASE includes two additional mounting points on the edges of the base plate.
This allows you to mount two VIBE-Tubes (for example, VIBE-200s) onto a single TUBE-BASE using the supplied 1/4″-20 black nuts.
- More output.
- Same footprint.
- Clean, efficient design.
The Singer Talking Between Songs Always Triggers my Lights!
This is an age-old problem when using standard sound-to-light fixtures. They use what is known as an AGC as part of the triggering circuit, which can work in your favour, but between songs can be an uncontrollable nightmare.
SmartShow VIBE-Tubes do not use an AGC, they use Digital Signal Processing and a user settable “Threshold level” to allow only bass drum beats to trigger the process.
So, when you get to a break between songs, and introducing the next song (unless the drummer decides to flex his bass drum leg) you won’t get any triggering of the lights.
Furthermore, the VIBE-Tube system uses this ‘lack-of-triggering’ to make some assumptions, and will bring the lighting level down and very slowly merge between colours.
When the first beat of the next song strikes, the VIBE-Tubes are back in full swing again, just as you would want to see it!
“If VIBE-Tubes had ears, they would be corn! [Huckle McFuttle]”
Managing Director
SmartShow UK Ltd