What is LED stage lighting?

LED stage lighting instruments are stage lighting instruments that use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source. LED instruments are an alternative to traditional stage lighting instruments which use halogen lamp or high-intensity discharge lamps. Like other LED instruments, they have high light output with lower power consumption.

Types of LED instruments

LED stage lights come in three main types. PAR cans, striplights and 'moving head' types. In LED PAR cans, a round printed circuit board with LEDs mounted on is used in place of a PAR lamp. Moving head types can either be a bank of LEDs mounted on a yoke or more conventional moving head lights with the bulb replaced with an LED bank.

Uses

LED instruments can and have been used to replace any conventional lighting fixture, and some shows, such as Radiohead's recent tour, have used only LED lighting instruments.. However, most shows use LEDs only for lighting cycloramas, or as top, side or back light. They can also be used as 'audience blinders' (lights pointed directly at the audience from a low angle).

Advantages

LED instruments can contain a number of different coloured LEDs, often Red, Green and Blue, and different light output colours can be achieved by adjusting the intensity of each LED color group. LED instruments should have a long service life relative to other options, without the expense of colour gel or replacement lamps.