5 Bars

Hans Terje Vestergaard from Keldan Church in Eysturoy, Faroe Islands brings us this great lighting stage.

From Hans: We did this design for a conference a few months back. We needed a design that required minimal space, but still could fill out the empty spaces. We came up with this design, That is a combination of LED bars on the stage floor and low-hanging trusses with light fixtures. For the trusses, we simply mounted hoists to the ceiling and hung the trusses on a 15° degree downwards toward the back and the middle of the stage. We mounted 3 Cameo Movo Beam Z100 fixtures on each truss, together with 2 DTS blinders. additionally we had 8 wash fixtures on the top trusses(4x Martin MH2 and 4x Cameo Movo Beam Z100), so all together we had 14 washes hanging above the stage.

We also wanted something to fill out the back wall without filling too much up on the budget, and that didn’t take too much space. We came up with these LED bars, where we took a 10mm wide cable tray, and mounted two LED strips on each side, so that they didn’t shine directly onto the audience, but rather towards the middle of the cable tray itself. And to hide the LED strips we took some diffusing film, and covered the open front of the cable tray with the film.

The total cost of the LED bars was around 150 dollars with everything included, for all 5 led bars.

The fixtures we used for this project were these:
8x Chauvet Rogue R2 for front wash
10x Cameo Movo Beam Z100
4x Martin Rush MH2
4x DTS Blinder
2x 8ch DMX decoder
4x 2meter trusses
4x 1T hoists

Creating Dynamic LED Bar Stage Designs on a Budget

LED bar designs have revolutionized church stage lighting by providing high-impact visual elements at a fraction of the cost of professional fixtures. This innovative design from Keldan Church demonstrates how creative use of everyday materials can produce stunning results that rival expensive commercial lighting systems. The combination of floor-mounted LED bars and overhead truss lighting creates layers of illumination that add depth and dimension to any worship space.

The genius of this design lies in its dual-purpose approach. The cable tray LED bars serve as both aesthetic stage elements and functional backlighting, while the overhead truss system provides professional-grade moving head fixtures for dynamic worship moments. This layered lighting strategy allows for incredible flexibility, from subtle ambient washes during prayer and reflection to high-energy beam effects during celebration songs. Churches working with limited budgets can implement the LED bar portion first and add the overhead truss system later as resources allow.

Building custom LED bars from cable trays represents one of the most cost-effective approaches to stage lighting available today. At approximately $30 per bar including LED strips, power supplies, and diffusing materials, this solution costs significantly less than commercial LED batten fixtures while delivering comparable light output. The 10mm cable trays provide an ideal form factor, wide enough to house dual LED strips while remaining low-profile enough to sit unobtrusively on stage. The diffusing film is crucial for achieving professional results, transforming harsh LED points into smooth, even illumination that photographs beautifully and looks polished from the audience.

Truss Rigging and Safety Considerations

The angled truss configuration in this design serves multiple purposes beyond simple fixture mounting. By hanging the trusses at a 15-degree downward angle toward the back and center of the stage, the lighting team created natural sight lines that keep fixtures out of direct audience view while maximizing coverage. This positioning also helps prevent light from spilling directly into congregants’ eyes, a common issue with flat-mounted overhead lighting. The angled approach demonstrates thoughtful consideration of both aesthetic and practical concerns.

Safety is paramount when rigging overhead lighting, even with relatively lightweight LED fixtures. The use of proper hoists rated for theatrical applications (1-ton capacity in this case) provides essential safety margins. All overhead rigging should be installed by qualified personnel familiar with theatrical safety standards. Regular inspection of rigging points, hoists, and safety cables should be part of your maintenance routine. Document all rigging configurations with photos and weight calculations for future reference and safety audits.

Power distribution for this type of multi-fixture setup requires careful planning. With 14 moving head fixtures plus LED bars, total power draw can exceed standard 15-amp circuits. Work with a qualified electrician to ensure adequate power is available at hanging positions, and consider installing dedicated theatrical power outlets with proper grounding. DMX signal distribution also needs attention, with proper termination and cable management to prevent data issues that can cause fixtures to behave unpredictably during services.

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Pro Tips for LED Bar Stage Projects

Choose Quality LED Strips: Not all LED strips are created equal. Look for strips with high color rendering index (CRI) ratings above 90 for accurate color reproduction during worship services. Waterproof strips offer durability but may be unnecessary for indoor stage use. Consider addressable LED strips if you want individual pixel control for chase effects and animations. Always calculate total power draw and use appropriately rated power supplies with at least 20% headroom for safety.

Plan Your Diffusion Carefully: The diffusion material you choose dramatically affects the final appearance of your LED bars. Frosted acrylic sheets provide excellent diffusion but add weight and cost. Diffusing film is lightweight and affordable but may require careful application to avoid wrinkles. Test different materials before committing to your final design. The goal is even light distribution without visible hot spots from individual LEDs.

Implement Proper Cable Management: Clean cable routing separates amateur installations from professional ones. Use cable channels built into your cable trays to hide power and data wiring. Label all cables at both ends for troubleshooting. Consider using wireless DMX receivers for fixtures where running data cables is impractical. Plan for quick disconnects to simplify teardown and storage when the stage needs to be cleared for other events.

Program Versatile Lighting Scenes: The real power of this lighting setup comes from thoughtful programming. Create scenes for different service moments: soft amber washes for prayer, vibrant colors for worship, focused beams for speaking, and blackout options for video elements. Document your DMX addressing and scene settings so volunteers can recreate your programming. Consider investing in a lighting console with fader wings for hands-on control during services.

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