Laser Stage Lighting: How to Set Up a Stage Laser Light
Laser stage lighting with LaserCube: which model for your stage, truss mounting, beam height, haze, lighting desk control, the E-Stop and a checklist.
Which LaserCube for which stage
The Pro and the Ultra MK2 each suit an audience of up to about 1,000 people; for a bigger crowd, run several cubes in sync. Which one mostly comes down to budget.
- Pro (3W or 6W): our most advanced model, a compact Ultra MK2 at 2.5 kg, with DMX, ILDA In and MIDI. It isn't sold in the USA yet.
- Ultra MK2 (6W or 10W): our most powerful model, with full-size XLR DMX, ILDA In and Out, MIDI, and the longest battery. In the USA, it is the professional model we sell; US buyers of the 10W or 6W pass a free online Laser Operator Course before it ships: either ours (based on X-Laser's course) or X-Laser's own.
Every LaserCube charges while it plays on its charger, so plug in for a long set. A small stage or DJ booth? See our mini laser stage light guide and DJ lighting on a budget.
Mount it on a truss
- The Pro and Ultra MK2 each have a bracket with lockable tilt and a central hole for an M8 or M10 bolt, for a truss clamp that fits your rig. The clamp isn't included; the box has a clamp adapter for fitting your own.
- At height, add a safety cable through the eye bolt on the back panel (the box has a steel safety loop with a carabiner).
- Both can hang upside down from a truss, attached to a suitable mount on the handle bar.
Beam height and the beam block
Wherever people may be, every beam stays at least 3 m (10 ft) above the floor, the stage included: the band, actors and crew are people too. Beams end on a wall, a ceiling or a backdrop, in an area where nobody is, at least 3 m from people on all sides. Never aim at people, mirrors, windows or anything reflective.
The beam block keeps the scan out of audience areas. Set it with the cube off and the key out, then arm the cube and check; repeat until nothing scans into those areas.
Safety zones in LaserOS or on the cube keep beams off a camera or a video projector. They work on top of the beam block and the 3 m rule, never instead of them, and never protect people: nobody should be in front of the laser.
Haze makes the beams visible
Beams in the air show best in a dark room with haze or fog. Thin haze gives the clearest beams; too much turns them into a glow. Big stages use a full-size fog or haze machine; our Nano Fogger is for smaller spaces.
Never plug a fog machine into the cube's DMX ports unless it's true DMX: many put mains power on their XLR socket, which damages the cube.
Control: LaserOS, the cube itself or your desk
- LaserOS: our free app (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android): 75+ visualizers, beam shows, your own logos, Ableton Link and, on a computer, a Timeline for shows set to a song.
- Standalone: 38 ready-made shows on the microSD card (music from the 3.5 mm audio output to your mixer), 197 sound-reactive visualizers (firmware 2.2), or your own playlist exported from LaserOS on a computer.
- MIDI: an APC40 MK II or APC mini MK II in the cube's USB port plays its playlists and effects live.
- DMX and Art-Net: the cube is one 16-channel fixture, playing cues from a microSD playlist. SoundSwitch and the Wolfmix W1 have ready-made fixtures; ChamSys and grandMA desks work too. No fixture on your desk? Build one from the channel layout.
- ILDA: for other show software, an external ILDA DAC, such as Pangolin's FB3 or FB4, plugs into ILDA In; the cube switches to it by itself.
The Ultra MK2 takes standard DMX cables; the Pro's 3.5 mm jacks need an adapter cable per port (not included; audio cables won't work).
Several cubes in sync
Cube Link syncs the Pro and Ultra MK2 wirelessly, about 20 to 40 m line of sight, with every antenna fitted; each cube plays its own microSD card on the master's timing. Pros and Ultra MK2s can be linked, also at different powers. Over Ethernet, one computer runs LaserOS with each cube on its own Timeline layer. On DMX or Art-Net, cubes on the same start address (and, for Art-Net, the same universe) act as one fixture.
The E-Stop and the safety key
Every LaserCube has a safety key, turned by hand each time the cube itself is switched on; a mains power cut alone doesn't stop it (it keeps running on its battery). Turning the key off stops the beams at once, but the show keeps running on the cube.
- In the USA an E-Stop is required, and US units come with one. Outside the USA it's optional (the DJX and STAGE combos include one); without it, fit the interlock jumper and turn the key on.
- With an E-Stop: the cube's key on (and the E-Stop's own key, if it has one), red button up, then briefly press the green START. Outside the USA the laser comes on straight away; on a US cube the LEDs flash for about 10 seconds first, then stay on.
- After the red button: pull it up, turn the cube's key off and back on, then press the green START again.
- One E-Stop can stop several Ultra MK2s, chained through their In/Through ports with standard LAN cables.
Never bypass or disable the key, the interlock or the E-Stop (steps: E-Stop Setup Guide).
Outdoor stages
- The Pro and Ultra MK2 are rated IP51, and IP63 with the rain cover fitted. With the cover they can be used in light rain, not heavy rain; without it, not in rain. The Ultra MK2's cover is on the gear page; the Pro's isn't available yet, so for now a Pro can't be used in rain.
- Use them between 10 °C and 40 °C (50 °F and 104 °F). Strong sun can trigger the temperature cut-off, and the cube doesn't restart by itself.
- Play after dark, and end every beam on a solid surface: never the sky, windows or glass, or anything metal or shiny. For public outdoor shows, check your local rules.
Show-day checklist
- Set the control mode and start address before mounting.
- Mount the cube securely, with space for airflow; lock the tilt and add a safety cable through the eye bolt.
- Connect the E-Stop or fit the interlock jumper.
- Set the beam block with the cube off and the key out, then arm the cube and check: every beam at least 3 m (10 ft) above the floor where people may be.
- Run DMX: desk to DMX In, DMX Out to the next fixture.
- Start with thin haze.
- Put up laser warning signs in and around the venue, especially where the audience can go.
- Check where every beam ends.
Compare the models and prices for your country, or learn the setup in our free LaserCube Academy.
A word on safety
LaserCube is a professional show laser, not a toy: never aim it at people's eyes, at audiences or at aircraft, and never at anything flammable. More in our safety tips.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need haze for laser stage lighting?
Beams in the air show best with haze or fog, and thin haze gives the clearest beams. Graphics and text on a wall or backdrop above the 3 m (10 ft) line show without it.
Q02How high do stage lasers have to be?
At least 3 m (10 ft) above the floor wherever people may be, the stage included.
Q03Can my lighting desk control a LaserCube?
Yes, the Pro and Ultra MK2, over DMX or Art-Net, as one 16-channel fixture.
Q04Do I need a permit or a laser safety officer?
LaserCube is fully legal and certified worldwide. Rules for shows differ by country, state and venue: some places need a permit or a trained laser safety officer, so check your local rules for public shows. In the US, LaserCube is certified through X-Laser, and a LaserCube bought in the USA comes with the FDA variance (issued by X-Laser). For public shows, check your local rules too.
Q05Can a LaserCube hang upside down from a truss?
Yes, the Pro and Ultra MK2, attached to a suitable mount on the handle bar, with a safety cable through the eye bolt.
See it for yourself
LaserCube is a portable, battery-powered RGB laser projector, and its show software, LaserOS, is free.
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