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You can re-aim a small moving head rig in about 10 minutes if the slow work happens before the gig: hang every head the same way, give them clean DMX addresses, and store a short list of named positions. On site you only nudge those stored positions to fit the room, check them from the audience side, and save. For a rig of two to eight heads with five or six positions, that is a realistic target.
What "focusing" means for moving heads
With fixed lights, focusing means physically pointing each fixture and locking it off. With moving heads, the fixture stays where it is hung and you focus by setting pan and tilt values for each target, then saving them. Some spot heads also have a focus channel that sharpens the gobo edge for a given throw distance, and some have zoom. Both belong in the same pass.
The reason re-focusing usually takes so long is that every scene stores its own pan and tilt values. Move the rig to a different room and every scene points slightly wrong. Rapid focusing is about separating "where the light points" from "what the light looks like", so a new room means updating a handful of positions instead of every scene.
Before the gig: setup that makes 10 minutes possible
Hang every head the same way
Pan 0 points wherever the base happens to face. If one head is hung with its display toward the audience and the next with its display toward the back wall, the same pan value sends them in opposite directions. Pick one rule, such as "display side faces the audience", and follow it every time. For heads on the floor and heads hung upside down on a bar, keep the same rule within each group.
For symmetrical fans, set pan invert on the heads on one side of the stage, either in the fixture menu or in your controller's patch if it offers that. A beam moving "outward" then moves outward on both sides from the same fader move.
Use one channel mode and a clean address plan
Set every head of the same model to the same channel mode, and write the mode on a strip of tape on the fixture. Many 192-channel controllers give each fixture button a block of 16 channels, so the common plan is fixture 1 at address 1, fixture 2 at 17, fixture 3 at 33, fixture 4 at 49, even when the heads use fewer channels. If you use software instead, address the heads back to back. Either way, check the channel map in the manual so pan, tilt, and the fine channels land where your controller expects them. Finish the cable run with a 120 Ω terminator on the last head.
Pick five or six named positions
Most small shows need the same handful of targets:
- Center: the singer, the DJ booth, or the head table
- Floor: the middle of the dance floor
- Backdrop: a wall, drape, or truss behind the performers
- Air: a fan just above head height or into haze, for movement looks
- Special: the first dance spot, a podium, a cake table
- Park: a safe resting position, often straight down at the floor in front of each fixture
Build your looks from these positions. Colors, gobos, and movement effects can change freely, but the start and end points of every look should be one of these named positions.
Store positions where you can update them once
Lighting software and consoles with position palettes (also called position presets) let cues refer to a position instead of storing raw numbers. Re-aim the palette and every cue that uses it follows. If your setup supports this, use it.
A basic 192-channel controller, such as UKING 192 DMX CONTROLLER, stores absolute values in each scene, so there is no single place to update. The workaround is to keep one bank only for positions, one scene per named target, and keep the number of scenes that depend on exact aim small. At a new venue you re-aim the position bank first, then re-record only the few scenes built on top of it. Check your manual for a scene copy function, which saves time here.
On site: the 10-minute focus pass
| Time | Task | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 min | Power up, wait for every head to finish its reset, recall a test scene | All heads respond, none stuck, none on the wrong address |
| 2–3 min | Send pan and tilt to the middle value on all heads | All point the same way; a head that points elsewhere is hung differently or has invert set |
| 3–8 min | Recall each named position and nudge each head onto its target | Use the fine channels for the last bit of accuracy; adjust focus and zoom at the same time |
| 8–10 min | Walk the room with the positions running | No beam at eye level, no beam into cameras or mirrors, edges land where you want |
A few habits keep the pass fast:
- Use a narrow look for aiming. Open white at low intensity, the smallest gobo or tightest zoom you have. A small spot is easier to place than a wide wash, and low intensity is easier on your eyes.
- Aim with someone at the target. A person standing on the dance floor center or the singer's mark gives you a clear reference.
- Tape the targets. Floor tape at each target lets you or a helper re-check positions quickly and gives performers a mark to hit.
- Work one position across all heads, then move to the next. You stay in the same mental frame and spot outliers sooner.
- Save after every position, not at the end. A power blip at minute nine should not cost you the whole pass.
Why a 540° head can take the long way around
Many heads pan about 540°, so the same physical direction can exist at two different pan values. If one position is stored near the start of the range and the next near the end, a fade between them can spin the head almost a full turn and sweep the room. When you re-aim, keep every position inside the same 360° slice of the pan range.
The fine channels matter for accuracy too. With an 8-bit pan channel on a 540° head, each step moves the beam a little over 2°. At 10 m that is roughly 37 cm, enough to miss a face. The fine channel splits each of those steps into 256 smaller ones.
When positions drift during the show
If a head lands somewhere new after you have focused it, re-focusing by eye rarely fixes the cause. Check these in order:
- Address and mode: a wrong start address or channel mode shifts pan and tilt onto other channels.
- Signal: a missing terminator, a damaged cable, or a passive Y-split can cause jitter and random moves. Use an opto-isolated splitter if you need branches.
- Mounting: a loose clamp or a head knocked during the event changes every position on that fixture.
- Lost steps: a head that hits a cable or truss leg while moving can lose its reference until it resets. Send a reset through the fixture's control or reset channel (check the manual for the value), or power cycle the head between songs.
If one head keeps drifting after these checks, the pan or tilt mechanism may need service. Contact the seller's support before opening the fixture.
FAQ
How many positions should I store for a mobile DJ rig?
Five or six covers most events: center, dance floor, backdrop, an air position, one special, and a park position. More positions mean more to re-aim at every venue.
Do I need lighting software for position presets?
No. Software and palette-based consoles make updates faster, but a basic controller works if you keep one bank for positions and only a few scenes that depend on exact aim.
Why do my mirrored heads move in the same direction instead of opposite?
Pan invert is not set on one side, or the heads are hung with their bases facing different ways. Fix the hanging rule first, then set pan invert on one side.
Can I focus moving heads without haze?
Yes. Aim at where the beam lands on the floor, wall, or person. Haze helps you judge beam angles in the air, but landing points are what you store.
