Lighting on stage

[Sigi Meissner]

As we all know, stages can be very dark for us steelers. Especially if the spotlight is directed to the singer.
I'm curious what lighting system for the steel guitar you recommend. Most of my lights either dazzle the audience or myself
thx for help
Sigi

[Kevin Hatton]

White fret boards.

[Bo Borland]

I have seen a few players use a clip on high intensity book /reading gooseneck light. Cost few bucks and lights your neck.

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Hi, Sigi,
Stage lighting has always been my Achilles heel (and sometimes nemesis) throughout my career. My friends don't call me "blind dawg" for nothing. Too little light and I can't play my way out of a paper bag.

Years ago, while at Brook May's Music in Dallas, I found these things called "Little Lites" and bought two of them (pictured below on my guitar) ...


They clip onto the steel leg with a non-slip clip, are fully adjustable and, at they're brightest (as in the photo above) are not distracting to the audience or the player.

When I bought mine there was an optional on/off foot switch with a dimmer knob that can also be leg mounted for easy reach. I purchased one for mine and it was very useful.

The thing I loved best about my Little Lites was the fact that at their brightest setting, I could see my full fret board in any lighting situation, but the Little Lites themselves were never too bright or distracting ... then, with the rheostat, for those songs where the stage needed to be as dark as possible, I could turn them down to where there was just enough glow to still see my strings and frets, yet it was almost not discernible from the audience's view.

Like the lights in Bo's suggestion above, the Little Lites might also be food for thought.

[Roger Shackelton]

How about practicing in low light or in total darkness to train your ears and get a feel for the guitar and bar placement.

[Bo Borland]

and practice smiling at the same time