Truss lighting rental

What truss lighting is and the mood it creates

A truss is a lattice structure made of aluminium tubes, light in weight but surprisingly strong, from which you hang lighting and other equipment. Instead of placing your fixtures on stands along the sides or on the floor, a truss lets you build a frame where the light comes from above and from height. That changes the picture dramatically. Light from above models a stage, defines performers and speakers more sharply and gives the whole space a clear shape.

Truss lighting is therefore not just about the fixtures themselves, but above all about the position in which you hang them. A goalpost or frame above the stage marks out the performance area and gives it a professional, finished look. A frame above the dance floor turns an empty spot into a clear focal point, where the light falls downwards and the guests stand at the heart of the atmosphere. The metal frame itself often disappears into the dark or, conversely, forms a sleek, visible decor element, depending on how you use it.

The mood you can create with it varies enormously. With calm, warm tones and a few even washes you get an atmospheric, understated picture that suits a dinner or a ceremony. With moving heads, bold colours and fast changes you build an energetic, dynamic lighting picture for a party or show. The frame stays the same; the way you fill it defines the character. You can read more about the full range of options on our lighting page.

Truss as a frame, not as a single fixture

The difference between individual lighting and truss lighting lies in the setup as a whole. Individual spots give points of light, but a truss gives you a coherent framework in which those points have a logical place. You can work symmetrically, introduce differences in height and hang fixtures exactly where they have the greatest effect. This creates a lighting picture that feels like a single whole rather than a collection of separate fixtures.

When to use truss lighting

Truss lighting comes into its own at moments where you really want to dress a stage or dance floor and where light from the floor alone is not enough. The frame gives you the height and the positions you need to build a complete picture.

Concrete events

• Parties and company parties: a truss above the dance floor, filled with moving heads and colour, turns a hall into a genuine party venue. At parties and company parties a lighting frame above the dance floor is often the element that gives the evening its energy.
• Weddings: a sleek goalpost or a frame above the dance floor, warm and understated during the day and with more movement and colour later in the evening. At a wedding the same truss can keep the dinner atmospheric and switch to a more dynamic picture for the party in the evening.
• Presentations and conferences: a truss above or in front of the stage from which you hang the speaker lighting, washes and accents, so the stage looks polished and clear. At presentations and conferences a well-built lighting frame ensures speakers are properly lit and the stage stays uncluttered.
• Corporate events: from a kick-off to an anniversary, where the truss gives the stage a shape and the lighting can move along with the different parts of the programme. At corporate events we often use a truss frame to carry both the stage lighting and the atmosphere in the rest of the hall.

Whether a ground setup or a suspension suits best, and how heavy the structure needs to be, depends on the location and the programme. We assess that for each situation.

The technology: setup, build and control

Behind a clean truss frame lies a series of choices about structure, load, control and operation. With truss the build is more than hanging fixtures: the safety of the structure itself is skilled work.

Setup and structure

We start with the shape that suits the space and the purpose. A single goalpost marks out a stage, a square or rectangular frame hangs above the dance floor, and a longer span can serve a wide stage. The choice between a ground setup on uprights and a suspension from rigging points depends on what the location allows. In most halls we work with ground supports, because they can be used anywhere and require no suspension points in the ceiling.

Load and safety

Before anything is hung, we calculate the load. Every fixture, every cable and every added element counts towards the total weight that the truss and supports must bear. We choose the structure and the support based on that load and keep generous margins. Fixtures are secured with a safety cable, so they cannot fall even if a fixing fails. For ground setups we provide sufficient ballast or anchoring, so the structure stands stable. Our technicians build according to the applicable standards and align everything level.

DMX and control

We control the lighting on the truss via DMX, the standard protocol for lighting control. Each fixture is given an address, and from a lighting desk or controller we set the colour, brightness, movement and pace of each fixture. We build scenes and cues that fit the programme: a calm setting for the dinner or the speeches, a building sequence towards the party and fast, energetic looks for the peak moments. By linking everything via DMX, the whole frame runs as one.

Build, test and operation on site

On the day itself our technicians build the structure, hang the fixtures and lay out the cabling neatly and safely. Then comes the test: we address each fixture, check the control, run through the scenes and adjust the settings to the space and the light already present. During the event a technician stays on hand to operate the lighting live, move along with the programme and step in if the running order changes. This keeps the lighting picture always in line with what is happening at that moment.

Points to consider specific to truss

With truss lighting there are a few things you do not come across with individual fixtures. The most important is the structure itself: height, weight and stability call for space and for a surface that can take the supports. A frame above the dance floor needs sufficient clear height, and the uprights of a ground setup need space at their base that must stay clear of walkways.

Build time is another point to consider. A truss structure takes more time to build and dismantle than a few individual stands, so we allow plenty of room for it in the running order. We also take sightlines into account: the frame and the fixtures must not block the view of the stage or the speakers, and the beams must fall where you want them without shining straight into guests’ eyes or into a camera. The latter is especially important if there is also filming or streaming.

Combining with other disciplines

Truss lighting rarely works on its own. The truss is not only a carrier for lighting, but also a handy structure from which to hang other equipment, so everything stays out of sight and clear of the walkways.

In combination with sound the truss can serve as a suspension point for speakers, so the sound comes from above and the floor stays clear. For a video setup we hang a projector or camera from the frame, neatly concealed and at the right height. And with special effects you take the lighting picture to a higher level: a layer of haze makes the beams from the truss visible as sharp shafts in the air, and effects such as confetti or low fog from the dance floor gain extra impact under a well-lit frame. Because we combine all these disciplines within a single production, we align light, sound, image and effects with one another and everything runs from one control point.

Practical tips

Think early about where the truss will go. The height, the clear space for the uprights and the walkways all help determine what is possible, so the sooner we know the location, the better we can fit in the structure. Share the running order too: if we know how the evening unfolds, we can program the scenes and the changes accordingly.

Decide deliberately whether you want the frame to blend into the dark or to serve as a visible decor element. Both work, but it makes a difference to how we finish and light the structure. And set aside enough time for the build and test: a truss structure is one of the first things to go up and one of the last to come down, so that planning helps shape how the rest of the day runs. For the rental of individual equipment without a build or technician, we refer you to SpeakerVerhuur.nl.

Quote for truss lighting

Would you like a truss with lighting above your stage or dance floor? Tell us about the location, the type of event, the number of guests and the mood you have in mind, and we will calculate the structure and put together a fitting setup, including build, test and operation on site. HuurAV is based at Zeeburgerpad 89 in Amsterdam and part of Speaker Verhuur Amsterdam. Request a no-obligation quote and we will help you think through the build, the safety and the lighting picture that suits your event.