Common Questions

I’ve used LED music lights before. They don’t light up the page well. Why are these different?
We use many more LEDs than most other music lights. Our scientific design focuses light on the bottom of the page, providing even coverage. Most LED stand lights use alkaline batteries and therefore provide lower current to the LEDs to conserve power. Aria Diva plugs into the wall to deliver far stronger light than incandescent lights. Aria Forte uses high-current batteries to deliver brightness equivalent to our plug-in light, and unlike many lights, remain at a constant brightness regardless of the battery level.
Will the LEDs ever burn out?
Our LEDs are designed for 100,000 hours of continuous use. That’s 34 years if they are used 8 hours a day, 365 days a year.
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My stand has a thick lip at the top and other music lights don't fit. Will Aria?
Yes. Aria is designed to fit all solid desk stands with a top lip up to 0.45" thick, including Manhasset, Hamilton, Belmonte, On-Stage, Peak, Desca, Wenger, K&M, Nilton, Petersen, and most others.
Can I use Aria with my portable stand?
Yes, if the stand has a solid desk, Aria will fit properly. However, Aria is not designed for use with wire stands.
Can I use Aria on my piano or organ?
Aria attaches to the music desk, so the desk should be as tall as your music in order for the music to fit under the light. Since the metal clips can make indentations or scratches in softer woods, we recommend against using Aria on fine wooden music desks without protection. (Clipping Aria onto a piece of 13” by 20” black foam core, available at office supply stores, can solve both issues.) Plastic or metal desks are fine.
How can a four-watt stand light outperform a 40-watt stand light?

Unlike incandescent bulbs, LEDs are more efficient, with most of the power converting to light rather than heat. After a little use, incandescent bulbs in stand lights begin to deposit metal (tungsten) on the inside surface of the glass and you’ll notice that the light output degrades as the bulb gets blacker. Because our LEDs are directional, Aria is designed to focus all of the light on the page rather than on the inside of the stand light.
Why is the light so wide?
Unlike other lights, Aria is designed to give you maximum coverage on the page. The 14-inch wide design allows light to reach every corner on full-sized sheet music. With stand extenders, you can easily cover four pages of music.
Can I use Aria lights with batteries?
We recommend the rechargeable Aria Forte if you need a battery-powered light. The Aria Diva is designed for use with wall power only.
Can I use Aria Forte when plugged in?
Absolutely. Our rechargeable lights are designed to allow operation either plugged in or operating on battery. The Aria Forte can also charge while you use it.
Can I leave my Aria Forte light plugged in all the time?
You bet. Our rechargeable lights contain a processor which monitors the charge. When the battery is fully charged, it stops charging. Many of our customers leave their light plugged in at home for use and just remove the power cord to take it to gigs. That said, we recommend at least once every six months you exercise the battery by letting it run-down and recharging it.
Can I take Aria with me to gigs?
Yes you can. Aria stand lights are portable. You may want to consider our soft carrying bag, which has a convenient carrying handle. For complete versatility, the rechargeable Aria Forte works plugged in or on battery.
Is Aria durable enough for the school environment?
Absolutely. Aria is designed with heavy gauge aluminum construction and bonded with a thick black powder coated surface. It stands up to the rigors of the classroom just as well as the best music stands.
Can I order additional power supplies or batteries?
Yes. Power supplies and replacement batteries are available on our accessories page.
We have a symphony orchestra. Are there quantity discounts for Aria?
Aria lights are used by major symphony orchestras like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Toronto. A 20% discount starts at just five lights. And orchestras get even larger discounts, due to their size. Online quantity discounts are available for up to 200 lights. Contact us for a budgetary quotation or pricing on higher quantities.
Do your lights work with handbell choir notebooks?
Yes, Aria Lights fit most handbell choir notebooks. To make the light fit, slip the center of the light behind the spine, but in front of the notebook cover as shown below.
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Are they so bright that I need to dim the light?
Because the light is so even across the page, the light isn't at all blinding even in dark situations. You’ll just see the bottom of the page better. In very dim lighting situations, you may find dimming helpful. We offer an inline dimmer for use with our plug-in lights and our rechargeable lights have one built right in.
Can I use theatrical dimmers with my Aria Light?
Yes, with our DMX decoder or DMX transmitter. However, because LEDs require a constant voltage, regular line voltage theatrical dimmers do not work with LED power supplies. Even when they are fully on, line voltage dimmers can damage switching power supplies. For smaller groups, we recommend our inline dimmer. For larger groups such as for pits, bands, or orchestras, use our DMX decoder or DMX transmitter that allow your theatrical lighting system full-range dimming of Aria Diva or Aria Forte Orchestra lights.
I play in a pit. Can I get my Aria Forte to turn off with all the other lights?
Yes. Any Aria Forte (model F1 or F2) manufactured in 2021 or later, has special firmware which detects when the power has been turned off, and will turn off your light as well. When the power is restored, your light will come back on. To use this feature, simply plug in your Aria Forte charger into the same power source the other lights are using. Voila!
Can I plug multiple Aria stand lights into a power strip?
You bet. All Aria power adapters are designed to allow multiple lights to be plugged into a single strip. A six outlet strip supports six stand lights. As it should be.
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I’ve seen LEDs flicker before, which is distracting. Do yours do that?
Aria lights are designed to operate on DC current, providing flicker-free illumination. All of our dimmers and DMX decoder use high-frequencies which are flicker-free and allow the lights to be recorded on video for television.
Do you ship to Canada?
Yes we do. Bear in mind that orders shipped from the US to Canada may require you to pay the Canadian harmonized sales tax (HST) and a advancement fee by some carriers. The carrier will invoice you separately for these charges, if applicable. We also have distribution throughout Canada. Check with your local retailer.
Where are your lights made?
All of our lights are assembled in the USA from domestic and foreign components.
What is your return policy?
If you are not 100% satsified with your purchase, you may return it within 30 days for a full refund.
Where can I try one?
Aria is carried by more than 2,500 music retailers and six distributors throughout North America. Check with your local music store, or ask them to order it if they don’t have one in the store. You can also purchase one directly from Aria Lights, if you prefer.
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Feel free to contact us with your questions at any time.