Live Sound: Self-Mixing Onstage Monitors
Abstract (summary)
An
overview of new monitor mixing
technology, which includes wireless in-ear monitors, stage monitors, and digital
audio interfaces, is offered, along with tips for creating a good mix. The
single most important determinant in achieving a good mix is proper
gain-staging.
Full Text
Recent
innovations make it easier than ever for musicians to create their own monitor mixes when performing live. Here's a brief overview of
new monitor mixing
technology that puts the power into the performer's hands at affordable prices.
In-Ear
Monitors
Wireless
In-Ear Monitors (IEM's) have gotten so affordable that professional musicians
can now outfit their entire group without taking out a mortgage. Combined with
an inexpensive rackmount mixer at stage-side, IEM's can give each performer a
custom mix while lowering
stage volume, helping the FOH engineer at the same time.
In North
America, Shure Bros., is the leading provider of IEM systems, offering a range
of choices and price points. A variety of appropriate rackmount mixers are
available from Alien & Heath, Yamaha, Mackie, Soundcraft, and Crest. You'll
want a mixer that can provide at least four discrete mixes, but go for six discrete mixes if you've got that many
players and can afford it. Also, remember, you can save lots of cash by
providing wired IEM systems for stationary players such as percussionists and
keyboard players.
Stage
Monitors
A
percentage of players will always prefer monitor speakers (wedges) rather than
IEMs; they, too, can go the self-mixing
route but will need more training in system equalization to avoid feedback. The
equipment package will be more complex, requiring outboard equalization,
amplification, and a speaker system for each open-air mix. Affordable powered and un-powered stage
monitors are available from Yamaha, Mackie, EAW, JBL, Electro-Voice, and many
others.
A Step Up
To take
self-mixing to the next
level, you can now access equipment that allows players to build an individual mix to feed their IEM or stage
wedge. Aviom, Inc., an early innovator in this technology, has created a
digital audio interface (Aviom Pro 16) that allows personal mixing stations to be located
close to each performer. The control surface is available in a rack-mount or
mic stand-mount version and provides 16 discrete channels. more than enough for
most groups. The user has control of level for each channel as well as master
bass and treble, while recallable presets allow the user to tailor mixes for individual songs. The
master unit simply interfaces to your mixing
console via the individual channel insert points; audio is distributed
digitally to each mixing
station with fast and cheap CAT-5 Ethernet cable in daisychain fashion. You can
investigate similar equipment from Hear Back Technologies, Furman, and Ashly.
Getting
The Mix You Want
Whatever
setup you choose, you need to understand a few audio basics to ensure good
results. Since most musicians start out using wedges, I'll begin there with a
brief mention on IEMs at the end.
The
single most important determinant in achieving a good mix for yourself is proper gain-staging. By
"gain-staging" I mean simply introducing signal of an appropriate
level into your system and then maintaining that quality of signal throughout
the entire amplification chain, from input to output to power amplifier. With
this foundation of good signal quality, we can move on to the mixing.
First,
place your floor monitor as close to yourself as possible while still being
able to look directly into the face of the speaker. Some like their monitor to
be to the left or right while others like it directly in front of them; this is
really a matter of personal preference. Begin with your own instrument or
voice; bring the level up until you have a strong but not overbearing volume.
Next,
check your tone. For vocalists and instrumentalists alike, it's important to
try a range of pitches and dynamic levels so that you can check for obnoxious
frequencies. If you like the sound so far, you can move on to "ringing
out" the monitor. This is a technique that minimizes the possibility of
acoustic feedback from vocal microphones during performance. While a little
disconcerting at first, the process is quite simple and becomes straightforward
with practice. With earplugs in place, slowly raise the gain of your microphone
until you hear the onset of the first feedback tone. Reduce your level slightly
until the tone recedes. Now use your equalizer (a 1/3 octave graphic equalizer
is best) to find that tone by raising the EQ faders one by one until the tone
re-occurs. Then, bring that fader down to the -3dB mark and repeat the process.
In some cases, the same frequency will come up, in others, you will hear a new
frequency; in either case, the process is the same. Carry on until you have
isolated three or four problem frequencies and don't drop any single fader
level beyond - 6dB, otherwise your tone will be severely compromised. Remember,
you are using the equalizer to minimize feedback while keeping as much tone as
possible; too much frequency-cutting will affect your ability to hear the
monitor and turning up the volume will just bring on more feedback. If you find
yourself fighting a losing battle for volume, you probably have a deficiency in
your equipment package. Have it checked out by a live sound professional.
Mixing IEMs is in some ways much easier since you do not
have to deal with the problem of feedback. However, getting a natural sound is
a bigger challenge and refining IEM mixes
is a topic unto itself. The simplest approach is to set a level for your voice
and/or instrument that is comfortable for you and then layer whatever else you
want underneath that. It is very important not to over-mix; you can experience over-compression and
distortion. Avoid the temptation to use IEMs in combination with wedges as you
can increase the risk of hearing loss. If you are uncomfortable with the IEM
sound, go back to wedges until you can get professional instruction.
Word
count: 987
Narrow
subject
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subject
Title
Live Sound: Self-Mixing Onstage Monitors
Author
Publication
title
Volume
Issue
Pages
60
Publication
year
2006
Publication
date
Nov 2006
Year
2006
Norris-Whitney
Communications Inc
Place of
publication
Toronto,
Ont.
Country
of publication
Canada
Journal
subject
ISSN
0708-9635
Source
type
Magazines
Language
of publication
English
Document
type
Instruction/Guidelines
Document
feature
Photographs
ProQuest
document ID
1358778
Document
URL
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1358778?accountid=144516
Last
updated
2012-09-17
Database
International
Index to Music Periodicals Full Text
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