ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Down

Author Topic: Mains or Monitors first?  (Read 10812 times)

Matt Vivlamore

  • Lab Lounge
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 591
  • Southern Maryland
    • https://www.facebook.com/MeerkatSound/
Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2013, 02:28:36 PM »

I always check monitors with the mains on. I take a pretty minimalistic  approach to wedges and try to only give them what they need. They aren't going to be playing the show with the mains off, so why check with them off?

I do this as well... I would say that I'll give the mains about 65-75% volume. 
Logged
We're based in Southern Maryland, and LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeerkatSound/

Jared Koopman

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 274
Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2013, 02:48:52 PM »

At the church I mix at we have mains on while setting monitors...as much of what they hear is the room sound. This keeps our monitor levels in check.

But in other setups it just depends on the situation. I prefer to have mains on while doing monitors but will do whatever needs to be done. :)
Logged

Merlijn van Veen

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 311
    • www.merlijnvanveen.nl
Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #12 on: July 03, 2013, 03:25:06 PM »

Mains first. IMHO monitors should complement the rear of the PA

Nicolas Poisson

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 147
  • Paris, France
Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2013, 03:37:26 AM »

They aren't going to be playing the show with the mains off, so why check with them off?

They aren't going to be playing the show with the monitors off, so why check with them off?
 
The question is not "do we need a FoH?", but "considering we need both FoH and monitors, with which one to start?"

My understanding is that the question of monitor vs. FoH first in relevant only in small clubs. In huge places, you have a dedicated console an sound engineer for foldback.
In small clubs, the band will hear both the FoH and the monitors. But the audience will hear both the FoH and the monitors too! If you start with the FoH and then setup the monitors, they will add to the FoH and you will have to correct the FoH afterwards.
Based on this, there are two strategies:
- either you set up the FoH first, and then bring a small amount of what is missing in the monitors. Usually the artist will not miss level (the FoH is enough), but clarity (the rear of the FoH has no highs). So you will EQ the monitors taking this into account. And you go back to correct the FoH at the end if required.
- or you setup monitors first, and then raise the mains level, but EQing the FoH taking monitors wash into acount.

As said above, either way you will need to go back and forth between FoH and foldback.

Both strategies are acceptable. I prefer to do mains first, but sometimes the artist asks for monitors early in the check, so I give him a basic rough mix (his own instrument/voice). In such cases, I mix FoH and monitors "artist per artist". Then I make a global FoH mix and add other instruments in the monitors.

Sometimes the artist claims to have enough level with nothing in the monitors. If I go on stage, I hear a very dull sound. Usualy, If I raise the monitors, the sound is much clearer for the artist and he agrees that he feels more comfortable. This is a rare case were I suggest to put more than the artist asked.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2013, 03:46:01 AM by Nicolas Poisson »
Logged

Mike Reigh

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 106
Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2013, 09:31:16 AM »

When mixing both from FOH, I do mains first- this way I can get my input gains set with the faders as close to unity as I can.  Then monitors and there us usually enough head amp gain on the input to get the monitor level where it needs to be.
Logged

eric lenasbunt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 861
    • Bunt Backline Event Services, LLC
Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #15 on: July 04, 2013, 10:13:47 AM »

Assuming I have 20-30 minutes for sound check (common except for festivals):

I tend to do monitors first with mains off, then mains, then back to monitors for fine tuning, EQ, then back to mains, then maybe a final pass of mons if anyone needs something different...  There are valid arguments for either approach, I've just settled on that workflow.  I tend to go back and forth a lot, I ask the band constantly how it sounds for them, and what can I do to make it better.

Fist pass is usually 'what goes in each monitor', and general levels.  2nd pass is EQ. 

Then I ask the band to play a few songs show varying dynamics and set Mains, EQ, comps,.... 

Final pass I have the band play their opening song (first 20 seconds or so), and maybe repeat, for final adjustments in mons and mains... The save the scene.  This helps make everything cooking for the first song when the act walks on stage.

My job is a whole lot easier (and faster) with iPad remote control.

+1
This is almost my exact routine when there is time. Musicians never ask me to turn monitors down, so I like to get max headroom first and then they get the added volume of the house.
 Seriously, they NEVER ask for less.
Logged

Mike Reigh

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 106
Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #16 on: July 04, 2013, 10:34:49 AM »

Musicians never ask me to turn monitors down, so I like to get max headroom first and then they get the added volume of the house.
 Seriously, they NEVER ask for less.

It depends on what monitor I'm using, but I have been asked to back off the mix during sound check.
Logged

Adam Cooke

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 110
Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #17 on: July 05, 2013, 03:54:56 PM »

As the title suggests I would like some feedback as to whether you set your levels on the mains first or levels on monitors first. Typically, I like to have the monitors set after I've got a base level on the mains.


When I'm running mons from FOH in smaller venues, I get a rough level and EQ in the mains first and then put that channel into the monitors as needed. I often ask the band what they expect they'll want in their monitors while I'm setting up the mics on stage, so I have a faster starting point.


When I'm working with a separate monitor console, we normally check FOH and monitors at the same time, staying on each channel until both engineers and the band are satisfied.


I don't like spending a lot of time on monitor mixes with FOH off, since the FOH sound will generally affect what the performers are hearing on stage quite a bit.
Logged

Patrick Tracy

  • SR Forums
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 513
  • Boulder, CO, USA
    • Boulder Sound Guy
Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #18 on: July 05, 2013, 04:56:39 PM »

Both at the same time, more or less. Interleaved.

After basic line checks, get an initial gain setting on the lead vocal, bring up his monitor send to 0, set the master to his needed level, put the channel fader at 0 and bring up the mains to get him over stage volume. Set the gain on another vocal with the send at 0, bring up that monitor master to his needed level, fade up as needed. Repeat gain, aux send, aux master, channel fader for any other monitor mixes, then mix in "other stuff" (inputs besides the person who the mix is for, like SR gtr for SL wedge) as needed in each mix.

Bob Leonard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6807
  • Boston, MA USA
Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #19 on: July 05, 2013, 05:22:06 PM »

My deal has always been vocal FOH, stage mix, monitors in that order. Simply put, if you set up in that order you can guarantee nothing else will come above the vocals.
Logged
BOSTON STRONG........
Proud Vietnam Veteran

I did a gig for Otis Elevator once. Like every job, it had it's ups and downs.

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Mains or Monitors first?
« Reply #19 on: July 05, 2013, 05:22:06 PM »


Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.044 seconds with 22 queries.