Reply posted by Scott Dunn on July 24, 2001

Janko is correct... you can only go so far.. If you pull more than 3db from a Freq On the EQ something is wrong... I try to pull what I need from the channel strip(providing You are using a seperate monitor desk from FOH) then I goto the mix EQ to pull out more. Most of the time the mix EQ stays fairly Flat pulling just a little here and there around 600,800,4k 5k 6.3k

This is YOUR club, YOUR mics, YOUR monitor system. I wouldn't even begin to think that this would apply anywhere else except this specific environment, therefoe this advice is HIGHLY subjective. Environments change, as do systems, microphones, and singers. To suppose this would work for all monitor systems...well, that's just not true.

Scott


Reply posted by Dave Lowum on July 24, 2001

Okay, time for a pet peeve rant. First of all, you have to realize that EACH monitor mix is a scaled down version of a full-blown FOH rig, and needs to be treated as such! First, you need good sounding cabinets, and keep them matched within each mix. You wouldn't try to fly an array of KF850 and SP2's all powered off the same amp rack, would you? Next, you need to power the snot out of each mix.

Headroom here is as important as in the FOH system, as is the system gain structure. Next, just like FOH, you need to tune each monitor mix. Twice. First with a baseline to compensate (equalize!!)for the anomolies of the loudspeakers and the box itself, and the second time to compensate for any effect the stage environment may have on your baseline. Now, you're ready to start dialing in the mixes. Put up a vocal mic, and set up the channel and mix gain to get a nominal level happening, and then slowly increase the mix level until you either A) have enough SPL, or B) begin to have feedback.

If A), push the mix a little harder to see what kind of headroom you have. If you've done your baseline and stage tuning properly, the vocal mic should sound completely natural and uncolored. Use the channel strip to adjust the tonality of the mic to suit the performer or source, NOT as feedback elimination. After all, dumping the strip at 2kHz will also affect that channel in everybody else's mix as well...and if you've done your tuning properly, all the mixes should have essentially similar tonality.

IF YOU'RE GETTING FEEDBACK, the first thing to do is to re-check the physical placement of the monitor enclosures vis-a-vis the microphone type. For a cardioid mic (SM58 and it's clones) the proper wedge location is directly behind of the mic, aiming right up the handle at the mic ball. For a hypercardioid (Audix OMx, Shure Beta58A, etc.) you need to swing the wedge 60 degrees off that axis, to bring the sound in from the sides.

NOW recheck the mic. If it's still feeding back, you need to start doing some notching. A notch filter is the best tool here, since you can really dial into the EXACT frequency that is trying to run away without hacking huge amounts of the audio spectrum, but failing that, go to a good quality graph, and start cutting until the feedback stops. Applying an arbitrary dB limit to the cuts is counter-productive, as the combination of stage acoustics and microphone choice may require somewhat radical equalization, particularly when the polar pattern of the microphone WILL vary with frequency.

The ONLY time that there is a limit to the amount of EQ cutting occours when you have fully attenuated a particular frequency, need more level in the overall mix, and are still getting feedback. At that point you need to make some changes outside of the equalization.

If it sounds like a monitor rig that can do the above will cost as much or more than a "real" FOH rig, you're right, it does. As michael would say: Get over it and deal with it!!

End of rant

Dave Lowum
(tired of getting a single Drawmer gate up front, and then getting peizo loaded fuzzy wedges, and being told "this is a REAL rig! We have Drawmer!!)


Reply posted by Kurt Shetler on August 03, 2001

Thanks! I just did a briefcase gig tonight where the band had MTX wedges at both corners of the stage, 2 at each corner in an L-shape, and one in the middle.

The guy in the middle was using a Beta 58. The guys on the ends had SM58s. So the setup was exactly backwards from what would work best. The SM58s were getting bleed from the side, the Beta was getting bleed from directly behind it.

I couldn't convince the band to move the wedges. They liked the way it looked. Seriously underpowered too. Mackie 1400. 700 watts @ just over two ohms spread across three monitors.

I'm not sure what gave me more trouble, the DOD dual 15 band (one 15 band per monitor mix), or the Mackie SR32 strip EQ?. After mixing on an A&H for so long I have gained a lot more respect for sweepable strips. Those Mackie EQs are tough to dial in.

Well written monitor setup! Thanks!

Kurt


Reply posted by Tim McCulloch on July 25, 2001

Dave, that's not a rant. That's a lesson in monitors. To the point, and well written.

Printed a couple of copies for distribution to "those who don't understand" in the hope that they will understand.....

When's installment #2? :)

Tim Mc


Reply posted by Tom Young on July 25, 2001

Great rant. Right on the money.

Tom Young
Electroacoustic Design Services
El Cerrito, CA