• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Controlling my monitor's volume.

::::BASSIST::::

::::BASSIST::::

Progress Not Perfection.
Sep 2, 2004
12,524
291
Vancouver, BC Canada
#1
I am using a powered monitor fed by a small 8 channel mixer (just taking a line out from the mixer). The problem is the singer's voice is too loud in my monitor and mine is not loud enough. Naturally, he needs to be louder than me in the mains. How do I increase my volume?

Would adding another mixer just for the monitors work? There is probably something obvious I am missing here. :rolleyes:
 
#2
Your mixer almost surely already has another mixer inside it.

If there are monitor sends on the board, adjust those to taste and run your monitor off the monitor out rather than the line out.

Or use aux sends if there are any of those.

I don't agree with the "lead singers mic needs to be loudest", by the way. Do you sing any leads? You need to be just as loud.

What you need to do is then back off of the mic when singing backups so he comes out on top somewhat.

As a matter of fact, I don't agree with having a seperate monitor mix for vocal monitors if you don't have a soundman either. You should run just like you're doing, off the mains, so you can blend the vocals and know what it really sounds like, if you are really too loud or too soft compared to the mains. If you can't hear your backups, they're probably getting buried in the mains as well. Either bring them up (singing louder, closer to the mic, or turn up the gain) so you can hear them, or cut the stage volume down so you can hear the backup vocals in the monitors. The instruments should always be low enough so your singers can hear themselves in the monitors. Turning up the monitors continuously just makes the instrumentalists who aren't singing at that moment turn up as a result. And sooner or later, feedback becomes an issue. You can't turn the monitors up louder than the instruments. There's no substitute for players listening to everything else and controlling their volumes.

The reason against seperate monitor mixes? As soon as you run seperate monitor mixes, and bring up your backup vocals so you can hear them plainly, the lead singer is going to think you're too loud. Is he right? No way to know, it depends on how much more boosted the backups are compared to the main mix. And you'll have no way of telling because you can't hear the main mix, because you're listening to a custom monitor mix.

So then once he says his vocals are now too low, barely above the backups, what do you do? Does it indicate a problem with the main mix, or just the monitors? You have no idea.

Randy
 
#7
Interesting ideas about the main mix being the same as the monitors. That makes alot of sense. My concern is that the drummer and I sing quite a bit of back up vocals (in unison, harmony etc) and combined our backups might drown out the singer. However, the idea of all vocals being the same level and just the individuals backing away from the mic as required seems to be the way to go. I don't sing any lead vocal, but the drummer does on a couple songs.

The mixer I am using is a Behringer XENYX 1202FX... it sounds great (I also use an external 15 band eq). It has a 'control room' out which I assume is the aux send. However all 4 vocal channels are certainly adjustable to the mains out but the mix cannot be adjusted individually from the aux send. I assume thats because its a low end mixer. However, I have only been using it for about a month so maybe I am missing something?

Invalid Link Removed
 
#8
Interesting, but you're right, I don't think I've ever seen a board without aux or monitor buss....

The only option would be if you use the efx knob to mix and efx send to drive the monitors.

But that won't work if you're using that knob to control effects on the mains...

The other option, you really don't need to run stereo. You can run R=mains, L=monitors, and use the pan to adjust the relative mixes. Crude, but would be better than nothing.

I usually run my in ears off of the mains. I adjust my levels based on singing quieter or further back, and keep my mic fairly loud. I do some bass vocal parts, can't be sung loud, so it needs to be cranked for that. I'm usually hotter than the main vocalist cause I sing quiet anyway. But he never knows cause I control my level relative to his...

Randy
 
#10
quite simply put, you're using a DJ mixer to try and run a live band. won't work. you need to get a mixer that's designed to be used for actual live music if you want monitors.

(four years of work as a recording tech and radio/party DJ, and going on 8 years of live sound experience)

*edit* you need something like this guy.

91muyB8znTL._AA1500_.jpg


Notice how he's got a nice set of knobs labeled "mon"? stands for monitors. it'll make life so much simpler. these guys aren't cheap. (this particular unit is 230 new) but trust me. it will make your life so much better. you can find other options for decent prices, but you will love having that onboard EQ
 
#13
Jake Saint said:
quite simply put, you're using a DJ mixer to try and run a live band. won't work. you need to get a mixer that's designed to be used for actual live music if you want monitors.

(four years of work as a recording tech and radio/party DJ, and going on 8 years of live sound experience)

*edit* you need something like this guy.

91muyB8znTL._AA1500_.jpg


Notice how he's got a nice set of knobs labeled "mon"? stands for monitors. it'll make life so much simpler. these guys aren't cheap. (this particular unit is 230 new) but trust me. it will make your life so much better. you can find other options for decent prices, but you will love having that onboard EQ
Click to expand...

This is a far better option than the Behringer and you can't find much cheaper except on the used market. You can find fuller featured mixers used on CL with more channels available as well. But the pictured Mackie would be drastically better for your needs.

Guys.....ya gotta spend money to make money, and $200 is very cheap for anything that allows you to make money from it.
 
#19
uhdinator said:
Use the pre fader aux 1 out. TRS to XLR cable to powered monitor(s). Adjust volume of each channels aux send.
Click to expand...

he doesn't have Aux sends on his board, hence my suggestion.

and OP, that price was from amazon, which is typically pretty expensive for stuff like that. i've used mackie boards, and i've used the predecessor to that particular board before, and it was abso-frigging-lutely gorgeous for small band work. it'll be cheaper on something like Musicians friend.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back