Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Here is a wonderful article on using IEM's
- Thread starter Jerry Ziarko
- Start date
Great article, thanks!
Only recently started using IEMs, but I've already been doing something like the "Focused Mix" he mentioned, as it just seemed to make sense: Panning only the elements I'm most interested in to "do my job" straight up: my bass, along with drums and lead vocal, and everything else off to one side or the other. I'm going to give his recommendation a try, putting my bass straight up and the lead and drums panned a bit to the side.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
Administrator, Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
Pedulla Club #45
s0c9
Supporting Member
Yes, awesome article.
Most problems I've read about/experienced with folks moving to IEM's are caused by mono wireless units coupled with single-driver buds.
For bass, drums or geetar, that's [generally] a recipe for failure.
I've run mono (due to resource limitations) for most of my secular IEM use - tho have recently moved to stereo - and mostly stereo for church (Aviom, Behringer) over the last 5+ yrs.
What I want in my mix depends on whether I'm playing bass or guitar and singing or not.
- When singing, I want lead vox prevalent-center, with my vox blended center also (for the effect), with other vocals center but "behind" mine. I want to hear them, but not be loud enough to throw me off when multi-part harmonies are happening.
- For bass, I want LOTS of bass (centered), I also want kick + snare center (sometimes slightly R/L of center) and guitar/acoustic's panned L or R depending on their stage position. Same with keys or other instruments.
I DO NOT put toms, cymbals in the mix, but may want "more cowbell" if being used!
- For guitar much the same but guitar centered (vs bass blended with drums) with the other instruments panned/leveled as with bass.
It took me some level of experimentation (and time) to arrive at these settings while figuring out that I did NOT need a CD mix in my ears.
Obviously, YMMV.. but I've found it easier to pan instrument physically located on my left to the left and pan instruments (not already centered) that are on the right, to the right. It fits the physical stage and helps locate them when there are multiples playing.
Sometimes I play with multiple electric and acoustic guitars as well as keys and vocalists at church. I find the lead for each and ignore the others (not in the mix if I can do that). I'm not listening to a CD, I'm looking to hear enough in my mix to allow me to do my job the best I can - while keeping the volumes low and protecting my hearing.
PS: Good quality, custom-fit, multi-driver IEM's are the way to go!!!
Not cheap, but well worth the price of your hearing.
Most problems I've read about/experienced with folks moving to IEM's are caused by mono wireless units coupled with single-driver buds.
For bass, drums or geetar, that's [generally] a recipe for failure.
I've run mono (due to resource limitations) for most of my secular IEM use - tho have recently moved to stereo - and mostly stereo for church (Aviom, Behringer) over the last 5+ yrs.
What I want in my mix depends on whether I'm playing bass or guitar and singing or not.
- When singing, I want lead vox prevalent-center, with my vox blended center also (for the effect), with other vocals center but "behind" mine. I want to hear them, but not be loud enough to throw me off when multi-part harmonies are happening.
- For bass, I want LOTS of bass (centered), I also want kick + snare center (sometimes slightly R/L of center) and guitar/acoustic's panned L or R depending on their stage position. Same with keys or other instruments.
I DO NOT put toms, cymbals in the mix, but may want "more cowbell" if being used!
- For guitar much the same but guitar centered (vs bass blended with drums) with the other instruments panned/leveled as with bass.
It took me some level of experimentation (and time) to arrive at these settings while figuring out that I did NOT need a CD mix in my ears.
Obviously, YMMV.. but I've found it easier to pan instrument physically located on my left to the left and pan instruments (not already centered) that are on the right, to the right. It fits the physical stage and helps locate them when there are multiples playing.
Sometimes I play with multiple electric and acoustic guitars as well as keys and vocalists at church. I find the lead for each and ignore the others (not in the mix if I can do that). I'm not listening to a CD, I'm looking to hear enough in my mix to allow me to do my job the best I can - while keeping the volumes low and protecting my hearing.
PS: Good quality, custom-fit, multi-driver IEM's are the way to go!!!
Not cheap, but well worth the price of your hearing.
Last edited:
quoted for importance; use both ears in or don't use them:
Both Ears
Using two IEMs versus just one is critical to long-term IEM use. When IEMs are used in both ears, an effect known as binaural summation produces a perceived 6 dB increase in volume without raising their actual output level. This is “free money.”
If the left and right IEM each produce 90 dB and both are inserted, the brain sums them together and the musician hears the equivalent of a 96 dB signal in one ear only. The perceived 6 dB increase quadruples exposure time and comes without the potential hearing damage of an actual 6 dB of higher sound pressure level.
Using a single IEM combined with a wedge in order to have “the best of both worlds” results in higher monitoring levels. Single IEMs must keep up with ambient stage sound in the other ear and those performers “balance” the sound in both ears by turning up their packs by another 6 dB or more, quartering safe exposure time.
Without the benefit of binaural summation using both ears and a stereo mix, a single IEM will need to be up to 10 dB louder, which can gradually cause as much hearing damage as not using IEMs.
quoted because it's a cool detail i'd never thought of:
One reason that modern concert sets often have a “breakdown section” of quieter music in the middle is that it allows hearing to recover slightly during the course of a show. Intermissions have a similar effect (and help sell drinks and merchandise).
Breakdown sections also help in venues with sound level restrictions that are measured over time (Leq), as they bring the average sound level down before the end of the show so it can have a big ending. For performers, just sitting out one or two songs backstage can help.
Both Ears
Using two IEMs versus just one is critical to long-term IEM use. When IEMs are used in both ears, an effect known as binaural summation produces a perceived 6 dB increase in volume without raising their actual output level. This is “free money.”
If the left and right IEM each produce 90 dB and both are inserted, the brain sums them together and the musician hears the equivalent of a 96 dB signal in one ear only. The perceived 6 dB increase quadruples exposure time and comes without the potential hearing damage of an actual 6 dB of higher sound pressure level.
Using a single IEM combined with a wedge in order to have “the best of both worlds” results in higher monitoring levels. Single IEMs must keep up with ambient stage sound in the other ear and those performers “balance” the sound in both ears by turning up their packs by another 6 dB or more, quartering safe exposure time.
Without the benefit of binaural summation using both ears and a stereo mix, a single IEM will need to be up to 10 dB louder, which can gradually cause as much hearing damage as not using IEMs.
quoted because it's a cool detail i'd never thought of:
One reason that modern concert sets often have a “breakdown section” of quieter music in the middle is that it allows hearing to recover slightly during the course of a show. Intermissions have a similar effect (and help sell drinks and merchandise).
Breakdown sections also help in venues with sound level restrictions that are measured over time (Leq), as they bring the average sound level down before the end of the show so it can have a big ending. For performers, just sitting out one or two songs backstage can help.
