IEMs and FOH mix

[Hillsidebass]

While I've been playing bass close to 40 years, I've just in the last 6 months run into some venues that require IEMs. I've used IEMs before but never on a regular basis. I'm using Westone triple drivers with an M3 pack. There are no amps at all on the stages. Here's my question; should the sound engineer, that mixes our monitor mixes, have the capability to put the exact FOH mix in our in ear monitors? I play a regular 2 gigs a week in two different venues with IEMs and every week we have to remix the IEM. It's a real PITA. Looks to me like, if we could get an exact FOH mix in our IEMs, it would be a much better starting place to get close to what we want quickly in our ears. I've asked the engineer, but he says he can't do it that way. I'm just making sure he knows what he's talking about.
Thanks

 

[s0c9]

Without providing info on the console/gear the FOH guys are using - I would generally side with FOH.

IEM mixes are usually fed by individual input channels - and mixed for each musician.
This allows each of them to hear what they want in their mix.
Most do not want the FOH mix, as it doesn't allow them to add "more me" to the mix.

Getting the FOH mix into the IEM's CAN be done - but that will depend on the routing capabilities of the console.
It would be easier to do on a digital console, but if the venues are using analog console, I would say not.
I would also recommend against doing so, as the FOH mix is often quite a different mix that you might expect. It factors in room dynamics, effects on vocals and instruments, and so on.

If the venues have digital consoles, the FOH folks should be saving console settings for each band (to a USB device) after each gig and recalling them next time you're up. That's how I'd do it.. that way your FOH and IEM mixes START where you left off.

Based on your having to remix the IEM every time, it sounds like the venues may be tapping the channels of the console and not saving any settings (analog console) and starting from scratch each week.. in that case.. not FOH mix ability. I would need more details on equipment in use to provide a definitive response.

 

[Hillsidebass]

I understand....Thanks for the quick reply. I'll try to get more info about the equipment this week.

 

[Geri O]

There's a couple of things that are strange about this situation.

First, as Steve says, it's entirely too easy to save a band's mix, including monitor sends, to a scene on the desk. Why the soundguy is making his job and the band's lives harder by not doing this is a mystery. Maybe he doesn't know better or he's lazy?

Second, to answer your request on the basic ground level about getting a FOH mix in your ears, most all digital consoles of any size have matrix send capabilities. Without getting off in the weeds with describing what those are, a matrix can be set to send both left and right FOH mixes down one channel and to your ears. But again, as Steve said, you may find that mix problematic and not to your liking (having said that, the sound guys at church say my IEM mix is the closest to a FOH mix they've ever heard. Maybe it's my pro sound experience, but I love having a full FOH mix in my ears with the bass maybe a tad bit out front. But that's just me. We all handle our own mixes on Avioms).

It's not totally fair to speculate, but I think the FOH guy isn't doing his job. And it's NOT HARD to do. And speculation or not, I certainly can't tell you what to do about it. Good luck with it.

 

[Hillsidebass]

I've decided to hire another engineer to come in just to help with our monitor mixes. He's a longtime musician/friend that has been around the business much longer than the dude that's currently running sound at the venue where I'm having the most trouble.

I've got to do something as what was fun has quickly become a PITA.