Mixing your own In Ear Monitors

[Lync]

My band looked at investing into a splitter snake for when we use house sound (I own a Mackie DL1608). Truthfully, for bass at least you can take a mono monitor mix for the left IEM transmitter input, run your bass into the right IEM transmitter input and add more you if the monitor mix isn't enough. The sound guy should be able to give you at least decent vocals through your IEM. I haven't had an issue yet as long as I told the guy what I needed.

 

[walterw]

i had to be more specific, in case where you have no amps or acoustic drums, like my band. so we have amp sims/pedals and electronic drums...

OK yeah, that can work since there's zero stage volume; what sounds right in somebody's headphones will be close to what sounds right in the PA.

 

[tshapiro]

Admittedly, my rig is a bit over the top, but I'm a pro so these are my tools. To ensure we always get our in ear mix, we run an 8 channel splitter into a QSC Touchmix. The split lines run to the house where they mix whatever they want. We have 5 individual in ear mixes which are tweaked for each person. In the pic you can see the rack splitter with a rack analog mixer I use to add to my personal mix post the Touchmix. I use this because it's fast to fine tune. And you can see my in ear Senn transmitter. Everyone else has their own transmitter of course. I round this off with Shure 425 ear buds. Girl singers rack case of wireless mic and monitor bases are in the case with the red flashlight on it. There's another Shure transmitter sitting on the floor lower left - lead singer to lazy to put it in a case Also, we run stage amps mic'd for guitar, bass amp and keyboard amp have direct outs. No amp setups don't give the natural ambience of a real band. Yes, its less gear but sounds poopy if you want to be honest.

 

[walterw]

To ensure we always get our in ear mix, we run an 8 channel splitter into a QSC Touchmix.

how do you do it with only 8 monitor channels? how many singers? what does the drummer get?

 

[Rocksolid]

I wanted so desperately to set up a system for myself to be able use with any PA for my own IEM mix using the Powerplay system from Beh'r, but the interface with the desk is the issue. an A & H mixwizard has direct outs for you to use, others you need a splitter box or snake. You end up taking too much gear to cover all scenarios.

The Rolls PM351 is great, but every now and then I would have phasing issues with my voice. I would turn my vox up on the Rolls box and it would cancel it in my ears fighting my vox in the FOH.

I went a little more elaborate and started using a Yamaha MG06 4 channel mixer.
ch 1 is my vox via a splitter box at the base of my mic stand so I can flip the phase to ensure no cancellation
ch 2 is a Rode M3 above drums so I can mix them in as often they are low in the FOH in smal rooms
ch 3 FOH feed - normally via the parallel out on the back of the active sub on my side of stage. If no parallel out, I use line splitter or Y cable
ch 4 feed from my bass amp.

I'm very happy with this set up.

 

[tshapiro]

how do you do it with only 8 monitor channels? how many singers? what does the drummer get?

3 singers
1 guitar
1 bass
2 keyboard
1 drum module (bass drum and triggers)

Plus, we run an ambient sound wide diaphragm condenser mic straight into the touchmix which the drummer can add as well.

 

[Bobby Bass]

I played a show with a name country act & the bass player used a small mixer with a feed into it with his vocal mike & main mix. Also his bass & wireless ear monitors. He used no stage amp. I didn't get a chance to talk to him about it but out front it sounded great. He had total control of everything he wanted to hear. Anyone know how it was done?

 

[musicman7722]

I have my 30' x 16' 16 channel splitter snake up here for sale.