In ear monitoring

mathieumaes · Post by **mathieumaes** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:16 pm

Hey all,

This topic isn't very relevant to Kronos specifically, I hope you don't mind my post here...

Last night I had a second gig with my Kronos. At the first one, I didn't have much room to move around with my keytar. Last night I had plenty, and people respond very well to the keytar!

I had a big issue though: when I move away from my spot", I don't have enough monitoring. The other musicians have a low level of the synth in their monitors, but it's not enough for me to hear myself on the whole stage.

Does anyone have experience with in-ear monitoring ? good or bad ?

TonyP66 · Post by **TonyP66** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:32 pm

Hey Mathieu

I am using Ultimate Ears UE5Pro. They are expensive but my monitoring is always OK! I use a mixer for my keyboards and produce my own monitor mix. I also use a condensor microphone for some ambient and get a plain mix from the band without keys back from the monitormix. Using a wireless iem transmitter/receiver from Sennheiser is completing the whole setup.

It is a lot of money but if I compare this to the amount of money spend on the rest of my gear, it's not too bad!

JPWC · Post by **JPWC** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:39 pm

I work with a band that uses a HEAR system works great. The problem is the system is a little complex for setup, but each player has their on remote and control over their own mix. We've tuned the system and consolidated the setup at the practice pad, took a while for all musicans to get familar with the system.

I've commenly used headphones on stage, while sounding great, they dont allow alot of physical movement.

mathieumaes · Post by **mathieumaes** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:11 pm

One of the big questions is how well it works if the rest of the band keeps using monitor speakers. Many in-ear headphones can damper the noise up to 25 Db, but is this enough if the rest of the stage is producing high volume sound ?

If everyone uses in-ear monitoring, much of the volume on stage will be gone probably...

TonyP66 · Post by **TonyP66** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:56 pm

My band uses normal stage monitors. I am the only one with IEM. That is why I use the condensor mike to not loose the ambient stage/audience noise. 25dB damping is enough.

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:13 pm

mathieumaes wrote: If everyone uses in-ear monitoring, much of the volume on stage will be gone probably...

In-ear monitoring device is not a replacement but an addition to the usual monitoring system. If you have a very small gig, small stage... or for whatever reason you don't want to be bothered with transporting monitor speakers for a background dinner music type of gig, then you could probably just use In-ear monitoring devices. If you're playing with a band, you would still need the floor monitors.
In-ear monitoring will give you more space to more around, and also you wouldn't have to turn up the monitors as loud , if you're experiencing feedback problems, other than that , you need monitors, especially if you're playing loud music.

ScoobyDoo555 · Post by **ScoobyDoo555** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 7:29 pm

I'm using ACS T1-lives.
Combined with my Behringer (!) P161/m combo.
Also have a little combo amp for those "just in case" moments.

Works very well for me!

Dan

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sun Jul 01, 2012 8:33 pm

Assyrianpianist wrote:
mathieumaes wrote: If everyone uses in-ear monitoring, much of the volume on stage will be gone probably...
In-ear monitoring device is not a replacement but an addition to the usual monitoring system. If you have a very small gig, small stage... or for whatever reason you don't want to be bothered with transporting monitor speakers for a background dinner music type of gig, then you could probably just use In-ear monitoring devices. If you're playing with a band, you would still need the floor monitors.
In-ear monitoring will give you more space to more around, and also you wouldn't have to turn up the monitors as loud , if you're experiencing feedback problems, other than that , you need monitors, especially if you're playing loud music.

This is not my experience at all, unless you have a very bad sound guy. On big stages and shows, the more people rely on just in-ears. Many bass players don't even use their amps if the whole band has in-ears. Besides, good in-ears dampen the sound to such an extent that you would have to turn up the monitors so ridiculously loud to even make a difference that it defeats the point of using them in the first place.

I've played with non-custom but reasonably well dampening in-ears from Shure in small halls (up to maybe 300 people) and am saving up to buy a custom set now. MUCH nicer experience than my expensive RCF722A monitor.

BrickPilot · Post by **BrickPilot** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:01 am

+1

SanderXpander wrote:
Assyrianpianist wrote:
mathieumaes wrote: If everyone uses in-ear monitoring, much of the volume on stage will be gone probably...
In-ear monitoring device is not a replacement but an addition to the usual monitoring system. If you have a very small gig, small stage... or for whatever reason you don't want to be bothered with transporting monitor speakers for a background dinner music type of gig, then you could probably just use In-ear monitoring devices. If you're playing with a band, you would still need the floor monitors.
In-ear monitoring will give you more space to more around, and also you wouldn't have to turn up the monitors as loud , if you're experiencing feedback problems, other than that , you need monitors, especially if you're playing loud music.
This is not my experience at all, unless you have a very bad sound guy. On big stages and shows, the more people rely on just in-ears. Many bass players don't even use their amps if the whole band has in-ears. Besides, good in-ears dampen the sound to such an extent that you would have to turn up the monitors so ridiculously loud to even make a difference that it defeats the point of using them in the first place.

I've played with non-custom but reasonably well dampening in-ears from Shure in small halls (up to maybe 300 people) and am saving up to buy a custom set now. MUCH nicer experience than my expensive RCF722A monitor.

alanjpearson · Post by **alanjpearson** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:48 am

My Genesis trib band don't use ANY monitors on stage at all, never have had.
There is no need with IEMs - don't believe that guitarist crap about feedback!

With no noise on the stage there is lots of space and it's easy to balance FOH.]

Only thing is it would be nice to have some ambience so an ambient mike to get the audience noise would be good.

R
Alan

.Jens · Post by **.Jens** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:03 am

Hi,

after going through the same monitor issues over and over again through the years, I finally found a setup which works quite nice to me. I use a hardwired IEM (Fischer Amps) and inears matching my Elacin protection filters.
The trick that works perfectly for me is to use the IEM only on the left ear, and a -15dB filter on the right. Audio for my IEM is only keys and my backing vox - right out of my sub mixer. I hear the rest of the band quite well through their monitors or direct sound. I've also a sum signal from FOH to mix to the inear, if necessary.
This solution takes a while to get used to, but it's a simple setup providing enough shielding on loud stages, good monitoring of myself, monitor balance by a turn on a single knob, and still getting a good "atmo" sound without needing any additional mics.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:16 am

Btw with regards to not hearing the keytar when moving to the front of the stage, that's just a matter of bad communication with the sound guy. With one of my cover bands I play the Beat It solo on keytar and our sound guy just knows to turn up the keys over the main vocal monitors during that.

SoulBe · Post by **SoulBe** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:08 am

Hi,

I would everybody recommed using InEar monitoring:

1) After 10 or so years playing in a hard rock band with two guitarists and standing beneath a huge drum kit my right ear started to produce that "lovely" beeptone and never stopped ever since .....
after that I started with IEM and never had a problem, so for your health .. try it. Sound quality is much better and your ears will not be deaf after a gig.

2.) I use a hardwired system from hearsafe for 15 or so years which is not manufactured any more and when mobility is needed a sennheiser IEM 300, but whatever system you choose, you should have

a) a limiter (very important, otherwise you could have heavy accidents with your ears .....)
b) additional inputs for ambience mics that you don´t lose contact the the outside/stage etc.
c) good In Ear speakers for your own convenience ( I use Shure, but I would recommend to try out):

I do split the key signal and have control about the key volume on my ears, in addition to that I get a mono signal of all other stuff that is needed from the FOH console and then two ambience mic´s so I can do my own mix. For the FOH tech it is like any other monitor, for myself I have control about volume levels.

best regards
SoulBe

keekma · Post by **keekma** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:41 pm

In my coverband we all use in-ear. Wired and unwired.
We use a fantastic Allen and Heath Mixwizard3 12M 16 channel podium mixer. This mixer has 16 channel input and 6 stereo aux for personal headphone monitoring. It has a 16 channel split funtion to connect all the inputs to the PA.
So every bandmember can make there own stereomix of all the instruments and mic's. Every bandmember needs a wireless transmitter
and reciever for the in-ear or a separate mixer for a wired in-ear.

I am not wireless because I play the Kronos and don't have a keytar.
I have a small mixer on witch I mix the A&H bandmix with my Kronos signal and my mic. So I have total control nearby. I use Ultimate Ears Superfi5 pro with a wire. I love them.

I have a very good sound of the band, the Kronos and my voice. So I have good control of my playing and singing. Also I am not getting so tired anymore and don't damage my ears.

dtscape · Post by **dtscape** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:42 pm

Well my system is really basic (and cheap!!). I use an aux output from the main desk straight into a Behringer Headphone PreAmp(HA4700). Then i have a really cheap pair of Earphones (Creative EP-630 ECO) which sound ok... But i only have one earpiece in. The reason being is that I felt isolated from the band with both in. Sounded great but too studio like....With one ear open to the elements and the other with a lovely crisp keyboard sound I've got everything I need.

I could set it up so my keyboard is in stereo using 2 aux sends.. But its a waist when I only use one earpiece.

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