Mixing monitors from the front of house console can be tricky business. Here are some ways to help you manage the mayhem.
Pre- Versus Post-, Part 1
It should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: monitor sends should be routed pre-fader, not post-fader. Take a look at Fig. 1, which shows a simplified block diagram of signal flow through an input channel. Some features, such as the pad and polarity switches and the HPF — the status of which will not change the signal flow — have been omitted for clarity. A pre-fader send is tapped before the fader so when you move the fader, signal to the send is unchanged — which means the musician’s monitor mix is unchanged (this is generally what we want). On the other side of the fader is a post-fader send. When you make changes to the fader, signal level to the send will also change, and that’s why post-fader sends are generally used for effects. The level on the send “tracks” the fader changes, keeping the effect in proportion to the dry signal that’s going from the channel to the L/R bus.
A lot of mixers (both analog and digital) provide a user option for routing sends pre- or post-fader, so sniff out these settings before sound check. Further, some mixing consoles allow sends to be set pre- or post-fader on a per-channel basis, meaning that a send can simultaneously be set to pre-fader for some channels and post-fader for others (see Fig. 2).
Notice in Fig. 1 that the input gain (a.k.a. “trim”) is upstream of the sends as well as the fader. If you change the input gain on a channel during a show, it affects the channel fader, the level to all of the monitor mixes, and all of the effects sends.
Pre- vs. Post-, Part 2
The other “pre- versus post-” concern is whether the sends are pre- or post-EQ, and pre- or post-insert. Analog mixers probably won’t provide this option on the work surface but might allow you to change settings by moving internal jumpers; many digital consoles provide the option on-screen.
If the monitor sends are pre-EQ, adjustments to the house mix don’t alter the sound of a channel in the monitors. But, you can’t accommodate the request of a musician who asks you to make their voice (for example) brighter in the monitors without changing the timbre of the channel in the house mix. Setting a send post-EQ means that you and the musician will both hear EQ changes, which can give you a better understanding of what the musician needs in their monitor mix, and can also be helpful in grabbing a frequency that is feeding back. If you and the musician are really far apart on your ideas of what sounds “good,” you can always mult a channel to two inputs, use one channel to feed the monitor mixes and the other (duplicate) channel for the house mix, and set the EQs differently.
Inserts as per above. A drummer may not want their ‘tubs gated in their monitors, in which case you want the monitor send to be pre-insert. This will undoubtedly present a challenge if the band is on wedges and drum fills — getting the drums loud without gates can yield a lot of ringing on stage, possibly even feedback. Speaking of feedback… if the lead singer is on wedges and likes them loud, you may not want the aux send on the vocal channel to be post-insert, especially if you need to use a heavy hand in compressing the vocal in the house mix. Remember that when the vocalist stops singing, the compressor may “let go” of the gain, causing feedback in the monitors. If the lead singer is on IEMs, then you won’t need to worry about this.
Ring the Bell Early
Ringing out the monitors should be considered part of any daily setup, preferably using the same vocal mics that will be used by the performers. Ringing monitors with different mics will be an exercise in futility since no two microphones exhibit the same frequency response. It’s even possible for two of the same brand/model of vocal mic to sound different due to manufacturing tolerances, age, and abuse (or lack thereof). While you’re at it, keep in mind that eyeglasses and hats can have an effect on what frequencies will ring in wedges — so make sure the performer is wearing these accessories at sound check if they’ll be wearing them during the show.
Analog mixers will require physical patching of outboard graphic or parametric EQs in the path between the console and power amps, while digital mixers will make this way easier, typically providing a parametric EQ on the bus output as well as assignable ‘graphs from the effects rack. (See Fig. 3)
While it may seem like overkill, it really isn’t. The ‘graph can help you quickly find and compensate for broad problems, while the parametric can be used to notch out particularly pesky frequencies. (See Fig. 4)
One of the big (if not obvious) challenges of running monitors from the front of house desk is that you’ll need help ringing out the monitors because you can’t be in two places at one time. This is a good time to take advantage of the apps that many manufacturers offer for iPad, tablet or smartphone control. You’ll need a Wi-Fi router to connect the smart device to the mixer, but once you have this sussed out, you’ll be able to stand on stage and talk into the monitors while making adjustments on the console — no matter where it’s located.
Communication is Key
Don’t underestimate the importance of talkback. Communicating from FOH to the stage can be a chore and doesn’t get any easier if you’re working in a club where there’s loud break music and multiple bands. Have a talkback microphone ready to go at the FOH desk and route it into one or two of the wedges. If the band members are all using in-ears and there aren’t any wedges on stage for them, set a powered wedge on the side of the stage and use it for TB. (See Fig. 5)
If you want to get really fancy, you can also give the music director a “private” microphone through which they can communicate with you at FOH, without the audience being privy to the conversation.
It may seem odd, but if space permits, route the cue output of the desk to a small wedge that’s parked beside you at front-of-house. This will enable you to cue up a wedge mix during the show and eavesdrop on a performer’s mix.
Steve “Woody” La Cerra is the tour manager and front of house engineer for Blue Öyster Cult.
