Jump to content

How to send 1 single mono XLR output line from a stereo mixer??


Recommended Posts

  • Members

Hello, please help me on this: im thinking about taking charge of the stage sound for some of my gigs, plugging everything to a mixer plugged to 2 PA speakers as stage monitors and sending just 1 (ONE) XLR line the the master sound with everything already cooked (levels, eq, fx, etc..).

This way the FOH just have to manage ONE mic line with the whole band in it, speeding things up so he doesnt have to worry about leveling, eq´ing and fx´ing the in stage monitors, just the main sound.

 

Now the problem is all mixers I saw have L and R xlr outputs, since they are stereo, and if possible I would like to send only 1 xlr line.

Why not give just 1 of the xlr outs? because I wanna hear my piano in stereo in stage at least biggrin.gif , dont mind coming out mono for the main sound. Also, we would pan the voices too so that each singer (we got 2) can hear himself separately on each side of the stage.

 

Is there a way to mix the 2 XLR outputs to 1 single mono xlr? (like in keyboards and modules when theres a L/MONO output) I havent found no cable that does that...

Will there be any problem about doing this? (Idk maybe the eq, or leveling that sound good in stage and we send doesnt do so to the main sound?)

 

Please give me your opinions and thanks in advance!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • CMS Author

Well, I think among other things one shouldn't be overly critical of another's skills if one doesn't have those skills either. I also think the signal path you describe is a mess and won't really solve anything. If you want to mix from the stage, then do so. Lots of bands do this. There's no point whatsoever in having the sound guy control only what is essentially a master volume, as the overall level should have been set, and the band should control its dynamics during the performance. If he can't mix, can you mix while you're playing? How would you handle feedback in the monitors should that occur? You also are sending what sounds like a monitor mix to front-of-house. That mix should be different than what the house gets, since the needs and levels present on stage are different.

 

Having said all that, if you need a mono mix, then as long as you keep all channels centered, you can use either the L or R main output as a mono signal. If you pan channels, that's a different situation entirely, and your setup will get even more complicated, as you'd need a 2-channel mixer to properly combine the L and R outputs. You can't simply Y-cable them into one output.

 

You might want to consider training someone to be your sound person, if you think you can do this. Keep in mind that experienced sound people get paid at least equal to what most 4-person band members earn individually. If they provide the gear, that price goes up rapidly. In sound as with most things in life, you get what you paid for. If you provide the gear and the sound person is essentially doing a 'briefcase gig', he/she should earn at least $125-200 per show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
By coming onto one of the most comprehensive pro audio message boards I've ever come across' date=' denigrating the core group of professionals who willingly share their experience, then proposing a less than stellar scenario... You're off to a spectacular start.[/quote']

 

Right! I have to edit that....

Believe me, these people who Im refering to are not part of the group of professionals you mention, I crearly said "almost nobody", since there are a few, some really good working professionals who are serious about their job and I have nothing but respect and care for them ( I really love them when they do the sonud of 1 of my gigs :love: )

 

Anyway I may have expressed wrong and make it appear I hate or dont appreciate sound experts, I DIDNT MEAN THAT! I just have little tolerance to these totally irresponsable people I find here, who are drinking or chatting while "working" and sometimes do not even have their equipment on, while the band is already playing!! Thats no sound guy, thats a deceitful pretender.

 

SO SOUND GUYS I LOVE YOU, DONT MEAN TO DISRESPECT YOU!!!

 

please dont make me come out bad/low in my next gig! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Is there a way to mix the 2 XLR outputs to 1 single mono xlr? (like in keyboards and modules when theres a L/MONO output) I havent found no cable that does that... Will there be any problem about doing this? (Idk maybe the eq, or leveling that sound good in stage and we send doesnt do so to the main sound?)

 

Please give me your opinions and thanks in advance!!

 

If you don't know the answer to the question you've asked, then you know even less than they do and you're in no position to be taking the kind of pompous measures that you're proposing. Maybe they aren't any good, but you're no better and pulling a stunt like this is just going to make everything worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

If I'm reading what you're asking correctly.......

 

The fact that you have a left and a right out on the board really isn't an issue. Put your board on the stage. Run all your stuff to it. Use the auxes to run to your speakers for the monitors. Put the balance for each channel in the center. Then the left and right output of the board are putting out the exact same signal. So you can run out of either the left or the right to go to the FOH.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I second running it from stage yourself. Use one side of the mix for mono out / some mixes come with a mono out. Use Aux to send your monitor signal (Do not use main outs for monitors). Making a decision to keep your sound professional and keeping tin hats off your system is important isnt it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Now that all the warnings and advice is out of the way, it should be fairly simple to do what your original question asked. What are you currently using for an onstage mixer? That will provide the information needed to advise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Ok man its just a bit black humor, I said what I really meant and believe about all this and edited everything so nobody gets me wrong.

Of course I dont know, thats why im asking. I know other stuff but its not my job to do the sound.

Im sure you and other experts here will know better than me, its no "stunt" its just trying to expedite things by doing all the stage sound by ourselves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
You also are sending what sounds like a monitor mix to front-of-house. That mix should be different than what the house gets' date=' since the needs and levels present on stage are different.[/quote']

 

I suspected that.... we´re few, only a trio (piano, guitar/voice, perc/voice) but what sounds good on stage from monitors might not sound so good from main speakers... thanks

 

What are you currently using for an onstage mixer? That will provide the information needed to advise.

 

Actually we only have a pair of PA speakers that I use for amp. the piano in rehersals (200w each).

I was thinking about getting a Yamaha Mg10 mixer, plug the trio into the mixer, hook the speakers to the mixer´s "monitor out" and send the "main out" of the mixer to the FOH, is that any clear? But as Craig mentioned, the mixing made in stage might need to be different than the main sound´s...

 

If you will, please give your opinions about that and maybe call some other options for "self live onstage monitoring" smile.png

 

PD: last gig we did, the monitoring (and idk how the main sound did) was SO AWFUL... we couldnt listen 1 voice, neither the piano, the guitar was really loud, the perc was really low.... I never want to suffer anything like that again, so thats why want to monitor ourselves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

If you will, please give your opinions about that and maybe call some other options for "self live onstage monitoring"

 

If you have a small mixer like you suggest, and speakers+amps or powered speakers to hook to that console, then you COULD do it with one or more of these (http://www.audiopile.net/MST-412-A) They allow you to split each stage signal into multiple outputs so that you can feed your own mixer for monitors, and then send the same stage signal to FOH so they can mix as required.

 

Does it work? Perfectly.

Is it simple? Relatively easy compared to other options.

Will your sound guy love it? Maybe if he doesn't have to hear anymore monitor complaints..

Will it fix your problems? Possibly, given enough time and effort.

 

You have to know enough to make your own stage mix sound good. You also have to work with only one monitor mix unless the board you buy has multiple sends, and you have the separate amps/speakers that would be required for multiple monitor mixes. You will then find that every time you add another mix, the level of complexity and distraction for someone trying to perform grows quickly. If you must find a self mix monitor solution, this can do it, but it is not what most of us would recommend to someone with limited knowledge and experience.

 

Finding a better BE is the best, and might be the easiest, solution to your issue.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Guys' date=' please, let's not pile on. We all made our point, and the OP explained what he really meant. He's run into a bunch of amateurs looking for free beer. If there weren't oodles of them, Bose wouldn't have such an extensive and successful line in the L1's.[/quote']Kindof funny, plenty of hearing damaged bands & fans hereabouts really don't care to sound any better than the "free beer" soundguys. And the nine piece horn band I play bass with has two L1's, bought before I joined after giving up on the lower cost local "sound companies". Of course they didn't really do the magic they expected ;) but work quite well if you know how to use them. We place them at the front of the stage pointing at each other - still need a monitor for the drummer who sings (and wears hearing aids except on stage facepalm.gif) and the keyboard player (who doesn't have an amp facepalm.gif). I've even gone ampless myself in lower volume gigs but we only have a pair of the B1's :( but we live in Bose land so plan to score another pair of B1's or a pair of B2's at employee cost :) .
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Hello, please help me on this: im thinking about taking charge of the stage sound for some of my gigs, plugging everything to a mixer plugged to 2 PA speakers as stage monitors and sending just 1 (ONE) XLR line the the master sound with everything already cooked (levels, eq, fx, etc..).

This way the FOH just have to manage ONE mic line with the whole band in it, speeding things up so he doesnt have to worry about leveling, eq´ing and fx´ing the in stage monitors, just the main sound.

 

If you really want to do it this way, what is the difficulty in sending TWO XLR lines to the FOH guy and have him adjust the levels in unison?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Why put them up front? I've never had them fail to work just fine behind the band.
I suppose that would work if we weren't stoopid loud. Having the L1's not blasting straight into the mics lets us turn them up louder. Also hearing damaged musicians have problems hearing with the sound coming from behind IME.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

OP, I need some clarification. What kind of gigs are we talking about.? Personally, I can't think of a gig where an in house tech would even let you do what you are suggesting. Not on their own gear anyway. I certainly would never let anyone plug my mics into their mixer and then send me a mono line - they could just go home at that point. So... let's make sure people will even let you do this before we go too much further into it.

 

I will say that even on the surface it's not a great idea. A much better idea would be to learn how to communicate and motivate the techs. Learn how to "speak sound". Learn how to tell the tech that there's a 250 drone in your monitor, and that you don't need banjo in the sidefills. As previously stated, an even better idea would be to hire a BE. Having your own band engineer who would take over tech duties would ensure you had consistent sound. If he was good, it would be consistently good, if he was average.... but at least it shouldn't ever be downright lousy - not if you get someone qualified.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Members

I don't see this as being a viable solution at all. Either mix from stage or find someone to mix you out front that knows what they are doing. With your suggestion you could snatch anyone out of the crowd and tell them to "move this fader up to make it louder". Sure your guy/gal would have EQ capability but that only goes so far. I can tell you if you showed up at one of our festivals and suggested such a thing to me I would be having a talk with the promoter about finding a quick replacement for either you or me. Not trying to be mean at all but without proper control out front, too many things can go wrong that can't be fixed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

OP, I have had precisely one artist do sort of what you are contemplating and, yes, it did work, but with caveats. This artist had a self-contained X32 Rack rig with all his wireless and other inputs in it and mixed himself via an iPad. Now, the following are the reasons it worked:

 

- Artist brought their own mics and other input sources. He used his own gear set up the way he liked it.

- Artist sent me a single XLR with his sound mixed to his personal taste.

- Artist had me put his mix into the monitors. Thus, what the audience heard is what he heard on stage, enabling him to mix satisfactorily.

- I did not mess with the artist's mix; it went into one channel, got adjusted to the right level, and piped to the mains and monitors untouched.

- The artist knew what he was doing and was prepared to handle the fact that the responsibility for the mix was his and his alone.

 

Easiest mixing job of the night by far.

 

Now, for your proposed situation, I see much grief in your future. Mixing your own monitors or in-ears yourself and then using a split to send the signals to FOH is viable, but not cheap. Your call. I'm with the poster ahead of me; the venues I work in would likely tell you your services are not needed and offer to help you load out quickly so we can load in your replacement quickly when they arrived.

 

My $0.02 - hire your own regular sound guy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...