Where should I place my keyboard speakers during practice?

[mkamoski]

Where should I place my keyboard speakers during practice?

We play progressive rock in a small 20x30 practice room.

We have 2 guitarists, 1 bassist, 1 drummer, and 1 keyboardist.

We all play through our amps.

I play through two 15" Behringer powered PA speakers/monitors.

I currently place the speakers just behind my piano bench, one on my right and one of my left.

This seems to work OK but I wonder if there is a better spot.

What do you think?

 

 

[Shaster]

Maybe same L/R position but in front of your bench. Or, one on each side of your bench. Kind of like a big pair of headphones.

Or you could just leave well enough alone - obviously your call.

[Tullsterx]

Are they on the floor? Are you more concerned with hearing yourself or the rest of the band hearing you during practice. 

I keep mine on the floor behind-to-the-side during shows, so that's I'm not competing with the FOH, but, elevate them during practice.

Raising the speakers can do wonders for your clarity during practice. 

[Tomm Williams]

It's only your rehearsal space, can you hear yourself?

[mkamoski]

Yes, I was thinking moving them up to be alongside my bench (rather than slightly behind my bench).

The trick is (I think) to both be able to hear myself and (at the same time) make sure my volume is right for the rest of the band to hear me.

 

 

[mkamoski]

 

>>> Are they [the speakers] on the floor?

They are on the floor, but I have some tripod-pole stands that I plan to try as an experiment.

>>> Are you more concerned with hearing yourself or the rest of the band hearing you during practice?

I am more concerned with "being heard by myself" but a close second is "being heard by the rest of the band" during practice.

If I cannot hear myself, then it is hit-or-miss as to whether or not I am playing what I intend, etc-- so it must start there.

But, the band must also hear me, in order to interact properly and etc.

Plus, at the same time, I need to be not so loud that I cannot hear others.

I have found that it is trickly because since the speakers are so close to me, I tend to sound like I might be playing too loud while at the same time I may be actually playing too soft from the perspective of the other players-- so, I am trying to find the best read on that situation. In general, I have taken to playing a bit louder than I think I need to play, to offset the difference in hearing perspective between me and the others listening.

Overall, however, the main thrust of my quesiton comes from the fact that I am new to this and I wanted to hear what other people think about the matter, to see if there are any clear do's and dont's on it. Etc.

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

[mkamoski]

>>> Maybe same L/R position but in front of your bench. Or, one on each side of your bench. Kind of like a big pair of headphones

 

Yes, I think the "big pair of headphones" approach might be the way to go and I plan on trying that. Thanks!