I want to do my own monitor mix. But have questions.

[knucklebot]

I have a situation here. I play shows with my band and there is a sound guy who does the sound. Imagine that? Well out front it sounds great, but behind the monitor, I can never hear myself, the monitors sound DEAD.

 

So here's what I want to do. I want to bring my own monitor. I would like to use a couple splitters. I have a Line6 L2T with 2 inputs and essentially 2 mixers on board. I would like to do the following, but don't know about impedance and all of that.

 

I want to take the microphone and split it so I plug the mic into a box and one output goes to FOH and one output goes to my Line6 monitor

 

I want to take my LR Baggs Venue DI and have the 1/4" out go into a box and one output goes to FOH and one output goes to my Line6 Monitor

 

I realize the LR Baggs has an XLR out but prefer to use the 1/4" so I can control the volume as I use different guitars without volume control.

 

I also would use the 2nd 1/4" splitter box for another tube amp that has a 1/4" DI out. So I'd have to unplug and plug in the LR Baggs Venue or the Tube amp into the 1/4" box depending on what I'm using (tube amp or LR Baggs Venue preamp)

 

I've posted this in a couple other places and nobody seems to understand what I'm trying to do here. I'm simply trying to supply my own monitor mix with 2 Splitter boxes, one splitter box with XLR in > 2 XLR out and one splitter box with 1/4" in and 2 1/4" out.

 

Thanks

[6Imzadi]

Does the band own the PA? The sound guy? If the sound guy, could he improve the monitor mix for you even if you did get a new monitor? What about a monitor mixer or in ear monitors. Lots of possibilities.

 

As far as using those splitters; They would work. In the context of the rest of the band, how would the eventual stage volume war play out?

[dboomer]

That's fine. Just do it as you've outlined I'm not seeing a question here?

[OneEng]

The monitor system is the main cause of feedback in the PA. It is very possible that the reason you can't hear yourself is that the stage volume is already too loud, and the monitors are up as loud as they can be without getting feedback. Most systems I see in bars are like this.

 

If you get a split off of the mains and then amp up your monitor volume, you may well start a feedback loop that the guy at the mixer now has no ability to stop.

 

Most guitar players complain about the quality of the monitor mix because it doesn't sound like their tube amp and cab when they are sitting in the basement jamming. If you are having difficulty hearing your guitar, get an amp stand that tilts it up and point it at your head and away from the audience. That should fix your issue with hearing the guitar (if that is your issue).

 

If you can't hear your vocals, you have a bigger issue as a guitar player. In that case, you are better off getting IEM's (wired at first to see if you can stomach them). You will be able to hear your vocals very well at that point, but you likely won't like the tone of your guitar through the IEM's.

 

Hope this helps.

[Dookietwo]

Be sure if possible to have the same ac power to both you and your sound persons location. Don't want to have a ground loop problem or worse. Also any phantom power in these microphones. In "general" you only want 1 of the desk to be providing phantom power.

 

Dookietwo

[Shaster]

If this is a "pro" set up, then the tech might not even allow you to mess with his game plan. However if it is pro, then he should work with you until it's how you like it, or at least explain why he can't make it any better.

 

If it's a more relaxed situation where you know the tech, why not ask if you can fix the monitors yourself? I actually do this once in a while, when I personally know the tech, and realize he can't be bothered, or is too rushed to deal with monitors. But... don't try this approach with just anyone!!

 

As well, some techs often want to have monitors at a volume that precludes feedback, and too much stage wash. Also, a loud monitor will sometimes make a singer project less, and further increase the chance of feedback and stage noise coming through the vocal mic. So when the monitors are at a safe volume, sometimes that volume is a little too safe, or as you say "dead".

 

So find out if a fix is available before bringing in equipment. If not, be sure to ask before you start stepping on the wrong toes. My opinion anyway.

[RoadRanger]

Most guitar players complain about the quality of the monitor mix because it doesn't sound like their tube amp and cab when they are sitting in the basement jamming. If you are having difficulty hearing your guitar, get an amp stand that tilts it up and point it at your head and away from the audience. That should fix your issue with hearing the guitar (if that is your issue).

But then it will sound like carp to you just like it does to the audience - can't have that .

 

Seriously a floor tlltback will maintain the floor coupling that is especially important to an open-back combo - but it will still icepick you just like you've been icepicking the audience all them years <facepalm>.

 

<PS the editor in this forum software seriously blows>

 

[OneEng]

But then it will sound like carp to you just like it does to the audience - can't have that .

 

Seriously a floor tlltback will maintain the floor coupling that is especially important to an open-back combo - but it will still icepick you just like you've been icepicking the audience all them years <facepalm>.

 

<PS the editor in this forum software seriously blows>

Good .... or bad, if the amp is facing you (instead of the back of your knees) you will hear it on a tiltback stand. Setting up like that may well have a side effect of a guitar player getting the ice pick frequencies out of the mix ..... although more often than not what I have seen instead is that once a guitar player points the cab at his head, he complains that it is too loud and puts ear plugs in so he can still turn it up louder <facepalm>