What The? How Many Monitor Mixes?

[Thunderbroom]

I started a thread a day or so ago asking about some PA stuff including getting assistance on a stage plot (which was requested by the house engineer running sound for us at a venue next weekend).

 

Here's what I sent him earlier today:

 

 

Here's the email that I just got from him:

 

I only have 1 mix available for floor monitors. Hence, I run 3 monitors (2 ohm load). I hope you can work with that. I would suggest in-ears, however, I do not have an available send downstage. Sorry.

 

WTF?!?

[Thumper]

 

This guy is a sound engineer?

[gspointer]

No offense, but he does not seem likely to have much of a PA, how soon is the gig, and any chance of bringing your own PA?

Otherwise, get a "poor-mans splitter" from Mark and run your own monitors. Kinda interesting that the dude wants a plot and has only 1 aux send, and 1 amp channel available. I am a little curious what his monitors are that 3 = 2 ohms.

 

Another option is a TRS-XLR snake, plug into your board and use your direct outs to send him the split.

 

If you do either, make damn sure no-one uses any phantom power.

[gspointer]

This is their mixing board

 

 

I dont recognize it, I am sure someone does. It looks to me to have 6 aux sends. He shouldn't have any issues giving at least 4 mixes, 5 if he only runs 1 fx send.

Maybe you can offer to bring wedges, EQ's and power amps?

 

If his snake doesn't have enough returns, get some gender changers, and switch a couple sends into returns.

 

I don't see this as a "prima-donna" issue. 1 mon mix is absurd. Any-one should be able to provide at least 4.

 

I suspect he is a fairly inexperienced sound guy. I hope it all works out well for you guys.

[Guttermouth]

This is their mixing board I dont recognize it, I am sure someone does. It looks to me to have 6 aux sends. He shouldn't have any issues giving at least 4 mixes, 5 if he only runs 1 fx send. Maybe you can offer to bring wedges, EQ's and power amps? If his snake doesn't have enough returns, get some gender changers, and switch a couple sends into returns. I don't see this as a "prima-donna" issue. 1 mon mix is absurd. Any-one should be able to provide at least 4. I suspect he is a fairly inexperienced sound guy. I hope it all works out well for you guys.

 

 

it looks like an older allen and heath. he probably doesn't have the amps to run more than 2 or three monitor mixes.

[brake]

The PA we have at the club is of a fair size (loud) but it's quite basic... if a band made a big fuss about not being able to get more than the 1 monitor mix I can give them I'd tell them to go pound sand. I just don't have the gear for it. None of the PA belongs to me and the club is only open for shows which barely break even as is so nothing gets bought for it.

[gspointer]

 

The PA we have at the club is of a fair size (loud) but it's quite basic... if a band made a big fuss about not being able to get more than the 1 monitor mix I can give them I'd tell them to go pound sand. I just don't have the gear for it. None of the PA belongs to me and the club is only open for shows which barely break even as is so nothing gets bought for it.

 

 

????

 

Is this your PA? are you quoting something I missed?

[Thunderbroom]

???? Is this your PA? are you quoting something I missed?

 

Not unless we're playing in Canada next weekend.

 

How do you know the board you pictured belongs to the sound guy at our venue next weekend?

[brake]

 

???? Is this your PA? are you quoting something I missed?

 

 

 

 

No, I'm a sound guy at a small club and I'm telling you what his situation might be.

[gspointer]

Not unless we're playing in Canada next weekend. How do you know the board you pictured belongs to the sound guy at our venue next weekend?

 

I don't. I found it on a pic in sammys site, and as a DJ is using it, and it appears excessive for a dj, i surmised it might belong to the club.

[gspointer]

 

No, I'm a sound guy at a small club and I'm telling you what his situation might be.

 

 

 

So would a big fuss be asking what the limiting factor is and offering solutions? I am a little suprised a club system would only have 1 monitor send. Every band I have seen that has anything more than a powered head has at least 2 mixes. I use 5 monitor mixes, I would need at least 2. I think everyone singing a lead vocal should have their own mix.

[brake]

 

So would a big fuss be asking what the limiting factor is and offering solutions?

 

 

 

 

No. I didn't say it would be.

[Richy]

 

it looks like an older allen and heath. he probably doesn't have the amps to run more than 2 or three monitor mixes.

 

 

Assuming that's their mixer (which we don't know), I'm with Guttermouth. Looks like old A & H. Good gear, more than capable of looking after you if you take your own leads and (powered) monitors.

[Jazz Ad]

I see 4 output mixers and 4 undergroups on the mixer so assuming he runs the PA stereo and keeps a different submix for recording the performance, it leaves at least 2 different mixes for the monitors.

[Thunderbroom]

 

I see 4 output mixers and 4 undergroups on the mixer so assuming he runs the PA stereo and keeps a different submix for recording the performance, it leaves at least 2 different mixes for the monitors.

 

 

I'm not convinced that that is his PA nor the club's in the pic.

[Renfield]

I've had more mixes available to me in a club that held 100 people.

 

Hell, the last PA I had to rent, a powered mixer with built in power for the monitors too (Yorkville PM16) had 2 mon mixes available to it, and it was an all in one board. Underpowered for our needs, but everything was there in one.

[ThudMaker]

This doesn't sound that unbelievable for a place that doesn't have bands on a regular basis. If they don't, why would the club have a system that could have 4 or 5 monitor mixes?

[Thunderbroom]

 

This doesn't sound that unbelievable for a place that doesn't have bands on a regular basis. If they don't, why would the club have a system that could have 4 or 5 monitor mixes?

 

 

They after a national tour there tonight (Warped) with three bands. I'm wondering how that's going.

[Robin]

 

This doesn't sound that unbelievable for a place that doesn't have bands on a regular basis. If they don't, why would the club have a system that could have 4 or 5 monitor mixes?

 

 

Kinda what I was thinking.

 

If they're not bringing anything to supplement the stage mix, throw some vox in the monitors and go with it. At least the guy is nice enough to let 'em know wassup a week ahead of time.

[ThudMaker]

They after a national tour there tonight (Warped) with three bands. I'm wondering how that's going.

That would make me wonder, too. If he has stated that perhaps you can tap off for in-ears, I'm wondering if they mind if you can bring some extra stuff for your own additional monitors on stage. That kind of defeats the enjoyment of plug and play, though.

[Thunderbroom]

 

Kinda what I was thinking. If they're not bringing anything to supplement the stage mix, throw some vox in the monitors and go with it. At least the guy is nice enough to let 'em know wassup a week ahead of time.

 

 

Here's the email that I received this week that prompted this and the other thread:

 

Please forward an input list (w/ inserts)/stage plot to this email.

 

The 2 wireless units should have XLR cable outs. Please bring cables with male XLR tails for the wireless units. I am planning on being the FOH engineer that evening. I think I will have an LD as well. Let me know if you carry an LD. If so, I won't hire one for the evening. We use light jockey as the FOH lighting console w/ 8 K of cans and 12 scanners/intelligent lights. We also have video on three (3)- 9' x 12' screens. Please let me know if you have any video production/media for the show. If not, we usually just project the image of the band on our screens during the performance.

 

Load in can be at 1:00 pm and sound check at 1:30 pm on Friday -or- Load in any time after 1:00 pm and line check is at 9:00 pm. You may load in hrough the front door. Showtime is 10:00 pm depending on the turnout. Three (3) 45 min. sets. I assume there is NO opener. One (1) merch booth can be set up in the back of the room. Artist can take 100% of merch sales. Please find the performance agreement below.

 

XXXX's Performance Contract

Friday, May, 2 2008

Load in: 1:00 pm

Sound Check: 2:00 pm or line check at 9:00 pm

Set time: 10:00- 2:00 am (3 sets)

 

Band to supply full compliment of microphone stands.

 

Club will provide sound, lights, mics, and sound/lighting engineers. Club will provide free draft beer and pop between 8:00 pm and 2:00 am to any band

member on the night of the performance. PLease forward any additional food/beverage riders for approval atleast 1 week prior to the performance to

xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx. Any band members under 21 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone (preferably a parent) and must exit the premises following the set performance. lease forward any performance/production riders to Xxxxxx from XXXX at xxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx. Please note that the venue does not have a green room or dressing rooms on premises. However, reasonable beverage accommodations may be made at a local hotel if the act decides to rent a room for the evening. Please let Xxxxx from Xxxxxxxx know atleast 2 weeks prior to the performance.

 

Guest lists (Max. 7 people total) must be submitted to the club before 8:00 pm on the performance day. Band may sell merchandise at the venue. Please inform Xxxxxx from XXXX if you plan to sell merchandise. Space will be provided. Video and audio taping of the performance is strictly prohibited.

 

This seems to be pretty well thought out. I think it's reasonable to assume from this email that asking for more than one mix wouldn't be an issue. I spent a great deal of time putting together the stage plot to find that we're gonna get one monitor mix. At least we now have a stage plot.

[Phantasm]

Good luck with this "sound engineer."

 

If the gig pays well... just have him put all the vox in the monitors and roll with it. Anything more than that will probably make his head explode.

[Thunderbroom]

 

Good luck with this "sound engineer." If the gig pays well... just have him put all the vox in the monitors and roll with it. Anything more than that will probably make his head explode.

 

 

For a bar gig, it's paying decently.

 

My personal issue with this is that this is the first time my band (in almost three years of gigging) has played a bar near my town. I've got quite a few people that say they are coming out. I want us to sound our best. I'm really leary based on the email exchange I've had with this guy this week.

[Renfield]

- snip - This seems to be pretty well thought out. I think it's reasonable to assume from this email that asking for more than one mix wouldn't be an issue. I spent a great deal of time putting together the stage plot to find that we're gonna get one monitor mix. At least we now have a stage plot.

 

100% correct. My eye twitched when I read that they only had one mix, why even ask for a stage plot? You are so asking for things that just don't matter to a club with a system so lacking. Bob Sageting hell, I've used more PA as a desk before.

[Robin]

This seems to be pretty well thought out. I think it's reasonable to assume from this email that asking for more than one mix wouldn't be an issue. I spent a great deal of time putting together the stage plot to find that we're gonna get one monitor mix. At least we now have a stage plot.

 

And a decent stage plot it is. Rule # 1 on advancing gigs is as you probably know, ask for the world and hope it's there on arrival.

 

Couple of red flags here though ...

 

"bring your own cables for your wirelesses ..."

"load-in at 1:00 - soundcheck at 1:30 ..."

 

Seems like they're paying more attention to the peripherals than their actual gear list ....other than the video & lighting.