Can't hear myself on stage.

[dockins13]

I can never hear myself in the monitor mix when we're playing live, so I'm looking for suggestions on other options. I've got a vague direction, like in-ears or my own monitor, but if any one has any experience with this, I'd love some outside input.

 

[CowboyNQ]

I think you’ve answered your own question.

I never leave my own monitoring up to the sound engineer - I always make sure I have my own. Whether it’s an IEM system or a wedge - you definitely want control of your own sound yourself.

 

[Biggles]

I used to have a pair of Ultimate in ear monitors.

A custom product specifically moulded for my own ears.

There are many companies offering similar products and the advantage of them is that they also offer sound attenuation so that will minimise hearing damage from regular and long term exposure to high sound levels.

 

[DaveL]

I use a 750 watt floor monitor and a Rolls PM 351 personal mixer. A signal goes to the sound guy, and I get my monitor mix and I can control my own monitor volume and the mix volume separately on the fly without affecting the main out to the sound board. This is indispensable.

 

[clb3chey]

the best thing i EVER did for my ears and my sound was buy IEM ( there are many , many good and inexpensive ear monitors now)

i use ear monitors with a little rolls headphone box/amp that combines my keyboard(s) mix with a sound / mix feed from the band- ( monitor mix or board FOH feed )--what ever works for you

this way you can hear your keyboards in high fidelity/stereo beautiful studio sound at your own pleasurable volume level...mix in your band mix , vocals, ect...

you are in easy complete contoll of your keyboard hearing and plus you dont have any extra heavy speaker/monitors or amps to carry around..

also...you ears are protected from loudness and the venues/rooms you perform in are always different sounding...but your sound is always good.

 

[hammondb31954]

I can never hear myself in the monitor mix when we're playing live, so I'm looking for suggestions on other options. I've got a vague direction, like in-ears or my own monitor, but if any one has any experience with this, I'd love some outside input.

 

[hammondb31954]

I can never hear myself in the monitor mix when we're playing live, so I'm looking for suggestions on other options. I've got a vague direction, like in-ears or my own monitor, but if any one has any experience with this, love some outside input.

Get a pair of open back headphones. You can hear what you want to hear plus whatever’s going on on stage.

 

[Briggy]

I’ve been going through this recently too and found a solution that works amazingly well for me.

I use IEMs and this is my set up, which gives me a great sound but also makes me feel like I’m on stage and not isolated. Nothing groundbreaking!

I use my own mixing desk and use 5 channels. What’s important for me here is my two stereo DI boxes, hopefully this won’t confuse things.

Channels 1&2 - I take my stereo out from my keyboard into my stereo DI, then from my DI into these channels (reasons for DI later)

Channels 3&4 - I have 2 condenser mics behind me high above my head to give me a stereo on stage sound. Also great for gigs where the drums aren’t mic’d. Mic placement for these are yet to be experimented with but already working well. They were only £45!

I pan 1&2 to L & R and the same with 3&4. Not a hard pan mind.

Channel 5 I take a monitor mix from the main desk where I get the mix I ask for. Mostly Vox and gtr. This gives me a great sound, complete control and also gives me an ambient sound without killing my ears.

The second DI I use takes the ‘Link’ from the first DI, then feeds out to the main desk. This gives me a feed to my desk and a feed to the main desk.

Reason or the two DIs. Many, including a better signal. But the main reason is my condenser mics require phantom power. So DI 1 protects my keyboards from that. The second DI is to protect from potential accidental phantom power usage from the main desk.

I hope that makes sense, not as complicated as it sounds and works great for me. I’m far from an expert here so others may think my solution is nutty.