Monitors: how much guitar through them?

Happyorange27 · June 16, 2013, 03:17:45 PM

I figured Trey uses monitors to assist in guitar sustain. I know it helps me. I might have at least 50% of my total volume come from monitors in a gig. But in the recent Trey video he said he only wants vocals coming out of his monitors. Not sure if that excludes guitar or not. What is your preference?

picture_of_nectar · June 16, 2013, 04:19:44 PM

I like to hear my guitar in the monitor, but I'm not really a singer. Having good monitor sound can help you reduce your amp volume and overall stage volume. It's a balancing act and changes with the room...

the_great_lemon · June 16, 2013, 08:29:57 PM

I almost always prefer using my amp as my monitor onstage, and leaving the monitors with just my vocals. Depending on the room, ill add a little guitar here and there to the onstage mix. I like my tone better coming out of the amp itself.

ColForbin · June 17, 2013, 10:46:10 AM

I take vocals and a lot of keys in my monitor. It's the only way I get to hear everyone. I am in the camp where my amp is my monitor for guitar, but my band mates like having guitar in their monitor mixes.

Happyorange27 · June 17, 2013, 10:47:43 AM

Suppose i need to upgrade my PA so that I can customize each players monitor mix. That would solve many issues.

ColForbin · June 17, 2013, 11:00:17 AM

Quote from: Happyorange27 on June 17, 2013, 10:47:43 AM
Suppose i need to upgrade my PA so that I can customize each players monitor mix. That would solve many issues.

This is how Jimmy Herring rolls, volume pedals for his monitor mix. That guy is ridiculous.

Happyorange27 · June 17, 2013, 11:22:24 AM

This is freaking awesome^. Thanks for sharing. I would step it up a notch by using Visual Sound pedals so that you know which pedal is set at, for some reference points.

Hans Moleman · June 17, 2013, 11:33:18 AM

Jimmy Herring is the man. The volume pedal thing is so over the top, I love it.

Generally speaking, the lower the stage volume, the better the sound front of house. It's one reason bands switch to in-ear monitors. Personally, it depends on the stage. I only want to put stuff in the monitors that I can't hear well otherwise - so usually just vocals. In improv situations where I'm comping for other band members I'll lower my volume a bunch and move closer to them, which makes sense because I don't want to be too loud, I'm not the focus. When I'm playing a solo on the other hand, the volume goes right back up. In composed sections I find it doesn't matter nearly as much. Usually all I need to hear then is bass and drums. All that being said, I'm playing on stages that are probably 1/1000th the size of the ones Jimmy Herring is playing with Panic.

Happyorange27 · June 17, 2013, 11:41:13 AM

For years i have been doing the poor man's mix with the PA. Left channel goes to monitors and right channel goes to FOH. If the monitors need more or less of a channel, I pan it accordingly then adjust the channel fader to get the balance. It's not too shabby but you lose stereo effects and such.

Heady Jam Fan · June 17, 2013, 01:13:09 PM

Wow, Herring is nuts!

I tend to go with the sentiment that my speaker cab is my monitor as well. Like what Trey said in his video - he needs to hear the rest of the band, then he never has to create melodies for his leads, just play off of what he hears. I think that makes the music more alive and complex - you get all sorts of feedback-loops where a melody is interpreted and reinterpreted and altered and affects the entire direction of the song. Otherwise, you might as well play along with BIAB

Sometimes when I listen to Phish I focus on listening to Gordon and Page for rhythmic and melodic influences on Trey's leads. I have a tendency to focus on Trey, which I think translates to focusing on my playing when I am jamming with a band. Consciously focusing on how other members of Phish are influencing Trey's leads helps me to get out of my head and into the band mix when playing.

picture_of_nectar · June 18, 2013, 01:54:31 PM

Playing small bars I've had a hard time getting my amp up to the volumes I want, for tone, without pissing off the guys in my band. Seems to be a constant struggle...finding the tone I want, without overpowering the band, mostly the vocals. The conclusion I've come to is that a pissed off band makes for a crappy show, even if it's just one member. So I sacrifice what I'd ideally choose volume-wise as a compromise for everyone's happiness.

But when the band starts rocking loud it's easy to get lost in the mix. So I've found having a little of my own sound in the monitor mix helps prevent getting totally buried.

Having good quality monitors helps. I have a QSC PA system and the sound is really good. If it were shitty house monitors I'd probly only use amp sound.

It's a balancing act with lots of variables...and always a learning process.

I think one advantage Trey has is that his sound is likely nearly the same at every gig. Wouldn't that be nice!!!

Heady Jam Fan · June 18, 2013, 03:30:39 PM

Quote from: picture_of_nectar on June 18, 2013, 01:54:31 PM
Playing small bars I've had a hard time getting my amp up to the volumes I want, for tone, without pissing off the guys in my band. Seems to be a constant struggle...finding the tone I want, without overpowering the band, mostly the vocals. The conclusion I've come to is that a pissed off band makes for a crappy show, even if it's just one member. So I sacrifice what I'd ideally choose volume-wise as a compromise for everyone's happiness.

But when the band starts rocking loud it's easy to get lost in the mix. So I've found having a little of my own sound in the monitor mix helps prevent getting totally buried.

Having good quality monitors helps. I have a QSC PA system and the sound is really good. If it were shitty house monitors I'd probly only use amp sound.

It's a balancing act with lots of variables...and always a learning process.

I think one advantage Trey has is that his sound is likely nearly the same at every gig. Wouldn't that be nice!!!

Interesting - the last band I played in, setting my MKIII similarly to how Trey sets his, I sat perfectly in the band mix at practices in the garage, but needed to turn up for gigs.