What do you want in your monitor...

[bilboinsa]

...in a dance/rock band? That's what sound guys ask us when setting up. We have a new sound guy tonight, so I know he will ask me. I usually want to hear the keyboard (for tuning) and the vocalists. I can hear the drums and bass OK on stage.

So, who do you like in your ear/monitor?
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Doug Walsdorf

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[Billy B]

I like listening to the ball game.
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Bill Bergren

[jazz_trpt]

Depends on the stage volume of the other players.
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Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!

[radtrumpet.com]

I usually like the horns and a hint of keyboard...I agree that I can usually hear everything else too well due to stage volume.
One of my favorites was when one sound guy had the whole band blasting through the horn monitor and no horns coming through!!!!
That was a good time!!!!

[rockford]

So much depends on the band set up. Whatever it takes to hear the rhythm section and other instruments you otherwise would not be able to hear clearly....unless of course they aren't very good. I've tossed a coat over more than one monitor so I wouldn't have to listen to it all night.
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Bill Siegfried
NY/Mt. Vernon Bach trumpets. Yamaha flugelhorn and piccolo A/Bb, Monette and Hammond mouthpieces. Fender and Peavey Cirrus Bass Guitars. Ampeg and Genz-Benz amps. Embraer 170/175/190.

[Fleebat]

Plus one for what Jeff and radtrumpet said. Depends, but usually some keys, the horns & lead vox. If the system is sophisticated enough, I'll ask for just a hint of hi-hat. That helps with time & entrances in a larger venue when things get swirl-ey.

Rusty Russell

[gchun]

Generally, I'd like as little as possible as to not clutter the mix. Drums (not the entire kit, just hi-hat and snare only), something to get a pitch center (keys or guitar) and some horns coming back. There's a tendency of inexperienced soundmen that try to throw the entire kitchen sink into the mix. Kick drum and bass may sound cool, but they usually are naturally loud acoustically, plus sometimes it can add some weird time delays to the on stage sound. Most monitors don't have enough power and headroom for everything. So, try to do with the absolute minimum you need.

Also keep in mind, the gig volume usually increases significantly from the sound check volume.

On a side note, I was doing a show with a very talented impersonator. The sound guy came up to me during the rehearsal and asked what I wanted in the monitor. (Soundmen here don't have a good rep for monitor mixes.) I told him I didn't want any feedback! When I came back from the break, they had physically removed the monitor speaker!! I was actually happier without it as I find it hard to trust my hearing to soundmen that can't keep their monitors under control. I would rather do without monitors than trust an unknown soundman.

As guys like Tom Turner have recommended, sometimes the only way to do it right is to do it yourself. (Meaning: set up your own monitors that you control, if it is practical to do so.) It take time and hassles of lugging around more equipment, but the end results are worth it. Tom usually chimes in and I would take his suggestions very seriously.

Garry

[The Glidd]

All trumpet. Things are so much easier when you can hear yourself without effort.

[dschwab]

[TrumpetFunk]

Most important is me & what ever the other horns are + Kick, Snare & Bass, as it's all about groove & being in the pocket.

A splash of vocals incase they skip a verse or chorus (they will), unless I can already hear them in their own monitors or a sidewash.

If I'm off to one side, a bit of whatever rhythm (guitar keys etc.) are the far side. I can already hear the guys behind me

I'm not sure why Fleebat & gchun want hi-hat, but that's their monitor, not mine

[Fleebat]

Hi-hat is for subdivision. Do a few hundred sessions, and you'll understand that if you listen to the snare for groove, you're reacting to it, not playing it. I've spent about 3/4 of my studio time in the rhythm section; any good-groovin' bass player will tell you that the one thing he HAS to hear is the hat. In fact, a good engineer or producer who hears that someone isn't locking well will often secretly bump the hi-hat in that person's headphone mix. If the guy can hang, this will usually do the trick.

BTW, this is even more true on larger stages, and hyper-important on huge stages like stadiums. Check the hat. That's where it's at.

RR

[dershem]

Depends on what I can't hear clearlyon stage. I want to be able to hear the bass, hi-hat, keyboard and lead vocal clearly, as that's where I get most of my cues from, so I ask for the ones that were not clear during warm-up.
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[farnellnewton]

When I do funk,hip hop or latin music. I always wants Keyboard, Lead Vocal, Bass and the Horns. All of those at different volumes

I just love when everything is in the monitors blasting but not horns no where to be found. The chops always feels great after that...

farnell
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Farnell Newton
Professor of Jazz Trumpet
Portland State University

Trumpeter, Composer & Hip Hop Producer
(503) 997-2071
www.farnellnewton.com

[bairdstudio]

The important stuff... Bass guitar, high hat, bass drum, keys and a little vocals. Then set... high hat, bass drum are a must though. Everything else I just need a little of...

[KRossum]

[dschwab]

[Michael Bankston]

I like horns, keys, vocals, and some kick drum if it's too far away.
Hey, in following this thread I've seen every instrument mentioned except guitar. Do any of you play with guitar players who have any concept of dynamic contrast or should that be a new topic?

[bilboinsa]

[spankeythecat]

I usually just have myself in the foldback, nothing worse than not being able to hear yourself while playing. The difference I find in how my lips are after a gig where i can or cant hear myself is amazing. Other than that, I can usually hear everything pretty clearly (standing front of stage in front of most of the guitar/bass amps and drummer), and being the keys player as well i dont need to hear that when im playing horn. If anything i get a little guitar if its a large stage and the guitarists are far away.

how about foldback placment? ive found the best to actually be when ive had a foldback on a raiser, bringing it that much closer to me.

another question, how do people find reflectors? not necessairly the large sheets, but even the small portable ones that go on the mic stand. I havnt used one but am keen to see what people think.

Tim
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[trumPF]

In most of the set-ups I've been in, bass just takes too much room in the monitor mix, crowding out everything else, so I usually ask to leave it out and rely on keyboards for a pitch reference. No vocals, but definitely need some drums/percussion. With just those two things, I can ask for some horns in the mix and the volume usually stays under control. As previously said, it definitely depends on what situation you're in.
I definitely use reflectors on loud gigs! The best I've found is the foot square plexiglass from Home Depot with a one inch hole in the middle for the mike. Saved me on many a salsa gig!