|
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I now have options for sending an XLR signal to the house. One option is to send it from the last effect on the pedal board. The second option is to send it from the amp that I'm using as a monitor which is fed off another line out signal from the pedal board. My question is this . . . which is the preferred signal routing, or does it really make any difference? My initial thinking was to send it from the board because I can maintain control over my monitor volume regardless of what the sound engineer does with the house. I've played with it both ways and it seems that the house sound, to the extent I can hear it, is better when sent from the amp, but maybe its my imagination. A final option is to use a feed from the house mix into the monitor through a controller that is now mounted onto my music stand. This option would allow me to adjust the mix from the other instrumets and vocals, but the system is so new we haven't had a chance to really go through it, so it sits there unused for most of us. I could also use an ear bud from the monitor controller, in lieu of a powered amp/monitor, but unless they're custom made, they don't fit very well. I'm just looking for ways to improve the set up. Any advice or suggestions? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
September 2007
Posts: 153
Location: New Jersey, USA | When you take the signal from your pedal board, there is no preamp in the chain unless you have a preamp on the pedal board. When you take the signal from the line out of the monitor amp, the preamp from the monitor amp is now coloring the sound.
So, if the preamp is an essential part of your tone - or not - you can use those facts to make a decision.
However, if the onstage volume of the monitor amp affects the line out signal's volume, your sound engineer could be troubled by adjustments that you make.
I would say that both are valid choices, and that convenience and sound quality should be the basis for determining which to use. The other monitoring choices seem cool though, and are worth exploring... in which case it would decide this for you (you'd use the output from your FX). |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | If you are running through an amp, I'd just hang a Sennheiser amp mic in the front. To my ears, they always sound richer than direct connections. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | You got a nice set up BB. All I can tell you is what I do. The options are endless of course.
I'm assuming were just talking about a guitar here ...
For an A/E Adamas, plug the XLR into my little alesis mixer (or just skip it) and from there into the PA or board. I don't bother with a monitor. Alternatively, mic the guitar, then to the PA or board.
For an electric telecaster, plug into a DI box, then into the amp. Mic the amp with a PG 58 shure mic. Run the mic into the board. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Sound Engineer.... Oxymoron. :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Thanks, folks. As an update, I can't go without a monitor. The house speakers are on columns in front of and pointing away from us. I can't hear myself without a monitor. Same goes for the bass player (uses an amp as a monitor like me) and keyboardist (uses a powered monitor from a house feed and controls the mix himself).
I'll talk to the engineer about possibly micing the amp in lieu of the direct connect. I don't think he'll go for it as the drums and piano are already fully mic'd and he gripes a lot about how much noise those mics pick up from surrounding sources. A good possibility nonetheless.
One other idea . . . what about running two volume pedals, one at the board in front of lines out to the house and my amp/monitor, then a second between the board and the monitor? That way, I can increase the volume of the monitor without impacting the house signal. Maybe things would be much simpler if I just used the signal back from the house to the monitor and get myself trained on how to use the personal controller (and, of course, develop trust in the engineer and his trainees to give me a good signal!). |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by rpguitar:
When you take the signal from the line out of the monitor amp, the preamp from the monitor amp is now coloring the sound.
Not necessarily. Most pro acoustic amps have pre-EQ DI outputs, or the ability to switch the output to either pre or post-EQ/FX. If you don't trust the engineer go with post and tell him to set the channel at unity and leave it flat and dry. That way what comes from the main PA should be reasonably close to your usual sound from that amp. If the engineer knows what he is doing give him a pre EQ signal from the amp. Or better still go direct to the board and feed your amp from a pre-fade aux send. |
|
| |
Question for a sound engineer . . .
