Quote:

...and then there was the standard FOH and Monitor consoles. ...

...This procedure can't be followed if you are mixing monitors from the FOH console using a pre fade aux send. Won't be enough gain on some instruments for effective monitors. In this case set the gain to just below clip.



The thing is, - this isn't 'standard' to have separate mains and monitor mixing boards for shows that most of us will perform in or even mix. BIABguy didn't even have someone that could check the house mix beforehand. I'm sure it was standard for the guys teaching the class. They even have likely multiple backups for the monitor engineer at their gigs. Actually, most of the big shows now do digital consoles and they don't have to touch much of anything - fades and mixes are programmed and they sit back and have a smoke for most of the time.

I have heard of that method before but as you point out, it really doesn't work if you are running monitors on aux sends that are pre-fader; which is the bog standard way of running monitor mixes for most smaller, non arena gigs. There are other problems with it as well depending on the fader taper ABOVE zero. Depending on the manufacturer and model, the throw you have available above zero may give you 26 dB of control, but it's in a much smaller linear space.

I would much rather put solos and such punched into subgroups and give those groups the extra gain, if necessary, on a grouped fader rather than singled fashion, and know that I've protected myself from individual channel distortion as best possible.

I've got to ask - do you actually do gigs this way? What has been your experience with it? It seems really weird to 'mix' at the trim controls with the much more limited travel/gain ratio that exists on the pots rather than the facers. It even defies the naming convention of the item itself.

I'm always willing to learn a new way of doing things if it makes my life easier with higher quality results.

My Songs, photos, writing,etc.
My Sound Cloud