Ok, so we have become louder and louder and need monitors terribly now, we have been running 10'' speakers from out PA getting the same mix obviously... so if we wanted to invest, active or passive? we have a nice 1500w amp so we have the power but im not sure how to use it to power monitors that would get a monitor mix instead of the PA mix? maybe i just need some general guidance any advice?
"my choice is what i choose to do
and if i'm causing no harm
it shouldn't bother you
your choice is who you choose to be
and if your causin' no harm
then you're alright with me"
~Ben Harper
What model mixer are you using? I am asking this to determine if you can get a seperate monitor mix. But most mixer channels have seperate controls for the mains and monitors that allow you to get a different mix. For example, sometimes I mic our guitars and send them out the front of house speakers. But I will put a little of our other guitarist's guitar in the monitors so our bass player on the far side of the stage can hear him. I do not put my guitar in the monitors because I set up next to the bass and he can hear me well.
I send the main mix to one side of the amp, and the monitor mix to the other side of the amp, and power the respective speakers off of each.
What model amp do you have?
What model speakers are those and what is the impedence (ohms)?
As far as passive or active monitors, active are nice if you can afford them. Then you could use your amp to power more speakers or subs.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
we have a
QSC RMX1450 Power Amplifier (1450watts)
Yamaha MG12/4 12-Input 4 Bus Mixer
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-MG124-12Input-4-Bus-Mixer?sku=630049
the speakers we are currently using for monitors are 10" carvins that are 150 or 200 watts i think 4ohms ill have to look to double check and they arent around our main speakers are 15'' yamaha with 800watts
ill tell you a little more about out set up too.. the bassist is working on getting a rig so for now he plays straight through a DI box into the PA the guitars go through Marshall 100w 1/2 stacks and when we are spread out the drummer really needs a monitor for the bass, the guitars can be heard fairly well but in tight spaces where the drums are between the guitars it can be difficult to hear each other. i hope thats all the info you need. thanks in advance for the advice.
"my choice is what i choose to do
and if i'm causing no harm
it shouldn't bother you
your choice is who you choose to be
and if your causin' no harm
then you're alright with me"
~Ben Harper
Bass through the monitors is tough...
I'll leave the details to Wes, as he is more up to date than I am.
If you look at the manual for the mixer you'll see where they show running the monitors and the pre button is pushed in.
Joe
we had a show tonight, we tried a new thing, ran our PA speakers chained on CHN 1 and then ran teh AUX out to CHN 2 and ran the monitors off that, we were able to control the mix from out AUX know on the sound board, worked out well we just need some new monitor ours BLOW and we only have 2 makes it hard...
"my choice is what i choose to do
and if i'm causing no harm
it shouldn't bother you
your choice is who you choose to be
and if your causin' no harm
then you're alright with me"
~Ben Harper
As said before, getting bass through the monitors can be a chore unless you spend the money for a nice monitor just for the drummer. Aside from that, tell the drummer to get some in ear monitors. Once they get used to them they don't want to play without them.
