Monitor Sends Mixing: Creating Effective Stage Mixes

Monitor sends mixing determines what performers hear on stage—critical for confident, in-tune performances. Each performer has different needs based on their role and preferences. Creating effective monitor mixes requires understanding these needs and managing the technical realities of stage monitoring.

Understanding Monitor Mix Purpose

Monitor mixes exist to help performers play and sing accurately. Musicians need to hear themselves, their bandmates, and timing references to perform well.

Unlike front-of-house mixes designed for audience enjoyment, monitor mixes serve purely functional purposes. What sounds good in monitors may sound unbalanced as a standalone mix.

Each performer needs different content based on their role. The bassist locks with the drummer; the lead vocalist needs pitch reference. One-size-fits-all monitoring rarely satisfies anyone.

Pre-Fader Send Configuration

Monitor sends should be pre-fader so performer monitors stay consistent regardless of FOH fader changes. When the engineer adjusts a guitar level for the audience, the guitarist’s monitor should not change.

Pre-fader sends tap the signal after gain and EQ but before the fader. Processing affects the monitor send, but level riding does not.

Verify the mixer’s aux sends are set to pre-fader for monitor buses. Some mixers default to post-fader; others allow per-channel or per-bus selection.

Building Individual Mixes

Start with the performer’s own source as the foundation. Vocalists hear themselves first; guitarists hear their guitar first. This self-monitoring is the primary need.

Add supporting elements based on performer requests. Common additions include drums for tempo, bass for pitch reference, and other vocals for blend.

Less is more in monitor mixing. Every additional source adds level and potential feedback. Include only what each performer actually needs.

Vocalist Monitor Mixes

Vocalists primarily need to hear their own voice clearly. Without this, pitch accuracy and dynamics suffer.

Supporting elements typically include drums (for tempo), bass or keyboards (for pitch reference), and other vocals (for harmony blending).

Reverb in vocal monitors can help singers feel more comfortable, simulating natural acoustic space. Keep reverb subtle; excessive reverb causes timing confusion.

Instrumentalist Monitor Mixes

Guitarists need enough of their own instrument to judge tone and level. They often need vocal cues for song structure and harmony entries.

Bassists lock rhythmically with drummers and need clear kick drum and hi-hat. Some bassists prefer minimal monitors, relying on stage amp sound.

Keyboardists need themselves clearly and often want a balanced overall mix to judge their contribution in context.

Drummer Monitor Mixes

Drummers typically need click track (if used), bass guitar, and vocals for song cues. They hear their kit acoustically and need less drum reinforcement in monitors.

The drum fill (monitor pointed at the drummer) faces the full kit’s acoustic output, making feedback less problematic than vocal wedges.

Drummers using in-ear monitors need more complete mixes since the earphones isolate them from acoustic kit sound.

Managing Stage Volume

High monitor volume creates feedback problems and drowns out FOH sound in small venues. Start with conservative levels and increase only as needed.

Reducing stage backline volume improves monitor situation. Lower guitar and bass amp volumes mean monitors don’t compete with amps.

In-ear monitors eliminate stage monitor volume entirely. The trade-off is isolation from room ambience that some performers find unsettling.

Soundcheck Procedure

Address monitors systematically during soundcheck. Work with one performer at a time, building their mix from scratch.

Have performers play at performance level while building mixes. Soundcheck dynamics should approximate actual show dynamics.

Cross-check mixes with the full band playing together. Interactions between monitors and overall stage sound reveal needs that isolated checking misses.

Communication with Performers

Clear communication prevents frustration. Ask performers what they need rather than assuming.

Use simple terms. “More vocal” communicates better than technical descriptions. Confirm adjustments were correct.

Hand signals during performance enable adjustments without stopping the music. Establish signals for “more,” “less,” and pointing at specific sources.

Monitor EQ Considerations

Monitor mixes may need different EQ than FOH. High-pass filtering aggressively (150+ Hz) reduces low-frequency feedback without affecting what performers actually need.

Ringing out monitors identifies feedback-prone frequencies for graphic EQ treatment. Each monitor position may need different EQ based on its acoustic relationship to nearby microphones.

Monitor EQ serves feedback control and clarity, not pristine tone. Accept that monitor sound differs from FOH sound.

Troubleshooting Monitor Issues

Performer cannot hear themselves: Increase their send to their monitor. Verify the send is actually going to their wedge.

Feedback from a monitor: Reduce sends to that monitor, identify which sources cause feedback, apply EQ to the monitor output.

Performer asks for conflicting changes: More of everything equals feedback. Help identify what they actually need most; trade-offs may be necessary.

Monitor sounds harsh or unpleasant: Check EQ on the monitor output and on contributing channels. Feedback control EQ may have created tonal problems.