Stage Monitor Setup: Configuring Wedges for Performer Needs

Stage monitor setup determines whether performers can hear themselves and each other clearly enough to deliver confident, in-tune performances. Poor monitoring causes pitchy singing, tempo drift, and general musical discomfort. Proper setup requires understanding performer needs and configuring systems to meet them efficiently.

Monitor Types and Configurations

Floor wedges remain the most common stage monitor type for small to medium productions. These angled speaker cabinets sit on the stage floor, projecting upward toward performers’ ears. Popular models include the Yamaha DXR series, QSC K.2 series, and EV PXM-12MP.

Side-fill monitors cover broad stage areas where individual wedges cannot reach. Positioned at stage edges and aimed across the performance area, side-fills provide general mix coverage. Larger stages may use multiple side-fill positions.

Drum fills face the drum kit, providing reinforcement for the drummer who sits behind the main PA coverage and often behind other performers’ wedges. Drummers typically need different mix content than front-line performers.

In-ear monitoring systems deliver individual mixes through earphones, eliminating floor monitor placement concerns and feedback risk. Systems from Shure, Sennheiser, and Audio-Technica serve professional touring applications, while budget options from Behringer and Galaxy Audio suit smaller productions.

Positioning Floor Wedges

Wedge placement should position the speaker where it aims at the performer’s ears while remaining out of microphone pickup patterns. For vocalists, wedges typically sit at the front edge of the stage, directly in front of the performer, aimed upward.

Cardioid microphones reject sound from directly behind. Placing the wedge behind the microphone position—from the microphone’s perspective—takes advantage of this rejection. The wedge faces the performer while presenting its back to the microphone.

Distance between wedge and performer affects both level requirement and feedback susceptibility. Closer placement requires less volume for equivalent perceived loudness. Excessive distance necessitates higher levels that increase feedback risk.

Angling the wedge correctly ensures high-frequency content reaches the performer’s ears. Wedges aimed too flat spray high frequencies along the floor. Wedges angled too steeply miss ears and hit torsos. Most performers benefit from wedges aimed at roughly 45 to 60 degree angles.

Aux Send Configuration

Monitor mixes route through auxiliary sends on the mixing console. Each aux send can drive a separate monitor mix, allowing different content for different stage positions. Small systems might use a single aux send for a universal monitor mix, while larger productions provide individual mixes per performer.

Pre-fader aux sends maintain consistent monitor levels regardless of front-of-house fader changes. When the FOH engineer adjusts a channel fader, the monitor send remains unaffected. This independence prevents monitor disruption during the show.

Post-fader aux sends track with FOH fader movements. These suit applications where monitor content should follow FOH changes, though this is uncommon for traditional wedge monitoring.

Aux master controls set overall level for each monitor feed. Individual channel aux sends determine how much of each source goes to each mix, while the aux master controls overall mix level sent to the monitor amplifier or powered wedge.

Creating Individual Mixes

Each performer typically needs to hear themselves most prominently, with supporting elements at lower levels. A lead vocalist needs strong vocal with enough band to stay in tune and time. A guitarist needs some vocal for song cues, drums for tempo, and potentially other instruments for blend.

Starting with the performer’s own source establishes the foundation of each mix. Add supporting elements requested by the performer during soundcheck. Less is often more—cluttered monitor mixes with everything cause confusion and feedback problems.

Drummers usually request click track if used, bass guitar for locking in rhythmically, and some vocal for song orientation. Guitars and keyboards typically appear at lower levels in drummer mixes.

Background vocalists need to hear the lead vocal clearly to blend harmonies properly. Their own voices at moderate level, with lead vocal prominent and basic rhythm section for pitch reference, creates effective backing vocal mixes.

Soundcheck Monitor Procedure

Establish basic FOH levels before addressing monitors. This ensures gain structure is set appropriately before creating monitor mixes based on those channel levels.

Work with one performer at a time, starting with the drummer. Have the drummer play while building their monitor mix element by element. Add kick first, then snare, then additional drums, bass, keys, guitars, and finally vocals. This methodical approach identifies what each performer actually needs.

Move to the next performer and repeat the process. Cross-check as the band plays together, addressing any new issues that emerge when all monitors operate simultaneously.

Document successful monitor settings for future shows at the same venue. Digital mixers allow saving scenes that recall complete monitor configurations. Analog systems benefit from written notes or photographs of settings.

Troubleshooting Monitor Issues

Feedback howl indicates a frequency reaching feedback threshold. Quickly identify the source by muting channels systematically. Reduce the problem channel’s monitor send, then address the frequency with EQ if it remains necessary.

Performers complaining they cannot hear themselves may have insufficient level, or competing stage volume may mask their monitor. Reducing stage amplifier volumes often improves monitor clarity more than increasing monitor level.

Distorted monitor sound suggests clipping somewhere in the signal path. Check aux send levels on channels contributing to the distorted mix. Verify the aux master is not overdriving the monitor amplifier or powered speaker.

Thin or muffled monitor sound may result from phase cancellation between monitors, improper wedge aiming, or excessive EQ applied during feedback control. Verify physical setup before assuming EQ is the solution.