Super Newbie Question about Mixing and Monitors

[MOF]

Have you thought about sending discrete feeds of e.g. guitars, vocals and bass guitar to separate channels on your mixer then you can balance your own foldback to taste?

[steve.battisti]

Have you thought about sending discrete feeds of e.g. guitars, vocals and bass guitar to separate channels on your mixer then you can balance your own foldback to taste?

Yes, that’s what we are doing. I still need some practice to get the sound to work the way I want but I didn’t want to derail the practice too much.

We have a (sort of) sound guy coming to our next practice to work on it with us.

[MOF]

Yes, that’s what we are doing. I still need some practice to get the sound to work the way I want but I didn’t want to derail the practice too much.

I didn’t see any mention of that, you said you were asking for a different balance to be sent down one xlr cable which you then set its level on your mixer.

[steve.battisti]

I didn’t see any mention of that, you said you were asking for a different balance to be sent down one xlr cable which you then set its level on your mixer.

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood your question. So, you're saying that I could take multiple outs from the board into my small mixer, like vocal 1 2 3. Then I could "mix" the levels of 1 2 3 on my own on my board. That's a great idea. I have no idea how many outs this board has and so on, but worth considering!

What I said previously was correct. Right now I'm just getting a single line out with the full mix, so all I can control is the overall level of that mix.

[The Elf]

Again, I'll advise you to take a serious look at the personal mixer option your main mixer offers. It may not be an immediate solution for your next gig, but I would consider it carefully for the future. It makes life much easier - and it's typically one cable to achieve it.

My band uses a humble mixer, but it permits every player to have a personal mixer by his side, allowing him to make his own monitor mix (level, eq and panning) of up to 16 channels. The single Ethernet cable that connects it carries all of the audio *and* power.

[steve.battisti]

Again, I'll advise you to take a serious look at the personal mixer option your main mixer offers. It may not be an immediate solution for your next gig, but I would consider it carefully for the future. It makes life much easier - and it's typically one cable to achieve it.

My band uses a humble mixer, but it permits every player to have a personal mixer by his side, allowing him to make his own monitor mix (level, eq and panning) of up to 16 channels. The single Ethernet cable that connects it carries all of the audio *and* power.

Are you saying a CAT-5 cable goes from the main board to personal mixer? I'm not sure the little mixer I own (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... pact-mixer) will allow that?

[MOF]

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood your question. So, you're saying that I could take multiple outs from the board into my small mixer, like vocal 1 2 3. Then I could "mix" the levels of 1 2 3 on my own on my board. That's a great idea. I have no idea how many outs this board has and so on, but worth considering!

What I said previously was correct. Right now I'm just getting a single line out with the full mix, so all I can control is the overall level of that mix.

I thought you'd misunderstood me. There are 4 mono and 3 stereo Auxiliary sends, plus 2 stereo FX if they're not used for effects (they refer to them as mix busses). The Qu-You app looks interesting.

[The Elf]

Again, I'll advise you to take a serious look at the personal mixer option your main mixer offers. It may not be an immediate solution for your next gig, but I would consider it carefully for the future. It makes life much easier - and it's typically one cable to achieve it.

My band uses a humble mixer, but it permits every player to have a personal mixer by his side, allowing him to make his own monitor mix (level, eq and panning) of up to 16 channels. The single Ethernet cable that connects it carries all of the audio *and* power.

Are you saying a CAT-5 cable goes from the main board to personal mixer? I'm not sure the little mixer I own (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... pact-mixer) will allow that?

No, you wouldn't be using that mixer. Personal mixers are specific to the brand of main mixer you are using, and would need to be bought separately. They connect to the main mixer via a network cable.

It wouldn't be the cheap option, but it would be so much easier than all this mucking about with multiple cables and setting up routing/mixes on the main desk.

[sonics]

The easiest way to do this really is with an iPad and a router. You could run in stereo to your mixer, if it helps give clarity of separation. About $250 for a good used iPad and a router.

Remember that the Qu-16 has 12 mix outputs, that's 4 mono and 3 stereo in addition to the main outs. It's very flexible.

[steve.battisti]

No, you wouldn't be using that mixer. Personal mixers are specific to the brand of main mixer you are using, and would need to be bought separately. They connect to the main mixer via a network cable.

It wouldn't be the cheap option, but it would be so much easier than all this mucking about with multiple cables and setting up routing/mixes on the main desk.

Ahh, got it. Well, since I make a grand total of around $400 a year playing these gigs right now, I think I'll suffer with the current setup for a while. Even the IEMs I just started using are a step up for me!

[The Elf]

That's fair enough. You have to cut your cloth to suit. Well worth thinking about for a future upgrade, though.

[MOF]

Ahh, got it. Well, since I make a grand total of around $400 a year playing these gigs right now, I think I'll suffer with the current setup for a while. Even the IEMs I just started using are a step up for me!

The other xlr cables for a few more aux feeds should be still doable though.

[Wonks]

Ahh, got it. Well, since I make a grand total of around $400 a year playing these gigs right now, I think I'll suffer with the current setup for a while. Even the IEMs I just started using are a step up for me!

The other xlr cables for a few more aux feeds should be still doable though.

I’m assuming you intend that those feeds are sends of all the input channels that then go to another mixer. That works for one person, but it uses up the aux sends so that no-one else can have their own monitor mix.

[MOF]

I’m assuming you intend that those feeds are sends of all the input channels that then go to another mixer. That works for one person, but it uses up the aux sends so that no-one else can have their own monitor mix.

It depends on how many sends are already used and how many people need to have different foldback sends.
You could use splitters (Y cords) and also use the group sends, I’m assuming it will be a mono mix so, for example, vocals centre panned to a stereo group could be sent to two personal mixers or four if you use splitters, ditto for guitars on the second group.
The three vocals and one guitar scenario mentioned by the OP shouldn’t be a problem but I don’t know if that is the typical lineup.

[AlecSp]

This thread has (as often happens) diverged quite a way from the starting post. Useful, maybe, but I think the OP may now be a bit confused about what to do.

Just to check, it looks like the OP's current setup simply takes an aux out from the QU-16 and uses the mini Mackie Mix 5 as nothing more than a headphone amp?

It is true that an alternative setup could be using an A&H personal monitor mixer connected to the QU-16 by a Cat 5 cable. This would give the performer a local mixer allowing them direct physical control over their personal mix, with its own headphone output. They would have the potential for a better mix, with more control. *However*, the cost of this is not inconsequential - around GBP 500 per monitor point.

It's also true that you could run multiple XLR lines carrying different signals to your Mix 5, allowing you local control. While possible, this would be a cumbersome solution, and wouldn't normally be considered.

What works for most people is exactly the setup you have, a single XLR line to a local headphone amp (and nothing wrong with your Mix 5 for this) and using a tablet/phone app to adjust the mix. Not necessarily as perfect as using a personal monitor mixer, but way cheaper, and less kit knocking around for a compact pub band.

Going back to the problems experienced at the start, it sounds like you've simply had someone adjust your monitor settings and break what was previously working. There's no reason why you shouldn't be in charge of your own monitor settings, and the QU-You app (available for Android/IOS phones/tablets) will let you adjust your personal monitor mix. Once your mix is good then it, along with the rest of the mix settings, can be saved in a scene in the mixer.

[Wonks]

What AlexSP said ^^^^^.

[MOF]

What AlexSP said ^^^^^.

Spoil sport, I think we should keep this going indefinitely like the Behringer thread.