I interpreted his issue as being that the IEMs receivers are functioning in mono, so you can't pan. This is what we are doing currently (and unfortunately). A common practice is to take a stereo IEM transmitter and configure it to run two IEM receivers (mainly to reduce the number of transmitters you need, which are somewhat expensive). Each gets one of the channels and there is a setting on the receiver to present it in mono (in Senheiser this is called focus mode or something). So basically for six people you only need two transmitters. Everyone can still control the mix of their own AUX/bus send, but it is mono.
I think I followed correctly and that all sounds correct to me. Interesting about the difference between Sum L/R and Copy L/R. I may need to check that out.
I think you answered your own question.
We each have our own aux going to an IEM system that is mono only, so we are currently stuck with that. We are probably going to change our IEM solution soon so that we can have stereo mixes to our IEMs. Only down side is that we will eat up all the AUXs to do so.
Can you clarify whether you are already controlling your own IEM mix using one of the phone apps? As was mentioned, all of the hardware you have should be compatible with that (for instance MX-Q with the Behringer mixers). I guess I'm trying to figure out why you are wanting to bring in an additional signal into your IEM. Even with mono mix, I can typically dial in a mix that lets me hear everything I need to but a little more of myself if I need.
The scenario sounds familiar to me. And that was the reason why I rejected IEM immediately afterwards.I'm forced to play with mono IEM's (and no stage monitoring) in a band at work and it really leaves me feeling like crap. Everything I've dialed in through my studio monitors in stereo sounds like garbage with mono IEM's. If I plug into one of my two EV PXM12's floor wedges and run mono it's not bad but that's probably some fletcher mofo effect or something... The Mono IEM's sound so sterile
Does anyone have any tips to make mono IEM's sound better?
Sure. All of our signals get routed to a SI UI24R. Then each IEM gets a mono input from an aux input. (Different one for each IEM) Each performer uses the web GUI to control their own mix. The issue is that since there is no stereo field, we are finding it very difficult to get a mix where we can hear ourselves and the other guitar player well. In the other group I mentioned, we have stereo mixes and it is much easier. So, as it was pointed out, I have probably answered my own question.
OK. Thanks for the clarification. I get it.Sure. All of our signals get routed to a SI UI24R. Then each IEM gets a mono input from an aux input. (Different one for each IEM) Each performer uses the web GUI to control their own mix. The issue is that since there is no stereo field, we are finding it very difficult to get a mix where we can hear ourselves and the other guitar player well. In the other group I mentioned, we have stereo mixes and it is much easier. So, as it was pointed out, I have probably answered my own question.
Your comment about making IEMs "fun" reminded me on this. I've actually talked to a couple of big act touring folks that have to deal with stuff like this. I'm not sure I could handle it.
I think for it to be enjoyable, you have to spend some money.
I can't tell you how much I despise the App system... The IEM route is really not one worth cutting corners on so I completely agree with your motive of going big on the IEM's. I hope our budget will go up so we can get a proper rig.
Enjoyable and REALISTIC is the goal. When everyone is using monitors on stage even if you turn someone down in the floor monitor you will likely still hear a bit or even most of them on stage whereas with IEM's you can totally block out people in the ears. This for me is horrible because why the hell are you playing music with people you don't want to hear... I get that situationally IEM's make sense sometimes but for me they make sense way less than not using and everybody listening to each other.
and smile because I'm not convinced it will ever sound or feel good. I tried building mono presets and it aint significantly better than simply setting the fractals output to SUM L/R and using your stereo presets. All the "Phase issues" I read about don't really make a difference when the overall mono IEM experience is already from the start.
Interesting perspective and while I respect Joe, I wish he would have presented that more as his subjective experience and preference rather than a "this is better" factual statement. My feeling is he is someone (like many, many guitarists) who just love the visceral aspect of playing on a loud stage next to loud amps. There isn't anything necessarily wrong with that, especially if your primary motivation is your personal experience as a player, but I think it tends to ignore valid reasons for using IEMs such prioritizing the sound the audience is getting over your experience as a player. This latter aspect is really the reason so many pro acts (let's be real, pretty much the vast majority) are using in ears. And to his point, if not having that visceral experience is going to negatively impact your performance than this is an important consideration, but it isn't the only consideration.Post taken from > https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/343757-joe-bonamassa-on-in-ear-monitors/
Joe is one of my early influences and I praise him for his dedication to keeping Blues/Rock guitar alive and LOUD!
"Hello, Joe Bonamassa here… yeah, you know, the same guy who was accused of calling pedal users lazy (not quite) and has been labelled everything from overrated to overweight. Anyway, I have been asked to write a few words in defence of us loud guitar players out there seeking redemption or at least some sort of validation for our methodology. So here it goes…
It all started in 1939, when a guitarist named Charlie Christian who was tasked as being a featured soloist in the Benny Goodman Sextet (tough gig, those horns are loud!). He needed a guitar with a pickup and an amp… next thing you know, the Gibson ES-150 and amp was in production. Then in 1945, Paul Bigsby, Leo Fender and ultimately Les Paul started a revolution of sorts. The electric guitar was front and centre. Loud and proud, as you would say.
Since then, the electric guitar has been the focal point of most vocal and non-vocal popular music for almost 80 years. In 1967, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton took electric-guitar music to a fine art – the finest, in my opinion. Some others have used it as pure songcraft (Neil Young), while others for basic chords in the youthful expression of anger (Sex Pistols, Nirvana, etc).
Now we can all agree on these basic historical facts, the question we must ask is, why do we now find ourselves marginalised by live sound engineers and stage managers that insist we achieve little-to-no stage volume at all? Basically, treating us and the electric guitar as the Typhoid Mary of the onstage environment? When did this happen? Why do we find ourselves chided and picked on as if we’ve done nothing to justify our place onstage?
I have a few ideas why.
First, let’s talk about in-ear monitors. In my opinion, they do more damage than good. Why? There’s no respite nor sweet spot on stage. It’s all the same and you run that loudness directly into your eardrums for 90 minutes at a time. In reality, you are not saving your hearing at all, regardless of popular belief.
All of this audio goodness is predicated on your willingness to turn down and sacrifice yourself for the ‘greater good’ onstage, which is one misnomer I found shocking when I was convinced to do it five years ago. It lasted one tour and I found I was living in divergent reality from what the audience was experiencing. The sound engineers found themselves in control of dynamics. That was unacceptable to me. It should be unacceptable to you as well, purely from an artistic point of view. It’s like letting Siri control the throttle on your car during the 24 Hours Of Le Mans road race.
Second, and most importantly, is concerning the guitar sound or tone in general. You will find the lower volume onstage and higher volume in the PA does not necessarily equate to a fatter, fuller sound. Most of the times it does not, especially when you listen back to live recordings of your gigs.
You must admit most all of your favourite guitar sounds are based on an amp working hard through a tough speaker or multiple speaker cabinets. ‘All dials to the right’ worked for Eric, Eddie, Jimi, Leslie and many of us at all levels of legend and skillset. You have to admit that a one-watt amp through a speaker simulation isn’t gonna cut it in comparison to a 100-watt Marshall through four cabs like Alvin Lee had at Woodstock. It is certainly not going to sound like Brian May at Live Aid in 1985, even if it sounds like that in your in-ear monitors.
It’s the concept of clean headroom – and tonal variations you get by having clean headroom. The knobs on your guitar were put there for a reason, remember. Not all gigs call for that type of sound, but most times you are told it sounds ‘massive’ out front. Truth be told, it sounds like a hive of bees and if you were in the audience during your own gig, you would not be impressed at all. That’s the truth, 99 times out of 100.
Bottom line: you need to play to the gig (volume- and amp-appropriate), but don’t change what you do to suit someone’s engineering and audio fantasy. They will come at you fast and furious with solutions and ways to take you off your game plan. My advice is to stand your ground and be the guitarist you worked so hard to be. Make Buddy Guy and Jimi Hendrix proud. Also, most importantly, make yourself proud of the work you do and legacy that you leave behind."
With all this in mind... if like me you have to wear IEM's for a gig, pray you can get a stereo setup with an analog controller to mix from otherwise work with your engineer closely before hand. If you're mixing from an app, turn your tablets sleep mode off so the screen doesn't go dark while playing and then your fiddling around with a password and logging back in cause the wireless connection dropped meanwhile you've missed the last 5 chords you should have played...
If at worst (like my case) you're forced to have a mono IEM mix... I hate to say it but just eat
Never, ever. 