Working on my IEM mix...making strides!

skyhighrocks

skyhighrocks

Inspired
If you have seen some of my previous posts about always hating the way guitar sounds when I use in ears, no matter what system, what modeler, tube amp, mic'd, not mic'd, etc...it doesn't matter. All instruments always sound good to me BUT the guitar. It would always sound totally different than what I hear out front (audience)

I finally decided to just take control of it once and for all. I bought a Behringer XR16, 8 channel 1 space splitter and am using my old linksys router to run the app via my ipad. I will run my vocal mic, talkbox mic, AX8 in stereo and my acoustic and then take a stereo feed from monitors for the rest of the band mix which I will be able to turn up or down (and eq if I want). This weekend will be the real test at my gig but the XR16 lets you record a stereo wav file of whatever you want. I started working on my in ear guitar tone yesterday, using the built in eqs, detuner, and other goodies and am finally getting closer to hearing something that won't be uninspiring. Here's something I recorded today...excuse the clams and sloppiness...was paying more attention to the interface and learning it while playing this.

This is my Les Paul Traditional with Floyd Rose. I started with the volume knob down to clean up the tone...then I added a pitch detune from the AX8. The amp model is the Plexi 50 watt and I'm using an ownhammer IR I believe. As it plays through, I slowly bring the volume knob up to my full crunch sound...then I add a drive for the heavy stuff and then some solo noodling. The more I learn and understand the XR16, I'm confident I can make it even better (to my ears). The mp3 is on the page in the link.

http://richardantonelli.com/test
 
What are you using for IEMs? They make a huge difference and I'm still sampling IEMs to find the best balance. Most IEMs I've used thus far have been good at spreading the sound stage to hear bass and vocals but agree, the guitar tones are less than inspiring. Clearly, you don't get the amp in the room feel/punch but feel a lot of IEMs tend to leave guitars fizzy and thin. I'm also using a Behringer mixer (X32) and my current IEMs are Westone AM PRO20s.
 
CraigC said:
What are you using for IEMs? They make a huge difference and I'm still sampling IEMs to find the best balance. Most IEMs I've used thus far have been good at spreading the sound stage to hear bass and vocals but agree, the guitar tones are less than inspiring. Clearly, you don't get the amp in the room feel/punch but feel a lot of IEMs tend to leave guitars fizzy and thin. I'm also using a Behringer mixer (X32) and my current IEMs are Westone AM PRO20s.
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I use custom A6 drivers from 64 audio and a sennheiser EW300 G3 iem system.

unix-guy said:
I read a tip somewhere on the wiki recently that helped me a lot.

Adjust the Early Reflection Levels in your reverb. That seems to bring things much more "in the room" for me... I don't like to "hear" reverb, and this really made a huge difference.

Here is a link:

http://wiki.fractalaudio.com/gen1/index.php?title=Radley_Reverb_tips
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Yup, I've done about all I can in the AX8 itself. I'm finding that having the control over everything in my ears is the way to go and has been. Total control over EQ and FX is huge.
 
I use a little verb, and I run stereo, panned hard left and right for guitars. I pan other stuff around, which helps make it more realistic. Last gig, my sound was a little thin, went in increased the depth on my global linked amp and boom. Usually the sound is very similar, some sound guys do their own thing out front, and sound changes when the room fills up too. It's a journey.
 
dpeterson said:
I use a little verb, and I run stereo, panned hard left and right for guitars. I pan other stuff around, which helps make it more realistic. Last gig, my sound was a little thin, went in increased the depth on my global linked amp and boom. Usually the sound is very similar, some sound guys do their own thing out front, and sound changes when the room fills up too. It's a journey.
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I've never had an issue with my FOH sound. It's always been the IEMs. Now I feel I'm on the right path.
 
We also have 100% control of our ear mix, with the x32 rack, and splitter snake. Sound guy cant mess with it, and it's very consistent gig to gig. I had a very bad experience with a sound guy once who had control of what I could hear, and it was a nightmare.
 
dpeterson said:
We also have 100% control of our ear mix, with the x32 rack, and splitter snake. Sound guy cant mess with it, and it's very consistent gig to gig. I had a very bad experience with a sound guy once who had control of what I could hear, and it was a nightmare.
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That's my whole reasoning for finally going this way. This is my mix only...nobody else in the band or out front can mess with it.
 
unix-guy said:
Just curious - what kind of EQ tweaks are you making in the mixer to get better results?
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The usual stuff that I've already made to my guitar out front. For some reason, They never sound the same...because out front isn't squashed against your ear drums. Pulling out 8k for the fizz is big. Taming the low end (I normally like a beefy tone but doesn't work in the ear canal). Accentuate the mids a little more. Stuff like that.
 
dpeterson said:
We also have 100% control of our ear mix, with the x32 rack, and splitter snake. Sound guy cant mess with it, and it's very consistent gig to gig. I had a very bad experience with a sound guy once who had control of what I could hear, and it was a nightmare.
Click to expand...

How are you managing with the X32Rack? I guess you are using a splitter patch bay from Seismic Audio ? We use the same - and have been having a few issues with volume of feed to the XLR outs for the wired in ears. (The wireless in ears use the Aix outs and have been fine) - I think it's a problem with the X32's XLR output board.
 
We use a Mackie DL32r, and everybody controls their own in-ear mix. I think that is essential for a good in-ear experience

It's great, you're making progress
 
Dealmaker said:
How are you managing with the X32Rack? I guess you are using a splitter patch bay from Seismic Audio ? We use the same - and have been having a few issues with volume of feed to the XLR outs for the wired in ears. (The wireless in ears use the Aix outs and have been fine) - I think it's a problem with the X32's XLR output board.
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Excuse the partial hijack:

We have the 16 channel one, not rack mountable. I plop it down on stage, run all the mics into my snake, then had the pigtail all labeled to the sound guy he plugs into his snake or into his board depending on where he is located. On the x32 we are using all the xlr outputs except the ones marked L & R (mains), and for the 4th, using aux 1 outs, all stereo l&r. We are all on wireless (2 senn g3's, 2 carvin em900), and have no issues with volumes (knock on wood), if anything it's too hot sometimes for the transmitters, my g3 sennheiser, is cut as low as it will go and still get a hot signal sometime (need to investigate this).

Try switching to the aux outs (1/4's) and see if that fixes your issue, then it's the output board or a goofy setting somewhere.
 
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