Currently I'm using stereo out to my ears, and originally I had the panning similar to where the other musicians are onstage (got this tip from JamHub guys).
However, lately I've been mixing more like an "engineer" (which I am totally not!), and read how the vocals, drums, and bass should be panned center. Now I'm feeling like I really cant' hear anyone, or maybe it's just me.
I've run sound for so many years that I am used to "picking out" instruments in a mix, plus woodshedding with phones at home, that I have no need to use a stereo IEM mix. I have it available at church (avioms) but only monitor the instruments I need to hear to play off of... so I don't need a CD mix. Obviously, this doesn't work for everyone.. as you (and others) have indicated. For me.. I'm monitoring what I need to hear. So when playing guitar, I need me, kick, snare, lead vox, my vox, a little of the other vocalist, other guitar/keys. Much the same for bass, but add in other guitars (both play leads) and keys - if there. Toms and other stuff I don't need to monitor I simply mute. Playing bass at church, we often have two acoustics, 2 electrics + keys and multiple vox. I mute both acoustics, keep guitar #2 low in the mix, have lead gtr loud enough to hear, have kick, snare, keys and lead vox balanced in the mix. The rest.. OFF!!
My use of IEM's is to be able to CLEARLY hear what I need to play my best, replacing the often muddy mess one usually got with traditionally directional wedges. Sure you can get additional features such as stereo mixes (as a side benefit) with IEM's, but you're monitoring a live band playing.. NOT listening to CD's!
Curious to see how others are panning their IEM mixes. Also, what about lo cut, comp, and gating? Alot of cool choices on the X32 (I even checked out the artist presets and messed around with them). Do you guys put a gate on the drum mics to stop the bleeding from monitors or cabs?
We have an X32 Producer, run from stage with the mix adjusted out front (via iPad after sound check) by the guitar players wife. She's a Sony artist promo agent, so she knows what good sounds like. I'll occasionally remove my IEM's and walk - to double check FOH sound. We have Lo Cut on vocals, gates on drums, compression on kick, etc. We all run mono IEM mixes.
As for mic'ing drums live, we have a snake split for kick, snare, and one overhead, but we've noticed that the soundguys get overwhelmed with all the splits (we give him a total of five: wireless mic, 2 AxeFX, bass DI, backing tracks). So lately we just stick an overhead mic (separate and apart from the FOH overhead) just to get some drums on our ears (drummer plays to a click).
We don't do the multiple band thing - unless we open for a Nat'l act at larger venues or do the Festival thing. Yes, we mic all drums, so we run 8 channels of drums, 3 vox, 2 acoustics (one split with a mandolin), 2 electrics. 2nd guitar moves between electric, acoustic, mandolin and banjo for most 4hr sets.
At house-provided PA venues we plug into their stage snake (all 15 channels) then map their splitter channels into our X32. For example we have kick on Ch1, so if their kick is on Ch12, we'll take split #12 and plug into our #1. I keep notes on my phone on venue splits map to our X32, so I can quickly recall and map them the next time we go there!
What all this does is PROVIDE us consistent IEM mixes whether FOH is House provided or we use our own PA. We use all our own mics/cables so input levels to the X32 are pretty much identical for each gig.
At Festival-type events, where FOH and SR is vendor provided, we tend to go back to wedges as the vendors seldom care [too much, or advance] stage plots, etc.
