I still see and get a lot of questions from people who complain their monitor mixes change for no reason after they've set them (when monitors are from FOH). Probably 9 times out of 10, it's operator error and that is what is discussed in this video. Problems related to the signal path misunderstandings about how the signal flows in a console and/or also dovetailed with that- what certain terms (settings) mean. Or many times, both of those things. So that's what this video discusses. Once people begin to understand the concepts discussed in this video, it's a bit of an eye-opener that leads to better troubleshooting skills overall. Plus, it shortens the learning curve when jumping from one brand console to another. Or from digital to analog or analog digital. Signal flow is still signal flow. As always... likes and subscribes always appreciated. Feel free to share the video link. Patreon: www.patreon.com/AlanHamiltonAudio Affiliate Links: Sweetwater Sound Mixers- Analog and Digital Mixers on Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/ZQQ6GR Midas M32 Digital Mixer on Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/xkEBRk Behringer X32 Digital Mixer on Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/DK05Jy Allen-Heath SQ Digital Mixers on Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/B00nM9 Amazon: Mics on Amazon- Shure Mic Store on Amazon: amzn.to/3lLJXtt Supplies on Amazon- Gaffer's Tape on Amazon: amzn.to/40enAMr Items Used to Make This Video- FDUCE SL40 Vocal Dynamic Podcast Microphone on Amazon: amzn.to/408xlf3 Sony ZV1 Camera on Amazon: amzn.to/3z9MHny Canon M50 MkII Camera on Amazon: amzn.to/3z6c8X5 ~~~ Channel Facebook Page: facebook.com/groups/livesoundproduction “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.” Items purchased thru affiliate links come at no additional cost to viewers, but can earn the channel commissions. ~~~ ~~~ Other Channel Videos- Building an IEM Rig With the Behringer XR18 or Midas MR18: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rrppmrdzq97aip8.html 3 Tips For Aspiring Live Audio Engineers: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qquIZbOj3MzMXZs.html Direct Boxes - What are they? How to use them? Direct Box 101: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bM-nipiQrsedhZc.html 5 Tips for Mixing Live Vocals: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pbZkpseh0NGymI0.html Building a Concert - Production for Trace Adkins: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/o5iUfdVmzLibZ5s.html My 5 Most Used Adapters for Live Sound: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iayqg8tkur-ln3k.html Guitar Amp Micing Tips: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/faiErKmp3bSycnk.html Behringer XR18 Channel Walkthrough: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rrajhrN8m7ivqok.html Drum Mixing Tutorial Playlist: kzfaq.info/sun/PLWtgwSNlxTjMsX8H1K87UcAP17zYSZqsT #livesound #behringerx32 #Midas32 #IEM “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

My problem is from people with electronic drums and pianos. They constantly fiddle with their volume know on there devices, its equivalent to fiddling with the gain knob.

As a performer, I want to THANK YOU for this! FOH mixers using gains improperly happens A LOT. This is bad when using wedges, it’s way worse on ears. I pray this video goes viral! Love your videos!!!

Thx Alan. Great instruction for monitor troubleshooting. You have helped our bands sound so much with your videos.

A much-needed video. Something else to watch out for: Pre Fader or eveb Pre-EQ are often Post Compression. Usually not good for monitors.

As a monitor engineer I only use post eq, anything else would be a complete nightmare. The key is knowing what a performer needs not as much what they want. That can take a long time to master. High pass filters are your best friend. Something to watch out for is the over use of compression when you are mixing monitors on the same console as FOH, sometimes you have to use little to no compression depending on the performer. Compression can make vocals drop out when the singer digs in which can lead to issues with over singing which can ultimately lead to vocal damage. In that situation as a tech you will get blamed for changing the monitors because the compressor is doing that for you 🤦 Another issue is reverb and other effects. If a vocalist needs reverb in the monitors and this is more important for in-ears, usually reverb is post fader on the sends so if you get "Turn it up itus" through the performance and crank the faders up like crazy the monitors will be dripping with reverb, so it can be advantageous to maybe change the verb send to pre fader, which is not ideal but can save the day. Or if possible use a seperate verb just for the monitors with a pre dae send. The best feature of many digital desks is ability to double Chanel's for key things like a lead vocal, two channels with the same input, one for the FOH and one for the monitors, so things like compression can be used for FOH and the second channel has no compression at all, as well as a different EQ on the strip. If you have the room on the console you can use the second layer for just monitors, so the only single thing that affects the monitors and mains is the channel gain for the most part.

Very clear explanation with good pictures, thank you very much, Alan!

Two things that were missed in this great video: #1. The importance of actually having soundcheck! (=gain staging) #2. What happens when your gain staging is set and your keys or guitar player cranks or lower his/her gain (main volume) knob afterwards.... Please include that in another video.

Mehr davon Bitte! Das war unendlich fantastisch Danke, Froids

Mixing Station has a ‘re-gain’ feature that will keep selected gains in feeds from a channel in balance, if you NEED to change the Channel input gain.

Fantastic info!

Great video

Happy Easterrrrrssss Al. Turn it up!!!😂🐰🐣🐇

Hey Al!

We can say compressor and make up gain change the send level to all sends Thanks for your video 👍👍

I get monitor changes occasionally that aren't related to these. I rarely touch gains and that is usually on a musician change on a mic to bring the input level to what it should be - even then I understand that it may change monitors and streaming. I use post fader generally only on channel reductions for the stream mix where the mix tech won't be able to adjust the individual feeds in the group (our current streaming solution doesn't have enough channels in the pipeline to the streaming console to send everything to it). To give an example of a monitor change, yesterday morning at church was just fine. The mix was the same as usual. When I came to rehearsal yesterday evening and called up the program, our winds told me that the piano was suddenly too loud in the orchestra monitor. Sure enough, it was too loud. I turned it down, but I have to wonder if I will have to turn it back up at some point. No one messes with the amps. The program was the same one that I always used and the levels going to that monitor set haven't changed in months. I don't have a clue what changed to make the piano too loud in the monitors. The Earthworks mics I have in the piano are incredibly consistent and I didn't notice a difference in the mains. I do occasionally get a vocalist change who will tell me that they can't hear something in the monitor. I nudge it up and they often say, "No, that's too much." I nudge it back down to where it was and they say, "Perfect." What I've learned in situations like this is that they could hear the thing they needed to hear all along, but didn't know what they were hearing. They needed the nudge up to train their ears to hear it in the monitor mix.

We had an issue with feedback from my vocal mic. I use an autotune pedal which turns out also tries to improve the sound level and dynamics. It will listen to 30 seconds of singing and make changes accordingly. However. Stage wash is also considered by the pedal so it would increase and increase the levels. I thought it would make things easier but sadly no, it turned out a bit if s nightmare.

Note to Musicians: Don't sandbag during soundcheck.

if I need more gain, ik use the makeup gain from the compressor. if you don't need compression on that channel, just set the threshold to 0 or above. if routed correctly compression isnt send to the monitors.

Talk about the IOS crash please!!!

I recently purchased the Mackie proFx12v3 mixer with a built in audio interface. This unit does not have a button or switch for pre or post faders, pre or post monitor sends, etc. Without that how can I arrange the signal flow in that order on this analog mixer?

Feedback can be avoided if the musician understands the sound system. no matter how good the engineer is, no matter how complicated the equalizer is. if the singer attaches the mic to the speaker it will still get feedback. To get a good sound, requires the cooperation of both parties. Greetings from Indonesia

Hi, what speakers (2 tops 1 sub) do you recommend for small/medium gigs? 20-100 people, restaurants and bars. I have been looking at Yamaha Dbr12, dxr12, ev zlx, ev elx, hk sonar... Which looks better for the price to you, or which else can you recommend? Thank you! Great videos

😄🙏

Just let them use in ears and make them do their own mix with an app on a digital mixer, problem not fixed but avoided 😂

Different on dj and mixer

That for line music not micphone

I think in our church only it happens..😅

That's why you split snake to 2 consoles foh and boh (monitor mix) and quit being cheap and buy a iem rig they aren't stupid expensive anymore

These mistakes sound like mistakes from a complete noob. Best bet is to work in a studio setting before going to a live setting.

So if you set your channels to preEQ, then you can only use GEQs or external EQs to EQ the monitors, yes?