Has any of you singers ever brought your own Powered Monitor to a show.

[MondoLikeMetal]

My band recently played a gig where the PA was provided, but the soundman was not very attentive. After the first song, my lead singer asked if the monitor level could be increased, as he had a hard time hearing himself. The guy came over, (the mixer was on the side of the stage) raised it a little bit, and we started up the second song, but it wasn't much better and the soundguy was never seen again. The singer blew his voice out after the 4th song. We made it through, but I was wondering if.......

Has anyone ever brought ther own powered monitor to a club/venue (Hot spot, Mackie, etc.) as a chain from singer's mic to powered monitor to club board and do you think the soundguy would take this as an insult?

 

[Wohma]

I'm not a singer and not a sound guy, but what about getting an in-ear? It's not much more expensive than a decent powered monitor.

 

[MondoLikeMetal]

Those in-ears are too pricey $600 to $800

 

[Wohma]

Yeah, but then again - good active speakers are at least $300-400 and they're heavy... And you never know if it will be enough for all stages Moreover, nobody's going to take an IEM as an insult!
You can still buy a wired IEM, but that's simply not convenient.

 

[xFkx]

if you're a beginner band and have little hope of playing pro stages, you'll encounter this again and again, either due to the venues equipment or the personel

solution

a.) sing with good earplugs, it's acctualy quite a good solution, due to the fact that the skull resonates from your voice and you can hear yourself quite good

b.) get an IEM

the powered monitor solution doesn't seem all that practical really

 

[egan.]

If a sound guy is not good and/or paying attention, injecting your own amplification will only exacerbate the issues. You'll mess up a good system (feedback, phase , etc.) and likely make a bad one worse. IEM's and/or your own sound guy are correct solutions.

 

[Skyweaver]

in-ear or ear plugs, I prefer good ear plugs

 

[arv_foh]

If a sound guy is not good and/or paying attention, injecting your own amplification will only exacerbate the issues. You'll mess up a good system (feedback, phase , etc.) and likely make a bad one worse. IEM's and/or your own sound guy are correct solutions.

+1

 

[Trevoire520]

egan and arv_foh have got it right. Using a powered monitor that is seperate from the main system is just going to add another problem.

Best bet is to refuse to play a show for that promoter/venue again unless they hire a competent soundman. Tell them this, don't just keep it to yourself!
There's a promoter local to me who runs sound for his own gigs. He's bloody awful to be honest but refuses to pay out for someone decent. But the bands don't complain to him or to the venue, they just and moan amongst themselves. If everyone started refusing to play gigs then maybe he'd take the hint.

Getting your own soundman is also a good solution. Though I understand many bands would struggle to get enough money to pay one. Unfortunately it's one thing that many bands could really do with to be honest.

 

[Empathy]

Getting your own soundman is also a good solution. Though I understand many bands would struggle to get enough money to pay one. Unfortunately it's one thing that many bands could really do with to be honest.

This +1,000,000.

Build up your contacts, get to know some guys in your area that are studying audio engineering courses or similar, find some dudes that know your style of music that would be willing to mix as a learning experience, then consider paying them if their work is solid and consistent. You'll score yourself a sound guy that both knows your band and has been moulded to your music; it's a great solution to spending the cash on a seasoned engineer until you're ready to pay out for one.

 

[Wohma]

This +1,000,000.

Build up your contacts, get to know some guys in your area that are studying audio engineering courses or similar, find some dudes that know your style of music that would be willing to mix as a learning experience, then consider paying them if their work is solid and consistent. You'll score yourself a sound guy that both knows your band and has been moulded to your music; it's a great solution to spending the cash on a seasoned engineer until you're ready to pay out for one.

A few local bands have done this and it worked out well.