In Ears or Wedges

[zee06]

Today In Ear Monitors(IEMs) seem to be replacing the traditional wedge. Let's discuss this. What do you prefer, what are some pros and cons from FOH and Monitor Engineers point of view.

[Josh Miles Joudrie]

IEMs are great from a FOH position. Simply because you don't have a ton of wedges blasting the lead vocal all over the stage, reflecting of the back wall etc. It can also keep your stage volume to a reasonable level, turning the guitar amps upstage, or even better not on the stage at all! (as if)

[zee06]

Josh, I totally agree. That's one reason why I love IEM's....It reduces stage volume. From a monitor guys point of view, or RF tech...however you wanna look at it. It's more RF, therefore more drop outs. My current gig has me mixing(FOH) 31 wireless body mics, plus we have 4 wireless clear com packs...Gotta love theater. So needless to say, way more chances of drop outs or crosstalk, etc. But from an FOH stand point....In Ear's rock....The less stage volume for Zee the more house volume for Zee :)

[zee06]

Here is something to consider: Hearing lose. Do you think that IEM's or wedges or neither are better at preventing this?

[Todd Lewis]

Neither one!!! Having just had Daughtry perform an acoustic show here at The Orangepeel on Sunday, I can attest that some people are just using the IEM to get more volume in their head. Everyone seems to want a full FOH mix in their ears to start with. Yes the IEM's have the POTENTIAL for less hearing damage....DRUM ROLL PLEASE...When implemented properly. Therein lies the problem. LESS IS MORE!!!!

[zee06]

My favorite thing is when you ask a band member in rehearsal what they want in their mix and they say "Give me a little of everything....." and yes....the IEM have a volume control knob right on the pack....why not just stick your head inside of a speaker while we're at it

[Todd Lewis]

One little trick I saw with a bar band was for the guitar players to set up their rigs facing like side fills. It worked for them and I never saw them start the typical stage volume war. Another band here in Asheville has their rigs actuall in front of them firing back like wedges. Again it works like a champ as far as the stage volume because they aren't trying to hear with their a$$. One of them actually sets up a stereo rig of 2 15 watt combo's out for his with a small wedge on his case to his side.

[Sharpie/Chris Sharp]

I have encountered several issues with IEMS now....and using ears.....I find that it is all about the combination of gear and how you mix....Ear Monitor Mixing has really made monitors a very specific gig now because your artist can hear so much more of the mix that you are delivering.....They can be great in circumstances , for example at cutting down volume on stage , but can be a hassle as well , for example converting Artists used to using Analog and converting them over to a digital console and being in ears....They believe sometimes that exactly what they are hearing is exactly what the audience is hearing....and this can be helpful and defeatful in many ways and hurt a performance....wedges used to be ripping loud back in the day and yet artists wouldnt spend so much time on concentrating to see if you cued the click track right as opposed to just playing their hearts out.....Ear Monitor mixing has definitely turned into a specialistic art in itself and can both help an artist if the monitor engineer works with them or can destroy a performance ...in lack of confidence in your Monitor Mixer.....who is esentially , now a FOH Engineer for each Artist.....Sharpie

[Sharpie/Chris Sharp]

Also it has made us as Monitor Engineers branch out and become Wireless Specialists....hehe Such a broad area ....so many angles to cover....and yet a dropout can cost a gig faster than a bad mix day....lol....its interesting....but something we have to constantly stay on top of......Sharpie

[Sharpie/Chris Sharp]

The absolute worst area is when u have an artist one ear in and one ear out......its amazing how many due so at times and have for their career.....You have a time alignment issue going on with one ear in perfect time and the other one struggling by listening more critically ...which inevitably leads to louder everything..and hearing loss in the ear straining....It is critical for us as experienced monitor guys to teach this to younger artists and to try and break these habits before formed.....Sharpie

[zee06]

Well said Sharpie! I work in theater, and work with a bunch of wireless(up to 30 wireless body mics, plus wireless clear com sometimes) and that, I feel has helped me be a better "Wireless Specialist". So much so that I will actually change frequencies of the wireless system on a daily, or at least a city by city basis. I find I get less dropouts this way. The last few tours drops out were few and far between. Also I have worked with artists who want to hear what the audience hears or what they hear on the CD. I love the "less is more" rule and always try to talk to the artist about this rule. Which ends in a better mix and happier band members....Most of the time

[Randy Meeker]

To cut personnel costs for local show running IEMs gives us the flexibility to provide better information to the players in the band than trying to balance more floor monitors. A quieter stage as a results allows us to play a more fragile acoustic environment with better control. Floor Monitors tend to raise the stakes and sound level on stage when the player next to you needs it pumped up to hear his parts (singing or instrumental or both) and when one part gets raised it would be silly if others within earshot of those monitors didn't readjust their own sonic environmnet. Less feedback typically offsets the shallower sound and ear canal discomfort.