Curious-your monitor position?

[ChiefDanG]

Those of you using a floor-wedge type of monitor, where is it? On the floor, up on something just to get some space away from the stage, on a stand at ear-level, up on a pole???

How close to your head?

Does it vary from stage to stage, or is your sweet-spot the same set-up all the time?

Thanks in advance, cause I'm too lazy to thank you later.

[J. Dan]

Depends on the monitors. IEM's go in my ears.

 

I've been using my K10 a lot and find that due to its narrow dispersion and sort of odd angle, if it's on the floor it needs to be about 6-7 feet away to my side. Not all stages allow that. If it has to be closer, I try to prop something under it to angle it up more. If the drum riser is big enough and there's space, I'll set it on the edge of that, and set up next to it. Depending on all of the above, it's either directly to my left or right.

[stillplaying]

Sitting - folk gig if I'm on (digital) piano - two powered floor wedges/speakers, either side of the piano stool, pointing up at me, one on either side (yes - stereo).

 

Standing - function band (corporate clients or weddings - they don't want it too loud) - one powered speaker on stage 3-4 feet behind me and off to the side - pointed right at the side of my head but also across the band so they can hear the keyboard for cues etc... (mono)

 

Louder rock gigs - sometimes small venues - but loud on stage volume - powered speaker on a stand right in front of me, pointed directly at my face or chest. 1-2 feet. (mono)

[Joe Muscara]

K10, same as Dan.

 

Turns out that while I thought I had it set up correctly, I had it too close. I finally had a gig where I could place it at the correct distance and it sounded great. Then during the set, I had cable problems that caused random dropouts.

 

I've thought about getting a pole stand for it and setting it up behind me or behind and to the side, but I haven't bothered yet. This would be good for gigs where the K10 is also providing my sound to the audience.

[nickd]

EON 10 G2, usually on the floor a few feet away, angled so it's pointing up at my head.

 

Sometimes to the side at chest level resting on whatever I can find, pointing horizontally, so it fires some sound at me and some across the stage sideways to my bandmates. I tend to do this where there's no monitors and others in the band need to hear some keys. A pole stand would be better, but I haven't got round to getting one yet...

[Tusker]

Tiny Jazz Gigs: I just listen to the (small) PA which the saxophone player brings. (Yes, the keyboard player is one of the first to leave.)

 

Small Jazz Gigs: K12 on pole stand acting as a keyboard amp ... delivering sound to everyone.

 

Larger gigs: K12 on floor as monitor. I've found good angles close to me.

 

I've used IEM's but found that I enjoy the stage sound. I pick people to play with who can keep stage volumes down.

[DanL]

I sit, and put my K10 on it's side angled up on top of my 10 space rack.

[Moonglow]

.....I've been using my K10 a lot....if it's on the floor it needs to be about 6-7 feet away to my side. Not all stages allow that. If it has to be closer, I try to prop something under it to angle it up more.

Roughly the same thing with my JBL-PRX615M. About 4-5 feet away on the floor really hits the sweet spot. If the stage is tight, I'll place it closer but on top of a milk crate (which I use to transport extension cords, sustain pedals, etc.), but this is definitely less than optimal.

[RudyS]

Depends on the monitors. IEM's go in my ears.

 

I've been using my K10 a lot and find that due to its narrow dispersion and sort of odd angle, if it's on the floor it needs to be about 6-7 feet away to my side. Not all stages allow that. If it has to be closer, I try to prop something under it to angle it up more. If the drum riser is big enough and there's space, I'll set it on the edge of that, and set up next to it. Depending on all of the above, it's either directly to my left or right.

 

 

Dan, I suppose you play standing?

[ChiefDanG]

I stand sometimes through the night, but sit like 80% of the time. I am always in the PA with the bands I play with, so my (mono) monitoring has typically been a few feet away, slightly behind and off to one side. I thought I might play at a lower volume if I could get it up in air at least a little, instead of firing at my knees. Gonna try some different things next few gigs.

[Jim Alfredson]

With my pair of Yamaha DXR10 speakers, I either sit between them (one on each side, angled up like floor wedges) or I stack them one on top of each other off to my left side. The stack actually sounds really good, especially with the Ventilator going into them in stereo. I use the stack on small stages or stages where I know the rig isn't going to be going into the FOH, so the audience can hear them. Sometimes I use the stack on festival stages when I want the rig to be blasting and I can place it farther away from me.

[ChiefDanG]

Dan, I suppose you play standing?

Sorry, wrong Dan. I guess you were asking the dead one, not the chief one.

[J. Dan]

Depends on the monitors. IEM's go in my ears.

 

I've been using my K10 a lot and find that due to its narrow dispersion and sort of odd angle, if it's on the floor it needs to be about 6-7 feet away to my side. Not all stages allow that. If it has to be closer, I try to prop something under it to angle it up more. If the drum riser is big enough and there's space, I'll set it on the edge of that, and set up next to it. Depending on all of the above, it's either directly to my left or right.

 

 

Dan, I suppose you play standing?

 

Yes, and it cannot be behind me because I run my mic through it as well and if it were behind me, it would be more likely to feedback.

[theGman]

You might get one of those guitar amp stands; they are cheap ($25 range), fold up nice, light, and adjustable heights.

[Bob L]

Typically behind on my right side pointing at an angle. Sometimes I take a vocal feed from the PA and even at small places we feed keyboards into the PA/monitors also. I use an amp stand (another thing to carry unfortunately, but I highly recommend it) to get the amp off the ground and angled up a bit. Everything mono but for covers/80s/90s/classic rock it works out fine.

[CEB]

Stage plot will vari based on floor size but generally:

 

I play from the bench.

 

2 EV ZX1As floor wedges. One underneath each end of the Yamaha S90XS class aircraft carrier I play.

[The Real MC]

Never liked floor wedge monitors, I have had better luck with speakers on a pole. The secret is to position them no closer than 6-7 feet away.

[EscapeRocks]

I just plug the cable into my head.

[ChiefDanG]

I just plug the cable into my head.

MIDI, audio, AC, or all 3?

[theGman]

FYI, a little off topic but still relevant:

 

I used to use my K10 as a monitor in our classic rock band, but I experimented with a Mackie SM 150 on a weighted mike stand (not tripod). These stands have a smaller footprint, so I can locate it usually just to the left edge of my keyboards with no tripod legs sticking out to trip over, and adjusted up to about shoulder height (I play standing).

 

This has worked out beautifully; the sound is right there, close by, all controls at your fingertips. Even less to carry...No amp stand, no K10, and a great place for one of those Swirly Gig drink holders too. I can't think of any negatives.

[allan_evett]

On top, horizontally positioned on my 4-space rack (which sits on an Ultimate Support IQ-3000 at its tallest setting; it's the only X-Stand with which I'm completely comfortable.). That puts my DXR12 at head level, which is optimal - as I stand for the majority of gigs. For sit-downs I position the DXR on the floor, typically having to work the 'angles' to find the sweet spot. Being able to choose the "Monitor" setting helps a lot. Great cabinet, btw..

[cphollis]

One setup I'm using more frequently for modest bar gigs is a pair of K8s on poles behind me on either side. One is aimed at the audience, one aimed at the rest of the band, with me sitting on a drummer's throne at something like a 45 degree angle to the stage.

 

With about 6-8 feet spread, you get nice stereo effects (leslie, pan, etc.) that actually project out a ways. The K8s are small and unobtrusive, yet can get loud as holy hell if needed.

 

Larger gigs, it's a K10 on the floor as monitor, 6-7 feet away as mentioned above, and one on a pole for stage sound.

[JeffLearman]

It depends on the venue and the amount of space and whether I'll send to FOH. Except at rehearsal, always stereo; that's how I roll. I use two JBL 12" wedges.

 

In one venue, I'm right by a brick wall on the side. The bar has wooden stools; I set one on end on the stool behind me. I'm at a 45 degree angle (facing both audience and rest of band). The other goes upright in front of the snare drum. Not sending to FOH. I get stereo image and so does the front of the crowd, and the band to some extent.

 

In another venue, space is very tight and I set the two on the floor behind me, angled inwards (towards me). One points more toward the audience to my right, one more toward the band to my left, and both cover the crowd in front. I usually send to FOH here.

 

In a third venue where the stage is big and the crowd is all directly in front, and I'm not crowded into a wall, I set the two on poles behind me. One in the corner, the other close to the drummer, and I'm equidistant. I usually do the same for outdoor gigs.

 

I've also sometimes (like one venue where the band was in sort of a cut-out in the wall, squeezed in there, ick) pointed one monitor forward (from behind me) and bounced the other off a side wall or corner. Leslie spin sounds great that way! Actually, two venues have those cut-out cubbies. Sigh. Well, that's life in the bottom-rung pro-am circuit!

[CEB]

I don't like poles. It just looks clumsy and the legs on the stands are a pain. We have a sound guy that puts my monitor on a pole. It works well but I hate the look of it.

[theGman]

^^^ dittos

 

[JeffLearman]

The legs are a pain in a tight space, which is where I don't use stands.

[Jon May]

You might get one of those guitar amp stands; they are cheap ($25 range), fold up nice, light, and adjustable heights.

Badabing! You reminded me that I had a small Quiklok amp stand stored away. Too lightweight for my previous powered cabinet (and so forgotten) but perfect for the more recently acquired K10, which I usually put on a pole behind and to one side of me, angled across stage for my compadres.

 

[JeffLearman]

Amp stands are great. They're especially good for guitar amps, so the amp can point at the guitarist's head rather than blasting past his knees!

[opdigits]

For me, it depends on the gig, space requirements, etc.

 

For about 2 decades I used an old (1980's old) single Yamaha PA Cabinet (12" and a horn - don't remember the model name/number) standing straight up or lying on its side placed on top of whatever I could use to get it up to head height (I play standing) and as far back directly behind me as I could get it (which always varied by gig). That old Yammy sounded great (actually, still does). It was a heavy and rectangular box shaped style PA cabinet. It often doubled as my monitor and for keys FOH. It was powered over the years by either a powered mixer, or a rackmounted mixer and power amp. One gig, the band's PA failed and my single Yammy cabinet served as the PA for the whole band (we put vox, kick drum and keys thru it that night). It is a real workhorse though I haven't used it for about a decade.

 

At sound co. supplied gigs I utilize their floor wedges, with normally a single (mono) monitor placed left or right (depending on which side of the stage I was positioned on) of the end of my boards (so as to be behind my boom stand mic placement) pointed directly at my smilin' face. Sometimes they give me two monitors run in stereo.

 

For about 10-ish years I used (gasp) two Roland KC 500's chained in stereo, one on either side of the stage, with one behind me and one to the outside of the guitarists rig on the farthest outside position of the opposite side of the stage from me. For size limited gigs I'd use a single KC 500 right behind me set up on a stand of some kind.

 

When running mono I always prefer to have my monitor behind me as far back as I can get it placed at head height or if lower, tilted up to directly face the back of my head.

 

For stereo floor wedges I like 'em to be in front of me to L/R of the end caps of my boards pointing directly at my face.

 

I've recently decided to dump the KC's and either go back to (active, this time) PA cabs as a monitor setup (stereo, of course, when able), or go IEM's. Soon come. The KC's did serve me well though. I may donate them to our chainsaw wielding friend so he can have a few moments of sheer joy!

[NewImprov]

I play seated. In my old setup, I had an Acme 2X10 bass cabinet for LH Bass, and an EV Sx300a powered monitor for everything else. I stacked the EV on top of the Acme, and that brought the EV perfectly up to ear level while seated. On gigs where we weren't running through a PA, I could also position it so that it fired into the audience as well. I just upgraded to an EV ZLX12p, and have found, thus far at least, I don't need to bring the separate bass amp/cabinet. On the first gig I used the 12p, we were running through a PA with good monitors, so the 12p was just for my monitoring, and I put it in monitor position on the floor. At rehearsals, I've been putting it upright on a chair. It sounds great in either position. For PA-less shows, I may get a small stand to hold it upright.

 

BTW, the 12p has DSP settings for pole (upright) or floor use, I haven't really figured out the difference between them, it just seems to sound good (and loud) however I set it.