Are there any benefits to wedge monitors?

Eggman · October 2018

I don't know very much at all about this sort of thing. Does anyone actually prefer wedges to IEMs? Why/why not? We've only ever used wedges and I'm curious.
I personally like the 'live' sound on stage, but I don't know any different.

Legionreturns · October 2018

The main thing seems to be connecting with your audience, which it's harder with IEMs in unless you get mega expensive. I use monitors for my kids sessions as I often have more than one singer.

p90fool · October 2018

Despite our IEMs we still bring one to gigs. It's a useful tool, you never know when or where you'll need a bit of help in small, weird shaped rooms.

octatonic · October 2018

Legionreturns said:

The main thing seems to be connecting with your audience, which it's harder with IEMs in unless you get mega expensive.

Also, unless you have a limiter your IEM's you are risking having your eardrums blown by a careless monitor engineer.
I prefer IEM's (with a limiter) when drumming (because I need to hear everything clearly and cue parts), but for guitar a wedge monitor is all I need.

ICBM · October 2018

I prefer wedges - I think. I’ve never used IEMs - I hate playing through headphones anyway. In fact I don’t even like listening to music with them. I much prefer to hear sound in a space.

Wedges are are also very good in small spaces with no raised stage - they make it obvious where the front of the band’s territory is so punters don’t encroach on it.

kennedydream1980 · October 2018

ICBM said:

I prefer wedges - I think. I’ve never used IEMs - I hate playing through headphones anyway. In fact I don’t even like listening to music with them. I much prefer to hear sound in a space.

Wedges are are also very good in small spaces with no raised stage - they make it obvious where the front of the band’s territory is so punters don’t encroach on it.

We used to put wedges out for this very reason, it forms a barrier. They weren’t even turned on most of the time.

horse · October 2018

Wedges are far better for supporting rock star poses too

viz · October 2018

I only use a wedge live now, miced up. No other cab. So I can put my foot on it, hear my guitar part, and have it mixed into the mix.

Gulliver · October 2018

I used to gig with 2 bands that did the same song, but in different keys. So I taped index cards with the chords to the monitors. Can't do that with in-ears!!

Danny1969 · October 2018

I've just got back from see'ing "A star is born" at the cinema and there's many a reference to Jacksons preference for wedge monitors over IEM's which have worsened his loss of hearing ..... odd to see stuff like this in a mainstream film

Generally wedge monitors are a tool for fighting volume with more volume ..... if you do a lot of gigs IEM's are a better solution but ol skool wedge's are great if you can avoid feedback

viz · October 2018

Gulliver said:

I used to gig with 2 bands that did the same song, but in different keys. So I taped index cards with the chords to the monitors. Can't do that with in-ears!!

I was in a band that played one particular song in two different keys, at the same time! The bassist and rhythm guitarist played it in G; the keyboardist and I played it in D. It sounded fine.

EricTheWeary · October 2018

kennedydream1980 said:

ICBM said:

I prefer wedges - I think. I’ve never used IEMs - I hate playing through headphones anyway. In fact I don’t even like listening to music with them. I much prefer to hear sound in a space.

Wedges are are also very good in small spaces with no raised stage - they make it obvious where the front of the band’s territory is so punters don’t encroach on it.

We used to put wedges out for this very reason, it forms a barrier. They weren’t even turned on most of the time.

Exactly this; in small venues often a struggle to get any useable volume out of wedges so they just become a barrier and somewhere to prop the set list up.

Danny1969 · October 2018

viz said:

Gulliver said:

I used to gig with 2 bands that did the same song, but in different keys. So I taped index cards with the chords to the monitors. Can't do that with in-ears!!

I was in a band that played one particular song in two different keys, at the same time! The bassist and rhythm guitarist played it in G; the keyboardist and I played it in D. It sounded fine.

Sweet Home

pintspiller · October 2018

I stick a mirror on my wedge, so I can check my hair between numbers

ESBlonde · October 2018

The hardware required to do a proper wedge mix can be significant, even with modern powered boxes the setup takes time and the mix will need to be adjusted for every stage/location because wedges just fill in what you can't hear direct. Lower stage volume really helps get a decent set of wedge mixes but then the problem for the front of house dude is the additional sound sources muddy the FOH sound quite a lot in mast sized venues.

In theory the IEM mix can be set in a digital mixer and recalled from memory, so you pop the desk on a flight case at the side of the stage and put your ear buds in and off you go. It matters not if you are in the Albert hall or the Albert Arms the monitor mix is the same. In addition the FOH sound is now not as muddied and that clearer sound just feels nicer. Communication for the band is an issue and having an open mic on stage just feeding the IEM mix allows the band to talk to one another and hear the audience interaction.

All that said there is just a real vibe to being on a stage where the backline/wedges and FOH spill all combine to send shivers down your spine. Sadly that is a rare experience for most of us but we can dream.

ICBM · October 2018

Danny1969 said:

viz said:

I was in a band that played one particular song in two different keys, at the same time! The bassist and rhythm guitarist played it in G; the keyboardist and I played it in D. It sounded fine.

Sweet Home

Yes, I think we’ve all played that at some point. Someone inevitably says it’s in D, so you just ignore them and play it as normal

.

...the only problem is that some of you think it ends on the D and some on the G, so round we go again!

Jalapeno · October 2018

Being nearly a foot taller than the other two in the front has been problematic - my monitor needs to be further away or I have to stand even closer to the noisy drummist

Got my own vocal IEM (splitting the mic feed, and straight to my ear). No band mix, but I can hear some approximation from onstage spill.

Roland · October 2018

Danny1969 said:

Generally wedge monitors are a tool for fighting volume with more volume .....

Now that we’ve got a digital desk, with individual IEM mixes, we’ve given up on wedge monitors. The only thing I miss is the ability to make my guitar feedback when I want it to.

John_A · October 2018

Roland said:

Danny1969 said:

Generally wedge monitors are a tool for fighting volume with more volume .....

Now that we’ve got a digital desk, with individual IEM mixes, we’ve given up on wedge monitors. The only thing I miss is the ability to make my guitar feedback when I want it to.

This exactly - We still use wedges currently, set up the monitor levels and it sounds great, set up the FOH and that sounds great, put them both on and it's feedback city! Moving to IEM's

viz · October 2018

Danny1969 said:

viz said:

Gulliver said:

I used to gig with 2 bands that did the same song, but in different keys. So I taped index cards with the chords to the monitors. Can't do that with in-ears!!

I was in a band that played one particular song in two different keys, at the same time! The bassist and rhythm guitarist played it in G; the keyboardist and I played it in D. It sounded fine.

Sweet Home

you got it

viz · October 2018

ICBM said:

Danny1969 said:

viz said:

I was in a band that played one particular song in two different keys, at the same time! The bassist and rhythm guitarist played it in G; the keyboardist and I played it in D. It sounded fine.

Sweet Home

Yes, I think we’ve all played that at some point. It’s in D.

Corrected

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Are there any benefits to wedge monitors?

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