Can't hear myself onstage.

MaximumZargon

Hello!

I play in a 5 piece rock band which is pretty dynamic. Drums, bass, 3 guitar/2vox. (2 of the guitar players also sing0

We play 100-500 venues (mostly 100-250) which have shallow stages, so I end up (cos I'm just guitar, not vox) standing pretty close to my amp which is aimed at my knees.

Used horizontal 2x12 and vertical 2x12 and (surprised me) it made almost not difference.

Can't turn-up.

At the bigger (posher) venues, I can ask for guitars in the monitors, but obviously not at the smaller places.

Any ideas would be AMAZING!

stickyfiddle

Get your amp off the floor - a combo on top of a flight case is my ideal setup in general. That way it’s pointed at your head, not your legs. 

A couple of beer crates or similar can also work well 

As well as that, I’d consider EQing each guitar differently (and sometimes even playing different parts) so you’re not fighting over the same frequency space 

And I hope I’m preaching to the converted when I suggest proper moulded earplugs, as they help you hear everything more clearly, and that includes your own guitar, obviously 

MaximumZargon

Thanks! Maybe I'm looking for a solution that doesn't exist.

Putting an amp on a crate isn't any higher than a vertical 2x12, so that doesn't work.

EQ-wise, it's fine. We're 3 albums in. It's all fine in that regard.

The issue is simply my amp is aimed at my knees.

slacker

Angle it at your head

slacker

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/tourtech-adjustable-amplifer-and-monitor-stand

HAL9000

Deleted 

Sassafras

MaximumZargon said:

Thanks! Maybe I'm looking for a solution that doesn't exist.

Putting an amp on a crate isn't any higher than a vertical 2x12, so that doesn't work.

EQ-wise, it's fine. We're 3 albums in. It's all fine in that regard.

The issue is simply my amp is aimed at my knees.

Put it on several crates.

ICBM

Put the vertical 2x12" on a crate (or two). If you can get the top speaker up to ear level or close, you will hear it better. If that isn't practical, angle it back so it's pointing at your head. (Obviously the amp will have to not be on top of it.)

It may also be better to point it somewhere other than out into the crowd - that way, you can turn it up further without it being too loud out front. Make sure it isn't pointing directly at the vocal mic or other band members as well though...

RiftAmps

Deeflexx 

Hugo

I think most guitar player have this problem, at least I do. What helped me was a clear screen so I can put my amp loud enough to hear myself without annoying anybody else, the sound will go more up so to your ears. I hate putting amps pointed at your head because you get hard shrill sound. I also recently flipped my semi open back cab and still use the clear screen for the sound coming from the back. This works great for me, you get a less direct sound and with less fatigue. I can hear my self much better and the sound is also much more pleasant.  

fastonebaz

IEMs.

Onpar

fastonebaz said:

IEMs.

This. Absolute game changer.

We use the mixing station phone app so you can individually adjust the levels of each instrument and vocals. Sometimes I have one ear in and the other out to feel a little more connected to the crowd.

Without IEMs every gig will be different and you will face different problems. For example, tilting the cab towards you will work in some venues but then playing outdoors can result in hearing too much of your guitar and it can actually have a negative affect on playing.

Either mic up the cab or use XLR out if your amp has one. 

kennedydream1980

If you want something just for yourself completely independent of the bands gear, then mic up your cab, run an XLR from the mic into a Behringer P1 or similar. Get a decent pair of IEM headphones into the P1, just use either the left or right earphone, adjust the volume as required.

mrkb

Montage Thiele Ported cab from Lean business angles back when needed. I picked one up a few weeks ago, but they don’t seem to sell them any more.

Modulus_Amps

3 guitars? are you all playing different things?
Are you all playing with loads of verbs and delays?
have you had your hearing tested?
have you asked someone in the crowd if they can hear you?

3 guitar bands can be very tricky, Saw Wolfgang VH a few months ago with three guitarists, all three were EQ'd very differently and the chap on stage right had no bass coming through front of house, guy on stage left had loads of mids and not very compressed, WVH was much more compressed and a bit scooped out.

Get a vertical 2 x 12 with a slant on the front baffle or fit tit back legs on your cab.

davros

We mostly use just backline with vocals and keys through the PA but I mic up my cab and have it running to just my own monitor so I can hear myself. If your mixer supports this I would go that way, or you can run your guitar mic straight into your monitor. 

I wear ear plugs as well but it works for me without having to point my cab away from the audience.

keir

In my band we’ve always used standback amp stands which work well and fold up and live in the back of an amp. 

Would love to try a deeflex but my amp is a 2x12 and I don’t want to buy 2!

My bandmate uses IEMs and really likes them, they are expensive if you go wireless, pretty sure his set stands him at about £1300 including acs custom moulds and a wireless unit which is part of the reason I haven’t bothered so far. 

TimmyO

2 things to take a look at:

As kier said, these are cheap and convenient - I used to use one: https://www.thomann.de/gb/standback_ampstand.htm?glp=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw4C_tbSsggMVEMbtCh3VnQNREAQYASABEgLjiPD_BwE


If I were gigging these days I’d be tempted to try one of these as I hear they work well (bit pricier though)
https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/hoovi-h1-deeflexx-sound-deflectors-572188

viz

I have a forward-facing 1x12 behind me, miced or unmiced depending on the venue, and a daisy-chained passive wedge monitor in front of me with a matched speaker in it. It works really well. Remember to adjust the ohms. 

stickyfiddle

MaximumZargon said:

Can't turn-up.

At the bigger (posher) venues, I can ask for guitars in the monitors, but obviously not at the smaller places.

Any ideas would be AMAZING!

In the nicest way - why not? 

My favourite ever setup was a small 1x10 combo miced into the PA with almost an equal volume of that sound coming back at me via the monitors. That even worked in really small places. Even if the FOH doesn't need to bolster your amp sound there's no reason you can't throw a mic on it purely for monitoring.

Fiftyshadesofjay

IEM’s are the way forward. And they don’t have to be that pricey, an Xair desk, a half decent transmitter and some AZ earbuds work fine with the option to go custom later on. If you’re playing to a few hundred a night regularly it’s more than worth it. Other members of the band can also share the desk if they want to take the plunge also.