Live Audio Mixing: The Fundamentals

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

This video is non-console specific, and much of it applies to analog or digital consoles. But, since it's rooted in console fundamentals, it's definitely things that can help you make the transition to digital easier. Signal flow, routing, gain, EQ terms, etc. are all discussed. It's actually more than 3 tips because there are tips within the 3 fundamental topics discussed. As always, please like, subscribe, and share the link. And post any questions or comments here. ►►There are PDF materials on the Patreon page, including a PDF Study Guide package of materials that I've written that dovetails with this video and gives more context for a deeper dive. It is available as part of the 4.00 Patreon tier. www.patreon.com/AlanHamiltonAudio ~~~~~~~~~~~ Suggested videos: ►5 Tips for Better Live Vocal Mixes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYGXpJemoNCBnrs ►Mixing Live Bass Guitar: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fH_EaJSsmLqIia8 ►How to EQ a Kick Drum: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYLKYpJjj69ng7c ►How to EQ a Snare Drum: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJC6dGluq96bqpY ►How to EQ Toms: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pISve6Skoa-YbJI ►Cable Management For Live Audio: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIq9aqGohaymrdE ►DI Box 101 - What's a DI Box and Which One Should I Use? kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJraiGiVfsZsi8U ►My Most Used Audio Adapters for Live Sound: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXfdgZtpir50pac

[@FormulaOneLeclerc]

This year has been huge for me in terms of growth in the industry and I want you to know a huge part is thanks to you. THANK YOU!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Very cool! Glad the channel has helped! :)

[@larslengberg]

The tip about signal flow is an important one. I remember struggling with my Midas MR18, understanding how to send audio into different mix buses, and getting the audio back out from those buses... It was both about understanding the concept, but perhaps even more about learning how it was represented in the control software UI (this mixer is all computer/tablet - no physical knobs/faders!). So invest a bit of time in learning the signal flow for your gear - well worth it!

[@wpbuilding442]

EXCELLENT!!! I just purchased the Yorkville VGM14 Analog mixer because I want to connect 2 mains, 2 monitors and a sub and run them on their own channels. I never really understood Pre-fade / Post - Fade :(. Nothing like learning and just diving in and buying something you don't know how to use ...lol.....forces you to learn right!!! ;)

[@wpbuilding442]

I had to come back and comment again after watching the whole video :) I wish I could just keep hitting the "Thumbs Up" as many times as I wanted :) Excellent information on here!!! Thank you!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Cool! Glad you liked it. And thanks for commenting and liking the video! That really helps to get YT to promote my videos to a wider audience. 🙂

[@StevenJonessoundman]

This information was well explained and very appreciated. I’m learning my M32.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thank you. Glad it was helpful.

[@trevortucker6345]

I find your videos extremely interesting. I've taken an interest in live sound only within the past year. Wish I had got into in my younger years. We have a pulpit mic in our church that's hard to hear. I asked the sound guy why that was, his response "when we turn up the gain we get feedback". I accepted that answer and I just learned from this video that his answer is incorrect. I'm guessing he has no idea on waht to do to get rid of the feedback other then decrease the gain on that channel.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Yes, that's likely true. While it's possible there could be some physical limitations, like the speakers placed directly behind the pulpit and even aimed at the mic, and worse, without much distance between them and the mic... And even worse, maybe the person speaking has an extremely quiet voice too. That is not usually the case, though. It's more likely it is something like the mic is being fed to the monitors, and already close to feedback so bringing the gain up finally crosses the gain before feedback threshold into feedback. And for whatever reason they don't bring the fader up instead (and maybe they do but maybe any monitors are post fader (instead of pre) which would also bring the monitor level up. But some people mistakenly think the faders all need to be in a perfectly straight line at unity and so they monkey with the gain control to achieve that, and won't move them fader (even when needed) and that paints them into a corner. That would be a scenario that would cause feedback primarily in the monitors. But the feedback could be in the house. That then could include an issue like the system EQ is not properly dialed in making a mic or mics more prone to feedback. Or channel EQ alone or in combination is making some mics more prone to feedback or not properly addressing feedback. This could then lead to feedback in monitors or house (or both). Many times, for things like a pulpit mic, few if any level in the monitors is needed. And if you do send the pulpit mic to the monitors, the person speaking will get (speak) even quieter because of just how well they do hear themselves and so perceive themselves as being 'too loud'. Turning down (or off) the pulpit mic in the monitors could actually make the pulpit mic louder, because the person speaking will talk louder. The louder the signal going TO the mic, the more signal the mic (and thus sound system) have to work with. Then other issues like not using a HPF and/or no windscreen on the pulpit mic (or lows dialed into it) could have the person backing too far off the mic because when they do get close they get loud plosives ("P"-pops... "B"-Booms... "T"...thumps). But that goes back to what I said about losing signal into the mic. Backing away from the mic means less signal into the mic. Note: You shouldn't have to get right on top of a pulpit mic. So don't misread what I'm saying. The person speaking shouldn't have to have their lips touching the mic. A foot off a pulpit mic is generally workable. But a yard/meter back would be an issue. And even that brings another possibility into the equation. Maybe everything is dialed in decently and the person speaking just needs to be closer to the mic. Even if speaker placement isn't ideal, if there are no monitors being used so no monitor feedback or not mons causing the person to speak quieter, if they are standing too far away from the mic it's going to be hard to get useable gain before feedback from the mic. Loudest sound at the mic wins. So it could be the person speaking just needs to get closer to the mic, and stay in that general area and not back too far away from the mic. It's hard to say for sure what the problem and solution is since it could be a multitude of things, and maybe more than one happening as well, but it's pretty likely there IS an answer and that the level could be improved without feedback being an issue.

[@trevortucker6345]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio With my limited knowledge, my opinion is whoever mounted the mics to the pulpit put them to far away. (mics are mounted towards the front further away from the speaker). Monitors are out of the equation, also the house speakers are well away from the mics and out front. I'll start with the simplist thing first and move the mic closer. They are at least 18 inches or more from the speaker.

[@TimMaynardguitar]

Thanks! I need basic vids like this to learn the vocabulary. Started watching the channel in hopes to get the great eq and reverb an engineer got with the xr18, to finally go to OBS. No success yet but understanding the terms and signal flow path does clear some general things up.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful! I've got some more videos like this planned... and maybe another behind the scenes video with some of the footage from a series of shows this summer. Especially since they weren't huge shows (ground-stacked PA, powered wedges, X32...) so I think people can relate to some of the setups and maybe get some ideas, or share some ideas.

[@MichaelNatrin]

Great tips & fantastic video!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks. It took some time to compile and edit so I appreciate the comment.

[@stephentyler4352]

Could you kindly explain the differences and/or similarities between the system eq and channel eq? I hesitate to make any assumptions sometimes even if they end up being correct. Clarity is important to us all, which is why I continually return to your KZbin channel with questions. You are among the best communicators I know of. Thanks, friend.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

When you play tracks through your system, they should sound good with no channel EQ. That doesn't mean you put subjective EQ on there, so you kind of need to get used to listening to music flat (no smiley face EQ at home and in the car for example). But if the music sounds really dull, or muddy, compared to how it normally sounds flat then this would be where you approach it on the system level. The first step should be speaker/amp balance overall (more horns, less mids, more subs... etc... Or even just making sure the coverage is right and the horns aren't shooting over everyone's ears). Then fine tune with the system EQ once the system is balanced in a macro sense like that. Or if the system interacts with the room in weird ways. Like a build up of 160Hz in one room that you don't get when you're outside for example would be a place to hit the system EQ. You probably would hear/notice that with the track playing, or when talking through the system, or if you ring the system out. That kind of thing gets more easy to notice with experience. If you were using system measurement tools, it would show you system weaknesses and take some guess work out, or confirm or pinpoint what your ears are telling you. So even though this is the best way, it might not be the most practical way for many. You have to invest in the equip to do it, and you have to learn the software, and learn to interpret the data correctly. And be in venues where you can take reasonable measurements and not be dealing with lunch crowds, juke boxes, etc... Of course, there's two levels of this system processing and testing. Getting the rig measured and correct as a baseline, possibly outside where reflection and room nodes can be mitigated greatly, is still helpful even if you never get to measure it at a club. So that is something that can be done once just to get a baseline you have always. And a church setting should be a place it would be easy to find a time to measure things and of course that installed church rig won't be changing. The rig and room will stay the same. Another way to know if the system balance is off or not is to use GOOD headphones. Studio headphones. Not over-hyped sound hifi headphones. When your mix sounds good in the room, put the headphones on and listen there. If the headphones sound NOTHING like the room (and keep in my your listening for tonal balance because stage volume could be impacting some of what you hear in the room) then you can pretty much know your system balance is off. BUT you need to listen PRE house EQ. You want to know how your mix is sounding BEFORE it hits the house EQ. If you solo a vocal and it sounds awful... shrill... wooly... but sounds good in the house... That tells you that you're fixing system problems on the channel strip, and that is the wrong approach. You should be fixing system problems on the system processing, speakers themselves, and/or house EQ. And knowing that your vocals require excessive high boost or high cut, is a good indication of places where you might need to change your approach to fixing a system problem with the highs. Sometimes it's simple... if you see a bunch of highs cut on the house EQ, or you see the high level cut on the powered speakers, yet you're adding highs into the channel strip of vocals and other areas, then it's pretty easy to know that you need to bring those system highs up, while bringing those channel highs back to flat for a reset and restart. You still might want to bring highs up somewhere for some 'shimmer'... or some hi mids for some bite... But it shouldn't be something you HAVE to do on the channel strip just to get acceptable sound. It should just be something your do subjectively. Or it could be the opposite... You're using HPF filter generic settings and they are reasonable, yet every channel you're having to cut lows or low mids excessively to keep the system from rumbling. That's a good sign either the subs are too hot, someone's cranked the lows on the system EQ, or the room has a low build up issue that needs addressed SOMEWHERE at the system level, not the channel strips. Essentially, if you find you need to do some things on basically every channel, that's a good sign there is a system level issue in reality that needs addressed first. The channel EQ should be something you mainly use for subjective reasons, not something you have to use just to make it even sound acceptable. That doesn't mean you can't turn the highs back 3dB on the vocals if you hear a ghost ring on the lead vocal and you don't notice it anywhere else... any port in a storm. And it can be a quick fix in the moment. But that was probably, overall, something best addressed on the system EQ with a surgical cut. Or maybe not a cut at all but just making sure there's not a speaker/mic placement issue at play that you can fix. Or maybe you just knock a couple dB off his monitor send and roll with that rather than making wholesale changes if all else is good. But the key thing to consider is: Is all else really good? Do all the channels look fairly normal, is there something that is being done on each channel's EQ? Are you compensating for something on nearly every channel that you could fix with just one cut on the system EQ. Or a change in the system balance at the amps/crossover?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

When I say "tracks" through the system... I'm talking recordings you are familiar with and how they sound on a variety of good playback systems. Things with clarity and balance.

[@DNSSTUDIOMUSICARTS]

Thanks for information

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Any time

[@DNSSTUDIOMUSICARTS]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio good luck for you sir

[@MattBoltonMusic]

Great video as always Alan!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks!

[@gmschwartz07]

Thanks Allen

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thank you for watching!

[@darcyduncantech]

Hi, great video! :) Can you make one regarding delay speakers/towers and how they work/create a good one? Thanks in advance

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks! That's a good suggestion. I'll write it down so I don't forget and maybe can do it sometime.

[@darcyduncantech]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio Cool, thanks man that would be awesomely helpful! :)

[@StevenJonessoundman]

Thanks!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thank you!!!

[@deePreal-timE]

❤❤❤❤ 10:27 Very large amount of aural mixing knowledge by you! it’s must be payable... I'm pleased! 🇧🇩🇧🇩🌍🇧🇩 🇧🇩

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Many thanks

[@FOHguy]

Wait. You mean that it consists of more than putting my "No. You can't charge your phone here" sign at FOH? 😁

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

LOL... that's an important point, no doubt! 😀😄

[@marcosstern5102]

Hello : I have a little mixer question for ya. I have a small mixer for my live performance percussion playing. The mixer has fx but once you choose an effect, that’s what goes to all the channels and you can only control how much or how little. I need to put multi fx on all channels and on some of the channels, I need different fx than the other channels. How can I achieve this ? Is there a live performing mixer that can do this or do I need to chain pedals together and connect to the aux send of the mixer ? ( I need a small mixer that can handle my 6 mic inputs.) I would love to be able to put a simple reverb on say…my congas, but then a flanged wilder reverb on my timbale. Those are the kind of things I’m trying to achieve while playing live. Thanks for your help !

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

You're probably not going to find an analog mixer that fits the bill. They're just going to have one reverb or FX option and that is that. Otherwise, you'd need to get an analog mixer that has (post fader) aux outputs and buy external FX for the different effects you're wanting. So if you want 3 different FX you'd need 3 post fader aux sends on the channels, and 3 different external rackmount FX. Probably, by the time you put all that together you could've just bought a small digital mixer that would've had the FX all built in. Something like the Behringer XR18 (or Midas MR18) has 16 mic pres, 2 stereo inputs, 8 outputs, and a 4 slot stereo FX rack. So that means you'd have four FX slots to use any of the built in FX. You can get other digital consoles in the X-Air range that have less channels and outputs, but that same 4 slot FX rack. You'd need to use a tablet or laptop to control these. And there are other things like the Midas M32R or Behringer Compact that DO have a surface if you prefer not to use a laptop or tablet. Soundcraft, QSC, Yamaha all have small digital format consoles. Some with surfaces and some you'd need to use a laptop or table for. You'd just have to research the various ones to see what one best meets your needs. The gist of it is, a digital console with a four slot FX rack will give you the ability to have 4 different FX that you can apply independently to your percussion. This video is made for different reasons, but it should give you a clear picture of how the FX rack works and you can expand that knowledge to any options you look at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioeYdJ9-lLKKqLc

[@EugeneKnapp]

Hello, is it possible to get an image that is on 4:00? Just in the end of EQ freq graph. Thanx anyway :)

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

There are a few sources. Here is one: www.toughtones.com/frequencies/ Here is a similar one on Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/VmaVx3

[@danielalexis9409]

Hi Alan, Good morning Sir! Thank you so very much this video. Looking at the RTA EQ screen, what do the different color bars mean please?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

They show intensity.

[@BjorgenEatinger]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio From green, to yellow, to red. Red being the hottest.

[@danielalexis9409]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio Hi Alan, Thank you for the response. How can I use the intensity info and what is the advantage please?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@danielalexis9409 If you were to hear an area of the sound that sounded like it was too much, for example your ears hear what you think is too much low mids in the source, the red area would show you the area of the low mids that is the hottest which would help you know exactly the frequency area that you were likely hearing. It's important to remember you don't want to SEE something and adjust it, you want to hear something and then confirm visually exactly what and where it is you're hearing it. Just SEEING red isn't really a problem necessarily. Another example would be if you were to hear a ringing... a high end feedback... Look to the RTA, at the highs, to see exactly where the red is. That would be the feedback since that would definitely be the hottest area of the sound. Music will naturally have areas that are louder and quieter than other areas. The notes, pitches, that make up the music will vary. The dynamics vary. Harmonics vary. That's why you don't just see something on the meter and react to it... you want to hear a problem or a subjective problem, and then look to the RTA and that area to see what is happening with the signal in that region of the sound. IOW, aurally hear a problem and know the general area the problem is in. Visually look to the RTA to confirm the problem and see exactly where it is. Your ears might tell you the problem is around 2K. The RTA can tell you it is exactly 2.5K.

[@danielalexis9409]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thank you Sir! I appreciate the explanation very much.

[@willsgro6536]

forgot about the human ear in signal flow, thought this was audio engineering

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Get the routing wrong and there won't be any signal for the ear to hear.

[@chrisjeaaalbertos3802]

Lol what the fuck are you talking about mate. The human ear has fuckall to do with the signal flow my man. Also: you forgot the eardrum, the malleus, incus, stapes, cochlea, stereocilia, neurotransmitters, auditory nerves, and the brain. Fucking moron.

[@huntercurry]

Hello Al! How are you doing my friend?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Doing good! How are you doing? I was wondering if we'd see you at the fair last Friday. We were there for the concert.

[@huntercurry]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio I wasn't there on Friday! I'm doing well my friend. Have you fully recovered from your surgery?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@huntercurry Much better but still some nagging stuff. I'm about to get an entirely different surgery done this month though. I have a little window carved out for it.

[@huntercurry]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio yes, I just saw that on Facebook. Hang in there my friend! Prayers

[@ryanchristophernunes5005]

Do I need an amplifer from my Behringer XR 18 to Behringer powered speakers?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

If the speakers are powered, they don't need an amplifier. Only passive speakers need an amplifier.

[@guitardo100]

I will add, if your speakers have a bass and treble set up, start by setting them flat. depending on the size of your venue you can make subtle adjustments at the speaker should you be getting too much gain after you've EQ'd. Additionally, many active (powered) speakers now use a built in DSP so know which setting to use on the speaker itself

[@VEVO500]

Pull up mobile studio system lab 1:30

[@yanlawrence4019]

hi alan, can you tell me how you get to -18db on the main input gain control when using a Ipad, because it doesnt show the same layout as per Laptop many thanks yan

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I don't have an iPad so I don't know exactly how the meters are matched to the signal on the official app. With Mixing Station (I'm using Android but there's an iPad version), it's essentially color-coded so that when it goes yellow you're around -18dBFS. If you have the opportunity you could setup both a laptop with X-Air edit and your iPad running at the same time and feed a signal into the meter and compare the exact numbers of the X-Air Edit meters with what the iPad is showing you. For an example, I did something similar in this video for Mixing Station on the Android: kzbin.info/www/bejne/roHWhIOBa7d-sLc

[@yanlawrence4019]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio ok mate thanks I will try that but I would need to do it at a gig, so could be a bit awkward,😂👍

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@yanlawrence4019 You can use break music for your test source. It doesn't have to be a tone or pink noise. Everybody might not like the song you choose, but NOBODY will like hearing that tone or pink noise! 😉

[@BjorgenEatinger]

I think this is true, i.e., that it is not metered. You can adjust it with the "Gain" rotary knob under "Config/Preamp", but yeah, I don't see any way to meter it.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I was joking about the tone, pink noise, or white noise vs music and the annoyed crowd... But on a serious note, don't forget you can leave the house speakers/amps off to do this testing. You only need the mixer, the iPad and the computer turned on for testing (and your MP3 player or whatever you're using to generate the signal). You just need to SEE and compare the meters, you don't need to actually hear anything. So, as long as there's time, testing at the gig doesn't really have to annoy anyone. :)

[@VEVO500]

Mobile studio system lab 0:42 0:54

[@VEVO500]

My mobile studio system lab creator producer Manager and being successful 1:35 p

[@VEVO500]

Mobile phone studio system lab creator mobile setup sets ragged VEVO 2:39

[@NonnyStrikes]

Now that I have more knowledge of these tap points, I have one question I previously asked poorly. DDJ800 by rekordbox - xlr to xair18 (b52s are on AUX 5, 18's are on AUX 6) With the DDJ800 being the source of all instrumentals, do I still send those bus channels from the ddj800 as "post fader" or "pre-fader" since I don't have control of singling out particular instruments? I know it may still seem confusing, I'm just wondering if it's simplified to the point of basic HPF at 30hz and LPF to about 150hz on the aux 5-6 sub channels. Or if I would do my cuts within the ddj800 xlr channels which are based on 15-16 via xair 18. I've tried a few methods, but the early stages of mixing might have me overthinking the loudness of the subs, or the amount of frequency they are pushing out. There are times the bass seems overbearing around the 60hz-100hz range.

[@NonnyStrikes]

I'm starting to ponder it being input gain. I might just have to reset and find the correct input gain once again.

[@jaysgood10]

Here’s a tip; go to a real trade school and get a real job. You’ll thank me later.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

LOL... It can be a profession that takes a lot of time and attention, requires a lot of expensive equipment that is quickly outdated, long hours away from home, time paying dues in seedy venues, long days and late nights, pressures from multiple angles, lots of self reflection... And there's also a downside too! ;)

[@atech9020]

Pro audio is not a trade in which " trade school " will help you. Pro audio is 100% your ability to sell yourself, stand out as being a step above the last guy, and truly know physics and how to come to the most scientific solution quickly without anyone knowing you even had to think about it. The trade schools do not teach you enough about physics, network integration, and the art of being an artist while still complying with the physics that dictate your outcomes. Being a sound engineer is more about your ability to be a personable character, have answers, and know how to make complex network-oriented systems work. The hardest part about getting a job in this trade is convincing someone you are able to set up, operate, and excel at tuning their million-dollar system, while simultaneously making the client, the artists, and the patrons happy all at the same time.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@atech9020 Well said. And not just make them 'happy' but actually instill confidence in them that you've got them covered so they don't have to wonder about things beyond their performance or presentation.

[@jaysgood10]

@@atech9020 sounds like a sales pitch for Full Sail.

[@atech9020]

@@jaysgood10 quite the contrary. They don’t teach you nearly enough to even be a real beginner.

[@jonathanchartrand3351]

Too technical. Not for the average musician.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

It would be hard to mix audio, let alone progress in the journey as a sound tech, without learning and understanding these audio fundamentals.

[@jonathanchartrand3351]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio I'm just a musician and I was hoping for some layman's tips on PA systems. I recently learned that to prevent feedback, the output should be connected to a graphic eq to roll off the frequencies responsible for creating feedback.

[@BjorgenEatinger]

@@jonathanchartrand3351 Because you are a musician, you will have an advantage over those aspiring sound engineers that are not musicians. You will understand frequencies better and be able to mix better, knowing where the breaks are, and solos, in practically any song. I am personally one of those perfect pitch guys, and I attribute it to many years of ear-training via learning songs by playing them over and over on the record player. I have worked with sound engineers that are not musicians, and they are very technical, but when it comes to hearing things in the program because of my musical background, I have that edge, and so will you. So embrace the technical part, and you'll get there!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@jonathanchartrand3351 The video talked about that in Tip 2. A graphic EQ is better than nothing (and pretty good), but a parametric is better than a graphic EQ. Some people who cut their teeth on GEQs still prefer them just because they are quicker on a graphic for house and mons, but that's more habit than anything. It's just as easy to be fast or even faster on a PEQ (parametric EQ). And you can always be more precise because that is a major advantage to PEQ. And without some of the issues that GEQs create, which is an entirely different rabbit hole. With digital consoles, you generally have the option for either (or sometimes both at the same time if you want) built in, with parametric being the typical default option.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@jonathanchartrand3351 If you have any suggestions for future video topics I'll see if I can't address them on a future video.

[@SuAmigoElilegal]

Question on Monitors set up only . 3 band group , 2 guitars and one bass guitar and 2 singers. We have 2 monitors and one big sub 18 in middle of the 2 monitors. Problem is when bass player plays with EQ at 60 heartz sound , we loose volume or we get muffle sound on the monitors and we can berly hear our guitars from monitors. Now it is not a volume problem but a cancelation of sound due to the bass frequency

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

What I would look at is your overall EQ on the monitor output(s). I'd make sure I was using the HPF (low cut). At least 60 or 80Hz ... But probably/possibly 100 or 125Hz if you still have issues after trying something more conservative. I definitely wouldn't run them with no HPF engaged. Also, make sure you aren't boosting any bass/low frequencies in your monitors on the overall monitor output EQ. These two things will help with headroom and keeping mush out of the stage mons. And that should help clean them up. Also, make sure you aren't over-EQing them and cutting a bunch of mids or highs out of them. That would just exacerbate the problem. It's like throwing a blanket over the wedges, and it really gets noticeable when the band is playing, stage volume is happening, and now the monitors and the critical vocal range can't cut thru. Plus, any low stuff will seem to take over. Those are generic suggestions... I suppose a more detailed question might be whether you're even putting bass guitar into the monitors or is it just the bleed getting into them? The above should help either way, but if you're putting bass into the mons, is it because the bassist doesn't have a stage amp? If he/she does have a stage amp, is there not enough bass guitar coming from it that you still need it in the monitors? If you do 'need' it in the monitors, on the bass guitar channel, and the above didn't help enough, I'd probably look to make sure and HPF the bass guitar there. I'd do that anyway... Definitely 40Hz no matter what in a case like this if you aren't already. But I instead might even try 50Hz-60Hz... I might in this case do it at 60-80Hz. If the monitors can't reproduce the lows without trouble, there's no point in asking them to do it. And if the bassist is heavily boosting then that roll off might help you both. It's also possible he/she is boosting well below what is actually needed/wanted as far as the center frequency goes, and to get what they want to hear they have to put a ton of low EQ into it to get the actually frequency that is more to the right to actually increase enough to matter. BUT if the frequency was better centered (or if it's a low shelf, the knee freq is better selected) then it might not take nearly as much boost to get what they want to hear. And this all assumes a low end boost is the proper answer anyway... It's probably best to try subtractive EQ as the first line of equalization. First the high pass filter, then cut away where things are too much. For example, if there's a cut at 250Hz, that naturally leaves a louder low end and upper response in the overall frequency response. A little deeper dive on Bass mixing/EQ in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fH_EaJSsmLqIia8

[@SuAmigoElilegal]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio Do main outputs L/R and mon (monitor) output are totally separate lines? . My problem is because I get alot of high frequency loss from my floor monitors when the bass is playing . We loose guitar high and some meds frequency. I do have crossover from my subwoofer to my top speakers but there is no low cut or frequency cut setting in the mon output and so my monitors speakers don't have any settings for it