If you delay the monitor as suggested will it not confuse him even more?IF you decide to try adding little delay to the vocal monitor to deal with potential comb filtering, it needs to be inside the very low mSec range which has a similar effect like stepping little further away from the wedge (in terms of latency) which should not be an issue (3m/10ft ~10mSec). But as Mr-B said, this only shifts the problem frequencies around and may not be a cure at all. But since digital desks do add monitor latency within the mSec range (1.2mSec on the Qu for local ports, probably more via dSnake), analog/digital should make a difference here. I never tried such and probably never thought about it, but if comb filtering is part of the problem (as George indicated), it may change things (to the better or worse).
Our ears also have built in compression of sorts. A protection mechanism. As a long time recording engineer I can attest to it. Mix for hours then take an hour break and come back and everything seems louder.
I still think that when a singer sings especially when they are loud they cause their ears to start compressing or limiting to the point where they feel they constantly need more level. Another person can walk into the pattern and it will seem way to loud.
I’m not sure if this is possible on a Qu, but on my iLive I run the monitor send after the EQ, but before the compressor. Compression is great out front, but most singers like to have their wedges dynamic: if they sing louder the wedge should get louder.
-Mark
I tell bands I work with they have a choice. They can have wedges at a reasonable level, and I’ll show them what that level is, or they must move to ears. There is no other choice. When a wedge gets too loud it starts bleeding into every mic on stage and just shoots the house mix all to he!! I’ll tell them if they don’t care what it sounds like to the audience they should go back to their garage and annoy their neighbors.
I’ve just made the jump to digital…I started with a Shure VocalMaster system back in 1969 and learned this stuff the old fashioned way, but I tell you, this is one of the most difficult transitions I’ve had to make. You take for granted the analog simplicity of hearing something wrong and instinctively grabbing a knob to correct it. I thank heaven the band I work primarily with now is comfortable with ears…it makes things a lot easier! I play trumpet, sing backup, do lights, and run sound, all from stage, so I’m kept pretty busy!
