To mix monitors from front of house, you use your mixer’s aux (auxiliary) sends to create separate mixes for each wedge or in-ear, building each one for what that performer needs while still mixing the main sound for the audience. On a small or mid-size gig there is usually no separate monitor engineer, so the front-of-house operator handles both — and the key is to set monitors first, then leave them mostly alone.
Aux sends are the foundation
A monitor mix is built from aux sends: each channel can be sent to one or more aux buses at independent levels, and each aux bus feeds one monitor. So the singer’s wedge can have lots of vocal and a little band, while the drummer’s mix is heavy on bass and kick. Set your auxes to “pre-fade” so your front-of-house fader moves do not change what performers hear.
Build one mix at a time
- Start with the vocalist. Bring up their voice in their wedge first, then add only what they ask for. Vocalists usually want themselves loud and clear.
- Move around the stage. Do each performer’s mix in turn during soundcheck, asking “more or less of what?” rather than guessing.
- Keep it sparse. The fewer things in a monitor, the louder and clearer the important elements can be before feedback.
Watch for feedback as you go
Monitors point back at the stage mics, so they are the most common feedback source. Ring out each wedge before the show by slowly raising its level and cutting any frequency that starts to ring — our guide on ringing out monitors covers the technique. Keep each monitor only as loud as it needs to be; chasing volume is what triggers feedback in live sound.
Managing both mixes during the show
Once the show starts, focus on the front-of-house mix for the audience and treat monitors as set-and-forget. With pre-fade sends, your house moves do not disturb the stage. If a performer signals for “more me,” make a small change to their aux and move on. Trying to constantly re-mix monitors from the house position is how the audience mix slips.
When to consider in-ears
If managing several wedge mixes from front of house is overwhelming, in-ear monitors can simplify life: stage volume drops, feedback risk falls, and many performers can dial their own mix from a personal device. Compare the trade-offs in in-ear monitors vs wedges.
Frequently asked questions
Should monitor sends be pre-fade or post-fade?
Pre-fade for monitors. That way your front-of-house fader changes do not alter what the performers hear, keeping their stage mix stable throughout the show.
How many monitor mixes can I run from front of house?
As many as you have aux sends, but practically two to four independent mixes is plenty for a small band. More mixes means more to manage while you also handle the house sound.
Why do my monitors keep feeding back?
Usually they are too loud, aimed at a mic, or have too much in them. Ring them out before the show, point wedges into the null of directional mics, and keep each mix sparse and only as loud as needed.
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