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.
Set monitors before you touch the house mix
The single biggest workflow mistake is building the audience mix first and then trying to bolt monitors on afterwards. Do it the other way round. With pre-fade aux sends, every performer’s stage sound is independent of your front-of-house faders, so getting wedges right early means you can spend the rest of soundcheck and the whole show concentrating on the room without disturbing the band. A confident, comfortable performer also plays better, which makes your house mix easier in turn.
A practical order of work during soundcheck looks like this:
- Line check every input so you know each channel is arriving cleanly before anyone tries to mix anything.
- Build each monitor mix in turn, vocals first, working around the stage and adding only what each player asks for.
- Ring out the wedges at performance level so they sit well below feedback once the room fills and gain structure shifts.
- Mix the house last, with the band playing together, knowing the stage is already settled. If you are still finding your feet on the audience side, our beginner’s guide to mixing live sound walks through the rest.
How to read a monitor request
Performers rarely describe sound in mixing terms, so part of the job is translation. “I can’t hear myself” almost always means more of their own source in their wedge, not more overall volume — turning the whole mix up just brings you closer to feedback. “It sounds muddy” usually points to too much low end or too many instruments crowding the mix; thin it out rather than adding more. “It’s harsh” or “ringing” is a cue to ring the wedge out again and tame the offending frequency, and a little corrective EQ on the vocal often clears it up faster than chasing levels. When in doubt, ask “more or less of what?” and make one change at a time so both of you can hear what actually moved.
Common mistakes when mixing monitors from front of house
- Using post-fade sends by accident. Then every house fader move leaks into the stage mix and performers complain that their monitor keeps changing. Confirm your monitor auxes are pre-fade.
- Putting too much in each wedge. A crowded monitor has to be loud to be useful, and loud monitors feed back. Sparse mixes are clearer and safer.
- Chasing “more me” with the master. Raising overall monitor level to satisfy one player erodes your feedback headroom for everyone. Add only that performer’s own channel to their own aux.
- Re-mixing monitors all night. Once set, treat wedges as set-and-forget and make only small, deliberate changes on request. Constant tweaking from the house position is how the audience mix drifts.
- Forgetting the room changes the sound. An empty room rings differently from a full one. Ring out at realistic levels and leave a little headroom for when bodies and warmth change the acoustics.
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. Walk through the rig in our guide to setting up in-ear monitors, or 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.
Can I use the same monitor mix for the whole band?
You can if you only have one aux send or one shared wedge, but it is a compromise. A single mix has to serve everyone, so it ends up busier and louder than any one player needs, which costs you clarity and feedback headroom. Where you have the aux sends to spare, give at least the vocalist their own dedicated mix.
Do I really need to ring out monitors every gig?
Yes, because each room, stage position, and mic placement changes where feedback starts. Ringing out takes only a couple of minutes per wedge during soundcheck and buys you a lot of volume before feedback once the show is running and the room fills up.
