How to Set Up Stage Monitors for Your Band

To set up stage monitors, you place wedge speakers facing the performers, send each musician a monitor mix from the mixer, set levels so everyone hears what they need, and ring out the monitors to stop feedback. Done right, the band plays tighter because everyone can actually hear themselves. Here’s how.

What a stage monitor does

Stage monitors (often called wedges) face the performers, not the audience. They let each musician hear their own vocal or instrument and the rest of the band on stage, where the main speakers don’t reach well. Without them, players push too hard and timing falls apart. If you want the background on what a monitor mix is, read what is a monitor mix and how does it work.

Step 1: Position the wedges

• Place each wedge on the floor angled up toward the performer’s head, just in front of where they stand.
• Point the wedge so the back of any vocal mic faces it — this keeps the mic’s most sensitive side away from the speaker and reduces feedback.
• Give each key performer their own wedge where possible: lead vocal, other singers, and anyone who needs a specific mix.
• Keep wedges clear of the audience line so they don’t blast the front row.

Step 2: Route the monitor mixes

Each monitor mix comes from an output on your mixer, usually an aux send (sometimes labelled “aux” or “monitor send”). On each channel, the aux send knob controls how much of that channel goes into that monitor.

1. Assign one aux send per monitor mix.
2. Connect each aux output to the input of the corresponding powered wedge, or to amps feeding passive wedges.
3. For one shared mix, a single aux can feed several wedges; for individual mixes, use one aux per performer.

If you’re unsure how outputs and channels map on your desk, our guide on gain staging a live mixer sets a clean foundation, and analog vs digital mixers explains how many monitor mixes each type can realistically handle.

Step 3: Build each mix to what the player needs

A monitor mix is not a copy of the main mix. Each musician wants more of certain things:

• Singers usually want their own voice loud, plus enough of the rhythm to stay in time.
• Drummers often want bass and a vocal reference.
• Guitarists may want vocals and kick to lock in.

Start with everything down, then bring up only what each person asks for. Less in the monitors usually means less feedback and a clearer stage.

Step 4: Set levels and ring out the monitors

Bring each wedge up to a useful level during soundcheck, then ring it out to remove feedback-prone frequencies before they cause trouble. The full method is in how to ring out monitors to prevent feedback, but in short: raise the level until it just rings, find the ringing frequency on the monitor EQ, cut it, and repeat. Keep overall monitor volume as low as the band can tolerate.

Should you use wedges or in-ears?

Wedges are simple and shared, but they add stage volume and feedback risk. In-ear monitors give each player a clean, isolated mix and a quieter stage, at the cost of more setup. Compare the two in in-ear monitors vs wedges before committing your band to one approach.

Frequently asked questions

How many stage monitors does a band need?

It depends on how many separate mixes you want. A small band can share one or two wedges on a single mix, while a fuller setup gives the lead vocalist and key players their own wedge and mix. Start with the singers, who benefit most.

Why do my stage monitors keep feeding back?

Usually because a microphone is pointed into the monitor, the monitor is too loud, or feedback-prone frequencies haven’t been removed. Position the mic so its back faces the wedge, keep monitor levels modest, and ring out the monitors during soundcheck.

Can I run stage monitors from the same mixer as the main sound?

Yes. Most mixers provide aux sends specifically for monitor mixes, separate from the main output. You use these aux sends to build each performer’s monitor mix independently of what the audience hears.