Behringer XR18 Monitor Setup Tutorial. X-Air Series. Midas MR18
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- Setting up the XR18 / MR 18 for audio monitors with terms explained. Settings for wedges, IEMs, or headphones.
Monitoring is an important part of any musical performance. Understanding the settings of pre fader or post fader, post EQ, pre EQ, etc. will help make sure performers get the stage monitor mixes they need.
This live sound reinforcement tutorial discusses stage monitor setup but applies to studio audio monitor setups as well.
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Script files and other tutorials and info in PDF format as well as scene and library files at the Patreon Page.
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This video seeks to explain setting up the XR18 for monitors, as well as explain the terms as used in the process (and by the software) to understand why certain decisions are made with the setup options. This information is pertinent to stage and studio, bands and techs. That includes churches / Houses of Worship, traveling musicians, nightclubs, auditoriums, etc.. Portable or installed.
The same information is also relevant to the Behringer X32 and Midas M32 digital mixers which use similar architecture and software/GUI. Particularly familiar on those consoles with firmware updated to FW4.0 or newer.
Behringer P1 Beltpack Quick Look and Review (IEMs On A Budget):
• In Ear Monitors On A B...
Behringer XR18 / X Air Tutorials:
• Behringer XR18 Tutorials
Behringer X32 / Midas M32 Tutorials:
• Behringer X32 Tutorials
Alan's Live Production and Recording Tech Tips and Info:
• Alan's Sound Productio...
The software used is the X-Air Edit software, available free for download from Behringer:
www.behringer.com/downloads.html
Midas M Edit Software, available free for download is here:
www.midasconsoles.com/downloa...
Gain Structure Video that was referenced in this video:
• Behringer XR18 Gain St...
#Xair
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Please watch: "5 Tips For Better Live Vocal Mixes - Mixing Live Vocals - Live Sound Tutorial on Behringer X32 XR18 "
• 5 Tips For Better Live...
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I just did a Monitor Setup video specifically for the Behringer X32 and Midas M32. If anyone is looking for console specific monitor setup info for the X32/M32 then check out this video:
czcams.com/video/Vz9E6FaCatQ/video.html
I also made an X32/M32 Monitor Mixing/Setup playlist centered around this new video:
czcams.com/play/PLWtgwSNlxTjOcSjRK6m0JpvFQHABktu7O.html
Patreon Page:
www.patreon.com/AlanHamiltonAudio
I wish you would also show these setups using both the XAIR, Mix32 native app and the Mixstation Pro app. There are a lot of "Rack 32" only setups and some venues we have to use.
This tutorial was 300% better than the Behringer's tutorial, thank you!!
Thanks!
you saved me from returning my mixer. I could not for the life of me figure out why I was not hearing anything from the phone jack, but this video helped me get it working for the first time. thanks so much.😁
Cool, glad it helped. :)
This was super helpful. I was just going to set up the aux outputs as pre-fader because this is what I've always done. I wasn't even thinking about the difference between pre-fader in the aux output tab of the I/O screen vs. the pre-fader setting on each input channel. Also, thanks for explaining the fact that pre-fader is post-compression and the impact of compression on monitors. Very useful!
Thanks! I'm glad it helped! :)
One thing I found very helpful.. was making each monitor tab a different color... Makes it easy to tell what mix you are on because the faders all highlight in whatever color channel you are on.. So FOH would be normal/black... then Aux1 is red, Aux 2 is blue etc... You have all of your monitors coded yellow.. which helps.. but making each one different helps even more... makes on the fly adjustments a little easier to manage as you know instantly what tab you are on just by looking at the board.. Great video! I have been using the XR18 for 3 or 4 years now and have learned a lot that I didn't know from watching your vids! Cheers!
Thanks! I am 57, picking up my old hobby with modern gear. Thanks to you en yt is possible to do that. I have seen a lot of your videos and your explanation is easy-to- understand, even I am not English. I think this 'in debt tutorials' are much appreciated, certainly I do, Thanks again!
Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm glad they are helpful for you! :)
I was pulling my hair out getting the monitor mix right and you helped me solve it. Thanks!
Glad it helped! :)
I definitely found this extremely useful for my church set up. Thanks so much Alan. With love from Nigeria 🇳🇬❤️
Thank you! Glad it helped.
Your vids are so useful in a world on non-information from the manufacturers! Thank you!
Glad to help!
FINALLY!!! Someone did a MONITOR MIX vid!!!! Yeah!!! Thanks!!
Glad to see an explanation of the Pre and Post stuff...
Thanks for the vids!!
Glad it was helpful!
Great info. Thank you very much. I was always used to the “old school” way with an analog mixers. I bought this version to upgrade and I’m so glad I did.
Thanks!!
Amazing and VERY helpful video!! I get so confused with post, pre... settings! I needed this in my life! Thank you!
Thanks! Glad it helped!
Great video! I dug the diagram showing the flow of the signal and the mixers ability to pick where it picks it up from!
Thanks!
Excellent tutorials - keep them coming!
Thanks!
THANK YOU for this wonderfully well done tutorial!
You're very welcome!
Perfect timing! I have to do guitar for my band and as well as the mix for a small venue (foh and monitoring). With my x16 I will get alot done from my standing position. Your videos are incredibly helpful for me!
Glad they help! Thanks!
Right on ,thanks ,good stuff again
Thank you. Totally answered all my questions.
Glad to help!
So well explained! Thanks so much. Very helpful
Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful!
Subbed with a bell. You rock Alan!✨
Thanks!!! 🙂
Thanks. I'm still getting used to the workflow of a digital board and this was a big help
Thank you! I'm glad to help!
Amazing tutorial 🔥
Excellent! Thanks very much.
Excellent video, thanks for going through this in detai
Thanks!
Very helpful. Thank you.
Very helpful, thank you sir!
Thanks!
Thank you for this excellent tutorial.
You're very welcome! Thanks!!
Excellent video! So helpful. Thanks!
You're welcome!
These videos are great. I struggle a bit with perspective of from foh etc. Because like everyone in my area where the live music scene sucks, the musicians run sound from the stage. We make nothing and would still gladly pay a soundperson but with no healthy scene there are no sound techs. Cheers
Thanks Dude, that really helped a lot.... saving me time and nerves 👍🏼👍🏼
Glad it helped
Wonderful and informative,
Cheers!
Thank you!
amazing thank you for the help!
NVM! I got it! good video thanks for the overview
Thanks! very informative!
Thank you!
Bravo, well done!
Thanks!!! I tried to hit all the relevant points and make sure it could be followed easily enough without going too fast... or too slow.
Thanks! clear and useful :) 10/10
Thanks!
Awesome video. Thanks
Thanks!
thank you, very helpful
Glad to hear that!
Nice information sir 👍
Thanks!
⚠️WARNING- Do NOT upgrade your IPAD to 16.1.1! As x-air app Crashes 100% after working on previous IPAD versions!
as of 11/2022. Alan please spread the word as the CZcams xr18 guru go to!
Love your videos!
Awesome job! What I do is scribble strip the busses to the player name , Bass Mon , Drum Mon , Key Mon,,,so much quicker to call up during show. XR 18 user here all live. I have the mons also all yellow , color can be changed during the labeling.
Color coding is a great idea. And naming the busses for quick ID in show conditions. I'm surprised more people don't do it. I dropped a 'how to' on doing that at the end of the XR18 DCA vs Subgroup video.
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
Great info on your videos. These are good time savers even for experienced sound engineers. Thank you!
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
Excellent
Thanks!
Thanks Alan, very useful. One question: is the output of each BUS in mono or stereo? Of course following the configuration you give to each channel and, in my case, to the AUX (ch 17-18) inut I use with an external device (my laptop with music).
ciao
Each XLR output is a standard balanced output... so balanced mono. No option to switch to unbalanced L-R like you can do on the input of the Behringer P2 beltpack (the micro sized one, not the larger 2-XLR input P1).
It takes two XLR outs for stereo...
Very helpful and thanks.
i do have one question: I do have my aux outs set to post fader and my two monitor bus outputs to pre EQ like suggested in tutorial. However, I noticed when i bring up my bus 1 and 2 faders on sends, the monitor goes up in volume, but so does my main speakers connected to my main L&R outputs.
Not sure why or how to fix this. Would like my monitor faders to only control monitor volume.
Thanks.
That sounds like you have your bus out on bus 1 and 2 assigned to the L-R. It should be unassigned to L-R since you don't want those busses going anywhere except to your mons.
That's one of the issues described and shown and this 5 FAQs about the XR18:
czcams.com/video/x9wciA2wFd0/video.html
🙋🏻♀️ Hi, Alan!
✌ Hey Cindy!
Alan Thank you for your great info. I have a question for you, I was using my Xair 18 as just a IEM system for my band but I just recently changed it to our main mixer and the IEM, I have the 1-5 Sub outs for the band IEM and set up the Aux 6 for my Subout following your video. My problem is that when I turn up the IEM mix it is also pushing sound thru the Mains and I can not figure out why it is doing this. if you have any info for me I would greatly apricate it.
I bet you have the bus/aux outs in the master section assigned to L-R on your mon feeds.
Check out this video for more info because it's something that happens a lot and trips people up. czcams.com/video/x9wciA2wFd0/video.html
Thanks for all those amazing videos!
I wonder if there's a way to use the Headphone out as a separate mix (eg AUX 7-8) for example, or maybe use LR XLR outputs for the same purpose (let's say I have 4 players who want stereo IEM's) without losing main mix out for FOH or DAW.
thanks
It's nothing I've ever tried, or really thought about. That said, I wonder if you were to do away with one of the FX Sends (as an FX send as well as set the channel FX sends for that specific slot to a point pre-fader), and monkey with the USB routing, as well as go to the monitor section in routing and change the headphones to 'listen' to a specific USB output (that matches with what you changed the FX send to) if that would work?
Like I said, nothing I've tried... just more or less thinking aloud...
Thnx
Thanks for watching! :)
Hi Alan, I have a question: On X18 the aux sends can be used as in ear monitors using Berhinger P1 in ear monitor amplifier? The Aux sends on X18 must be used 2 for STEREO? ( I mean aux 1 for left and aux 2 for right or one aux is = 1 stereo ). Regards. The tutorials is very helpful! Thanks
Yes, you need to use two XLR aux outs for true stereo. You can use one XLR out for mono, and the pack lets you send that to both ears, but for true stereo and the ability to pan instruments in the mix, you have to use 2 XLR aux outs.
Even though this video link below is made to dovetail with the video about building a dedicated IEM mon rig with the XR18, there's a lot of info relevant to setting up things for mixing monitors (IEMs) from FOH in this video as well:
czcams.com/video/Zf83kolgVzk/video.html
Hi im planning to have this. Xr18 but i also looking at zoom l20r, what would you recommend for our church live performance and live streaming? Thank you for helping us.
I'm just not familiar with the Zoom at all, so I don't know if there are any quirks or pitfalls to watch out for. OTOH, I know lots of people are using the XR18 to stream with, and record to external DAWs (as well as mix live). And there's lots of information available on YT and the internet in general. But that might be true of the Zoom too, but since I don't own one I don't frequent the groups where they are discussing it.
I know the XR18 should work for you, provided it has enough inputs for what you need. And I know there are a lot of resources/users to help you with problems.
The Zoom, might work for you too... But I just don't know anything about it other than Zoom makes fine products so no issues with the brand itself. But whether the featureset aligns as well as the XR18 for your use, or maybe even better... I just can't say.
Thanks for the tutorial Alan, one question, can we setup fader for bus 1-6 using ipad/tablet ?
Yes, although I don't own an iPad so I can't show or know the exact procedure off the top of my head. I did have to troubleshoot something on an iPad the other day and the ability to set up busses is definitely on the iPad.
Greetings from Indonesia, thanks for the Tutorial Alan!
BTW, is there any tutorial to send the click track from DAW (such as Logic Pro X) to the Drum Bus only? best regards
I don't have Logic Pro X... I do know how to do it in Reaper and maybe that info sends you down the right path for Logic Pro X. First, here is the Reaper metronome routing video:
czcams.com/video/wA7S91iw2lM/video.html
Then in the XR18, you need to choose whatever channel/track you're sending the click from the DAW to in the XR18. Let's say it's on track 1 in the DAW and so outputting to USB 1. So the XR18 would see it on channel 1 once prepared.
In channel 1 on the XR18, select channel 1. Tab over to "Channel" (on the X-Air Edit software) and in the Channel input section in of the screen that opens up (it will be top left area) select "USB" button to highlight it.
At that point, the XR18 is no longer connected to the preamp on channel 1 and is instead connected to the USB input on channel 1 (assuming you've not changed the default in/out routing in the XR18).
Now you just turn up the click track by turning up the drum send/bus and that will send it to the drummer. Assuming it's a prefader monitor feed, you're good to go. No need in bring channel fade up and that easily keeps it out of the FOH (although you can also unassign that channel from L-R to accomplish the same thing).
I used channel 1 for the example, but it might be a place where'd you want to use the Aux in (17-18) for the click track if you're not using it for something else.
There's a lot of info you don't need that explains DAW routing in the XR18 beyond what I just said, but this does show you where a lot of this stuff I just talked about is at.
czcams.com/video/xYmJGyroVe0/video.html
Alan, great instructions and I was wondering if you have a tutorial illustrating the use of a tablet. I'm assuming it is quite different than using a mouse on a PC.
I need to look into doing that. I probably need to look into how to do video screengrabs on the tablet first! ;)
I think X-Air Edit and Mixing Station on Android 'feel' fairly similar, but they are definitely different.
I’m having trouble finding where/how to mix monitors on the tablet app.
@@nerdyorganist I think I need to read up on doing video screen grabs from my tablet and do something from there. I know how to static screen grabs, but I figure there's way to do video grabs as well. Although, I suppose just the static screens and arrows would work for a video too.
I'll see what I can do when I get some more time.
Great video. Do you know why when I want to mute an specific channel in my monitor it also mutes it On my main? Thanks.
I'm not sure the XR18 offers a way to mute the channels separately in the mons. Although, you can mute the aux bus at the master section if you're just trying to kill the mons, or a mon mix... or mute the main if you're just trying to kill the house and leave the mons hot.
Or mute the vocal DCA (or subgroup) to kill vocals in the house and leave the mons on.
But, just to kill a single channel in a single mix, I'm not sure that is possible. Or if it is, I'm not sure where the setting is at.
I’ve been trying to get help with monitor set up on my Xair18
My aux 4,5,6 when adjust are changing house level as well any suggestions appreciated
I bet you have the aux/bus outs assigned to L-R... which you don't want if they are stage monitor feeds.
It's a pretty easy mistake to make and this comes up enough it made my top 5 FAQs about the XR18. I don't remember which number it is, but I think you'll see how to fix the problem here:
czcams.com/video/x9wciA2wFd0/video.html
I did this one in more of a live form, so it probably doesn't flow as well as it could have, and I might've belabored a couple of points. ...But I thought the information was important and this is one of the things I come across from time to time on service calls that turn out to be operator error issues, or just questions like "What settings do I use for my monitors? There are a bunch of options and none of them are explained".
Problems like monitors that should be picked at some point pre-fader, are picked post fader causing issues for the performers and the tech. Or the opposite- someone wanting choir tracks to fade that don't fade in the monitors when the house fades.
There are also at least 3 ways to adjust monitor mix levels... So this video shows and discusses those.
Please post any questions or suggestions for future content.
Amazon Affiliate Links-
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Behringer X32 on Amazon:
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Midas M32 on Amazon:
amzn.to/3ovhi8n
5 Typical Mistakes Behringer XR18 and Midas MR18 Users Make:
czcams.com/video/EilVDp39A9g/video.html
Behringer XR18 / X Air Tutorials:
czcams.com/play/PLWtgwSNlxTjOt3tyG7cYXrmSleKXHlepj.html
Behringer X32 / Midas M32 Tutorials:
czcams.com/play/PLWtgwSNlxTjPJCmx6FF1igBWd30PxLbCG.html
Alan's Live Production/Recording Tech Tips and Info:
czcams.com/play/PLWtgwSNlxTjNBv778YnTynwfidc6oWqc9.html
Another question I have Alan. If I’m running compression across all my channels, is it still necessary to have overall compression on all my monitors, mains and even subs? If so, what is the recommended compression settings for those? I would think that having overall compression on all of those would counteract all the channels individual compression no? Thanks!
Well, this question isn't as simple as it might seem. All kinds of caveats could come into play. Examples:
You're using channel compression on each vocal. You then put the vocals through a subgroup, and apply more compression there to 'glue' the vocals together more. Since the channel compression takes some peaks off, the bus compression isn't going to be triggered by the peaks of one singer vs another singer since the channel comps are taming it. So it can work a little more seamlessly overall on the voices.
Or, the same scenario, but you like the way a vintage compressor, or vintage compressor plugin, colors the sound. So, all of the above still applies, plus you get the 'color' too.
Another scenario... You're doing monitors from FOH and don't have enough channels to split the vocals into two channels each. So each vocal channel is doing both FOH and Mons. You REALLY want to compress the vocals more, but the singers are complaining about the levels/compression. You can try using very little on the channels, sending the vocals to a subgroup, and getting your compression more from the subgroup (that the monitors won't be getting). Or maybe, simply no compression on the channels, and have to compromise with only bus compression.
If you have a small amount on the channels, then you get the same benefit as first mentioned above, but less of it, and also likely need more compression in the bus. So, it won't necessary glue the vocals as much... since the vocals are more likely to be peaky without much channel comping, but still the bus comp would keep the overall vocal level/dynamic range in a window you prefer.
....That's vocals...
You can kind of think of some of the above concepts in different situations for other sources/instruments. Sure, a lot of channels can have things comped, knocking peaks off on some channels, limiting dynamic range and raising soft parts and lowering loud parts on other channels with makeup gain at play, and some channels the comp threshold is just there for a 'safety' (a scream... a loud drum crack... bass popping). Even hard limiting. You could still find it beneficial to comp busses (subgroups), and even have some compression on the mains. Not so much that the mix is pumping and breathing, but maybe a little 2:1 to tame the peaks at a highish threshold.
Or maybe you go the other way and have a comp setup as a limiter on the mains, or the monitor auxes.
Once again, having the channel comps working as part of your mix and keeping things from being too peaky, can help you not hit that limiter, or not hit it as hard if you do. And same would be true, even if it's not there for limiting but just some 'main bus glue' and/or just taming peaks ever so slightly so you don't often hit the main bus compression, but it's still there to smooth things a smidge at a certain threshold..
There's also different ways you can approach compression in different scenarios. Like, one way where the threshold and ratio are set to have the signal in near constant compression (Gain Reduction/GR) and where you then need to adjust the makeup gain to get your average level back up to normal. Or another where you leave the makeup at unity/nominal and the signal is NOT in constant GR and is instead just flickering on peaks and you're just wanting to knock those back. And you could be using one method on a channel, and the other method on the bus.
And on and on....
And then you have to consider when using a lot of compression, to not overuse it. Just like EQ, have a reason to use it and a purpose to engage it. Don't just turn it on because it's there. And don't dig a hole with it either by adding it anywhere and everywhere with no purpose and random settings.
But there are definitely legitimate reasons to use it at multiple points in the signal chain. Though, using it with specific settings and applications when you do. And always being mindful of signal flow and what it's having an impact on when you do it (like knowing where it's impacting singer's monitors, and when it's just impacting the house for example).
Hey Alan. I'm struggling to get outputs from my aux outs. I'm seeing input levels and I'm sending them to the busses as you've described but I'm getting zero out of my busses.
Can you email me your scene? It might be easier to look at that and see if I see anything missing/wrong than trying to figure it out from scratch. It should be working, but any one thing wrong could throw a monkey wrench into things... or else it even could be a hardware failure. Or after the board I guess too.
Man u best
Thank you!!! :)
Question: if I am using the XR18 as a dedicated IEM mixer, could I use the main L/R outputs for additional mixes? That is, a 7th and 8th unique mix? Thanks for the fantastic content and explanations!
You definitely could use it for another stereo mix. It might get complicated trying to use it for 2 monon mixes since you'd have to do it with the pan control and it wouldn't be all that straightforward...
I talked about the settings, at least for using it as a dedicated mon console and using the L-R for a stereo mix in this video... if you didn't already see it:
czcams.com/video/Zf83kolgVzk/video.html
Hi Alan: Please tell me if or how I can set the BUSes 5 and 6 linked as stereo channel so I can send the signal to an digital recorder as Tascan DR-40X, so I can record a drumset with a drumless track. Regards
For recording is better the bus set post EQ?
In my cases, I'd want the record feed for a bus to be pre-EQ so that I'm not limited when it comes to post production/remixing.
Hey Alan! You sent me here from a question I had about aux sends on the MR18 so thanks again. Looking at your software here, I wish to GOD that the MR18 software was as straightforward as this. It’s scattered. I love this software HERE because everything seems to be on one page. Can I run the MR18 with THIS software? And if so how do I download it? Many thanks. David
AFAIK X-Air Edit for PC and Mac will run either MR18 or XR18. I guess they call it M-Air Edit for the MR18.
I'm guessing you're running the iPad though?
If so, have you tried Mixing Station for iPad? I think it's a little more similar to the X-Air Edit software than then official iPad app.
But for setting up and configuring things, the PC or Mac software is hard to beat. More room and easier layouts to follow.
Hi! A great video! I have a question - a basic one, I guess. When a band connects to XR18 to have a monitor mix (I'm thinking about in-ear monitoring for my band), how do the signals flow to the FOH desk since XR18 doesn't have any other ouputs. Do I need any splitters, DI?
Yes to splitters. I have plans to make a video about this subject since the popularity of IEMS mean more and more bands will be in this situation.
I had surgery last month and it's slowed me down way more than I counted on so that video is still on the to do list as I try and finish up a guitar micing video for this week.
You can get a split snake, but since most bands are just handing tails to the house audio provider, things like the ART S8, or the Behringer rackmount splitter, EWI splitter, etc... work well in rack with the XR. Just add a couple of fan to fan snakes (one short to jump from splitter(s) to XR, and a longer one to jump to house snake.
And if you're handy with a soldering iron then then you can buy a blank panel, some install grade balanced cables, and rivet or screw some XLR's into the panel and build your own. It won't have transformers, but transformers can be overrated for this too.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Oh, man! Thank you for such a thorough reply. Most importantly, though, get well!
If your running the vocals in a subgroup (bus 4) and drums in bus 5/6 linked, where do you turn up the main levels of drums and vocals?
Not sure I understand the question? If the vocals are subgrouped to bus 4 and the drums to 5 and 6, then the bus 4 output fader controls the vocals and the 5/6 bus output faders control the drums.
Thank you for this tutorial, I always learn great stuffs here. I have recently been having calrity issues with my online band mix for our church's online audience, while the house sounds great the mix in bus1 which goes online isn't good. The sound always seems all muddled up and unclear.What could I be doing wrong? I will appreciate a tutorial on this. Thank you!
Are you using any bus compression or bus EQ on the online feed? That would be my first thought where the online feed might get muddied.
There is also this video talking about streaming that might have some information in it. Even thought it's focused on using OBS, there's still other info about stream mixing in it:
czcams.com/video/aNlBOOhWbZw/video.html
❤️❤️🙏
I just checked my monitor/bus pick points and they are all set to input. Is that a bad idea for some reason? I changed them to pre EQ. For my setup that means that I am really only missing the lowcut I guess and I have a full lowcut on my busses. Maybe I should shut off my 100 Hz lowcut on my busses and just put on a 20 Hz lowcut and then I can have more low end in my bass signal to monitors if I use the pre-eq instead of input setting?
I'd want the pick point beyond INPUT to at least get my channel HPF since that's typically a setting you'd want passing thru to monitors no matter what else. Monitors from FOH is always a giant compromise unless you can split channels.
But, yeah, if you're running 100HPF on the busses then it kind of doesn't matter.
I'd probably loosen that to more like 60Hz on the busses and use the channel HPF. ...But if things are working OK as they are, there is always the idea "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
Hello Alan . Tell me When setting up monitors there was a problem. I add a backing track on bus 1 on this channel, a monitor on the stage is connected..The problem is the music is playing even if the LR fader is completely omitted by the fader. It is also turned down on the channel Fader itself (I have a stereolink connected to 11 12. How to make the sound not go just like that .or so he should go . Please help me figure it out.
If you want the track to follow the channel fader then on the track channel, and on the monitor bus (or busses) set them to POST fader on the sends page (on the channel). Is that what you mean?
How would all this translate when using a Behringer Powerplay P16-D 16-channel Distribution Module with Behringer Powerplay P16-M personal mixers? These videos are a tremendous help for us non-sound engineerrs! Thank you!
It essentially translates as far as concepts and reasoning... But you'll make the signal tapping setting in the In/Out routing section in the UltraNet tab.
is there a way to put reverb into a single channel's monitor send? Don't want it in the house, but the vocalist wants it in the monitor.
Yes, this video talks about the various ways reverb can be routed to monitors, and one of them is a dedicated mon mix/vocalist option.
czcams.com/video/e_XsfTV36vU/video.html
Hi Alan, Hope you have a nice weekend!
Is there away to route and mirror the bus channels to the headset output, so we could listen or monitor the stage monitor speakers during the show? Sometime, I have the singers complain about the sound quality or effect on the monitor speakers. However, I can't run up to the stage to check the monitors during the show. Hence, I want to hear what the singer or the musicians hearing on the stage during the show.
Thanks in advance!
Yes, just 'solo' the aux send that is their monitor bus. Unless you've changed the default routing of the headphone output, it's already set up to automatically switch to whatever you SOLO (AKA PFL)... So, you can solo channels or solo mix busses. By default, it's just a feed of the L-R bus UNTIL hit the solo button, and then whatever you've soloed will feed the headphone output.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio
If I solo the bus, will it mute other channels?
I want to check it during the show, and don't want to bother any others. I actually want to mirror what in the bus 1 to the headset during the show, so I can hear what the singer hear.
@@lanphanh No, it won't do anything to the house mix or monitors. It just sends that solo'ed signal to the headphones versus the house mix that is in the headphones by default. At least that is the default setting. I'm not sure there's even a setting on the XR18 to change it to the recording type solo feature that you're referencing.
Well, I guess you could go into routing and move the MAIN selection from Main L/R to Monitor and THEN it would act like you're concerned about, but that is not the default setting of the console. So technically, I guess there is way to do that.
The X32 has L-R 'cue' outputs that are for studio or program monitors that act the way you describe, and some people mistakenly connect their mains there and run into that problem, but the XR18 doesn't even have those two outputs so you cannot make that particular mistake.
So, unless you have changed the default routing, soloing a channel or bus won't do anything to what is coming out the mains, stream feeds, or monitors. It'll just change what is in the headphones. And if you test it and it DOES change the house, then someone has changed the default setting of the console and you need to go into the In/Out (routing) section and choose MAIN OUT, and then in the graph make sure MAIN is connected to MAIN L/R (and not to Monitor or anything else for that matter).
@@AlanHamiltonAudio
Thanks so much for your kindly response!
I will try that.
Have a nice weekend!
So these are all mono mixes. How to go about stereo so that i can pan drums and guitars in the mix? I tried doing bus1 and bus 2 with pan right left to a little external mixer with two xlr inputs, but all i get is mono without panoramic sound :/ any hints?
This video linked here talks about outputs and options. You can definitely do stereo:
czcams.com/video/UNO-dACc7YY/video.html
This next video is more for using the XR18/MR18 as a dedicated monitor console, but the concepts for stereo mixes are the same... Just remember when the console is doing FOH and Monitors, you don't want you monitor sends POST fader. When it's a dedicated monitor console, you MIGHT want them post-fader. czcams.com/video/Zf83kolgVzk/video.html
This video is kinda fast-paced (because there is a lot covered), but is a walk-thru of the channels specifically focusing on inputs. But monitor/bus sends are on the inputs, so it definitely has info you can put to use for stereo monitor sends in it as well.
czcams.com/video/xPsSPK6RKzU/video.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thanks a lot! :) I didn't notice the Link option. Keep up the great work, your tutorials are BRILLIANT!
Hello Alan, thanks for this useful tutorial. Have you any idea why, when I raise a fader in a bus, the volume of this instrument goes also up in the main ?
I've got a guess. In fact, I just talked about it in one of the last videos as something to check for if that ever happens (although I don't remember if it was the X32 Monitor Setup video or the XR18 Overview video... or maybe a different video... but a recent one...)... anyway...
Check your master bus outputs. In X Air Edit- Click each bus, then select that bus in the main fader tray, and then tab over to "MAIN" at the top and click that.
Make sure in the Main Output section that none of your monitor busses have the Main Stereo assignment button 'pressed'. It should be greyed out.
Otherwise, that bus is not only sending its signal to the assigned XLR out on the front of the unit, but also to the house.
I'd almost bet you have one or more of them assigned to the house L-R. That would give you the exact symptom you're describing.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thank you for the fast answer, Alan. I finally found the problem. In each bus settings panel, I have to mute the LR fader. Then, nothing from the bus goes to the LR mix.
Alan, please keep on posting these wonderful tutorials. They learned me everything Iknow about Xair Edit. Have a nice day !
@@lilly-roselive Thanks!
Hi alan, can you do a demo video about how to ring out monitors and FOH with the x32 or xr18 mixers. watched all your tutorials. very detailed videos
Thanks for the idea! Ideally, that would be something to do by showing it from an actual gig... but right now... Stages are dark :(
Maybe I can setup something in the shop sometime and work thru this topic.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio The sound gear, and us sound techs are getting a bit dusty.
@@anorris1212 Pretty dry time on the old production calendar... that's for sure! :(
Ringing Out Monitor (and House)- czcams.com/video/pu0xjl0rpMU/video.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio I set my monitors to Pre-EQ and had absolute hell on a gig last night. I had my gain set properly but it seemed like even drastic parametric cuts on the Bus channel wasn't killing feedback issues. What may I have done wrong? This is making me skittish on going this route again in the future. I DO like the idea of my FOH eq changes not affecting my monitors but am I giving up some control and fine tuning on the monitor side when I do this? I was hoping the pre-EQ could save me from splitting my vocal channels since that's where most feedback issues arise.
Thanks for the video ... can you explain the settings on the monitor tab of the set-up window ? What are the preferred settings and how do changes on the monitor tab affect bus 1-6 when using them for iem's ? Thanks
The Setup 'button' and the Monitor tab?
That won't impact your bus mixes. It's normally setup with LR AFL (after fader listen), Channel solo with PFL, and Bus Solo with PFL too.
If you haven't changed the routing in the In/Out button then on the Main Out section the Phones will be linked to the Monitor output.
Essentially, anything you solo on the console will go to the headphones connected to the mixer.
The only real connection to you stage monitor settings (IEMs or wedges) is that you can solo one of your monitor busses in the master section, and hear the mix on that bus routed to the engineer's headphones. The musician on that monitor mix/bus will hear nothing different. It's just a way for the engineer to hear that mix and listen to adjustments he/she is making. Rather that trust the musician to 100% accurately tell you what they want, you can also listen as you make the changes. Maybe they say they need more vocals, and you listen and notice the keys are so loud it's burying the vocals... So you can say "the keys are awfully loud. Let me back those down first and see if that fixes your vocal".
...Or something like that ;)
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thanks Alan ... I mix FOH for a local band and in the past we had a drummer that addressed any monitor issues from on stage by speaking directly with the band on stage. Due to some changes, I'm now trying to mix monitors from FOH. Communication is difficult during a show and I was thinking it would be nice if I could get a wireless signal from the XR18 headphones to FOH for solos or maybe there is a better way. Do you have a video or advice how this is handled by small local bands.
The band has 3 vocals, 3 electric guitars, 1 acoustic guitar, 1 bass guitar & 7 channels for drums ,,, leaving 1 channel open.
My current setup has Aux 1-5 going to the 5 guys on stage & Aux 6 is going to the Subs.
Thanks for your video's and advice.
@@johnr8828 Hmmm... I think that might work. I've had to do something similar but in that case the console (X32) was at FOH, and I imagine your XR18 is at the stage. In my case, I added one extra mic onstage, unassigned from the house, that ultimately fed to a small powered speaker at FOH. That mic was the only thing in the speaker. And the mic was switched onstage.
The speaker wasn't turned up very loud, but I knew to be listening when the designated band member would use that stage TB mic.
The thing with the dedicated mic onstage is it made it obvious to me when someone wanted to tell me something, and so I knew to be listening to that speaker. The same thing could maybe work for you, because you'd know to put the headphones on to listen to them when you see someone go to that mic.
Whether it would work best for you to have the band members talk amongst themselves and have one member designated to relay messages to you, or if anyone could use the mic, might be something to sort out.
And, it would also mean, if they don't see you put your headphones on, they know you didn't hear them.
If you didn't have a channel open, I suppose you could get something like one of the AKG 100.00 wireless mics, and the Behringer beltpack, and connect the mic receiver at FOH to the beltpack, and your headphones to the beltpack. But you'd need AC for the receiver. And I'm not sure if the output of that is line level... So I'm just kind of spitballing on that...
I know one church that installed coms just for that purpose. Complete with a call light at FOH. So the band leader would get on the coms, signal FOH with the call light button, and could have communications with FOH.
Since it was actual coms (clearcom/production intercom...), they had 2 way communications.
my eq has has only parametric eq. where to find the band eq or other eq styles?
I'm not sure why you wouldn't see it. This new video walks thru the different steps in a channel, including the EQ section, and it also has both Mixing Station and X-Air Edit software demonstrated. Maybe check it out and see if you see something your missed:
czcams.com/video/xPsSPK6RKzU/video.html
Is there a way where you can quickly have the Main Mix be heard in an aux? From time to time, I'd like to hear what's out there to get a better feel so I'd like to have the main mix on my aux
If I understand the question, there's not an easy way to do that. At least not a fast way. You can use in/out routing and send L - R to any aux, but that takes a couple of seconds to implement. ...And then you need to reverse it to get back to your regular Aux mix.
The only other workaround I can think of is the headphone out. You can solo your mix, which would feed it to the headphone output, and then solo the house when you want to hear that instead. You'd either have to sort out whether it's practical to connect your earbuds there, or adapt over from unbalanced stereo out from the headphone jack to connect to your IEM transmitter... Assuming we're taking about IEMS here.
If you were using the P16, I assume it allows you to even take the house feed as 2 of the channels/inputs. I don't have one, and have never tried that when I've set one up for someone... But assuming you're using less than 14 channels of the P16, and assuming it allows 2 inputs to be the L-R bus, then that would probably allow a quick comparison listen that way. But this is more thinking out loud than know it would work.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Great suggestion to use the main mix and use solos instead! Thanks for this =)
Can I use passive monitors through the aux outs??
Only with a power amp in between. The mixer just has preamp outs, no actual power amp built in.
Beltpacks (or headphone amp(s)) and in ear monitors will work, but that's really your only options besides a power amp to passive wedges or active/power monitors.
Quick question. I’m running JBL EON 612 powered speakers for my monitors and they have both a gain control and a master volume. My question is for powered speakers with a gain control, where is the ideal set level for your gain on the speakers itself. I’ve already got the gain structure set at the correct level in the xr18.! Right now both gain and master controls are set to the 1 o’clock position on the speakers.
Well... hmmm... I've not used them so don't have any personal recommendations based on experience. I gather they don't have a meter to base the gain setting off of? Just a clip and signal light?
About all you can do is make sure and keep the gain out of clip...
I'd guess around noon for the gain is a decent starting point, paying attention to the clip light... (don't want to see it) and then bring the Master up until you're plenty loud enough. And tweak the gain as necessary so that ideally you're not clipping and your Master can ride in a position with room to turn it up or down.
Which sounds basically like what you've done if you've got them at 1 O'Clock.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio The EON series is also a Bluetooth speaker that has its own app you can go into for settings as well. In addition to it being a Bluetooth speaker, you can directly plug a mic into and use so maybe the gain control is just used for the direct mic in? Right now the way I have it set sounds great with no clipping issues or unwanted noise. Just really curious if there was a specific way it needed set on the speaker itself. This is my first go around with the xr18 and powered speakers. I finally just left the analog world. Lol
@@jaysgaming3797 One of my first thoughts was that maybe that gain only worked for the mic in.
So I looked at the manual. It seems the gain is inline whether you set the speaker for mic in, or for line in like how you're using them.
That shot my theory down pretty quick. My first reply was going to be "Are you sure the gain isn't just for the mic input?". And then I thought... "I can just look that up. No use going down the wrong path if that info is available".
final question if I may. Our xr18 is brand new so I'm not exactly sure what to expect; It gets very, very warm to the touch and I can't t hear or feel a fan running. Could there be a problem with it? if I need to send it back to Sweetwater I'd rather do it now, before it goes into weekly service. thx.
They do get warm to the touch and no fan inside. Just make sure sure you give it space for air if you rack mount it, and don't mount it right next to something else that also generates heat. Or place it in direct sunlight for that matter too.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thanks, good to know. Does seem warmer than i would have thought but I'll just keep an eye on it. Not gonna rack it so should have good circulation. Perhaps I'll get a little fan to blow on it where it sits.
Is it possible to have the effects also come through the bus monitor? If so please let me know for I use a bus 5 and 6 for live L&R in our livestream band. Thank you 🙏🏼
It kind of depends on exactly how you're doing that stream mix. I'm assuming you mean you are doing a complete and sep mix via the busses (5 and 6) for your stream. And also assuming we're talking verbs, delays, chorus (not comps for example).
If so, just go to the FX returns on your mixer screen, click each FX return you want in your stream mix to select it (one at a time). Got to the SENDS tab at the top for each one... Now just turn up the 5/6 bus to put that effect in your bus 5/6 stream mix. Rinse and repeat for each FX you want in the mons .
That should do it. LMK if I guessed wrong on how you're doing your stream mix in the first place because that could change my answer.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio OMG!!!! You’re a genius!!! Thank you so much!!!! I’m glad I found your channel!!! You’ve got a new sub from me!!! Keep up the awesome information and amazing work!!!!!
@@johntautala9587 Glad I could help! :)
I can't find the sends section on the iOS app, is that normal?
Hey Alan, is there any way I can have a different EQ for a specific track and the full mix in the monitor than the one going to the main? Appreciate your response. Thanks
You can split the input(s) you want having separate monitor EQ into 2 channels each. Unassign the channels that go to the mons from L-R. You can either do it via soft-patching or the old fashioned way of using a Y cable.
With limited channels, like on the XR18, you probably don't have enough channels to split everything so you have to pick the most important one(s)... Like lead vocal, or whatever the case might be.
On something like an X32, some people set it up with one layer being FOH and the other layer being monitors... as long as the band fits on 16 channels.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio that's a great tip, i thought there was a way to do it within the software, but yeah routing it hardware works. I have XR16, and I am a one man band so I have plenty of channels to spare. Thanks buddy
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Hey Alan, is there anyway to make a few channel directly proportional to the monitor, like if I change the volume or EQ of that channel in the main mix it would change for the monitor as well while not effecting the rest of the channels. Would appreciate it, thank you 🙏
@@Razamusiconline On that channel (or channels if you want it on more than 1), you'd just make any CHANNEL monitor sends POST-fader (any monitors that you want tracking with the channel fader). Any channel mon sends that are post fader will track with the channel fader and channel EQ.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio ok I will try that. Thank you buddy 👍🙏
Thank you! I had no idea that post EQ was pre compression. What you said about not compressing monitor vocals in the monitor makes sense. How bout if the singer is using IEM? Thanks
IEMs... It's a bit of a balance. Too much can still be a problem. If the singer is not having any problems hearing themselves, and their voice is holding up, and it sounds good in the house, then it's probably good.
OTOH, if the singer is having trouble and blowing their voice out as the show goes along, that's a pretty good sign the compression could be too much. Ideally, the singer would be experienced enough to recognize the issue and be able to say something... But it doesn't always work that way. They either just say "more me" or just struggle through and think the problem is them.
It's always a compromise doing mons from FOH. You can't always do what is 100% best for the house because of the impacts on monitors/IEMS. So, you split the difference... or if that doesn't work, you can split certain inputs into two channels, and let one channel be the house and the other be solely for the mons.
I got in the habit of always using a bus compressor on vocals so that I could use lighter channel compression on the vocals, and glue them together with a comp across the vocal bus. The channel comps help to take the peaks off, which actually gives the bus comp and bit smoother signal to work with. Which is great as a 'glue' compressor, and keeping the vocals overall in the pocket.
Even when there's a dedicated mon console, I still will do my vocals this way... The only difference being that I'll go ahead and be a little more aggressive on the channel comps. Or at least be ready to be more aggressive if I think I need to be.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thanks for the reply and advice. With regards to using a bus compressor, on the X air 18, would that be done with a channel insert?
@@thesurgepartybandnj5426 Off the top of my head, on the XR it's a little different than the X32 I think... Choose your bus to be a subgroup... or two for a stereo subgroup, then in the FX rack- Choose your comp (Dual for mono bus, stereo for a stereo bus). Then in the dropdown choose the bus that you want to insert it on (your subgroup buss(es). Let's go with bus 5 for this example.
When you click the INSERT button that would normally be grayed out, it should bring up an FX button that I believe defaults to off that you need to click ON (unless I'm remembering that part wrong)...
And that should insert your comp into the vocal bus.
This video explains how to setup a bus as a subgroup if you aren't sure of the steps involved:
czcams.com/video/x6TKam2F50Q/video.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thank you! You’re truly a master technician! Once again I had no idea you could set up a bus as a sub group with effects!
@@thesurgepartybandnj5426 Thanks!!! :)
Hello, could you be share us the flowchart for study.
I have an updated PDF with signal flow charts available for everyone (free download), with various charts as used in this video and others, on my Patreon Page.
www.patreon.com/AlanHamiltonAudio
I just updated it and uploaded the new version today (May 27, 2021) so it should be at the top portion of the page.
Interesting about your admonition of not using post-fader on the bus sends, as that’s exactly what I was looking for that landed me here. I want to have a few monitor mixes, each with different instruments/vox just a little louder than the main mix, but for them to _follow_ changes in the main mix. For example, if the band gets to one song and the keyboard has a quieter patch than normal, I don’t want to have to fix that in main, then listen in on each of the IEM mixes and fix it by that same amount, and then fix it all back when they move on from that problematic song. I want to just slide it up in the mains and know that that lack of volume has been compensated for in all other mixes.
If the keyboard player is that far off with his/her patches, I think I'd be making a list of songs where it's a problem and talking it over with them about addressing the patch levels on their end. The problem post fader sends is going to bring is if the keyboard player is playing a quieter, or louder patch, and you change the house level with post fader mon sends, it's changing the keyboard monitor level too. So, if they thought the patch was fine, now they are going to turn it up/down even more to compensate for the change you made. Or else, think the patch is fine because you made the level change they needed instead of realizing they need to even out their patches more.
Normally, the patches aren't going to be so far off that the musicians can't just go with what is there in the monitors, even if it does mean FOH needs 3dB extra or 3dB less... But if the key patches vary wildly, that's a musician level fix at some point, if it requires monitor changes too. Plus, it allows the keyboard player to know their patch was low/loud if you're not constantly compensating for level changes... assuming they like the change and aren't trying to fight those changes you make. Which is entirely possible will happen.
If you extrapolate this out to a every input onstage, constantly changing with house changes, it can really mess with onstage dynamics and musicians being able to understand and control their onstage levels and dynamics. They lose that level of consistency in their monitors to understand and get used to certain settings/levels.
Of course, any port in a storm too... So, if you run across a one-off gig where the keys are all over the place, a post-fader mon send might be the quick answer. Although, it might be best if it was post-fader for every mix except the keys. That way the key player won't be fighting your changes with their own. IOW... mon key level goes down... they turn up more... you turn them down again... they turn up more. But that is why it's best to address this at a musician level for a regular band on your schedule so they aren't constantly way off in their levels in the first place.
Good luck with this problem because while a post-fader monitor send might be a quick fix, it's not an ideal fix. At least 9 times out of 10, the mon sends, from FOH, needs to be pre-fader. Usually, the only thing that might need to be post fader is something like trax that you have to fade out. That way when the trax fadeout in FOH, they aren't still playing full blast in the wedges. So you really need the keyboard player to keep the patch levels within a window of acceptable so that you can adjust FOH as needed, but leave the stage monitor levels alone when you do. At least in a perfect world setting.
Are the aux output signal mono or stereo? If it’s mono, is it possible to combine two aux out (say 1+2) to create a stereo mix?
Each output is mono. You can link odd and even outputs for stereo though. You have to link odd to even (IOW, 1 to 2, 3 to 4...). You can't link 2 to 3 or 4 to 5 for example.
Once you do that, you can see a pan control on the SENDS page so that you can pan your channels in the monitors (our pans will be independent of the house pan).
@@AlanHamiltonAudio is there an actual button on the software to link the two channels?
@@naingoohtun1172 Yes. If you're using X Air Edit, click on the bus in the master section, click on the main bus fader to select it, and then tab up top and to the left to "channel". There will be a Link button in that window.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio awesome. Thanks for that!
I can't seem to find the pick point settings on Mixing Station App. This is particularly frustrating because I have a band I mix for who sometimes uses wedges and other times uses in-ears. Is this feature only available on PC Edit or am I not looking in the right place for it?
You're in luck... LOL... On the video I just posted this week I'm doing a channel walk-thru on the XR18 and it just so happens I included Mixing Station in it... and added that very step to it.
Off the top of my head I don't remember exactly where, but when the video is talking about setting tap points on X-Air Edit, I also have an insert showing the steps on Mixing Station. It's one of those things that is hiding in plain sight.
Check out this video and I think you'll see it and then wonder how you missed it ;) :
czcams.com/video/xPsSPK6RKzU/video.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Okay...weird that you get to it that way as you are on the individual channel but the Bus (monitor) setting is global across all input channels, correct?
@@CarlosDantana When you get to the SENDS tab, if you click the 'gear' icon, it'll have an option for Global setting of the busses
@@CarlosDantana And, I just figured out what you were asking... No, the sends don't have to be global. You could (for example) want a track feed channel to be POST FADER in the mon bus(ses) so that if you fade it out then it fades out in the monitors too. Otherwise, the house would fade and the track still be playing in the wedges. I'm sure there are some other examples but that one comes to mind quickly. I see it in churches where they have tracks for the choir and need to fade it and not have the choir music still playing along in the wedges.
Also, it works for walk up music if you happen to be feeding it to monitors for a conference or something like that.
But you can set them all globally, and then make any single channel changes to be different on a channel by channel basis.
And by default, "Apply Changes to All Sends" (Global) should be on. In the Mixer settings on the Setup page there's a setting for that. On X-Air Edit you can see the Global changes Icon highlighted (or not) on the Sends page.
I don't think Mixing Station is quite that obvious that it's on Global though... unless you know you're on the default mixer config and didn't change that.
Much excite! Love that I have access to this now in the Mixing Station App and not have to connect my PC to the mixer. Having the ability to do them each individually is even nicer. Thanks!
Question Alan. Why is it that when I mute my main L/R my monitors also mute them selfs?
Well, that is a bit of a headscratcher. Are you sure you don't have a DCA selected and your main fader is actually a DCA fader? That would mute things IF DCA groups were selected in the Mute System 'Setup' page. And if everything was assigned to that DCA fader, it would act like a main fader as far as being a master fader for everything.
But other than that... I'm kinda drawing a blank...
@@AlanHamiltonAudio by the way I’m dealing with a Xair 18 . Yea I checked DCA and nothing is selected. I’ll just keep trucking . Another thing I have brand new mic and cable and I’m getting mic shock you know what could be causing that ? Mic shure beta sm58 thanks again .
@@1peterpan1 This time of year, are you sure it's not a static electricity shock?
Are you holding a guitar when it shocks you? ...Or does it always shock you, guitar or not?
It never hurts to check the wall receptacle with a VOM/DMM or a receptacle tester and make sure it's wired correctly and has a proper ground.
Is the mixer plugged into the same circuit as the amps? You might try that if it's not. If it's just static electricity from dry winter air, there's not much you can do about that.
The signal flow input chart for the XR18 is only true for the USB inputs. For some weird reason, for the analog inputs, the tap point labelled "Input" is *post* low-cut filter , not *pre" as it should be. Not sure if this can be fixed in a firmware update as it maybe hard wired like this. The other tap points work as expected on both the analog and USB inputs.
Good to know.
so what should i choose for vocal monitor to avoid they need more and more level because of the compresor??
Can you split the vocal channel into 2 different mixer channels? Let the one with the compressor feed FOH while the second vocal channel doesn't feed L-R (FOH). Let it only feed monitors.
You can do that with an XLR Y cable, or just via softpatching in the console routing.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio ok i will do via sofpatching,,the one which feed to the monitor does'nt have to use the compresser while FOH does?
@@Abdullah-hc1cz Yes. On the one channel that is dedicated to the monitors, just don't enable the compressor. Or you could enable it, but use it much lighter than what you use in the house. But if the singer likes his or her natural dynamics and doesn't like singing into compression and fighting the compressor, I'd just leave it off entirely in that monitor channel vocal feed.
That way, you can do whatever you like to the FOH vocal channel without it impacting monitors at all. And meanwhile, can do whatever the singer likes in the vocal monitor channel, since that won't impact FOH either. Even a different EQ on the vocal in the monitors via the monitor channel vocal strip (if you make that vocal send Post-EQ on that dedicated vocal channel for mons).
Do I assume this works for the air xr16 also?
Yes, except for the obvious stuff like fewer outputs on the XR16. But the info is the same as is the X-Air Edit GUI.
Thanks for these tutorials. I'm using in-ear monitors off Bus 6 controlled by the Android app. I set it "pre-fader" and isolate my mix from the FOH so I don't change those settings. Can I set up my own channel specific EQ on Bus 6? My electric guitar has too much high frequency on my IEMs, but the FOH EQ is good. Don't want to change that. But if it's possible, I'd like to change my guitar EQ in the monitors only. Is that possible?
If you have open channels... then there IS a way. You need to duplicate your guitar channel. You can do it via softpatching it to two channels, or you can do it the old fashioned way with an XLR Y cable if that is easier for you to wrap your head around.
Then, mark one channel GTR FOH and one channel GTR MONS... On the GTR FOH channel, wipe your mon feed (and anyone else that wants to hear the version you EQ for the mons). You want that channel bus send (or sends) off.
On the GTR MONS channel, unassign it from L-R and any subgroups (plus turn down the fader... the unassignments guarantee it won't matter if you accidentally turn that channel fader up since it can't go anywhere anyway). Then just pick a pick point for the mon bus that is at least post EQ on that GTR MON channel.
That way you can adjust your gtr EQ differently for the house versus the mon mix.
This is an old trick that used to get used for vocals a lot when mixing mons from FOH. Both so that the lead singer could get different EQ in the house and the mons and/or so that the inserted vocal compressor could be more aggressive without angering the singing and causing him/her to blow out their voice fighting the comp. ...But it'll work for guitar too.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thanks Alan for the quick response. Your videos have been very helpful. I like this idea. We do have a couple of free channels. Softpatching would be linking 2 channels on the FOH main mix inputs, correct? Almost like a stereo output, but sending one channel to Bus 6 for my IEMs, and other to FOH.
@@stevelamm2366 Yes, one channel to the house and one channel to the mons. Don't actually use the stereo link button though... because then the software won't let you do independent settings on the busses of linked channels ;)
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Could this also be accomplished on the input routing page by linking my guitar channel to another open channel?
@@stevelamm2366 Yes, you can do it from there... Or select your open channel and get to the input section where you see Analog Input. On X-Air Edit PC there's a dropdown. I don't remember what the iPad or MixStation apps have... but normally it's one to one so if you're on channel 16 it'll say INP 16. But if your guitar is channel 8 you can just change that dropdown to be INP 08 on channel 16. Now your guitar will be at both channel 8 and channel 16 on the mixer. ...Because you told mixer channel 16 to get it's analog signal from XLR input #8.
(And you did nothing to channel 8 so it stays the same as always).
But if you do it in the routing page like you described, it'll do the exact same thing. Then when you go to the channel page it will show the change like I described.
And if you do it like I described, then when you look in the routing page, it will show the change there.
So both ways get you where you want to go. Neither way is better. They do the same thing. Whichever is quicker or easier for you is the best way ;)
hope your still checking comments on this. Why is it that when I mute a channel it mutes it the mains, busses and effects? doesn't matter where I mute it from, it mutes everywhere
Assuming you mean when you mute a single channel, then that single channel will then be muted in the FX, the mons, and the house... yet every other channel still works fine that isn't muted, then that is pretty standard. Some mixers do allow you to mute the channel without muting mons, or has that as an option, but not the XR18 (AFAIK). But the mute muting everything in the channel strip is the more normal mode.
I just looked at the options in the XR18 setup and I don't see anything that looks like it would change that particular behavior.
If you want to 'mute' house but leave the monitors active, you can mute the MAIN bus. If you need to do that on a channel by channel basis for some reason, unassigning the channel from L-R would be the same as muting it in the house but leaving the mon busses and FX sends still active (unless you're using subgroups). If using subgroups, you'd have to turn that subgroup on/off on the channel as a channel mute.
Of course none of this helps if you're trying to do mute groups and want to mute a group of channels from the house but leave the bus sends on that channel strip active.
I THINK for a workaround for that, if you have DCAs available, you could assign channels to the DCAs and mute the DCA. I'd need to test it but I think the DCA mute might only mute the channels in the house but not mons. Although, pretty sure it would also mute any post-fader sends, like channel FX sends... since killing a fader via DCA would kill anything it would send that is tapped post-fader.
Hi have this mixer and I'm trying to achieve a similar set up with front of house from the main outputs and monitor mixes from the bus sends. I have a click track coming via the USB connection. I want the click to go to the buses only, and not mains however when I press mute on the channel in the main mix it mutes the channel in the buses as well. How do you mute a channel only on mains and not on the bus sends for the monitors?
If you're muting the channel just to keep it out of the mains, that's the wrong way to do this. Instead, just unassign the channel from L-R. That way it doesn't have a path to the mains in the first place.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio what do you mean by "unassign channel from L-R"? Can you further clarify? Do you mean in the in/output matrix?
@@Tkuhn89 On the XR18/MR18 X-Air... On X-Air Edit click the channel tab at the top. On the right side of the screen that then opens up, you'll see "MAIN OUT" section. Just under that will be a 'button' that says LR. To the right of it it says "Main Stereo".
On your click track channel, you want to click the LR button so that it's grayed out. That way it WON'T send that channel to your main outs. Normally, you'd have it engaged and it would be orange. Caveat to this is if you're sending a channel or channels to a subgroup, you'd have the channels grayed out and the subgroup engaged to send the subgroup to LR.
But in this case, you just want to remove that channel from the mains, and this is how you do it.
On Android, Mixing Station, select your channel, then the top right 'box', and in about the center of the new screen you'll see an LR button with a green outline around it. Click it so it's gray.
On the X32/M32 surface, it's the HOME button and then either Home tab or Main tab. Either place has a LR button that needs grayed out to unassign a channel from the main outs.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio ok thanks for the further explanation, I will give this a shot again, but I'm pretty sure I tried doing that and I was still getting that channel through mains, but perhaps there was something going on with the the subgroups that I overlooked. I'll try this out and see if I have any luck. Thanks for your help so far!
@@Tkuhn89 Yeah, if you have that channel assigned to a subgroup, it'll come thru the mains. So make sure and unassign it from the subgroup. The other thing to watch out for is making sure your monitor sends in the main section aren't assigned to LR either. That IS possible. By default they won't be, but some people build scenes from already started scenes, and that setting ends up left on. In that case, the channel itself is not coming thru the mains, but the monitor feed is also routed to feed thru the mains.
That is talked about in this FAQ video as one of the topics so you might want to check this out and make sure that isn't where the problem is if turning off the L-R on the channel doesn't keep it from the mains.
czcams.com/video/x9wciA2wFd0/video.html
I watched this video 2X ... and still do not understand pre/post ... how it relates to volume and EQ on FOH and Monitor mixes. I want to be able to have different EQ per channel for FOH (to sweeten for the audience) but a different EQ for the monitor mixes to slice out the feedback hotspots. I'd be willing to hire you for a 15 to 30 minute zoom call as I'm a kinesthetic/interactive learner vs visual / auditory learner ... which means I do best if I can ask questions interactively vs. just watch or listen to a CZcams Video. Would you be available for that type of consultation?
My schedule is so hectic I don't know when I'd have time in the immediate future. To make matters worse, right now I have Covid :(
I tried to set my vocal channel signal taps last night but it kept reverting back to "Input" . Did that cause me to lose my monitor EQs I set when I rung them out. I started having problems after it did this mid performance. Was this coincidental or does the FOH channel EQ affect the monitors when it's set to "Input" only?
Something seems off. The mixer shouldn't revert to previous settings. It should only remember the last settings used. So, once something is changed, that should be all it remembers until someone loads a new scene or snippet.
Was it disconnecting and when reconnecting, connecting to a laptop that it was synching to the PC instead of PC synching to mixer?
Were any band members connecting via their own devices?
Without the unit losing signal and reconnecting improperly, or someone connecting to it and making changes, it shouldn't be reverting settings.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio No PC involved. Just IPAD2 and Newer Android devices. I had at least 4 dropouts on my Ipad. When I'd reconnect I'd check my "Signal Tap" setting and it would go back to "Input". When I'd change it back to PRE-EQ it wouldn't allow me to "Apply" the setting and when it actually did it gave me a message saying it was synching to the mixer but low and behold yet again it reverted back to "Input". I actually wouldn't have a problem with that though so long as "Input" also meant Pre-EQ and the FOH mix didn't affect my monitors that I had already rung out prior to the show. Either coincidentally or I have the worst luck I stared having feedback during parts of the show. I had to resort to reducing monitor volume vs. trying to sweep out where the feedback frequency(s) might be coming from.
@@CarlosDantana Are we talking about the INPUT tap on the channel sends, or are we talking about the INPUT tap on the Aux Outs of the output routing?
If it's the Aux outs in the main in/out routing of the XR18, then you'd lose your bus EQ and you'd also lose master monitor fader control on any mix that was going to INPUT.
If it's the individual channels, and the monitor SENDS are set to INPUT, then you'd just get a flat signal sent TO the monitor bus, but the monitor bus EQ would still be there for the front panel outputs.
But whatever is happening is odd. The mixer shouldn't revert to anything. Once you set something, it should stay with that setting until you change it. Either directly, or via a scene or snippet load. Or else telling the mixer to synch with a device that has settings different than what is in the console.
The mixer automatically saves what you do so it's there the next time the mixer is turned on. Whatever the last state the mixer is in, should be what it's in the next time you even look at it, let alone when you turn it on. Nothing should change until you tell it to change, or a device tells it to change. And a device shouldn't tell it to change unless you tell the device to make that change. That's why what you describe is so odd.
I thought the iPad worked like the Android tablet as far as scenes go... and so it only synchs Mixer to device. ...Whereas a PC (or Mac) running X-Air Edit will ask you whether you want to connect by synching PC to Mixer or Mixer to PC. So, if you tell it PC to Mixer, then whatever is in the PC will overwrite what is in the console. But that's not what you're having happen.
Very odd. I'd eliminate devices and try just one at a time and see if one is flaky and sending changes you aren't asking for. I suppose a FW update for the mixer might be an option to try. And maybe just reinitialize it, and try again. Maybe there's some corruption in the current configuration.
And reinstall the app(s) on the devices.
Maybe try Mixing Station versus the standard Behringer app.
I initialized the mixer. It seems to hold the settings now. No idea how it reconciled itself but it is something I will check often now.
When I set it to "PreEQ" then leave the Signal Tap Menu and come back it shows "Input" then after about a 10 second pause it will show "Pre EQ". Maybe a glitch...who knows?
Are the consequences intense if I wanted to do post eq for monitors? I don't want to drown myself in eq wonderland by doing a separate mix on the monitors, I just want to be able to adjust levels
Thanks for the question!
It's more just a matter of understanding that's what you're doing (post EQ), the signal flow, and knowing that FOH EQ changes impact monitors... So, there will be times you need to compromise. And also, realizing your monitors might not have much margin for error on GBF so that 2.5K FOH boost that lets the lead singer sit nicely above the guitars, might be a 2.5K feedback in the wedges. So, either go more conservatively on something like that, or look to cut it from the instruments that were burying that portion of the voice in the first place (even if they did sound pretty good as is). Just skin the cat from a different direction.
And then overall, knowing those changes could also simply be something you like for the FOH mix, and the talent might not like onstage in the wedges or their IEMS. So we're back to compromise, and maybe working a little more slowly and conservatively on FOH channel strip EQ changes knowing that you're changing the monitors that maybe the musicians are already happy with as is, even if it doesn't cause feedback.
And I guess part two, you could have someone onstage wanting something EQ-wise on their channel strip that you don't like at all in FOH. In that case, it's either compromise, deal with it, or split that channel and have one version for house and another to mons only. At least that is the main ways to deal with that.
Some people prefer monitors from FOH to be post EQ, with the assumption that anything the house needs, the monitors need it too. But that also assumes the boxes are all really similarly voiced.
And when mixing with a dedicated mon console, then you definitely want Post EQ channel strips, since you're 100% mixing for the stage and can do exactly what needs to be done or a musician wants, without much concern about FOH (except for stage volume/wash... but that's another video entirely ;) ).
@@AlanHamiltonAudio ahhh ic. I didn't really think the feedback part through too much haha. I usually only subtractive adjust eq for areas that are painful to listen to or provide no tonality at all. I think I might need to start boosting and play around with that alot more 🤔
@@randygilsonmusic2748 Yeah, that's what catches some people out with post-EQ mon sends from FOH... just forgetting or not realizing how much or how obvious those changes can be onstage. Especially if you're being aggressive. Or just want to 'hear' something to see it it's what you think (like "what happens if I dump 160Hz?" or "how would the kick sound if I boosted 4K with a shelf.. .too clicky? or perfectly clicky?"... So you exaggerate it either up or down just for a second. At FOH, you can pretty much get away with it. On the monitors, you might get feedback... and/or you might get a musician complaining their monitor sounded weird all of a sudden... or both that AND feedback! ;)
OTOH, if you typically mix conservatively and utilize mainly subtractive EQ, then you probably won't have any issues with post EQ mon sends and those EQ shared with FOH.
People that really get in trouble with post EQ channel mon sends tend to be the people that like being aggressive with the FOH channel EQ, let alone not realize what that actually sounds like onstage to the musicians when they are doing that. Most musicians, once they are happy with their mix, don't want it changing unless they ask for a change. Subtle changes, they might not notice. But it doesn't take much to go from subtle to extreme. And with IEMs, even subtle changes can be really noticeable. It's "direct injection" into their heads (ears).
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thanks for the pointers!! 🤜🤛
so if i want the monitor to get eq, delay and reverb fx, set the send to post fader?
No, channel monitor sends should always be PRE-fader (except in rare instances and about the only one I can think of that would be the most likely of those rare instances would be for when you have tracks playing that you fade out in the house... so you'd want that house fade to also be in the monitors. Otherwise, the house would fade smoothly but the monitors would still be playing the track at the monitor level).
You can tap the monitor sends at various points that would all be pre-fader. For example: Pre-EQ is also Pre-Fader, but it's also before the EQ too. So, if you want the channel EQ in the monitors, you'd tap it POST-EQ (after the channel EQ).
If you want FX in the monitors, like Reverb, Delay, etc... (time-based FX), then that is an entirely different ball of wax. It has nothing to to with the channel monitor send tap points at all. I'm working on a video right now about FX signal flow that might help you understand some of this and make it clearer. So check back on that one... Might be Monday or Tues before it's ready to post. I also have a video that talks about sending FX to the monitors so you'll definitely want to watch that one if you're trying to get FX to the monitors.
czcams.com/video/e_XsfTV36vU/video.html
This channel walk-thru is pretty fast paced and covers more than just what you're asking about, but it also covers what you're asking about in some ways too. So, it might also be worth a look if you're wanting to do a deeper dive.
czcams.com/video/xPsSPK6RKzU/video.html
thank you Alan you're the best. So the MAIN LR, what setting is that? post fader? just trying to get a understanding of this pre and post fader stuff
@@mb24777 Check out this video: czcams.com/video/tEX2Prwfh-g/video.html
One section of it is all about pre/post fader and shows signal flow diagrams.
Beyond that, this (below) is the new video on the FX routing in the XR18. It also shows some diagram stuff that might help you...
czcams.com/video/TV5ClH_MWrU/video.html