Karaoke Scene's Karaoke Forums :: Mixing with headphones

How many of you do this? I just started this last week, and I can tell my mixes are greatly improved. Being able to sample what's on the floor from the DJ station makes a big difference in balancing out your singer.

I have never worked a system that would sound the same in the main mix as it does in the headphones. Many things play into effect. If it works for you, go for it, not something I would do.
Only time I might use them is if I am in a location I cannot hear the main mix or behind the speakers or something.

Lonman @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 1:18 am wrote:

Well, Lonman, that seems to be the setup at 4 out of my 5 gigs. :shock:

I'm situated behind the mains and can't really hear the floor mix. I've got the monitor near me, but that's mixed in favor of vocals so I can't rely on that to get a grip on what's hitting the floor.

Yes Mick, I have found that after awhile I get a sense how the mix is working. I find I'm not moving the knobs as much, finding a nice comfortable zone where my primary input is turning the gain up or down, and leaving the sliders alone.

Singers will sound louder through headphones than through speakers in the room. And of course EQ will not be the same.

I have a set of high isolation phones on quite a bit. But not to mix. To protect my hearing. They're not even on. Levels out front are extremely high - by the room's choice. It looks like I'm mixing with them to the room though.

Author:	karaoke koyote [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Mixing with headphones
How many of you do this? I just started this last week, and I can tell my mixes are greatly improved. Being able to sample what's on the floor from the DJ station makes a big difference in balancing out your singer. The other side benefit is being able to hear some pure sounding singing unhindered by room acoustics and "bar noise." Wow! I am definitely setting up compuhost to record this week!! I have some really great singers who I thing would like to hear how great they sound.

Author:	ripman8 [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
Let me know how it goes. I have headphones hanging from my rack, I use them occasionally. Usually for the sound check. I'm more interested in moving my rack out to the floor so I can hear what is coming out of my mains. I don't have a snake but I do have plenty of mic cord. Just not enought vga to reach my screen.

Author:	karyoker [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:38 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
They are a must You can hear what is coming out of the mixer. A friend who wears earplugs can actually sing better using headphones.

Author:	fsapienjr [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
Do you think all speakers would sound the same with the exact same mix? Even if it does or doen't, think I will give it a try to see if I am hearing the same thing standing in the middle of the room, as I do on the headphones. I currently really only use the headphones for when I am DJ'n or to let a singer hear a song while someone is singing. Felix the KJ

Author:	mckyj57 [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:52 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
karaoke koyote @ Sun Jun 28, 2009 7:54 pm wrote: How many of you do this? I just started this last week, and I can tell my mixes are greatly improved. Being able to sample what's on the floor from the DJ station makes a big difference in balancing out your singer. I do it for a while, then I sort of get grooved in and don't need to as much any more.

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Author:	Lonman [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 1:18 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
I have never worked a system that would sound the same in the main mix as it does in the headphones. Many things play into effect. If it works for you, go for it, not something I would do. Only time I might use them is if I am in a location I cannot hear the main mix or behind the speakers or something.

Author:	karaoke koyote [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:03 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
Lonman @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 1:18 am wrote: I have never worked a system that would sound the same in the main mix as it does in the headphones. Many things play into effect. If it works for you, go for it, not something I would do. Only time I might use them is if I am in a location I cannot hear the main mix or behind the speakers or something. Well, Lonman, that seems to be the setup at 4 out of my 5 gigs. I'm situated behind the mains and can't really hear the floor mix. I've got the monitor near me, but that's mixed in favor of vocals so I can't rely on that to get a grip on what's hitting the floor. Yes Mick, I have found that after awhile I get a sense how the mix is working. I find I'm not moving the knobs as much, finding a nice comfortable zone where my primary input is turning the gain up or down, and leaving the sliders alone.

Author:	Bill H. [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:41 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
Singers will sound louder through headphones than through speakers in the room. And of course EQ will not be the same. I have a set of high isolation phones on quite a bit. But not to mix. To protect my hearing. They're not even on. Levels out front are extremely high - by the room's choice. It looks like I'm mixing with them to the room though.

Author:	mckyj57 [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:01 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
karaoke koyote @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:03 am wrote: Lonman @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 1:18 am wrote: I have never worked a system that would sound the same in the main mix as it does in the headphones. Many things play into effect. If it works for you, go for it, not something I would do. Only time I might use them is if I am in a location I cannot hear the main mix or behind the speakers or something. Well, Lonman, that seems to be the setup at 4 out of my 5 gigs. I'm situated behind the mains and can't really hear the floor mix. I've got the monitor near me, but that's mixed in favor of vocals so I can't rely on that to get a grip on what's hitting the floor. Yes Mick, I have found that after awhile I get a sense how the mix is working. I find I'm not moving the knobs as much, finding a nice comfortable zone where my primary input is turning the gain up or down, and leaving the sliders alone. Yes, because I also go out and listen on the floor as well as on the headphones. The sound is never the same, to be sure, but I can get some sense of where the eq should be and what the relative volume is. Then eventually I can hear the leakage from the mains and the monitor, and sort of know where I am after a while. The one outdoor gig I do, my "booth" is up on the stage and behind the mains, so unless I am going to leave there I have to use headphones or nothing.

Author:	letitrip [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:44 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
Mixing in cups is never a replacement for getting out into the house and hearing how it really sounds. I've not found the rig/room combination yet that sounds the same in cups as it does when you're out amongst the bodies. Generally I'll use the headphones to solo channels for EQ or other purposes but the main mix I have to mix from hearing it in the house. At my regular gigs I am stuck mixing from behind the PA, not a good situation. However, I've learned how the rooms sound from that position and have actually developed a feel for mixing from there. I still take a walk out front to hear during most songs, but usually that's just a confirmation that I've got everything as I want it. Believe me, if a show could be adequately mixed using headphones, concert venues wouldn't waste good seating area by putting in large FOH installations. They'd stick the audio engineer behind the stage.

Author:	karaoke koyote [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:01 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
Bill H. @ Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:41 am wrote: Singers will sound louder through headphones than through speakers in the room. And of course EQ will not be the same. I have a set of high isolation phones on quite a bit. But not to mix. To protect my hearing. They're not even on. Levels out front are extremely high - by the room's choice. It looks like I'm mixing with them to the room though. Ah, but I'm using an MG166CX mixer, which has an eq per channel. I use a BBE Sonic maximizer instead of an EQ for the room. In the beginning I set the controls on the BBE and leave them alone, and use the eq settings on the mixer the rest of the time... this generally consists of turning the base up or down depending on the song and style (i.e. rock, country, or hip hop). Strikingly, the output mix for the room and headphones is very close. The difference is room noise and acoustics, which I can compensate for in my head. Of course, it sound great in the headphones, especially with some of my more talented singers... A real joy to hear them sing "pure" as my bar manager Gene put it. This is not to say that I am not going out into the room and checking, but I've been happy with what I'm hearing when I'm on the floor if I mix with the headphones first. I don't find myself running back to the board to make major adjustment as much (if at all). I also find, I'm not "creeping up" in volume as much.

Author:	karyoker [ Mon Jun 29, 2009 8:16 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Mixing with headphones
Yes of course the final mix is touring the room. I run FOH to start with. But at those times when there is something wrong I want to know whats coming out of the mixer without acoustics added. Sometimes setting up early I will do a simple check or listen to a new cd without bothering the bar. The sound is like outside sound It is exactly whats coming out of the mix. This is the starting point and I want to know whats coming out when I am having strange problems. I have singers that are hard to adjust in small venues because they will at times overpower the system, no not overpower they throw their voice and dont need as much amp. At those times there is a wide difference between the two and room acoustics determines the mix.

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