Re: Looping Drummers?

["Dennis Leas" <dennis@mdbs.com>]

> i have had a bit of trouble with monitoring.
> the conga mics are pointed downward and the monitors
> are pointing upward.  and though i have been able to
> get rid of microphonic squeeling feedback by keeping
> them off axis, the looper picks up the monitors when i am
> recording or overdubbing.  how are you guys dealing with this?
> i'm thinking in-ear monitors might be a good solution,
> but i haven't tried them yet.

Yeah, monitoring is a real problem!

The best I've used so far are those little mic stand mounted monitors.  I
use a pair of Yamaha-made powered ones (I can't remember the model number).
They're two-way with some volume controls, a tone control, and several 
input
jacks.  I use two since I loop in stereo.  I position them up fairly high 
at
about ear-level.  With my mics at a lower height and aimed downward, I get
adequate isolation.  I do have to keep the monitor volume low though, or I
get too much monitor-in-the-loop sound.

When I'm looping at home, sometimes I'll use a pair of headphones plugged
into my board.

I've thought about using those in-ear monitors.  I've heard great things
about them.  As a cheaper alternative, you could use one of those wireless
stereo FM transmitter kits (like from Jameco) and monitor with a Walkman.
I'm sure it would not sound as good as the "real" in-ear systems but it
might work well enough.

Now I'm getting into this quad speaker system and I don't know quite what 
to
do.  I think I'm going to need four monitors, etc.

Dennis Leas
-------------------
dennis@mdbs.com