Does anyone sing and play drums too?

[Thunderdrums]

Does anyone sing and play drums too?

If so, how do you monitor your vocals and what kinds of problems do you have?

I sing and use a headset mic, but have difficulty hearing my vocals correctly. I have used in ears with not much luck, we didnt have the proper mixer for them and didnt have control of the mix. I have used my wedge and tried to mix up my vocals and then cant hear my drums,

it seems to be a struggle no matter what I do, I cant find the right mix.

Anyone else going thru this? Its really frustrating.

[Alan VEX]

I monitor through my mix-in in most situations. For larger stuff where I have a company provide sound, I use their typical monitors.

You probably want to look into a line mixer where you could have your vox received seperately so you can increase/decrease their volume as you please as it goes into your mix-in. [if this is how you monitor] Some nice line mixers also provide EQ, mixing, etc.

[Michael Render]

I use IEMs mostly, but I just use a regular monitor mix when I am not. You got to make sure your mix is for you only so you can have the drums and vocals as loud as you please.

[Thunderdrums]

well, the main problem I have is getting the guitar loud enough where I can hear the pitch and melody,

its really frustrating me. I play guitar as well and have no problem hearing when playing guitar and singing, it just seems when I get the drums fired up I cant hear properly.

[3Cup Candy]

it just seems when I get the drums fired up I cant hear properly.

Gee, maybe the word "THUNDER" in Thunderdrums might have something to do with that?

[Mark Filling]

I used Shure in ear monitor for years with no complaints as long as your board can accomadate your individual mix. For last 3 year using Bose L1 with 2 subs for TD12. The group uses a total of 6 of these with various sub configurations. We use two just for lead vocal(s) and we run a mix on back for all lead and backup vocals to 1 or two of the L1s' in the the back. The Bose project 180 degrees and the are all setup in a an arc. All mikes are Sony wireless, mine being a headset. You hear everything with brilliant clarity.

[Thunderdrums]

HAHA! yeah... I do play quite loudly! LOL!! but.. Ive taken the amps down from 11.

I've never heard the bose system. I've seen it at Guitar Center but thats about it.

I think I need my own mix, I can control with IEM.

[Rythmstik]

I use one of those small Peavey monitors (100W) that mounts on top of a mic stand. It's easy to position right where I can hear it.

[grog]

Any wedge would do. And if you can get a headphone amp that has a "more me" feature (the craptacular Behringer's do but so does Carvin...and it works), then you can dial up your vocals as much as you want.

Anymore, I just pick up the house mix. Might explain why my lead vocals are so crappy.

www.myspace.com/rubberuniverse

[Mr Stixx]

I have my own desk in which I take a line from the headphone out of my module and then the direct outs of the main desk for whatever else I want. If I cant get that, I do with what I can as long as I can get my vocals up. Then I just mix it the way I want to my IEM's.

[Blades]

I used to have a small Mackie mixer that I would get an Aux feed from the main board sent to. I then plugged regular phones (Sony mdr-v600) into that for my monitor. I used a regular mic on a boom stand coming in from behind and to the left. During the sound checkes, I just got the vocal levels right and the drum levels right and never had any issues. My phones mix always sounded better than anyone elses monitors did.

[stickinthemud]

Having your own monitor mix is key, but I would suggest you consider a "buttkicker" (sub-subwoofer mounted on your throne). This way you can feel the essential beat without having to pipe too much of it into your ears where it can muddy things up.

[Engine Room]

I used Shure E2 IEM's. I use a mix on AUX2 from the desk. Not only do they protect your ears, more importantly they protect your back......nothing to lug around.....

[drumslinger50]

I still sing, but not as much as I used to. I run my own mixer that sits next to my left hand (where some of you think the HiHat belongs). I have vocals, bass, keyboard, guitar, my edrums and sequencing sent to my mixer and I adjust it when needed, sometimes during a song. If I start singing and I can't hear, I just push the vocals up and cover that snare beat with my other hand for a couple counts. I just use what ever mic "they" give me, but carry my own mic stand with extra wieght on the base so it will reach out without tipping over.

A sound man ripped my ears out with a guitar solo one night and I threw my IEM's in a drawer. I couldn't hear a thing for 3 days. I've been happy with headphones for the past year.

Singing is important for a drummer as you can get a lot more jobs, even if you just sing a couple older rock clunkers like Johnny B Goode.

[Thunderdrums]

hi guys, I think I found a solution worth trying, the rolls personal headphone amp

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Amp?sku=483854

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbas...n/m_483854.pdf

Ill try it at rehearsal on Monday and let you all know how it goes.

then next question is what type of mic does everyone use? I have a headset mic. I used to use the sure sm10 but couldnt keep it on my head, so I have been using an audio technica I bought over a decade ago. It works well and wraps around the back of my head.

Also a problem with the wedge monitor idea, I have the ROland PM 1 monitor, which is supposed to have the monitor return from the board, so you can combine both the board mix and your module out. However no matter what venue or sound board I get a ground loop every time. Even using a ground lift and directbox,at my current church I get the noise of the laptop charging thru that monitor send, yet no other monitors pick it up using the same send. Sigh...it never ends.