The isolation may lead the monitor engineer to add inputs into the mix that are not in a traditional wedge mix.
But the amount and exact nature of these inputs will depend on the preferences of the artist.
For example, an input not used in wedge mixes is ambient microphones, but these can be a welcome addition for IEM applications.
My preference is to use small profile shotguns and fade the input from these mics in and out of the mix only as necessary, usually just between songs to allow the artist to hear and experience the audience reaction.
Others, however, use ambience as part of their mix, but in my opinion, this can “smear” it, making it seem less direct and more distant.
Whenever possible, I place the shotgun mics downstage, away from the house loudspeakers, and try to get as much audience and as little stage or main system volume as possible.
The goal is to get IEM earpieces that sound great on their own, much like with reference monitors. Some earpieces are best with specific music types, just as with some loudspeaker systems.
Recently there has been a trend in both loudspeaker and earpiece design that take an approach of having the best response possible, as opposed to “coloring” the sound so that it sounds better in some applications than others.
Dynamic Flavor
In many ways, building an IEM mix is like building any other mix, with my approach leaning toward “less is more”.
I always configure it as a stereo mix, and don’t typically use any equalization on the mix output buses, but there are times when I will run some sort of compression or limiting on the mix buses.
In the past, this was more for protection, but these days, depending on the artist, it is possible to use methods similar to studio mastering techniques to enhance the quality of the finished mix.
Proceed with caution though if you’re new to this approach, because it’s easy to squash the life out of the mix through overuse, robbing it of any dynamic flavor.
To counter the isolation factor, I strive to create an environment by crafting a mix with depth and space, largely by using panning, level and reverb.
Being isolated reduces the localization of the instruments on stage and can create a dry feeling.
It really depends on the preferences of the artist. I’ve had instances where it was more like a traditional mix, particularly for vocalists – though with the vocal more pronounced.
Other times, it was just that player’s instrument with click and very little melody and rhythm instruments.
