Installs Theater Stage Monitor Speakers

[Brandon Ames]

I am designing a theater for a small charter school. I am curious of best practices for mounting and placement of stage monitors of the speaker variety. For instance, what models and manufacturers that people have used and placement. My stage is 20' by 40' behind the curtain and 26' high to the structural steel. My proscenium opening is 23' by 16' high with a 6' apron. I was thinking of mounting them above the curtain but am eager to hear others experience.

Thanks in advance.

 

[themuzicman]

I'm assuming you mean foldback monitors for the actors, and not mons for backstage crew or for concerts...
For musicals and such, I tend to mount a foldback in each wing, pointed onstage. I mount them on the bottom of any lighting ladders if there are any. If the pipes are low enough, sometimes I mount them overhead - basically wherever has the most room depending on what clearance the scenery needs on a per show basis.

 

[carproelsofly]

I would not permanently install monitors, personally. Just ensure that there are jacks around the room and plenty of cable (and barrels), and a couple of different kinds of speakers (wedges, little 40x60s, even littler "practicals".

The monitoring needs for a talent show are completely different from that of a musical. Add an off-stage mic into the mix and it changes again.

Dance? Different. Jazz Choir concert? Different. Lecture? Different. "You Can't Take It With You"? It'd be great to have a speaker for those basement explosions, yes? Doesn't work so well if it's mounted behind the proscenium.

Keep it as flexible as you can.

HTH,
Jen

 

[Brandon Ames]

I would not permanently install monitors, personally. Just ensure that there are jacks around the room and plenty of cable (and barrels), and a couple of different kinds of speakers (wedges, little 40x60s, even littler "practicals".

The monitoring needs for a talent show are completely different from that of a musical. Add an off-stage mic into the mix and it changes again.

Dance? Different. Jazz Choir concert? Different. Lecture? Different. "You Can't Take It With You"? It'd be great to have a speaker for those basement explosions, yes? Doesn't work so well if it's mounted behind the proscenium.

Keep it as flexible as you can.

HTH,
Jen

Thanks, really appreciate the feedback.

 

[Brandon Ames]

I'm assuming you mean foldback monitors for the actors, and not mons for backstage crew or for concerts...
For musicals and such, I tend to mount a foldback in each wing, pointed onstage. I mount them on the bottom of any lighting ladders if there are any. If the pipes are low enough, sometimes I mount them overhead - basically wherever has the most room depending on what clearance the scenery needs on a per show basis.

Thanks for the time. Had not thought of the ladders.

 

[jkowtko]

Many people just leave them on the floor just behind the proscenium legs. Your goal is simple -- for the actors (or dancers) to be able to hear them when they are on stage, not much more. And they will be able to tell you if they can or cannot hear them ... so starting with simple floor placement and adjusting based on what people tell you, is probably the lowest effort way to determine the best placement. Once you have good placements figured out, if it looks like it will stay that way for multiple shows, only then would I consider hanging them.

 

[MNicolai]

If you hang/mount them, I'd recommend getting speakers with yoke-mount brackets you can fix a c-clamp to. Then just as you'd hang lights, you can hang foldback monitors from each end of a pipe, aiming on-stage.

I've seen many shows where putting them on the floor in the wings is acceptable. Anything with dancers, moving scenery units, or large groups of performers, getting the monitors and their cables off the ground and hanging from a batten can be a big advantage.