Meeting Topic: ABC's of In-Ear Monitoring
Moderator Name: Keith Gordon
Speaker Name: Marty Garcia, Founder/President Future Sonics
Other business or activities at the meeting:
Section Chair, Jeff Bamford welcomed members and guest. Jeff noted that section elections would be part of the June Meeting and called for any additional nominations, and announced those who were standing for executive positions;
Sy Potma - Chair
Bob Breen - Vice Chair
Jeff Bamford - Secretary
Michael Borlace -Treasurer
Keith Gordon - Membership/promotion
Earl McCluskie - Bulletin-Site Editor
No additional nominations were received.
Meeting Location: Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
Keith Gordon introduced Marty and indicated the presentation would be casual and interactive. thus please ask questions as they arise.
Marty recounted his early history in audio, being involved in live and concert sound system for performing rock groups, starting as a roadie in the 70's, moving on to sound mixing and later designing Concert sound systems. His experiences led Marty to understand that performers were struggling on stage and the better the monitoring, the better the musicians could play. Marty's experimentation in developing improved stage monitors led him to consider 'ear buds' to bring high quality full range sound to the performer and this continuing development of individual in-ear monitoring solutions led to opening Future Sonics in 1990.
Garcia laid out the various models of in-ear drivers from the earliest to current models explaining the differences in single driver, dual driver, dual armature types including the current Future Sonics MG4 and MG5 full range drivers. The presentation was amply sprinkled with many anecdotes of the various artists who worked through the years of new in-ear concepts and how artists adapted or became convinced of the benefits in their performances and the saving of their personal hearing.
Marty continually reminded us the need for a quality audio system that delivers a clean stereo (not mono) full bandwidth audio mix that makes the performer feel part of the band without distractions of hall reflections or 'slap' and with the leakage of amplified or acoustically loud instruments on stage.
Extensive discussion of ear fatigue, sound levels on stage, tips in mixing for in-ears and the in-ear monitor system topology and discourse on sound system latency rounded out the meeting.
