Help with using vocals and guitars and monitoring through the headphone out

Quad Cortex
1

Hey!

New user.

I am using the QC for vocals and guitar and wanted to use the headphone out with my wireless IEM system. I was looking for some advice.

1- I need to balance the volumes of both outputs, Currently, the vocals are way to quiet in comparison. I am using a simple signal chain, gate, EQ, compressor, delay and reverb. Guitar is simple as well, od, amp, cab, delay.

What is a good strategy to balance the two outputs? Gain blocks at the end of each chain?

2- I thought maybe I could use the headphones out and monitor the vocals and gtr using my IEM system, but even with teh volumes cranked on the IEM receiver, it does not have enough output. I was keeping the large on board main output volume around noon, is it simple, crank that up?

3- I was getting a lot of feedback from the mic in the FOH. I rolled off some high end in the vox eq, but I was thinking maybe it is the compressor that is just too active and maybe I should go with a much more subtle setting or do without.

What are your strategies?

Thanks in advance!

2

  1. There is a built-in gain stage at the Output block, just long-press it and you can adjust it there. You can even assign it to Scenes.

  2. Yes, crank the master vol knob. You are only turning it down from Unity level if you adjust that knob at all. You can also adjust individual levels fed TO the headphones in the swipe-down I/O master menu

  3. Comps can definitely lead to noise, including feedback. Subtle is probably best in most cases. Best practice is probably to ring out your mic at each venue, using the Global EQ to adjust to the room.

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3

Thanks for the reply.

1- I thought so… but with so much new stuff, I got turned around.
2- again, thank you. Learning curve
3-I really did nit think I was compressing that much but… I am used to settings I use in the DAW. Live is another beast, I am pretty new to live vocal compression. For rehearsal, I will do without, keep it simple. I do not want o use the global EQ too much because that effects the guitar output too, I prefer to leave that to the EQ’s on the guitar signal chain.

1 Like
4

The global EQ can be assigned to either outputs 1/2, 3/4 or both pairs of outputs.

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5

thank you @bluzdog

As I said above, there is a learning curve and I embrace the fact that as a newbie, I kinda don’t know wtf I am doing. I have two bands I am using the QC in, the first one was a jazz-funk large band and it was a hit, straight out of the park.

The more elaborate one is the rock band, where I sing as wel, that requires more thought. For guitars I need to dial in a Marshall type tone, not too driven as a core sound, and I need one or two levels of drive to step it up when I need it.

I also use a Boss SY-1 pedal for some synth bass type parts, I always wanted to use an expression pedal and blend from between 100% guitar amp to 100% synth pedal and I could never get it right in the Helix.

I will experiment with the fx loops, and the mixer blocks, controlling the “either or” blend via an expression pedal. That is my task down the road.

First get the vox/gtr balance.
Second dial in a plexi that does not get lost in a mix
Third integrate the synth pedal using the expression pedal to morph from amp to synth.