What Do Performers Hear on Stage?

This sounds like a job for me...


It varies a lot. Traditional musicals usually just put a band mix on stage. If it is a keys MD then it'll normally be keys heavy to help cut through the jumble of sounds. If a singer is struggling to hear themselves we would normally turn the band down on stage so they can hear themselves naturally. The sound desk can store and recall settings for each number, or even sections of one number, so if one song they need more drums on stage for dancing and one they need more strings to fill the void that is all set up and tweaked through tech and previews.  

Ideally we want it as quiet as possible on stage as the more loud onstage monitoring  the more that sounds bleeds into the performers mics, colouring and affecting the sound out front, as well as causing feedback issues. 

Many more modern musicals have starting putting a mix of band AND vocal on stage as well. Rock musicals and other loud shows can make it difficult to get the stage sound quiet enough to allow performers hear their own voice naturally whilst still having the driving energy and not getting muddied by the main speaker system for the audience. Some people want to have more of themselves, some people want more band. Some shows have their sound operator have a "vocal to stage" control on the desk, so if the performer struggles when they can't hear themselves, and the operator notices them go out of tune or out of time, they can lift a little more vocal in to get them back on track. 

As to level, some shows can be incredibly loud on stage. I worked with on one panto with a... superior actress who insisted on her voice being incredibly loud. Additionally if the performer comes from a gig background (boy bands etc) then they'll be used to loud stage mixes with lots of their own vocal and often insist on such. 

One thing often the audience hear that the cast don't is effects. Reverb and echo muddy the on stage sound which is unhelpful when trying to pitch or find the rhythm so these are usually only in the audience speakers. 

Some venues suffer from awful 'slapback', which is basically the sound of the main speakers bouncing off the rear wall and back on to stage, but out of time with the music. This can make it very difficult for the performers to keep in time. The worst I ever had was the Floral Pavillion in New Brighton where I've no idea how the cast managed as I certainly couldn't have. 

The sound and 'issues' with the sound have been a huge topic on the BroadwayWorld message board for Sweeney Todd on Broadway.
As previews progress they seem to be getting it right.
We dont realise how complicated it can be.

Briliant question, and great responses. I have never given this a single thought in all the years I’ve been seeing musicals. Blimey, I thought they had enough to deal with already, but this adds a whole new level of difficulty 😳