Who's Responsible for the Band's PA?
As I want to bring my live experience to the next level, I suggested to my core band members of 3 years to invest in a personal in-ear monitor system (transmitter and receiver ranging from $250-$350) so that we can mitigate the issues in the past where we had issues with playing tracks (not being able to hear what we need). I usually give my personal IEMs to my drummer to prioritize keeping tempo.
They felt that it's not their investment to make and that either:
- I, as the leader, need to provide them
- The in-house sound engineers of said venue or festival need to provide them
- Or that I hire a sound person to fit our needs for the show (currently no budget for
I look at having our own personal IEMs as backup to situations that can't fit our needs.
I believe that this investment would be good for the band, but also for the other bands they play with. However, they told me IEMs aren't a requirement for them outside of working with me, and they will rely on them being provided for them or using the wedge monitor. But I don't want us to continue complaining when the sound isn't right or having the inability to hear the track, vocals, etc. All I can do is lead by example and show how helpful they can be in the long run.
What is the standard? Does the leader provide the entire in-ear monitor system, or should this be a shared investment? Seen a few forums/videos saying that it should be a shared investment. Should i find a solid team willing to make the investment?