True X-Stage Mixing

This is a technique normally reserved for big stages and large venues, such as concert halls and auditoriums. It is also referred to as “cross-stage monitoring” because it essentially splits the stage in half and everything from the center of the stage all the way to the right is placed into the left X-Stage mix, while everything from the center to the left is placed into the right X-Stage mix. The result is a more intimate sound field on stage, so that all the musicians get a balanced mix. It is often mistakenly attempted by adding side-fill monitors, which bleed into the FOH (front-of-house) mix and cause a smeared or muddy sound quality. X-Stage mixing should not be attempted without some prior experience.