February 13, 2020
IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO THINK ABOUT MONITORING SYSTEMS FOR VOCALISTS?
This simple question led Ryan Dietz on a pursuit that ended in an issued US Patent. As a drummer who would constantly watch vocalists adjust their wedge volume in practice or small gigs to the point where other musicians could hear very little else, Ryan thought that there must be a different way. What the vocalists really need was to increase the volume of their voice in the ambient mix around them. Of course, many monitoring solutions can provide a custom mix, but the everyday musician needs monitoring that fits their needs, budget, and skillset. It was in these challenging environments where the idea of Direct Personal Monitoring was born.
Direct Personal Monitoring or DPM intends to solve the most basic problem musicians face, hearing themselves effectively and to do so with a set of characteristics not yet available in the monitoring industry.
Imagine a product that allows vocalists to monitor their voice directly from a compact microphone mounted wireless transmitter device. DPM consist of a wireless transmitter attached directly to the microphone transmitting to a bodypack receiver or earpiece receiver worn by the user. 2 compact and affordable pieces effectively monitoring their voice.
This system removes complexity and equipment including cables, mixer, rack-mount or other transmitters resulting in simplified setup, soundcheck, operations and transport.
Importantly, DPM is not intended to provide a complete custom mix which is simply overkill for so many vocalists. DPM provides exactly what vocalists need, the ability to control the volume of their own voice.
The novelty and utility of DPM has been validated by an issued US patent. However, development and marketing of these products has stalled due to the all too common entrepreneurial limitations of expertise, money and time. The opportunity remains available for licensing and development and the market opportunity for simple monitoring solutions for the everyday musician remains unmet.
The simplest solution is often the best solution and when it comes to enabling better vocal performance and increased confidence, having a monitoring device in the palm of your hand is a solution whose time has come.
Ryan Dietz is business and technology development leader with more than 16 years of managing technology and product development. He's also a avid drummer who has a novel thought on different ways to monitor vocals. If any manufacturer or engineer would like more information, Ryan is available here.
