Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Troubleshooting your gear or shopping around for new stuff. This is where you need to be.
Post Reply
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Greg_L »

I'm finally entering the 21st century and running a dual monitor screen setup. So far so good. I have yet to configure my mixing workflow onto two screens, but I'm looking forward to a new chapter of maybe having the mixer on one screen, tracks on another.

Any of you mongos using two screens? What's your setup/workflow?
Rebel Yell
User avatar
JD01
Posts: 15816
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:11 pm
Location: Wales, UK

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by JD01 »

I would like two monitors but I record in one of my living rooms and use a 42" TV as my monitor - this is alright actually as there's plenty of room to have the mixer at the bottom of the screen and various VST windows floating around and still see what's going on with all my tracks. When I'm working on my lap-top during the week its a right pain in the arse as I just have a little 13.5" screen.
User avatar
WhiskeyJack
Site Admin
Posts: 11366
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:48 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by WhiskeyJack »

I use 3 monitors at the day job now. I just recently added the third and it is awesome!!! It makes such a huge huge difference. It is like decluttering a desk that is piled up with shit.

I have a second at home for the studio i just don't have the right connector nor room on my little tiny desk. Most dual monitor set ups i have seen are exactly as you want to use them. Have the mixer part of the daw broken out to its own screen. I think you will love it no matter how you set it all up man. It will be a huge improvement. Congrats.
:happytrees:
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Greg_L »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:36 pm I use 3 monitors at the day job now. I just recently added the third and it is awesome!!! It makes such a huge huge difference. It is like decluttering a desk that is piled up with shit.

I have a second at home for the studio i just don't have the right connector nor room on my little tiny desk. Most dual monitor set ups i have seen are exactly as you want to use them. Have the mixer part of the daw broken out to its own screen. I think you will love it no matter how you set it all up man. It will be a huge improvement. Congrats.
Yeah I did a mix session at a guy's house that has dual monitors and it was great. I never thought about it before. I knew the possibility existed, but just never considered it for myself. Seemed complicated. It isn't. :headwall:
Rebel Yell
User avatar
liv_rong
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:32 pm

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by liv_rong »

wtf, I thought I replied to this a few minutes ago? Anyways, I use one but also have a 40" on my wall that Ill run when someone is over working on something so they dont have to look over my shoulder.
User avatar
WhiskeyJack
Site Admin
Posts: 11366
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:48 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by WhiskeyJack »

Nah it's painless and worth any and all effort. A few places i have been to make use of the dual monitor thing and i have been to one little spot that had four monitors and just, wow. One screen for tracking, one for the mixer, one tiled for his plugins and and another for his virtual instruments. It was pretty amazing.
:happytrees:
User avatar
Minerman
Posts: 2022
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:51 pm
Location: U.S.A.
Contact:

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Minerman »

I was supposed to buy another monitor for my setup, to keep me from going blind trying to see my 19" monitor from behind the drum kit...So far, I've gotten by using the magnifier tool in windows, but while this works, it can be a pain in the ass, so eventually I wanna go with another monitor...

If/when I ever stop buying e-drum gear, I hope to use my current monitor behind my kit, on a swivel mount, & use the bigger/new one on my desk...

Is there anything I need to watch out for, like different resolution or similar???
Image
Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, Jackson
Ceriatone, Marshall, EVH
TC Electronic, MXR, Yamaha

My music @ Reverbnation :minernuggs:
User avatar
WhiskeyJack
Site Admin
Posts: 11366
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:48 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by WhiskeyJack »

liv_rong wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2017 1:00 pm wtf, I thought I replied to this a few minutes ago? Anyways, I use one but also have a 40" on my wall that Ill run when someone is over working on something so they dont have to look over my shoulder.
That sounds badass. I want to do that. Ezdrummer would be much more life like :roll: Is it a 40 " television? how did you set that up? Just with a normal HDMI cable or something?
Minerman wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2017 2:26 pm I was supposed to buy another monitor for my setup, to keep me from going blind trying to see my 19" monitor from behind the drum kit...So far, I've gotten by using the magnifier tool in windows, but while this works, it can be a pain in the ass, so eventually I wanna go with another monitor...

If/when I ever stop buying e-drum gear, I hope to use my current monitor behind my kit, on a swivel mount, & use the bigger/new one on my desk...

Is there anything I need to watch out for, like different resolution or similar???
my extra monitor i just grabbed off a local classifieds. I think windows is at a point now where it just sort of makes whatever you plug into your machine for a monitor work. the thing i over looked was how it connected to my computer but that is a really easy fix.
:happytrees:
User avatar
Minerman
Posts: 2022
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:51 pm
Location: U.S.A.
Contact:

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Minerman »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2017 2:33 pm my extra monitor i just grabbed off a local classifieds. I think windows is at a point now where it just sort of makes whatever you plug into your machine for a monitor work. the thing i over looked was how it connected to my computer but that is a really easy fix.
+1 dude, I had another 19" picked out on the local classifieds for like $25 a month or so ago, but never got around to picking it up...I'm amazed at how cheap these things are now, I remember the first flat-screen tv (46") I bought around '07 or '08 was like $1200, now they're less than half that new...

My computer currently has a vga + an hdmi jack, so it should be plug-n-play...I had it all figured out, I just needed an adapter for the 2nd monitor, but again, I never bought the damn thing...The adapter, cable & wall mount I'm gonna buy will probably cost as much or more than the monitor itself, I'll be running the cable around to the other side of my room behind the drum kit...I've already got 30' keyboard & headphone cables... :biggrin:

I've read about other folks having issues with the resolution with different monitors, so I was just wondering...

Since I spend 90% of my time in this room, I could just jerk the 46" tv off the wall in the living room & use it back here... :minernuggs:
Image
Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, Jackson
Ceriatone, Marshall, EVH
TC Electronic, MXR, Yamaha

My music @ Reverbnation :minernuggs:
User avatar
Tadpui
Posts: 3358
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 3:50 pm

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Tadpui »

Dual monitors are great. Although I think that I'm gonna move to a single ultra wide screen. I did that on my gaming and office machine and it rocks. 3440x1440 resolution is nice. Although it wouldn't work from a distance because the text and icons are really tiny unless you have a monster screen. On a 38" ultrawide wide I have to squint from a normal diatance.
User avatar
liv_rong
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:32 pm

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by liv_rong »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2017 2:33 pm

That sounds badass. I want to do that. Ezdrummer would be much more life like :roll: Is it a 40 " television? how did you set that up? Just with a normal HDMI cable or something?

Yup, just HDMI. I couldnt get it to fit the tv exactly but its good enough.
User avatar
Bill L
Posts: 904
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 9:54 pm
Location: Rhode Island

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Bill L »

I've been running dual monitors for about 2 years and I love it. My video card came with dual monitor support so mine was a very easy setup. It really does make things mush easier for me. When I work on my laptop, it's quite an adjustment in work flow as compared to my main DAW.
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by rayc »

I have dual monitors BUT they aren't exactly the same size so it's not a perfect match.
It works a treat except when I track is in the very middle between the two - I usually insert a dummy track in that spot.
It does take up a lot of space on a desk top depending on the foot/stand. I like it.
2screens.jpg
2screenproject.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
Bboot
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:01 pm

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Bboot »

Here's a pic of my setup.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Greg_L »

Good stuff!
Rebel Yell
User avatar
WhiskeyJack
Site Admin
Posts: 11366
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:48 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by WhiskeyJack »

Bboot wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:17 am Here's a pic of my setup.
Bboot might be the only one on here not running reaper for a daw. Way to go just throwing a diversity wrench out there all minbly bimbly like Bev.
:happytrees:
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Greg_L »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:48 am Bboot might be the only one on here not running reaper for a daw. Way to go just throwing a diversity wrench out there all minbly bimbly like Bev.
It's a good thing they're all the fucking same!
Rebel Yell
User avatar
Bboot
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:01 pm

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Bboot »

WhiskeyJack wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:48 am
Bboot wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:17 am Here's a pic of my setup.
Bboot might be the only one on here not running reaper for a daw. Way to go just throwing a diversity wrench out there all minbly bimbly like Bev.
Yup, I run Cubase, but reaper is awesome too!
User avatar
Bill L
Posts: 904
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 9:54 pm
Location: Rhode Island

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Bill L »

rayc wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:32 pm I have dual monitors BUT they aren't exactly the same size so it's not a perfect match.
It works a treat except when I track is in the very middle between the two - I usually insert a dummy track in that spot.
It does take up a lot of space on a desk top depending on the foot/stand. I like it.
2screens.jpg
2screenproject.jpg
I don't normally use Reaper but can't your dual setup look more like Bboot's with tracks on one screen and faders on the other? Having everything split in the middle like would drive me nuts. :crazy:

**After a couple seconds of trying, yes you can make it look like Bboots. Assuming, of course, you were interested in doing that. :happytrees:
Last edited by Bill L on Thu Feb 16, 2017 6:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Armistice
Posts: 10702
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Orstralia

Re: Dual monitors - screens, not speakers

Post by Armistice »

I have a Really Fucking Big Screen with the DAW on it (28 inch, I think) and a Slightly Smaller Screen (can't remember size, but the resolution isn't as good, so it's older) with interface mix control on it, and any VST and related other software that I use, generally.

I thought I had a pic on my phone I could show you, but not, apparently. I'll get back to you... :cool:
Post Reply