In-Ear Monitors
Over the course of the past few weeks I’ve been playing a lot of shows with various bands. Maybe it’s my recent birthday, but lately I’ve been especially aware of the overall stage volume and the need to have better monitors. And so I have put some effort into ensuring the best balance of what I need to hear and NOT hear onstage. My two main goals for live performance are:
(1) Block out some of the extraneous noise. Between the drums, amps, stage monitors, and general cacophony of the stage, it can get pretty loud up there. Constant exposure to that level of volume is bad for hearing. Turning down amps and monitors is a good idea in general (your soundman will thank you), but it’s difficult to “turn down” the drum set.
(2) Isolate my instrument and vocals without having to turn them up. It’s helpful for guitar and crucial when playing fretless bass since I am still developing my technique and don’t yet have “perfect touch” for intonation.
Most professionals address these requirements by using “in ear” monitors, essentially the same as using earbuds to listen to an iPod. The systems involved can be expensive and present some additional logistic challenges. I’ve recently purchased a new wireless in-ear monitor system and will be implementing it as part of my live setup. My system came with a fairly decent set of generic earbud drivers. The best solution would involve custom-molded ear pieces that exactly fit the unique contours of the listener’s ears. I have a pair of Westone earplugs that were custom molded to my ears, and they’re great for helping to protect my hearing. Eventually I’ll probably get a similar set molded to house audio drivers. In the mean time, I’m going to be hearing myself much better and hopefully, protecting my hearing in the process.