Hearing at gigs

[PorkPieGuy]

I use IEM's. Even if the venue has monitors, I unplug the monitor input and I put it in my small soundboard and run my IEM's through the headphone jack. I use CCA monitors (about $50 from Amazon), and while they isolate pretty well, I can still hear enough stage volume and crowd noise to make if feel like a live show.

 

[Winston_Wolf]

I switched to in-ear monitors a couple years ago and I won't go back to using a wedge. I have a small Rolls headphone amp that I plug my in-ears into and it also has a second input if I need to use a click. That way I can control my monitor volume separately from my click volume.

I started with universal ear tips that gave me decent isolation but last year I got custom molded tips. Now my isolation is really strong so my overall monitor volume is significantly lower now, but my ability to hear everything is so much better.

 

[KEEF]

In ears connected to this .....

U4 In-Ear Monitor Wireless System - Xvive Audio

Discover the freedom of wireless–live, at home or in the studio–and roam free with your favorite earbuds, headphones or in-ear monitors! BAND ON THE RUN Your whole band—up to six musicians—can use the system together! There can be one monitor mix per transmitter, so if you have multiple U4 sets...

xvive.com

Fantastic bit of kit imo - reliable, easy to use, very small footprint, good battery life....can't fault it.
I have custom moulds but with the ambient port installed which allows me to still hear bandmates and a little of the atmosphere. Its a compromise on hearing protection for sure but I struggled with the full isolation.

 

[Duck Tape]

Just curious to know what thing is so loud that it fiend out vox and guitar? I can always hear the vocalist through their fold back no matter what stage I’m on

 

[Ironjim55]

I use both a monitor and IEM depending on the gig. For a monitor I recommend the Mackie SRM 150 that mounts on a mic stand. It is easy to position it high enough to get over the drums. https://mackie.com/en/products/loudspeakers/srm150/SRM150.html

For an IEM system I went with the wired ART HP-1 with a 35 foot cable to allow for a mixer that is not near the drums. For the ear buds I use Shure SE215. I went with wired IEM solution since there is always a chance that a cheaper wireless solution will conflict with other wireless devices on stage. However, a good wireless system would also be a great solution.

One note on IEMs, if you are not micing the drums, then you may find it harder to get the right volume when playing. Good IEMs will block much or most of the drum sound and as a result you may not get the feedback from the drums you are looking for. I often use IEMs and since I am responsible for the mix I take a feed from the mains. At smaller venues this is more difficult and if it is very low volume, I have to change over to my own monitor mix to get more drums since they are no drums in the mains.

 

[BruceW]

I use both a monitor and IEM depending on the gig. For a monitor I recommend the Mackie SRM 150 that mounts on a mic stand. It is easy to position it high enough to get over the drums. https://mackie.com/en/products/loudspeakers/srm150/SRM150.html

For an IEM system I went with the wired ART HP-1 with a 35 foot cable to allow for a mixer that is not near the drums. For the ear buds I use Shure SE215. I went with wired IEM solution since there is always a chance that a cheaper wireless solution will conflict with other wireless devices on stage. However, a good wireless system would also be a great solution.

One note on IEMs, if you are not micing the drums, then you may find it harder to get the right volume when playing. Good IEMs will block much or most of the drum sound and as a result you may not get the feedback from the drums you are looking for. I often use IEMs and since I am responsible for the mix I take a feed from the mains. At smaller venues this is more difficult and if it is very low volume, I have to change over to my own monitor mix to get more drums since they are no drums in the mains.

On a related note, we were doing a small venue this past winter, and decided to not mic the whole kit, just kick and one overhead. What we didn't account for when making that decision was that the bass player and keyboard player use IEMs, and couldn't hear the snare from just the overhead....doh! So now when we go with a more stripped down set-up, I still make sure to mic the snare, even if it's not gonna end up being used for the mains

 

[DrumDoug]

On a related note, we were doing a small venue this past winter, and decided to not mic the whole kit, just kick and one overhead. What we didn't account for when making that decision was that the bass player and keyboard player use IEMs, and couldn't hear the snare from just the overhead....doh! So now when we go with a more stripped down set-up, I still make sure to mic the snare, even if it's not gonna end up being used for the mains

If they couldn’t hear the snare but could hear the rest of the kit, that tells me you are playing the kit in an unbalanced way. You are relying on the soundman to balance your kit. Practice with the one overhead going into some IEMs with ear muffs over them. Put the over head directly over the kit and play. If the snare isn’t loud enough, hit it harder. If the cymbals are too loud, hit them quieter. The only reason you should need a kick mic is to get lows into the subs. The overhead should pick up the kick as well. Control the mix of your kit at the kit, not the soundboard. On another note, it couldn’t have been that small a venue if they couldn’t hear the snare acoustically in the room. IEMs don’t block out 100% of the sound. I have custom molds and can still hear the band talking on stage.

 

[DrumDoug]

Looking for a decent wedge monitor that won’t break the bank. Do I need a powered or passive monitor? I’ve never dealt with sound before so pretty clueless as you can see.

Active or passive depends on what kind of PA the rest of the band is using and what kind of output is available on the board. If the band is using passive monitors you would need passive as well. However they might not have room in the amp rack for another monitor. If they are using passive you might be able to buy your own active monitor, but the board would need an empty AUX out for you to plug it into. If the band are all using active monitors, you can just chain your monitor off of one of theirs if there isn’t an empty AUX send on the board. It all depends on what kind of PA gear the band is using.

 

[BruceW]

If they couldn’t hear the snare but could hear the rest of the kit, that tells me you are playing the kit in an unbalanced way. You are relying on the soundman to balance your kit. Practice with the one overhead going into some IEMs with ear muffs over them. Put the over head directly over the kit and play. If the snare isn’t loud enough, hit it harder. If the cymbals are too loud, hit them quieter. The only reason you should need a kick mic is to get lows into the subs. The overhead should pick up the kick as well. Control the mix of your kit at the kit, not the soundboard. On another note, it couldn’t have been that small a venue if they couldn’t hear the snare acoustically in the room. IEMs don’t block out 100% of the sound. I have custom molds and can still hear the band talking on stage.

They couldn't hear it. I don't hit any of them really loudly. Especially in that scenario. They weren't worried about hearing the rest of the drums, so long as they could hear the kick and the snare. Normally we mic the whole kit, but in that lower volume and smaller setting, we elected not to. The lack of the snare being mic'd, with them wearing IEMs and not hearing the stage properly, was the issue. We simply didn't account for them not having their ears "open" to the stage when we decided not to mic the snare. Won't do that again.

 

[Stickman]

t I plug in $40 KZm earbuds

I’ve been experimenting with the KZ earbuds for the past few months..not on stage yet but.. specifically these:

KZ ZS10 Pro IEM Headphone,, 4BA 1DD KZ Multi Driver for drummers..​

the verdict so far - they sound great, super clear and separated, no distortion.
However you have to put them through a mixer and EQ them. By themselves just plugged into a music source like a phone or pad, the bass is weak and the highs have a tinny edge to them. EQing the highs and lows on a cheap mixer fixes that 100% - and the sound is perfection. This is where the multiple drivers kick in.. I can hear the detail on the hihats to exactly what the kick is doing.They fit perfectly with the contoured ear wrap. I also got the upgraded cable.. which made a very slight improvement to the sound..

 

[petrez]

Never used IEM's myself, not sure if I would like it, as I feel a need to hear the drums acustically. This is also a studio issue for me with headphones, I use it slightly sideways on one ear, the other ear is free to hear the actual drums. I guess I could just use one instead of both ears, but with a cable connecting it etc... I just prefer the simplicity of a monitor, and haven't really encountered a situation that needed anything else. The biggest downside though, volume level is high when playing heavy metal, it does do damage to my ears over time. I have a hearing loss on my left ear especially, which I think comes down to the monitor being usually on that side of the kit. Maybe I should just get accustomed to IEM, try it out at least just for that reason alone. But just seems like more of a hassle, especially when using a bigger kit.

 

[Wavelength]

I’ve played hundreds of gigs with IEMs, and will steer away from wedges if given the choice.

 

[Rockdrill]

IEMs or monitor you need to be able to have access to all signals. I bought an XR18, everyone plugs into and that gives me access to mix my monitor feed to either a wedge or in ears (the XR has 6 monitor outputs plus a cat5 network output which is what I use with the additional personal mix hardware so I don't have to deal with software issues).
From the personal mixer (power play P16m) I use the QKZ 'ZXT' in ears (Chinese, cheap and good), hardwired, no wireless, less hassle and way cheaper, or an LD Systems Icoa 15a (300 watts active, 15", and under £300).
So, basically it's an XR 28, P16m, QKZ and Icoa. Not the cheapest but also doesn't break the bank. Upside to having an XR is that it's also the basis of a home studio with lots of great plugins.

 

[Ironjim55]

Never used IEM's myself, not sure if I would like it, as I feel a need to hear, especially the drums, acustically. This is also a studio issue for me with headphones, I use it slightly sideways on one ear, the other ear is free to hear the actual drums. I guess I could just use one instead of both ears, but with a cable connecting it etc... I just prefer the simplicity of a monitor, and haven't really encountered a situation that needed anything else. The biggest downside though, volume level is high when playing heavy metal, it does do damage to my ears over time. I have a hearing loss on my left ear especially, which I think comes down to the monitor being usually on that side of the kit. Maybe I should just get accustomed to IEM, try it out at least just for that reason alone. But just seems like more of a hassle, especially when using a bigger kit.

I use IEMs when I can. If the drums are mic'd (at least snare, bass drum and overhead) and you have your own AUX out off the mixer, you can then adjust the volume of each instrument, including the drums so you get a perfect mix for you. Once you get the mix you want, you can take a picture of the board for the next time, or if you have a tablet based mixer like the Behringer XR18 you can save the settings.

IEMs will definitely save your ears and once the mix is right they give better definition than you currently get from a floor monitor. It is definitely worth getting used to.

 

[Ironjim55]

I’ve been experimenting with the KZ earbuds for the past few months..not on stage yet but.. specifically these:

KZ ZS10 Pro IEM Headphone,, 4BA 1DD KZ Multi Driver for drummers..​

the verdict so far - they sound great, super clear and separated, no distortion.
However you have to put them through a mixer and EQ them. By themselves just plugged into a music source like a phone or pad, the bass is weak and the highs have a tinny edge to them. EQing the highs and lows on a cheap mixer fixes that 100% - and the sound is perfection. This is where the multiple drivers kick in.. I can hear the detail on the hihats to exactly what the kick is doing.They fit perfectly with the contoured ear wrap. I also got the upgraded cable.. which made a very slight improvement to the sound..

The alternative to a mixer is a headphone amp body pack. It lets you adjust the volume from the pack attached to your belt. Many companies like Behringer and Presonus make the headphone belt packs. I use the Art Hp-1: https://www.artproaudio.com/product/hp-1-in-ear-personal-monitor-amplifier/

Makes it easier than bringing your own mixer. Your IEMs plug into the belt pack and you run an XLR or TRS cable to the mixer AUX out.

 

[MustangMick]

I sometimes use a Mackie SRM150 and just piggy back off the lead singer/main musician's monitor. (Using the Thru XLR connection)
Easy to reach volume control.
Helps hearing the vocals, as most of the time the other instruments are loud enough on stage.

Mick

 

[Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX]

Never used IEM's myself, not sure if I would like it, as I feel a need to hear the drums acustically. This is also a studio issue for me with headphones, I use it slightly sideways on one ear, the other ear is free to hear the actual drums. I guess I could just use one instead of both ears, but with a cable connecting it etc... I just prefer the simplicity of a monitor, and haven't really encountered a situation that needed anything else. The biggest downside though, volume level is high when playing heavy metal, it does do damage to my ears over time. I have a hearing loss on my left ear especially, which I think comes down to the monitor being usually on that side of the kit. Maybe I should just get accustomed to IEM, try it out at least just for that reason alone. But just seems like more of a hassle, especially when using a bigger kit.

same...after about 40 years of punk and metal volumes - and a lot of that in the 80's and 90's when most PA's were awful, i have hearing loss for sure

and IEM's make me nauseous, so i have to do stage wedges. I can't even use q-tips to clean out my ears, so IEM's are out of the question for me

at practice, I wear my Vic Firth iso headphones, but those won't work for stage. I get told i "don't look metal" with them on.

 

[BruceW]

I’ve been experimenting with the KZ earbuds for the past few months..not on stage yet but.. specifically these:

KZ ZS10 Pro IEM Headphone,, 4BA 1DD KZ Multi Driver for drummers..​

the verdict so far - they sound great, super clear and separated, no distortion.
However you have to put them through a mixer and EQ them. By themselves just plugged into a music source like a phone or pad, the bass is weak and the highs have a tinny edge to them. EQing the highs and lows on a cheap mixer fixes that 100% - and the sound is perfection. This is where the multiple drivers kick in.. I can hear the detail on the hihats to exactly what the kick is doing.They fit perfectly with the contoured ear wrap. I also got the upgraded cable.. which made a very slight improvement to the sound..

I'm getting my feed from the monitor mix on the board, and however its EQ'd. My feed goes directly into a small Rolls amplifier, and I plug the earbuds into that (using a 6' extension cable, just to not worry about being too tight to the amp with the ear bud cord). Works fine for me, for what I need.

The KZ's are pretty amazing for the price, at least to me. I far prefer them to the Shure 215's, which cost more than twice as much. (And are certainly not a bad product, either.)

 

[MntnMan62]

Our bass player found a Behringer Eurolive B205D monitor in his vast collection of stuff that they set up on a stand at ear level and I used it at our last rehearsal. I could hear the vocals and guitar much better. So I’m thinking of getting one. It’s 150 watts and small which is something I appreciate given how much other gear us drummers have to deal with. Anyone care to talk me out of getting this?

 

[Ironjim55]

Our bass player found a Behringer Eurolive B205D monitor in his vast collection of stuff that they set up on a stand at ear level and I used it at our last rehearsal. I could hear the vocals and guitar much better. So I’m thinking of getting one. It’s 150 watts and small which is something I appreciate given how much other gear us drummers have to deal with. Anyone care to talk me out of getting this?

While I do use in-ear monitors when I can, with some bands I use the Mackie SRM150. Great option for a drum monitor that mounts on a mic stand. I have also used the battery operated Behringer MPA200. Works great, although it's 200 watt rating actually is not as loud as as the Mackie SRM150 (50 watt). It is also bigger, heavier because of the battery, and mounts on a speaker stand making it less convenient. In-ears help protect your hearing, but if that option isn't working for you, a small dedicated monitor at ear level (or at least above the snare drum) will work well.