who here uses in-ear plugs?

rstix

Member
I just finished a practice session going through a jury piece I'm performing in a week and half. The piece is Steve Gadd's crazy army solo.

Anyway, I used some long green foamy ear plugs while I was practicing and my timing - my feel - EVERYTHING felt a billion times smoother and cleaner without hearing all the over tones. It was really one of those revolutionary music days when you know you've reached another level of musicianship.

So I'm curious who here plays with ear plugs and if so, explain how they fair when worn during live gigs. Also in the studio - how could I get a click feed and have my ears muted? I'm sure y'all know!

I'm going to continue playing with ear plugs from now on - my playing is almost night and day difference ... is this a bad thing??

Ricky Stix
 
I always practice with earplugs. I personally hate the foam ones though. They typically cut out 30 dB and that's too much. I have a couple pairs that cut out around 15 dB and that's what I prefer.
As far as live goes, I don't wear earplugs when there's monitors and when there's in ears, I'm obviously using those, not ear plugs.
When I go into the studio I use the Vic Firth isolation headphones. They pretty much work like ear plugs, but they're over the ear headphones.
 
I use triple-flange earplugs when practicing by myself and Shure SE215s as in-ears when playing live. I love how the in-ears give me the option to turn down the mix. My ears ring much less after a set than if I were using an open-air monitor. That's worth it.
 
I use triple-flange earplugs when practicing by myself and Shure SE215s as in-ears when playing live. I love how the in-ears give me the option to turn down the mix. My ears ring much less after a set than if I were using an open-air monitor. That's worth it.

wow only 99 bucks too - yeah those shure se215s "shure" do look awesome
 
I'd previously tried ear plugs from the chemist and I agree with milesmetko that they sound terrible.

So I've played unprotected until recently when I bought Vater triple flanged ear plugs (recommended by forum member, Doc Watso). Very happy with them. Enough to take the edge off without wrecking the tone. Also a convenient container.
 
wow only 99 bucks too - yeah those shure se215s "shure" do look awesome

For a lower-priced IEM headphone they do the job. The seal in my ears is quite nice, and I have felt more connected to the music since getting them. I occasionally have to "go back" to open-air monitors every now and again, and I hate it.
 
I use "Hearos" high fidelity earplugs. They work well for me and cost a little more than a pair of good sticks.
 
I use pro plugs sometimes and they do the job well enough.
 
If you don't take care of hearing you will be shoping for hearing aides sooner then you like. I know from personal experience.
 
I wish i used them earlier, but you couldn't tell me that when i was a teenager.
 
I love my Ultimate Ears ustoms. I use them for listening to musi and I use them everytime I am behind the kit, in rehearsal, and on gigs, exept intimate jazz gigs.

They are a lot of money but totally worth the prie as I have used mine 1000s of hours at this point. I want to get the next model up, the sound is that inredible...

Casper
 
It could be that you were just having a great day on the day that you chose to try the plugs but I kinda know what you mean. Shorter notes or less resonant drums and cymbals allow you to focus a little more on the actual attack, and it can help your timing sound tighter.

But those earplugs block out all the high frequencies that you would rather hear in a band setting, if I were you I would get some moulded musicians earplugs.

I have 25db filters which I use when I'm practicing alone or with band members.

For gigs or if I go and watch another band I also take my musicians plugs and use the 15db filters.
 
It could be that you were just having a great day on the day that you chose to try the plugs but I kinda know what you mean. Shorter notes or less resonant drums and cymbals allow you to focus a little more on the actual attack, and it can help your timing sound tighter.

But those earplugs block out all the high frequencies that you would rather hear in a band setting, if I were you I would get some moulded musicians earplugs.

I have 25db filters which I use when I'm practicing alone or with band members.

For gigs or if I go and watch another band I also take my musicians plugs and use the 15db filters.

What kind? after band practice today - I do feel like my plugs are cutting out some mid freqs that I could deal with - but overall the cheap ones I get for free from work do an awesome job and they do help me focus on attack and time
 
I practice lots with Hot Rods and Brushes without plugs. When I move to sticks, in go the plugs.

Too many dirt bikes, chainsaws, rifles, and shotguns. Duh...

I'm very careful now.
 
I use foam earplugs. Cheap, effective, and easy to use. I agree, they DO allow you to hear your drums in a "less overtone-cluttered" way, and you hear your articulation better. They cut out most of the high frequencies you will hear, so if you're going to gig with them, you have to be prepared for that. Whenever I play without them, everything sounds so harsh and bright, and I wonder how anyone could stand playing music in that kind of environment. I guess I've gotten a bit *too* used to them, but then again, my hearing is well-protected...
 
I have been using earplugs for practice and live for well over 10 or 12 years now. I won't go without. I'll use cheap foam, whatever. Anything. I hate playing without.

Live I'm using these right now:



Etymotic Research ER20. Got em off Amazon for 12 bucks. Recommended by someone on this forum (maybe a diff forum?)...but I like them for live stuff.
 
Skull Candy's ear buds are great for drumming. They give you isolation, but you can listen to a click or music. I didn't start using ear plugs until about a year, and I was shocked at the difference it made. I'd always heard drummers should wear plugs, but I never imagined it would benefit my playing. You can really hear if you're dragging or rushing anything, and on stage you can hear everything more evenly, rather than the drums muddling it up.
 
As a side note: Last night I played an open-air gig on a festival stage. I realized too late I had left my earplugs at home, and we were using wedge monitors. To put it bluntly, I sucked. I could not hear anything because of the high frequencies of the cymbals drowning everything out. I couldn't get the monitor to overpower the drums, and so I was pretty much stuck with playing simply and more softly than I would have liked. Lesson learned -- spare set of earplugs in the stick bag!
 
i wear Vic Firth isolation headphones when practicing. Everything sounds wayyyyy better. The bass guitar comes right thru. it's amazing, a lot of the things I hear with these things on, I don't hear when they're off. And, when finished, they're not full of ear wax :).

Live performances, I don't wear them, because my band mates say they look stupid....
 
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