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Using headphones in place of loud speaker for monitoring for stage performance

scooterbeat - Fri, 03/26/2010 - 16:51 | 6,717 views

For a couple reasons, I recently decided it’s time to make the switch from you using a floor monitor loudspeaker to using headphones. We’ve decided to try running the monitor mix out of the main board into a headphone amplifier (within my physical reach), providing me (the drummer) some general control over volume to my headphones.

Do any drummers out there who use this technique have any tips / advice that will help make this change successful? Any comments?

Thank you very much fellow drummers!
Cheers, Scooterbeat

Drummer Comments (6)

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jgodshall Says Re: Using headphones in place of loud speaker for monitoring for

Submitted On: Tuesday, Aug 3, 2010 - 11:41 AM

I recently made the switch to in-ear monitor from the wedge, and I love it. I'm using a wireless set up (sennheiser EK 300). Like others said you need to make sure the ear buds don't fall out because that will happen & usually due to the chord being tugged by catching on your shirt or arm. I took one of my wifes super small hairclips and clip the earphone chord to my shirt at the back of my neck. Works fine and keeps the chord out of the way. I love that I can now control my own volume and adjust it as need during the show. It has reduced ear ringing substantially and I can pack the device in one of my cases rather than lugging a wedge around. The rest of my band is pretty jealous.

Good luck,
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slowmotioncowboy Says Re: Using headphones in place of loud speaker for monitoring for

Submitted On: Sunday, Jul 25, 2010 - 11:24 PM

For a show-type setting, I'd tape your headphones in your ears to make sure they don't fall out while you are playing, because man, that is annoying when they fall out mid-fill or something and there is no place where you could free your hand. Or get over-ear or clip-on head phones.

ohio-drummer Says Re: Using headphones in place of loud speaker for monitoring for

Submitted On: Thursday, Apr 1, 2010 - 7:12 AM

If I were to do this, I would run the chord down my back, under my shirt. then secure it to my belt somehow. Just make sure to leave yourself some slack in the chord for head movement.

Matt

ohio-drummer Says Re: Using headphones in place of loud speaker for monitoring for

Submitted On: Thursday, Apr 1, 2010 - 7:12 AM

If I were to do this, I would run the chord down my back, under my shirt. then secure it to my belt somehow. Just make sure to leave yourself some slack in the chord for head movement.

Matt

scooterbeat Says Re: Using headphones in place of loud speaker for monitoring for

Submitted On: Monday, Mar 29, 2010 - 3:35 PM

Hey Cowboy – thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.
So I gigged Sat night, & used the headphones w/ headphone amplifier w/ monitor mix off the main board. WOW – you are right, I can hear EVERYTHING now… including the guitar player’s sloppiness (I think he just had a particularly bad night). Everything sounds so much different now (took some getting used to). The biggest thing I DON”T like about the headphones is that silly coil cord hanging off my head…. VERY CLUNKY and annoying. I think I can rig something up in the future to minimize the cord annoyance. Thank goodness we had a great sound guy running the board… he was very willing to give me what I needed in my monitor mix. Cheers ~ Scooterbeat

cowboyplayindrummer Says Re: Re: Using headphones in place of loud speaker for monitoring

Submitted On: Thursday, Apr 1, 2010 - 9:10 AM

Scooter,

Glad that worked expertly for you. In time, like you said, you'll get used to it. But in the long run, hearing "most" things is better than only hearing "some" things. Happy drumming!

~ cowboy

cowboyplayindrummer Says Re: Using headphones in place of loud speaker for monitoring for

Submitted On: Saturday, Mar 27, 2010 - 12:49 PM

Hey Scooter,

I've tried having the monitor on the floor, having the monitor on something directly within ears range and headphones. The only downside of headphones is that you sometimes can not hear your fellow bandmates unless they are talking in the mic and the cord (unless it's a wireless headphone) can get in the way of one's playing. But as for hearing the band while playing it can be priceless to hear everything that is going on in front of you because the speakers are always pointed ahead of you. Plus there is the added bonus of hearing when your singer is off-key or that the guitarist needs to tune that blasted guitar already lol.

~ cowboy