band audition with headphones ?

[banditcosmo]

Has anyone done an audition or had practice without their amp and with the band using headphones ?

I have an audition with this gigging band and when I asked them how loud they played (wanted to know whether to bring 1 or 2 cabs) and he responded

"We practice with headphones and an alesis firewire interface using logic or garage band. You'll just need a bass, instrument cable, and headphones."

Never heard of anyone practicing this way so I'm not sure what to think. I really don't like headphones and I like the way my amp/cab sounds.

Live they do use a PA, amps and drums so I guess this is just a practice thing.

Oh and should I bring my VT Bass ?

[silky smoove]

An old band of mine did this a couple times for late night practice sessions when the neighbors would have otherwise killed us.

We had a set of Roland V-Drums and kept the guitar amps super low, but loud enough to get a signal into the interface and out to the headphones.

I imagine they do it for a similar reason. It's interesting... I didn't like it very much, but it was the only option on occasion. Bringing the VT would be a good idea if you want some control over your tone. A set of good headphones is an obvious necessity as well.

[jgroh]

They might have a practice space that isnt in a "band friendly" neighborhood (i.e. parents/neighbors wont put up with it). Its not ideal but better than nothing. Take your VT.

[Plays_For_Dog]

Yes! Bring the VT to keep your tone in the head phones. Years ago I recorded an album playing through a DI and head phones. Worked out great. I think playing with head phones is a great idea because you can control how loud the rehearsal is on your volume control.

Obviously, certain aspects of how the music will sound live is different, but for rehearsal, you're more focused on hitting your cues, keeping time and learning the parts with other members.

[PastorofMuppets]

to me this is a wave of the future.
check your ego at the door and actually listen to the band.

Rehearsals are about making a band tight and working on parts. Everyone needs to hear and headphones provide that. There is no need to be worried about tone as much as hearing your band mates and accomplishing something that benefits you in the long run. No volume wars or other nonsense to get in the way. Tone it up at gigs and in your own woodshed. Know and understand the difference between gigs, practice and rehearsals and you will go far.

[electracoyote]

Headphone rehearsals are becoming more and more common. The plug-and-play technology has really improved lately. In fact, my band may need to move to a much smaller space for rehearsals soon, and I'm thinking of investing in one of the shared plug-in units.

[bassplayerbob]

I guess I am the odd man out on this one. I had an audition not too long ago ago and the setup was: live drums miked, guitarist going from a GT10 to the mixer,vocals,keyboards to mixer and my bass to to mixer. Everything was fed to in ear monitors and I never felt so diconnected from a band as I did that day. I am in a different band.

[MNAirHead]

When meeting people I'll NEVER let them bring their own amp.. commonly I'll do all IEM. There are many self important nuts who will reject IEM at any cost (upper venues commonly require them).

Heck.. my new band has a rule - zero amps or stage noise.. Full setup is now to under 30 minutes total.

[PastorofMuppets]

Originally Posted by MNAirHead

When meeting people I'll NEVER let them bring their own amp.. commonly I'll do all IEM. There are many self important nuts who will reject IEM at any cost (upper venues commonly require them).

Heck.. my new band has a rule - zero amps or stage noise.. Full setup is now to under 30 minutes total.

most upper level bands in my area operate this way. They generally sound better than other bands.

[TRichardsbass]

Wave of the future, I guess. For an audition they aren't looking for your "sound" but more for your ability to play. I would definitely bring your pedal and use it as the DI. They shouldn't have a problem with that. If they question it, just tell them that you are used to a certain sound in your ears and you would like to keep that for the audition.

IEMs are definitely finding there way into even smaller clubs now, and if you play large venues or make it big, you will find that that is what you will be using. Using them for rehearsals I guess would be okay. At some point though the band has to hear itself as it would be coming out of the speakers live. I listened to a band the other day who use IEMs on stage, and had just hired a new sound guy. Sound sucked. They all sounded great in their heads, but the IEM couldn't translate all the crap the sound guy had coming out of the bins combined.

Headphones, even cheap ones, should do for the audition. IEMs are more expensive, and if you are going to make enough to justify them then get a professional set made for you.

[Zitch]

Not me man, I like to feel the music beating me in the chest. Its just not the same for me through headphones.

[DavidE]

As a guitard most of the time, my guitar amp is usually a 15 watter into a 1x12 cabinet or maybe a 2x12 in a bigger place. That still gives me more volume than I need. But I haven't yet found anything going direct that I'm satisfied with that won't take me months of tinkering like an AxeFx.

[MNAirHead]

Zitch..

The tone of your reply is what I'd be trying to flush out.

I love my Fridge cabs.. I'm well aware many venues are now getting better sound guys and sound systesm.

I'll veto any guitarist who claims thier twin, plexi or JCM cranked to 10 are "their tone"

Heck.. I toured the world with a killer sounding guitarist who used a GK 2x8 metal case (remember those) . .... behind a wall of fake cabs.

If someone wanted profile and/or BList level gigs, headphones/IEM are one of the potential facets.

[MNAirHead]

Originally Posted by DavidE

As a guitard most of the time, my guitar amp is usually a 15 watter into a 1x12 cabinet or maybe a 2x12 in a bigger place. That still gives me more volume than I need. But I haven't yet found anything going direct that I'm satisfied with that won't take me months of tinkering like an AxeFx.

I know Lincoln Brewster's site used to have downloadable patches for everything on his recordings... he never posted in interviews which recordings were the real thing or through line 6.. I've heard it rumoured his live sound has no amps between.

There are forums specifically for swapping settings etc.

There are tons and tons of recordings using VST, Zoom, Digitech and Line 6.

Not for everyone.. If a line item "no" then you probably won't be gigging with my band.

(and yes.. my drummer has a VDrum option)

Tim

[MNAirHead]

I do feel like a dork though..

I'm itching to get to the door to try out the new head Fedex just delivered.

Unfortunately it's for my entertainment.

[Floridabwoy]

Defo bring your VT.

[StuartV]

I'm with MNAirhead and PastorOfMuppets.

My cover band has no amps on stage. And if the other guys could afford IEM setups, we wouldn't have stage monitor speakers, either. I use IEMs for all gigs and all practice. I like my hearing (and I don't have electronic drums).

Guys who want to audition and insist on using their amps because they need "their tone" is a red flag for me. At rehearsal, everybody needs to worry about playing the right notes, at the right times - not worry about their tone. Worry about your tone on your own time, not when the rest of us are sitting around waiting on you to fiddle with your rig.

If you can't play (and at your best) without "your tone", I sure wouldn't want to depend on you at a gig. Stuff happens. Sometimes, it won't matter WHAT you do, you are not going to have "your tone" on stage - whether it's the acoustics of the venue and a necessary compromise to get good FOH sound, or whether it's because something in your rig takes a poop and you have to go DI only. No matter what the reason, if you can't do a good job without "your tone", like I said, I wouldn't want to be in a band with you.

[StuartV]

ps. I've been in bands with tone prima donnas. Can you tell me I'm a bit bitter about it?

[alembicguy]

One of my current bands practices this way. Guitar players use Line 6 footboards and I use whatever Radial DI I have with me and the drummer uses an electric kit and all vocals into a mixer then out to a headphone amps. This has been the most productive way of nailing set lists down that I have ever been a part of.

[MNAirHead]

Originally Posted by StuartV

ps. I've been in bands with tone prima donnas. Can you tell me I'm a bit bitter about it?

Ditto