hearing yourself in the practice space

[avocado]

So, I just started playing with a new band. Nice people, I really like the songs, so far so good. Except it's almost impossible to hear myself or differentiate tones, which is especially important as I'm trying to learn the songs. The two guitarists are playing through Marshall half-stacks, but they're not playing too loud—their volume is matched just right with the acoustic drums.
I could just turn up, but I don't want to make it any louder in the practice space than it already is, and anyway, I don't think more volume would solve the problem.
What do people do here? Change tone to be more cutting? Resort to IEMs for practice? Just get used to it?

 

[shawshank72]

More speakers if playing through a single.
Speaker placement
EQ

 

[tkonbass]

Boost your mids, aim your cabinet at your ears, move your cabinet around the room and test.

 

[Luke19Boarder]

Throw in some of those cheap, foam earplugs ... that'll cut the high frequencies, leaving the bass much more audible.

 

[EastCoastThump]

You say the guitarists' volumes are right; how about their tones? If the guitarists dial in too much low end, getting the bass audible without overpowering the mix is like roller-skating up a sandy hill.

 

[devo1]

I've long given up trying to get others too turn down, Everyone wants to be able to hear themselves well and some people even take it as an insult asking them to turn down. Invest in a good pair of ear plugs!

 

[EastCoastThump]

If your bandmates' volumes and tones are beyond your powers of persuasion to adjust *and* only you are having trouble hearing the bass, try raising your cab up to ear level and bumping mids. (Or, use headphones or IEMs.)

OTOH, if your bandmates are also having trouble hearing the bass, add more displacement (and get earplugs, headphones, or IEMs to protect your hearing).

 

[avocado]

Thanks, all! Solid answers here.

 

[Gearhead17]

In practice, I would adjust the EQ on my head until I cut through the mix but did NOT drown anyone out. Although the resulting tone (typically) was not too my liking, I was able to hear myself and so did the band. Earplugs are also very helpful and absolutely necessary especially with a drum set and half stacks involved. Good audio fidelity and cheap. I use them all the time:

http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Rese...=UTF8&qid=1430964361&sr=8-1&keywords=etymotic