i still use an amp for most things, but: i'd rather hear the note(s). if i was going to go with "feel the power" i'd choose specific body parts.
i voted IEM's as a preference/goal going forward.
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Ok Folks, lets have it. IEM's or Backline
- Thread starter dbase
- Start date
i voted IEM's as a preference/goal going forward.
I still prefer to move some air, so amplifiers are it for me, thanks!
I feel you on missing the feel of your bass amp. I got used to it after 4 or 5 gigs.
Now, IEMs are normal for me. I'm sure the next gig I do without them is going to feel like a cacophony of noise.
Now, IEMs are normal for me. I'm sure the next gig I do without them is going to feel like a cacophony of noise.
My Ampeg V4B and 2-15's cab make my pant legs flutter, but only in my music room -
Church setup is IEMs and they're OK for reference to hear what everybody else is doing, but I feel that I have the "worst seat in the house" with them. Not complaining - I understand.
Church setup is IEMs and they're OK for reference to hear what everybody else is doing, but I feel that I have the "worst seat in the house" with them. Not complaining - I understand.
I ordered a set of IEMs as a "trial balloon", after a thread on the topic appeared here a couple of weeks ago. They arrived, beautifully packaged and DOA, so I guess I'm still in the amp category for now. I've only got limited time and energy to devote to gear changes; I think I'll woodshed instead of going farther down that rabbit hole, at least for now.
In ears solve a lot of problems.
The need for ear plugs because the drum cymbals and/or loud guitar... The in ears act as earplugs, this is no longer an issue. No ringing or pain unless you had your monitors up too high.
Having Ear Plugs even with the good ones you can still struggle to hear some of the softer instruments or vocals in the mix.
Sound man puts too much of one and not enough of another in your monitor, that is it.
With in ears you can make the mix yourself. The keyboard player today is annoying, I can turn him down enough to hear and that is all that is needed, when the good one comes back turn keys up. Guitar is perfectly mixed just below the drums, Jenny's vocals are no longer ear piercing because she sings too high for my ears and Angie's vocals are sitting in there nicely.
Through all this I can hear myself fantastic.
It is the same mix every time. When needed, cut or boost someone.
The bad.
You will not hear the audience.
If you do not get in ears that can reproduce your bass well or are poor fitting it will not be fun.
The need for ear plugs because the drum cymbals and/or loud guitar... The in ears act as earplugs, this is no longer an issue. No ringing or pain unless you had your monitors up too high.
Having Ear Plugs even with the good ones you can still struggle to hear some of the softer instruments or vocals in the mix.
Sound man puts too much of one and not enough of another in your monitor, that is it.
With in ears you can make the mix yourself. The keyboard player today is annoying, I can turn him down enough to hear and that is all that is needed, when the good one comes back turn keys up. Guitar is perfectly mixed just below the drums, Jenny's vocals are no longer ear piercing because she sings too high for my ears and Angie's vocals are sitting in there nicely.
Through all this I can hear myself fantastic.
It is the same mix every time. When needed, cut or boost someone.
The bad.
You will not hear the audience.
If you do not get in ears that can reproduce your bass well or are poor fitting it will not be fun.
Our guy sets up an ambient microphone in a channel we can manipulate from our mixers. It lets some room sound in and minimizes this issue.
I still can't hear people from the audience when they walk up to me and start talking, unless they happen to be standing right by the ambient mic.
So it helps but not all the way.
Amps for me. But my band is not loud at all. If your band is extremely loud, then IEM systems may be for you. I do not like the isolation the IEM's give. Not at all. In addition, the systems are expensive. Not a cost effective solution for my weekend warrior band.
Big rig/old school for us
I’m not an in ears or small rig hater at all but this is what we feel we need for the job(Some times we each use one cab, sometimes we use two) . If I was only playing situations where I had great PA support I wouldn’t mind using in ears. My problem is that’s just not the case for my main band. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve shown up to a venue we’ve never played before to see very inadequate PA. For example, no subs at all. Instead of flipping back and forth, severely limiting where we can play, or having to bringing a good sized PA to every gig to have a solution to that problem, we just choose to stay old school.
I’m not an in ears or small rig hater at all but this is what we feel we need for the job(Some times we each use one cab, sometimes we use two) . If I was only playing situations where I had great PA support I wouldn’t mind using in ears. My problem is that’s just not the case for my main band. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve shown up to a venue we’ve never played before to see very inadequate PA. For example, no subs at all. Instead of flipping back and forth, severely limiting where we can play, or having to bringing a good sized PA to every gig to have a solution to that problem, we just choose to stay old school.
Most, quite possibly all, of the gigs I'm offered I would/will immediately turn down if IEM's are mandatory.
We mostly play casinos and private events where the audience does not need to go deaf to have a good time. Letting the venue decide exactly how loud I am (instead of competing with guitar amps, etc.) has led to a substantial increase in pay. For me, turning down gigs with mandatory IEM's would mean significantly reducing my income which, especially at this stage in my life, does not make any sense.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
My question to those who vote not to IEMs would be how many of them have given them a good try?
The only real pros that I see are the ability to control their stage volume (or for those who are not putting the bass through the PA, the overall volume), and the ability to feel the bass.
The only real pros that I see are the ability to control their stage volume (or for those who are not putting the bass through the PA, the overall volume), and the ability to feel the bass.
and it's nice to let it rip.
I'm at the point where I'm starting to get hearing loss and am looking at:
1. No more live gigs or
2. IEMs
I like amps as much as the next guy and like playing loud even more, but I'm not going to be deaf in my 50s.
1. No more live gigs or
2. IEMs
I like amps as much as the next guy and like playing loud even more, but I'm not going to be deaf in my 50s.
You are going to stuff something in your ears when playing live anyway, (you better be, even at low volume the cymbals will creep in and destroy your hearing.)
might as well have some ear plugs that bring clear sound from the board instead of just muffling it.
IEM
might as well have some ear plugs that bring clear sound from the board instead of just muffling it.
IEM
The only reason I still use an amp is that we mix our own sound. I only have a small monitor amp on stage and if we had a dedicated sound guy I'd go IEM in a flash.
