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Singing with IEM's

#3
My dad sings lead in a loud rock band.
He got some in-ears, solely to cut down the stage volume that was killing him (ringing ears, etc).
After two shows with them, when I asked if he wanted to go back to wedges, he said, and I quote, "you'll have to pry this thing from my cold dead hands".
So, I'd wager that they will work for you. Just spend some time getting to know how they work, etc.
 
#6
There's an interesting latency sensitivity that happens with IEM versus wedges
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My theory is IEM have bone conduction from their drivers. So signals from the bone hit a little out of phase with signal from the ear drum. Could be wrong. In any case, brains will compensate with practice. Practice practice practice and all the latency, sound differences, etc. get worked out in your brain, and the IEM are the best way to go.
 
#7
I don't sing lead, but I have no issues singing with IEMs. I can actually hear myself better than with wedges. IME - I can get my vocal channel as hot as I need, with no feedback, and that helps me..

I will say that when I step back from the mic, I can hear the bone conduction slightly. I actually like that - it helps when I'm not singing particularly well that night, and need to get back on pitch without things going into the PA :)

Then when I step back up, it is quickly drowned out..
 
#11
you have to get the IEMs up loud enough to "get over" the internal bone conduction sound, but that's still not really all that loud.

if you wanna finally sing on-pitch and create good harmonies with the other guys in the band, all while not blowing out your voice or your ears, there's nothing better.
 
#12
I am interested in buying an IEM setup, I have a few questions;

Do you still get the same overall level of your own (and the bands instruments) that you get without IEMs;

Does having the IEMs in place damage your hearing like using ordinary headphones can, I imagine in a band scenario the IEMs would have to be turned up quite loud to be heard above amps/drums etc
 
#13
Graham,

If you are plugged into the monitor system, you can have other instruments added to your mix, or excluded. As for in the room, they don't completely isolate sound...it's closer to "ahh, I can hear me on the microphone...and it's right in my ears...ahh"

Because they're in your ears, you're not running the hi SPLs, and db associated with stage volume. Even when you are plugged into the board, your receiver has an attenuation, and a limiter/really hi gain warning device. Some allow you to set the threshold of the limiter, independent of your volume.
 
#14
Thanks for your reply ;

I like the idea of not lugging around my heavy monitors any more so its a goer for me, I have so many probs with feedback in some small venues we play so to reduce that stress would be good :)

Cheers
 
#17
When doing sound, the only time I roll my eyes at IEM, is when you've got a convoluted setup that requires constant attention...for some reason.
They're designed to be idiot proof. I've worked with the proof.
You have no idea how comically bad it is to watch people pointing at their heads and wagging their fingers around. The crowd loves it.

A personal set can be I/O of a mic run, or plugged into a FOH deck for multiple feeds (ie, your bass, other vox).

I don't even know where to begin on those "stage brains" IEM, vocal Processor, backing trax black box, wet bar. I mean; I get them, but that's a whole can of whoopass at a personally attenuable level...
 
#19
I wonder how anyone can live without them once you get them dialed in; probably THE best investment I've ever made, punchy kick drum, SOOO much easier to hear your articulation on bass, and as others have said less fatigue on the voice. Makes a "non singer" like me so much stronger and the band instantly noticed how much better the vocals were on the first gig with them. Love them.
 
#20
GRAHAM SG1 said:
Does having the IEMs in place damage your hearing like using ordinary headphones can, I imagine in a band scenario the IEMs would have to be turned up quite loud to be heard above amps/drums etc
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hell no!

like arsonaut says, they block the stage racket (they are earplugs, after all) allowing you to pipe in whatever you need at a quiet, comfortable level.

when running a good IEM mix at the right level, pulling them out on stage is like getting blasted with a jet engine by comparison.
 
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