In the early 1990s we were the kings of grunge, based in Seattle.
We were the capital of music at the time, and we had a ton of wedges. Literally, a ton or more, as our company had over 100 of them.
A few hours down the road in Oregon, we heard tales of a well established rock band using custom-fitted “headphones” that went inside the ear, like a hearing aid.
At the time I remember saying, “that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard – it will never fly.”
Not too long after, our big rock band client had a drummer that used them, and by the next tour the rest of the band had adopted them.
In-ear monitors (IEMs) were here to stay and I loved them. By the end of the decade, many if not most of our clients had switched.
IEMs are one of the turning points in modern sound reinforcement, right up there with line arrays, digital consoles, satellite television on the bus, and carrying your own catering on tour. They are an effective tool to control the age-old demon of stage volume.
But like any other good solution, there are trade-offs. The artist may feel isolated. There might not be the experience or expertise to provide an adequate mix.
But using IEMs is not too difficult, and even with basic tools used properly, one can get excellent results.
Here are some simple ways to get the most out of IEM applications that you’ll be able to use if you’re a weekend club warrior, mixing the worship band, or out on the touring circuit.
Creating An Environment
First, we want to make sure we don’t do anything rash. With any monitor gig, trust is key, so you don’t want to blow it with your artist by appearing to be haphazard.
No sudden mix moves, no hot patches, no dropping mics. Recognize that the mix is being piped directly into your artist’s head. If you need to patch on stage, be sure to mute the affected inputs.
It’s possible to damage hearing with IEM, but mostly, problems will serve to anger or upset the artist.
Just as with mixing for loudspeakers, gain structure is a key. Gain structure irregularities, as well as hums and buzzes, become extra obvious in an IEM mix, so make sure your rig is as clean as possible in terms of noise.
Custom-molded IEM earpieces offer about 30 dB of attenuation to the outside, while generic earpieces offer less, depending on the method of sealing.
Regardless, they change the monitor mix game to being less about sheer volume or dealing with outside issues – for example, stage volume or the volume of the house system – to creating an environment that makes the artist comfortable.
