ear ToDaY
After hundreds of gigs, several amps, guitars and loads of pedals, I finally found one thing that made the single biggest difference to my playing: in ear-monitoring. It’s a topic that splits opinions, but my experience is hugely positive. I hear what I want, I hear myself more clearly and, most importantly, post-gig, my ears feel good. It’s a leap of faith, but if you consider the positives, particularly looking after your hearing, gigging guitarists should give it serious consideration. I trialled a fairly cheap setup for several gigs, and once I was happy the idea worked, I upgraded to an off-the-shelf brand leader with more functionality. So, how about an article on in-ear monitoring? Protect your hearing and get the mix you want – that’s a win-win! Steve Ruane, via email In-ears have certainly made all the difference to many guitarists who work in busy bands that want a tight, pro sound on stage. We’ve all been in the ‘arms race’ situation where one of the band naughtily turns up a bit on stage, then someone else does – just to compensate – and before you know it the whole band is playing at teeth-loosening volume and it’s anyone’s guess who’s playing in time, in tune and all the rest of it, as the mix is buried in an avalanche of volume. And that ain’t good for your ears, either, of course.