Tootsall

Did some more thinking on this.... has anyone approached the MD or the soundman and said "you're killing us with the volume...can you turn it down or rearrange the speakers so we aren't in the line of fire?"

Sometimes sound guys are contractors who just like to "show off their watts" at every chance hoping to impress somebody. I remember one outdoor concert our community band played and while we were setting up the stage the sound clown was "entertaining" the crowd with the gain wound right up. Our director walked over to him and yelled "TURN THAT DA*N THING DOWN BEFORE I JAM YOUR AMP WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE!". Since the director at the time was a rather large gentleman with high blood pressure and the resulting florid face he presented a somewhat threatening posture. The sound guy complied very meekly and we haven't had any further issues with that particular contractor.

Robert Rowe

I use earplugs. Still trying to find the "perfect ones" ... (fit, sound-filter / balance, comfort, etc.).

I have a permanent hearing-loss condition called, "tinnitus", due to my previous incarnation as a lead-guitar player in a "heavy" Rock-'n-Roll band, and exposure to construction work and industrial-plant noise (pre- "OSHA").

My advice is to use earplugs for your own protection.

Regards,
Robert Rowe

nieuwguyski

I have my own setup to do this. A clip-on mic, a Silent Brass amplifier, and in-ear monitors. I forget the model number, but Yamaha sells a clip-on mic that is an impedence match to the Silent Brass electronics -- it's also one of the cheapest ones out there. I don't use the fancy Silent Brass studio thing, just one of the newer basic units which is very small. The in-ear monitors are the expensive piece of the setup. I use custom-molded Ultimate Ears Ambient 5s. They have a second channel to allow ambient noise, like the stage mix, into your ear. You can use filters to cut the volume of that ambient noise. I use a 12 dB filter, as I recall.

The sound quality isn't stunning, but it's a lot better than the kazoo effect you get with earplugs. And over time I intend to upgrade every piece except for the in-ear monitors.

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John N. Nieuwguyski

Schwab

Thanks guys, I'll have to check in to all those recommendations. Yeah, telling the soundman it is too loud doesn't work as the stage manager automatically goes with what soundman says. Love it.

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Dylan Schwab
Stage 1 New York