From alexanderstevenson@yahoo.com Fri Mar 29 02:07:09 2002
Subject:Re: Ear protection? In-ear monitors?

I use a pair of custom musician's plugs as well, with ER15 (15dB)
filters. They've got a pretty flat frequency response, so everything
sounds good, but quieter, with a little more "head noise".

I think they're GREAT! I feel I can hear 95% as well with them as
without them. The only gig I haven't used them for since I got them
was the first gig after I got my Nord Electro.

When you can't hear yourself, does taking the plugs out help? I know
it does with foam-plugs, which suck, and cut off all the high
frequencies, but my experience has been that with the musician plugs
if I can't hear it with them on, I can't hear it with them off.

My advice would normally be "point your amp at your head", but that
doesn't work if it's a leslie. :) Of course, you could always mic it,
run it into an amp, and point THAT at your head, but if you have to do
that, I'm surprised that -15dB filters are enough.

I guess the other thing to consider is how many pick-up gigs are worth
your hearing? I wish I was getting paid enough to make it worth it. :)

Speaking of which, going rate for a 1 night pick-up gig in Vancouver
Canada is $100 CAN (about $62.50 US). What are normal rates south of
the border? Hope that's not too OT. :)

Good luck with the in ear monitors... I don't know many sound-guys I
trust enough with direct access to my ear drums.

Alexander