Everything You NEED To Know About Custom In Ear Monitors

In Ear Monitors are becoming the main way most musicians monitor their live performances, but what do you need to know before you go out and spend your hard earned money on a set of custom molded in ear monitors for yourself?
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[@RhettShull]

My first video course, The Tone Course, is available now. Check it out below! flatfiv.co/collections/rhett-shull/products/the-tone-course

[@SAARussian]

So, its better that full studio monitor? Like sennheiser pro 280 or beyerdynamics dt 770?

[@ashcatchum]

I DMed you on IG, if you see this comment could you contact me back? Thanks!

[@Goat.phomator666]

Steve Terreberry would like to know your location

[@artemissofia]

i like your video but i think it is easy to use that earphone i already subscribe and like your youtube website

[@mr.mikehunt4286]

gaming bt ear buds have close to zero latency

[@babayaga1767]

i've been playing for 45 years. it's always strange when people come and tell me we sound incredible. it always sounds like crap on stage.

[@DevilsDiscretionAdvised]

baba yaga who’s your band?

[@haegeum3040]

@Hassan 2k Whiteside your probably as young as a baby's butt

[@Anonytjuh]

@Hassan 2k Whiteside Ageing is a crime now? Is a part of life, get over yourself.

[@reidgowan2670]

Hassan 2k Whiteside Ok zoomer From, another gen z

[@sworddice]

@Hassan 2k Whiteside 45yrs of notable career, adventures and fun mixed together, he lived a full life. what are you doing now? playing fortnite in your mom basement?

[@tedcruzkidneyhunter736]

Fun fact: The Beatles were not able to hear themselves at all. Ringo said that he would often look at "Pauls foot or John's Ass". The fans were also the reason why they quit touring as well. They thought that people only saw their shows not for the music, but just because they were The Beatles, like they were animals at a zoo.

[@bobbyc28081]

Lol oh what a terrible way to live

[@twosnaps4124]

If the beatles had better monitoring they probably would've toured a lot longer

[@twosnaps4124]

@panqake they stopped touring long before he was shot

[@paulconnah986]

If the Beatles had better monitoring they probably would have heard themselves better.

[@paulconnah986]

@daAnder71 ... and maybe, now hearing how good they sound, changed their name to the Beatitudles ...

[@paulconnah986]

@panqake The fact that Lennon was shot doesn't change...!

[@paulconnah986]

@@twosnaps4124 they stopped touring

[@brianpruett3281]

I feel it’s worth mentioning that if you are a singer, when having your molds done you want your mouth to be slightly open as it helps to make for a better fit. Also... depending on drivers if you try to get a “perfect” mix you could begin to overload your ear buds and introduce some unwanted distortion. Sometimes less is more with a in ear mix.

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

Stereo is huge for this. It lets you spread things out so that perfect mix you're aiming for has a much bigger margin for error. I for example (lead singer/guitarist) Have my voice loudest, up the middle, my guitar is panned mostly left; then the guy stage right, I have his voice, guitar/keyboard/acoustic all panned mostly right, Bassist is stage left, so I have his voice left, but bass guitar up the middle (sounds weird to me to have low frequencies panned), and then just some kick and low toms in there for feel, not much but just some so when we're outside or playing bigger places there's a little in there when you're further away from the kit itself, just for feel. And then a touch of the effects, about 75% of what's at front of house relative to the instrument/vocal. That gives it some openness so the isolation you get from good ears doesn't feel too dry and weird.

[@catlord69]

having mouth slightly open is an interesting observation, wouldnt think of it !

[@RMOSCOLA]

Yes. Some say to bite on a pencil or something to open the ear canal

[@crouton3455]

Recently got our molds done and actually got instructed to move our faces as much as possible

[@matthewhilton2979]

Hi mate I had ringing or distorting sound in my ear when I wore inner ears i wasnt used to them what would you suggest in future if I wore them again to avoid this.

[@gleslie44]

One added thing you didn’t reference in the video... IEM’s can also let you run a click track to keep the band together, and the band leader or sound techs can communicate to the band to give info or call audibles in a set through a talkback mic. Both are huge if you have to make changes on the fly.

[@jconn32771]

Gerry Leslie I agree those are some big plus’ to IEM’s. I’ve had my guitar signal die mid set and the front of house guys communicate to me what they’re doing to fix it and then let me know when what I needed to check on my end.

[@DroneCorpse]

This is a major aspect that was entirely ignored. A huge reason bands shift to IEMs.

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

I'm not usually a fan of playing to a click, if anything, ONLY the drummer, but if your band is any good, you should be able to feel it out and a click is ultimately unnecessary live but that's just my opinion. The other things you said are great though, I love having the Front of House guy be able to talk directly to us between songs and give us tid-bits of information like time, interesting facts about where we're playing so, (I'm the lead singer) I can add them to the between song banter etc. It's juts great having that open line of communication. Also I've never done it, but it would be totally possible to have a mic facing backwards that ONLY went to the inears, as basically an on-stage talkback mic that any of the band (except the drummer, sorry drummers lol) could use to call an audible like you said. My band is so used to them now that if between songs I just walk toward one of the band members and look them in the eye, it's obvious I need to tell them something, they'll pop one up as I'm walking up to them. Low-tech simple solutions often work the best lol.

[@someguyyeti2505]

In my church we run IEMs with click and feedback mics for the meeting leader, just to make it more amazing, every musician has thwir own little mixong desks which is super cool. IEMs allow you to do so much more

[@Riisus]

@@djjazzyjeff1232 clicks aren't only for keeping time though. Running a click allows you to have timed delays, arpeggiators, lighting cues and much more. Sure those things could be achieved with tap tempo, but especially larger acts want to minimize the chance of human error to deliever a high quality show more reliably every time. Sure, the musicians can get away with less skill and effort, but that's not why it's done.

[@albert-stefanstancu4634]

4:51 - the main idea starts here

[@chuchuuya8935]

omg thank u

[@jameswyl]

Doing God's work

[@gnm8062]

Thank you

[@vincentbarraza1115]

Thank you.

[@culturetrash3191]

No one has caught the Star Wars reference yet...Wedge Antilles is the real MVP

[@RhettShull]

for real

[@aaronkerr2481]

Wedge was a badass. No question. Assist on the first Death Star, kill shot on the second. And Denis Lawson is Ewan McGregor's uncle! But....R2 was the real hero of the story. Yes Rhett, more in ear vids.

[@bnseng84]

He's the only other member of Rogue Squadron to survive both Death Star runs. Luke only kind of counts since he didn't fly in the Endor battle :) All that is to say Wedge is the man, except when it comes to stage volume and mixes.

[@isaakwhitt13]

I rolled when I saw it, laughing so hard.

[@wanmorgan]

I did..

[@Hello-pl2qe]

I think Rick should do a production video featuring you as the artist, I mean step by step miking cabs, mixing drums, instrument arrangement.. maybe an instrumental single. Lol just an idea for you both. Great videos man

[@RickBeato]

Hello Lets do it!

[@creion9394]

sweeeeeeeeet

[@TheSkooterbords]

NOICE!

[@sand8908]

"ive had ears fall off and hit the stage and get stepped on"

[@LasseHuhtala]

There's an interesting visual right there.

[@zeyy84]

And sat on and broke

[@marions.120]

Wow, what a show! Your ears fell off during the gig! 👂 ✌️🤪🎸🎶🎵🎶🎵 👂

[@sarahhudson7845]

I HIGHLY recommend customs. Super important to get impressions with a bite block or they will fall out. It can be expensive for customs but worth it if they use them constantly.

[@tdz69]

They became THIN ears

[@StevePrentice]

Another point to add is that when singers use IEMs they are less likely to strain their voice by trying to compete with the speakers and wedges. The isolation lets singers sing at their natural and safe level, leaving sound balance to the sound engineer.

[@thaddeusfields4360]

As a singer…. YES!!!

[@megalodon8473]

After having gigged nearly 20 years and suffered some hearing loss, I just got my first pair of IEMs only a couple of days ago - I've gigged twice with them so far and feel much better both during and afterwards. If you gig regularly, GET THEM. Thanks for posting this, Rhett.

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

6 months of tinkering and you'll be absolutely IN LOVE with them. Try them in stereo if you can, it changes the game. I understand that some mixers/setups don't really allow that but do it if you can, it takes em to the next level.

[@joshhoover1202]

I love in ears personally. I've never felt like I got a good mix coming out of a wedge, with in ears it is so much better. Bands usually play better with them too, especially if you aren't super rehearsed and playing off what each other are doing.

[@Defmusicman1]

I’m a bassist and I have a severe hearing loss. I wonder if in ear monitors would work for me? Are they loud enough? I need more volume, not less.

[@vinyleyezz]

Such a great explanation about the benefits of IEMs! Very clear and concise, thank you! 🎧😎👍

[@mikelisteral7863]

headphone - too much bass not enough mids monitors - too much treble not enough bass all crap

[@mikesekula3949]

In the late 80's - early 90's, at better venues we would have side fills in addition to wedges. They made moving around on stage possible.

[@TheLeon1032]

I've been working on stage at reading festival for about for 14 years, i remember loading in prodigy one year n amongst their backline and monitor rig we loaded in a 20k pa rig that they used as sidefills, it was the size of the rig in the sheppards bush empire, it was bloody hilarious!!! they're monitor engineer said that the band were always asking for more kick n bass on stage, lets just say it well and truly sorted the problem!, obviously no mics were sent to the sidefill! pretty useless information haha )))))

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

Also made said stage absolutely DEAFENINGLY loud.

[@MrFoetusboy]

I used IEMs, then switched back to wedges, and now I'm back to IEMs. What makes the IEMs unbeatbable is if you can pop a nice flat condenser mic somewhere, just catching the stage/room ambience, and feed that into your IEM mix so that you don't miss out on hearing the interaction between your performance and the venue you're in.

[@fay6013-w5i]

I worked in Hollywood in the late 1980's for one of Stevie Wonder's PA crew. Stevie had molded in-ear monitors by 1988 or earlier. They were slow to take off, probably because it was not simple to get the ear molds done.

[@FanaticDrummer]

Greg Fey Well for obvious reasons he needed them, especially for visual cues and talk backs. He was vision impaired. It just wasnt industry standard because live sound changed and in ears as a bi product became necessary. But hearing impaired artists also had them before they became mainstream, they just weren’t as sleek. The real selling point for in ears to become standard was pop artists. Sadly.

[@peteg9069]

Got my band on in-ears. Had a few "I can't hear anything" moans, to which I usually reply "have you turned the pack on?" because I find that turning the pack on often cures the 'low volume' issues.

[@mikehunty20]

To which the performer reiterates I can't hear you !(

[@Pumpkin_Fart]

Good stuff. As a bedroom virtuoso, I know zero about in-ear monitors. This makes me think another good video would be titled something like "from the bedroom to the bar-room" Basically, what gear does a guitarist need to make the jump and what are classic mistakes (ex. - your heavily modulated tone sounds epic in the bedroom but washed-out in the mix with other players).

[@jameswyre6480]

Daniel B One thing I do with Kemper is always tweak rigs at volume in a mix using my preferred monitor and not standard headphones. Then, I am much more likely to have cutting tones set up best for live in any mix.

[@TheRealWarez]

Daaaaaamn Daniel, good idea.

[@FSStudios2]

Full time monitor engineer here of 10+ years here. You raise some good points front a musicians perspective, but not totally true about all manufacturers using armatures. One of the originators of IEMs is Marty Garcia and Future Sonics. They currently use a single 13mm driver, and they sound amazing. I realize you’re entrenched with UE at this point but armatures aren’t the only option. In fact bass players and drummers benefit from single driver designs over armatures for low end response. Love the channel, thanks for the content.

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

I use Shure SE215s(2 driver) and have tried the 425s(4 driver), but they're just too shrill for me. I prefer the smoother sound of the 215s.

[@RussHollinshead]

And hybrids.

[@davidc5170]

"A cacophony of drums and guitar amps" That's why I go to concerts

[@joshualewis8077]

David C Read this at the exact moment

[@danzrt]

Joshua Lewis Zoomers really don’t give a thought on what or how they type, do they?

[@joshualewis8077]

Dan Zrt 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@truevintageguitar]

Making the switch from cans to IEMs was a huge breakthrough for me even as a hobbyist/church guitarist. I used to come off stage with my ears ringing and clogged with wax because I had to crank the cans so loud in order to hear the click track we were playing to. I didn't know how to adjust my mix properly since there wasn't much clarity in the cans anyway. The isolation from even inexpensive IEMs was a huge breakthrough and instantly changed the game for me. And thanks for the background story on how these came about! I didn't know that.

[@archiemontoya585]

Also super important is to wear both at all times when playing. I have a couple of friends dealing with hearing loss or damage from popping one ear out to hear audience or live sounds when room mics are not in the mix.

[@Henry-fv3bc]

Some systems have special features to mix in ambience anyway. Meaning you can have some mics pick up audience and live noises and mix them in to each musicians ear. So no need!

[@robertharker]

Just a FYI, the first use of a stage monitor was by Judy Garland at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium in 1961. It was provided by McCune Sound Service.

[@cary3428]

I don’t believe you

[@honey78665]

I always thought that these were for the singers to hear their own songs at a low volume so they don't forget the lyrics lol.

[@truckercowboyed2638]

I think they do that as well, because ive seen several singers remove the monitors for a vocal solo or something, and you could hear the song played through them slightly ...

[@terrypussypower]

Ear plugs are essential tools for long term ear protection. EVERY musician or DJ, in fact anyone working in loud environments, should ALWAYS use ear protection as TINNITUS is BRUTAL! And once you have it, it’s there forever.

[@cubby6708]

Are you still performing with tinnitus ?

[@danglesmcbutternut4088]

As a gun nut, I concur. No matter how much you think "just a little won't hurt" or "it's not THAT loud, I can take it," wear ear pro. I'm in my early 20's and already my hearing is slightly worse, with the addition of the occasional ringing.

[@terrypussypower]

@@danglesmcbutternut4088 Yeah, too right. The problem with hearing damage is that it’s cumulative, and as you age your body is less able to repair any damage, and it ends up permanent, which is an absolute nightmare. Far better to prevent the damage in the first place. I wish I’d had the knowledge and the access to professional plugs that are available today, 30 years ago!

[@RalphLindsen]

Yes tinnitus sucks

[@jwcross6110]

Cover band/jam drummer here- an idea I came up with for utilizing my in-ears in situations where there’s no way to have a dedicated in-ear signal from a board.. I have a AKG P420 that has the option for figure 8 and omnidirectional pickup ranges. What I do is set up my P420 facing the PA and back towards the stage amps (in fig 8). I then run that into an USB interface which I have plugged into my laptop under my floor Tom which I can then run my in-ears from. It’s not the absolute best sound quality all the time, but it eliminates my need for a wedge(reducing stage noise) and cleans up the sound enough where I can hear everyone in the band/not blowing my ears out. It works for me and I don’t play a gig without that setup. It’s quick, dirty, and gets the job done. Hope this helps someone

[@RedHotBagel]

No issues with latency/phase with that setup? Good Digital Mixers will still introduce around 3ms delay for FoH. Assuming 5m to PA speakers, adds another 15ms latency... to your own drum sound. That would kill me. The phase of the PA is probably reversed and the latency will make this even worse. If the FoH mixer flipped some of the back line but not all of it, this gets even worse. I don't know. Cool if it works for you and probably a "better than nothing" solution for those jam or irregular gigs. I get that.

[@jwcross6110]

The interface I use has a Direct Monitoring capability which has zero latency so there’s no problem there! I’ve only got it plugged into my laptop to power my mic.

[@RedHotBagel]

@@jwcross6110 I expected that much - this is why I explicitly stated that I'm talking about the Front of House desk in regards to the mixer latency to prevent a misunderstanding. Clearly this did not work. *sad trumpet*. Never mind :)

[@meadish]

I guess if you harmonize 10+ hours per day with more or less the same people for a couple of years in a stretch at a fairly young age, your brain starts to adapt and it becomes second nature... Their Hamburg grind should never be underestimated.

[@ritodanger]

Hamburg grind ✨

[@Mooseboy08]

I agree with all of the reasons for using IEMs, have been using them for over ten years now. However, what I've found is that (at least in my case) custom molded IEMs don't isolate as much as Comply Foam units. Trust me, I went through the custom molding process three times (both with mouth shut AND open), and found that the custom molds just don't hold a seal when I'm singing. The Comply Foam units always do an amazing job, and they'll fit any number of IEM systems. My personal experience.

[@Gcrimiel1]

Mooseboy08 who are you getting them molded by? Ive liked 64 audios

[@Bixmy]

Mooseboy08 these arent made for vocalist and anyone who open there mouth while singing mayby try silicone ciem i think. Arc custom have them.

[@terrypussypower]

@@Bixmy I don’t know anyone who sings with their mouth closed! Although, with some singers that would be preferable!!

[@Bixmy]

@@terrypussypower lmaoo

[@jimbeaux4988]

Back in the day, I would put in silcone earplugs and then regular little earbuds over those. I fed in my guitar a little hi hat and some keyboards. Within five minutes, I forgot I had them on. I could still hear all the low end on stage and the ear buds just provided a little top end. The silicone plugs made sure I did not get any loud volumes. I credit them with saving my hearing.

[@joseph-ow1hf]

There's also off the shelf IEM such as those made by Shure, Sennheiser etc. Gotta make do w/ trying to find right size ear tip, and not customized for each instrument, but still way better than floor (w/ possible) side fill monitors. Most of the small time bands I know using digital mixers, do their own monitor mix using a phone and and app. The other benefit for smaller bands w/ out a crew......is just way less stuff to haul around and setup.

[@soulie13]

Used to do college local crews, and one of the touring engineers was quoted as saying friends don't let friends drive monitor. Great to see how fast this stuff has advanced.

[@1minn1]

Your videos are great. Your speaking style is clear and understandable, and your knowledge is presented at a nice pace. Thank you for doing these!

[@bondo1955]

I’m a drummer and had a wedge in my left ear for years I’m now profoundly deaf in that ear and severe in the right I use IEM now and it’s great. . My mackie DL 32s mixer allows each player to mix their own monitor on the app on their phone 👍

[@someguyyeti2505]

You don't really need to go moulded straight away, Shure's production models will fit most ears. Personally, I use Audio Technica AT-E50s

[@dannylorenze6188]

As a drummer in ears are so nice to have. They seal out all the unwanted loudness on stage and you get a nice custom mix at a low volume. Had I used these years ago I wouldn't have suffered as much hearing loss.. I also play better since i'm not hyper focused on own volume, i'm just focused on the song.

[@TLMuse]

Great to hear you cover this topic. I think you left out a further important advantage of IEMs: they improve the FOH sound. Monitor wash is a real headache for the FOH engineer-the FOH mix has to compete with reflections from all the different wedge mixes, all in different phase relationships with the FOH sound (depending on where you are in the room). The easiest solution is to make the FOH mix *loud*, but that's obnoxious for the audience, and it can lead to a "feedback" loop (not the screechy kind!) where the band hears the loud FOH mix (from behind the FOH speakers-yuk!) and needs to crank the monitors further to get the monitor mix they want. How bad this is depends to some extent on the surface at the back of the stage, but it's pretty much always a problem. IEMs make the FOH engineer's life a lot easier, and the resulting improved mix makes the audience happier, too. IEMs are a win all around that way. -Tom

[@oogkauwgum5123]

I tried experimenting with the stage setup, drums on one side in stead of in the middle, and amps facing the stage in stead if audience. makes a huge difference already. Off course this works best when playing with PA, but in small clubs it can help a bit. And bands should keep their stage volume as low as possible

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

If anyone prefers to have the backline straight-on instead of side-wash, they're a fool. Unless you're not micing the guitars or bass, then I get it, but if you're going THAT bare bones, you're not using in-ears anyway. In-ears actually help a TON for keeping stage volume down. We still have live guitar amps and bass amp, but they're not that loud, they just give that little bit of room ambiance and some feel. The bass amp is the loudest amp (still not as loud as the drums) because that gives quite a bit of feel that in-ears will just never be able to replicate, a thumping 15inch speaker. I've found the snare drum is always the loudest thing and the biggest problem, that and cymbals can get a bit outta control depending on the drummer and kit. I have what I call a "drum skirt," a black towel that I hang down around the bottom of the snare almost to the floor, but only 2/3rds the way around the drum, so it's still open in the back toward the drummer. It kills a lot of the bottom head sound bouncing off the floor and straight out into the audience, but it still goes back by the drummer so it doesn't feel choked for him. Of course this makes the snare sound a bit more dull, but it also cuts the dB basically in half, suddenly leaving room for everything else. Sometimes you have to make compromises to an individual sound to make the overall band sound better.

[@bbtb785]

Thanks for acknowledging the relationship between your video and your sponsor. Integrity is in short supply in the world of KZbin reviewers. Subscribed!

[@ShawnTubbs]

Great video Rhett! I will say that after touring with Carrie Underwood for about 11 years, IEM's are the only way to go. That being said IEM's up against using wedges and having cabs on stage? For a guitar player, it can be absolute misery to use IEM's. I had the best in the business for a monitor engineer on that gig and yes, it did sound great but not being able to feel and hear the sympathetics from a cab was not fun. I'm constantly talking guitar players off the cliff when they first use IEM's on a tour. The best advice I can give to any guitar player that's going to need to use IEM's whether it be a church gig, or a major tour is, dial all of your tones using IEM's. Rehearse everything you have to rehearse on IEM's ONLY!! IEM's will never sound or feel as good as your guitar cab sitting next to you BUT....They can sound really great and with some patience and communication with the mix engineer, you can be ok with it. There are some incredible upsides to using IEM's. Audibles from the MD, click track, consistency etc.

[@brettlac]

Shawn Tubbs great point Shawn! This has also been my experience with them live. I would imagine there is a reason that when you get to the level of Keith Urban as a guitarist you end up having in ears but also cabs on stage and on top of that a stage monitor rig pushing out about 110db around his stage plot. We all play the game until we make it. Then we earn the right to say ‘no this actually sucks and this is how we are gonna do it’ until then you get to suffer thru zero stage volume and uninspiring tones. 🤓

[@ShawnTubbs]

@@brettlac I know that set up Keith had quite well and yes, if you're the guitar player and also just happen to be the artist, you get to call the shots for sure!! ;)

[@RhettShull]

Great point man, especially for those using digital rigs. Dial in your tones with the ears!

[@JW23551]

Custom IEMs are possibly the best investment I’ve ever made in regards to musical gear. I’d love to see a video on your take for building an IEM mix, everyone has their own preferences and expectations for mix quality, and I find that people new to IEMs often struggle to reconcile the two, often pushing an engineer to craft a “studio album” sound, and taking up tons of valuable time in pursuit of that.

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

Stereo is the piece of the puzzle for this in my opinion. You can have something 15dB apart and you can still hear both of them fine because they're panned, give you a huge margin for error. "Perfect Mix" isn't that far away, but if you're in Mono it has to be way more precise because you don't have panning to help you.

[@TheKiromani]

I love the sound isolation that Custom In Ear Monitors comes with :D

[@denisorourke4444]

Rhett, it was very thoughtful of you to make this video. I imagine it's helped a lot of people make an informed choice, or get a knowledgeable perspective.

[@Drinkyoghurt]

I've actually tried custom hearing protection, many different types (hard and soft) from different manufacturers but one of my ear canals is straight so none of the custom earpieces would actually stay in that ear. Instead, having memory foam tips or flanged tips really works well for me, which is great because it's much cheaper.

[@DrumNut927]

Our church went to Aviom personal monitors and IEMs about 12 years ago for two reasons: 1. We wanted to reduce sage volume. We’re in a middle sized church and stage monitors were interfering with FOH. 2. With the Aviom using IEMS allows us to personalize the mix to our individual preference.

[@terranceturner7972]

I was taking a wicked poop after a gig a few years ago. When I was done I slipped a peak through the legs to check the damage... low and behold my in ears were lying next to the monstrosity. I always take them off now.

[@renehaitjema7841]

😂😂😂

[@lespaulguy1979]

most expensive poop ever!

[@theTrend7]

I have bern very close to dropping my ears in the hole. I think that would have terrified me🤣

[@jesselandreth4497]

Top tip: wrap the cable over your thigh or in shirt pocket etc

[@joehernandez5600]

By the time I got to “monstrosity”, I just about peed myself laughing. That’s funny man.

[@edgarcordova9861]

Thank for all your videos. It had helped me to grow as a guitar player/musician. Keep doing it, we need pro-dudes like you helping the less talented and blessed musicians. Big hug!!

[@rb032682]

@rhett - Before people started using wedges, bands couldn't play very loud because the vocalists couldn't hear what they were singing. Once wedges became common everything got louder on stage and it was not pleasant. Right before I bought my first Shure IEM, PSM200(?), I was at a small gig in a small club and I realized half of the audio system was for wedges and stage monitors. Half of the PA power was for blaring stage monitors pointed away from the audience. In-ear monitors eliminate all that crappy monitor sound which the audience hears as blaring and muffled. ....enough of my drunken rambling................

[@AJBuckleybutnottheonefromcsi]

That “Gear talk with Rhett” stinger is amazing.

[@simplybuilding63]

Rhett can you give us a recording of what you actually hear when using them. when i went through my in ears i found it really difficult to know what i was aiming for and to get this across to the other band members

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

Are you a fan of the Chili Peppers? You can actually hear John Frusciante's mix, it's on youtube. That's basically what a lead guitarist/backup vocalist will want their mix to be like. It's basically what mine sounds like, the vocal will seem extremely loud, but once you're actually singing that super loud vocal doesn't seem that way when it's your own voice in real-time.

[@guitarnoodles7576]

Nice OG Star Wars drop! Molded in ears were a game changer for me. Especially when stage volumes have to be ridiculously low. Nice video!

[@JayStudioProductions]

Good job Rhett! I love how you love to help other musicians. TY!

[@RandyJohnsonRikthove]

Great content again Rhett. I use IEM's exclusively myself such a huge improvement, and far less fatigue thanks for posting.

[@BillDutton]

I finally pulled the trigger and ordered my 64Audio IEMs a week ago! Can't wait until they arrive...I've been using the inexpensive Shure IEMs and while they work ok, you're always fighting the fit. Once again Rhett - well done video.

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

I'm sorry they didn't work for you, I've used them for years and years and the medium sized foam tips are perfect for me. Never have a problem with fit, and you can use a set of tips for 2 months and throw them away and put fresh ones on their, they're super cheap and you can buy em in bulk.

[@getvicky13]

As a follow up to this video, you could talk about why a lot of musicians (guitarists especially) have a tough time migrating from wedges to IEMs. Please talk about the differences in the playback system - the difference between hearing an amp in a room, as against hearing your guitars in context with the rest of the mix, through those drivers inside the IEMs. My band made the move from wedges to IEMs about 4 years ago and it's made the whole band much tighter and better sounding. We play to a click, and there are also audibles called out in our mixes. Today, I find it tough to go back to using wedges for anything because I've gotten used to the amount of detail that I hear when using in-ears.

[@guitar8617]

Love my Ultimate Ears UE7 Pro's, fast turnaround and amazing customer service. Hard to go back to wedges after using custom IEM's the last couple years.

[@musikman337]

Looking to get custom items myself. I'm a big fan of crispy clarity and good low ends...how do u rate them in a whole

[@guitar8617]

@@musikman337 I'm mainly a guitarist and a singer (and sometimes a bass player), so I went with a triple driver configuration. Still get pretty good low end with only 3 drivers. Love how clear they are, especially if you're able to have stereo monitor mix. Would choose them all over again if I had the chance but probably would recommend going to 4 drivers if you want the extended low end.

[@musikman337]

@@guitar8617 ok. Yea im a lead keyboardist and need to hear myself plus everybody else wt the extra punch on the bottom so deff will have to go wt the 4 option then

[@musikman337]

@@guitar8617 how much did they cost you

[@guitar8617]

@@musikman337 Ordered my ears at a conference I went to almost 3 years ago and got 15% off my order so it came out to be around $700 or something close to that. Not my cheapest purchase, but it's been totally worth it being a working musician.

[@doknox]

I bought some in ear monitors about 3 weeks ago. Put em in and instantly ordered another pair! I'm using a set just for headphones they sound so clean. Get ones with at least dual drivers. You will not regret it.

[@dylanholland7349]

For anyone looking to try a good pair for a cheap price , I suggest the Shure SE 215 in ears. They are exceptional and the best bang for your buck!

[@JonHoltParks]

Custom fit IEMs were a game changer for me. I can never go back. The Wedge Antilles joke made me laugh by the way lol

[@liammicallef6536]

Thing is, you don't NEED CIEMs, Normal IEMs or anything in ear works fine. CIEMs are custom and fit perfectly cuz they are made for you and your ear, but a normal pair of IEMs with some good ear-tips work just as good. In fact, I know a couple of musicians that just use cheap KZ IEMs. However, if you are a professional touring musician with the extra money, then it is worth it. I think what I'm trying to say is just that you don't need 2000$ CIEMs to get a good sound/mix. Great video/s, keep up the good work!

[@stevenmiller7747]

You seem a little confused, you said a normal pair of IEMs with some good ear tips work just as good as CIEMs. They don’t, at least not in my experience.

[@liammicallef6536]

@@stevenmiller7747 I havent used too many pairs CIEMs compaired to normal IEMs, but from my experience, yes I do see the advantage u can gain with using CIEMs, but a normal pair of IEMs in my experience CAN work just as well as CIEMs. With the right material, shape, and sized eartips you can take full advantage of a normal pair of IEMs. You can also grab a pair of custom eartips for a fraction of the cost of CIEMs and get a CIEM-ish experience with IEMs, ofc it's not the same/won't feel the same as CIEMs, but it's a good option for people on a budget.

[@vividrecordingstudio]

I concur with this. I used a pair of 3 driver universal fit Westones for 5 years before replacing with my 4 driver Alclair CIEM's. The westone's sealed every bit as well and sounded great too. Some people have trouble getting universal fit to work and some don't. I love my Alclairs, but totally unnecessary if I am being honest.

[@TheCodegram]

Liam Micallef Having worked as a scanner for a CIEM company and talking to all kinds of people about the shape of their ears and asking about how comfortable they find in ear headphones, your mileage GREATLY varies on the shape of your ear. Some people get away fine with a normal foam/silicone bud, and for others they can’t keep those in because their ears have a crazy curve, or the canals are too small, or the shape of the outside of their ears don’t allow for normal IEMS to stay in.

[@boomkruncher325zzshred5]

Rings recalled that the only way he could keep time was by staring at how the butts of the other Beatles were wiggling in time to their playing. It was the only way to keep time. By some miracle it worked, because the Beatles would wiggle in-rhythm. The Beatles were THAT GOOD playing together because of their trial-by-fire in the depths of Germany’s club scene, that’s what gave them such tight chemistry on-stage that they could play together so well despite not hearing a whit about how either of them were playing while on that stage. They found ways to keep in time without hearing themselves or any others.

[@frankepps5594]

I would love it if every band I perform with were set up for in-ears. I try to get all my students who are new to the band game to use them. Tinnitus is no fun kids!

[@splashesin8]

They are probably more than a step above floor wedges! Unless the wedges are raised up off the floor a little above waist height, and further away! Also you're absolutely right about the monitor mix engineer! Graphic but necessary, hahaha❣️

[@BBfanfun]

well , having sidefills is a good "plan B" ( ... if you can manage the extra gear) - PA set-up might not accomodate, lol yes , IEMs bring consistent focus in ways monitors physically can't. yes , playing on stage means moving around & reading the CROWD. i've seen many performers just "forget" where they are on stage , even starring directly at the public (!) IEMs or not ... having plugs does isolate you . it also brings more ear fatigue in ways a good wedge monitor mix won't, long term use considered the time usually spent on ringing out wedges becomes scanning for available frequencies (usually quick, but consider hard-wired packs as back-ups). not fun having to change frequency/pack in mid performance. also BATTERIES. (true for all wireless tho) Rather than removing one ear piece, consider having longshort mics covering the crowd ; monitor tech can ride the faders in & out to get some reaction/ sense of impact.

[@fabhescher2108]

Drummer and bassist in my band paid for the custom molded ear buds and found that they preferred non-molded Westones, Shures, or KZs with one size fits all foam or silicon tips. It is nice to still hear a bit of the room.

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

I like the medium foam tips from Shure, work great for me. And yea, some people like a little bit of room, but not me, I like to be isolated from that lol.

[@RoeyHaviv]

Nice video. I've been using off the shelf IEM for a few years now (Shure and Westone), honestly, i have no complaints once i found the right tip for my ear size. That said, I will make the move to custom mold when a tour budget rolls around, i don't use amps so saving on backline would definitely help fund them.

[@denbighcherry]

I started using IEMs over 13 years ago, and it saved both my hearing and my voice. I would constantly lose my voice by the end of the night after battling with wedges and stage volume. Also broke a lot guitar strings because I was playing harder than necessary in order to hear myself. Went to IEMs and never looked back. I currently use JH Audio Pro 16s. Absolutely amazing. I can’t imagine any real musicians in this day and age trying to do without.

[@richardcanter324]

man I've been trying to get my band to build a in ear rig for awhile now. as of now just our drummer uses them. I'm tired of my ears ringing after every gig from super loud wedges lol

[@DomingoVoiceOver]

Great video! In addition to VO work I also play guitar in a cover band that does about 100+ gigs annually. We’ve been on IEMs for nearly 14 years and it has unquestionably made gigging more enjoyable and safe.

[@richey_rock]

Also - we've been experimenting with a condenser mic pointed at the audience so we get some of the ambient noise and don't feel so "isolated".

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

I've found just using real mics on guitar amps and having the vocal mics on stage, you're really not THAT isolated. There's enough mics going to your ears you still hear things through them. Also Fender makes a pair of in-ears that have like a hole/speaker thing on the back that supposedly let in 50% of the ambient noise or something? I've tried them but I wasn't a fan, just felt too loud, kinda defeated the whole purpose of in-ears for me, but that was me, maybe that'd be something you'd be apt to trying.

[@albertarguelles3262]

Rhett, you have a great channel brother. I really dig your reviews, tips, tricks and let's not forget your chops. Thanks dude. Keep on Rockin'

[@johnk7093]

Very cool and informative..... Thanks Rhett. When I was in a “garage band” in the PNW, back in the day...... we all had to listen to our mix through the stage amps, and drums... had no idea what the singer was saying..... and with 2 half stacks and a big trace elliot with 4-10s and a 15.... we were loud.....

[@Stashmanfpv]

Cool cool cool!!! Just got a pair after hearing about these for years and I’m now a convert and believer! So much better and less hassle... This is the way of the future and the future is NOW!

[@maxxm28]

Great post. I play in a live setting 3 to 4 times a month. I love the thought of these in ear monitors, however, we are a small band. As such, we carry our own PA and do our own sound. There is no dedicated sound person at our shows. We set the sound at the beginning of the night and do limited tweaking throughout the night. Has anyone had experience using in ears in a band playing small venues without a dedicated sound person? I would love to be able to make these work for me, but they seem like a very expensive item to try out, without knowing that they will work. I've been playing live for close to 30 years and really think that these could help to save my hearing, but I am hesitant to spring for them, given the expense.

[@moshfists]

We are in the same situation. We have our own PA and run sound from the stage. I have been using IEMs for about 6 months and just got my first custom set. IEMs are absolute game changers. We have 4 aux channels on our board for monitors. With IEMs the mix is more consistent and easier to dial in. Just be sure to mix while the whole band plays. Your volumes will be out of balance if adjusted out of context.

[@markmckibbin3684]

There is a third option, if you use small on stage monitors on a stand so theyre at about chest height you can get a really good mix with good definition and you don't have to create loads of volume on stage because theyre close to your ears. I've played keys and bass on stage many times with this setup and I by far prefer them to IEMs because you aren't as isolated from the room and the crowd. Only downside is if you want to use a click track or live cues from an MD.

[@DroneCorpse]

Ya but floor wedges have controlled directivity.

[@x2mars]

I don't play on stage prolly never will, but still found this to be very cool

[@JeremyLeech]

I’m a big believer for In Ears. I have a 64 Audio V6’s I’ve had for 6 years now. Love them! When I can’t use them, which is most of the time, I’ll use eargasm’s ear plugs. Worth it!

[@zelairows5454]

And now i realized how amazing BTOB is. Because there are many times they performed in a big crowd without an in-ear, but still their performance is lit 💥 SUP MAH FELLOW MELODY! 💙

[@colinwallace5286]

In our little wedding band, we had half a dozen TOA mike stand monitors run by a Sun power amp with an EQ. Our PA only ran vocals and horns, so that was our “mix”. It all fit in a box, and it was just what we needed.It’s way easier to hear what’s going on, and I’d recommend it to any band starting out. You get a way better idea of what the audience might be hearing.

[@MarceloDurham]

DUDE pink floyd in the 80's Roger with those huge headphones since forever.. :) PS: cool vid..

[@rickbendel]

Your uncanny preference to put such a large variety of content subject matter, makes this one of just a handful of channel's I actually look forward to. Bravo! Great video as always. And always remember to "relax your eyebrows"! :)

[@DougWittrock]

Love the scanning technology.

[@alanredversangel]

I used iems for th first time the other night, just a wired version with my favourite buds. It's a revelation to be sure. Not that it sounds good, more that it lets you know if you sound bad or if your levels are off. It's a great way to make sure you're sounding your best on stage.

[@jijijojo6505]

The way he talks about keeping the earphones clean, I was like, DUDE me too

[@nicknormando4220]

I'm really happy with the Shure 425s, went to sensaphonics in Chicago and got my customs. They put silicone in your ears and let it dry in order to trace your ear canal. I'm never going back to wedges, my ears never ring after shows any more. When you're playing 150 shows a year it makes all the difference. Save your hearing, once it's gone it's gone.

[@joshuakovach4702]

I’m in the background checking the UE booth out and I feel like I’ve made it being in a Rhett Shull video.

[@cucuy76]

I totally agree about the damage to one’s ears. Luis Miguel a Puerto Rican born moved to Mexico his parents were from Italy and Spain for those who do not know him , he’s also sang with Tony Bennet and Frank Sinatra and he mainly sings in Spanish, well this singer lost most of his hearing and all because of past technology and engineers who screwed up. Thanks for sharing this with us it’s so helpful.

[@telecasteroil]

After about 10 years with wedges in our church, I'm now have some awesome 5 driver IEM SYSTEM, I'm so glad I can here now , now if we can get everyone on board! Actually , how come there is a stigma with some people?

[@RexyFan]

telecasteroil What IEM system are you running ?

[@philswoboda5149]

This is the best non-audiological quick review of IEM’s I’ve heard. Excellent job! (retired audiologist)

[@oscarschenk]

Dude I just traveled to Atlanta to visit a friend. Didn't know you were from here. I don't know how you can live here though... I swear even the trees are sweating.

[@RhettShull]

I HATE the heat

[@EphICanIMite]

I don't have custom molded IEMs yet, but I run 3 driver westone buds and have my levels so low that when I take them out... even the fans of screen projectors seem really loud for a while. Audiologist said I have really good hearing for a musician. Thanks Rhett, good info video.

[@TLMuse]

I really enjoyed learning about the new ear canal scanning method. I've had two sets of IEMs made with molds, and neither one is comfortable or easy to insert. I think I have somewhat narrow ear canals; maybe that's a problem for molding (maybe pulling out the mold material distorts it somewhat). So I'm wondering if the scanning approach might lead to better-fitting IEMs for me. One more piece of gear to save up for-argh! 8-) -Tom

[@larrytrejo1882]

Honey guess I'm gonna need some ear monitors. How much I'll have to look into them. And hope she forgets. I'll buy them anyway and don't tell her.

[@lukewillard3423]

Such an incredibly informative video! I just joined a worship group and had someone tell me about UE and after seeing this video I think they would be a great fit for me. Especially because im 10 mins away for UE HQ.

[@BentTom]

I love your channel brother!

[@adrianreyes4702]

This is really great information. Thank you for taking the time to explain it all in layman's language, and giving great examples, and photos. Excellent teaching.

[@billville111]

That gave me an idea - next year, wear ears to NAMM

[@TyRobertsmedia]

Dude, that would be dream! You select what you hear... NAMM has sound of it's own that drives me batty after a few hours, and I'm usually there for 4 days!

[@billville111]

@@TyRobertsmedia EXACTLY! Also they would be helpful at Guitar Center if you have to go on the weekends.

[@Andrew3154]

I've been wearing IEM for years. I'm a drummer, so don't have the issue of walking around. But, like you said, I can keep my (front of house) mix low enough, still hear my drums, and save what hearing I have left. Well worth the investment.

[@geespar1]

When the woman was doing the scanning she said that every time he moved his face the shape of the ear canals changed, erm, when you’re singing, aren’t you moving your face constantly?

[@Anita95_original]

geespar1 Yes, but you want the scan representing your "normal" ear, and especially you want the whole scan representing the same "state" or the ear. After you plug it in and everything moves there is also flexibility making up for that movement. So, just keep still while making the scan, it is like moving while taking a photo...

[@tlb2732]

I've been performing live for 41 years. I'm right at home in front of a wedge monitor. I've had nights when the sound on stage is absolutely perfect and I've had nights when I couldn't hear very clearly. Most shows are somewhere in the middle and very enjoyable. It sounds like you might be performing with musicians who lack discipline or have an ego problem. I've met a few of those. Never invited one into the band. If you continually have the kind of stage sound where a wedge monitor can't be heard without going into feedback, then you have one or both of two very fixable problems. 1. Your monitors are not stable due to not being rung out properly and/or microphones are placed in less than optimal positions. 2. Stage volume is just too loud. Usually, although not always, the drummer determines the stage volume for everyone else. If he/she uses heavy sticks or plays too hard, then you either need lighter sticks, softer technique, drum isolation, or a new drummer. I find IEMs too confining. I feel detached from the band and the audience. They just don't work for me. My brother, our drummer, uses them. He often complains of interference and the signal dropping out. Also, the least little fleck of dirt in the wrong spot completely muffles the sound. No thanks! Enjoy yours, but I'll keep my tried and true Yamaha wedges, QSC amps, and the feedback eliminating capabilities of my QSC digital mixer.

[@handpulled]

Listen to your Uncle Rhett. I was in a band in the late 70s. I'm now 59 and my ears scream with tinnitus 24 hours a day. Look after those ears guys!

[@samlee2562]

IF YOU'RE ON A BUDGET!! I've never had custom IEMs but I got some £370 ones ( fischer amps fa-4e xb) that are the clearest I've ever heard, then I got precious with them so got some cheap ones off AliExpress and tbh was absolutely blown away with the quality to price ratio... if you're on a budget I'd go straight for the KZ ZS10 pros (more bass, smoother top end) or CCA C12's (flatter response) - both currently around £30/$40 if I ever loose the expensive ones and haven't won the lottery I'll defo stick to AliExpress... :)