When you go see your favorite band or singer perform, you might wonder why they wear an in-ear monitor or in-earphones on stage. Is it because they’re not really singing? What’s going on with that?
The thing is that most musicians wear these in-ear monitors on stage so they can hear the song they’re performing without interference.
The song might sound plenty loud, but if the singer isn’t at the same tempo of the music, it can throw the whole performance off. This is what gives them a special advantage over a floor monitor.
In-ear monitors are also ideal for musicians that perform. It’s highly unlikely that famed singing performers like Madonna, Britney Spears, or even J-Lo could ever get through a performance without one of these crucial tools.
Still, you’re probably curious why singers wear earpieces and what other advantages they hold. Well, keep reading, because you’re about to find out how your favorite singers pull off those awesome shows with the help of a simple in-ear monitor!
What Is an Earpiece?
The earpiece that your favorite singer uses is not the same as one you might use for listening to your own music or taking phone calls from your cell. Known by stagehands as the in-ear monitor, it’s designed to keep a consistent sound for musicians from the singers to the band members, and even for the sound engineers.
As the name suggests, it goes into the ear where it remains until the performance is finished. It was brought into the performance world in the late 1980s.
Famed sound engineer Jerry Harvey along with Karl Cartwright invented these dual-speaker in-ear monitors back in 1995.
That’s when he founded Ultimate Ears, and in 2007, went on to found JH Audio. With a varied track record of amazing artists like Van Halen, Kiss, and Linkin Park, to name a few, these in-ear monitors were meant to block out ambient noise while filtering out any odd sounds that weren’t part of the music.
An in-ear monitor that a musician uses features two parts. There’s a transmitter which sends a wireless signal to the other part, a receiver, using a half-rack unit.
If you’ve ever had awesome seats at a show, you’ve likely noticed a belt pack worn by the singer you adore.
That’s the receiver, and the audio that’s transmitted can be heard when you attach the earpiece to the pack.
The earpiece itself is nothing extraordinary though it can be custom-fit by the engineers to mold it precisely into the ears of these performers.
With in-ear monitors, it allows singers to focus on their music. Actors have also used these earpieces to help finesse their performances.
This is helpful in situations when actors need to hear the instrumentals during songs they perform to in musical adaptations. It’s even more helpful if they forget their lines.
But with innovations in technology and the increasing use of them, errors still persist thanks to human error.
In fact, an amusing situation came of it which highlighted flaws that could use some work. This was in the filming of The Island of Dr. Moreau back in 1996. Even acting legend Marlon Brando couldn’t save this disaster.
As he was fed lines from an assistant through the use of his earpiece, the signals would sometimes get crossed with police scanner messages that he would repeat. Technology has definitely brought us far, but it is by no means a perfect method!
Why Do Singers Wear Earpieces?
So you’re at a concert and you see your favorite singer with what looks like earbuds in their ears and, hey, is that their phone attached to their belt? No, it’s just the in-ear monitors. The transmitter is usually along the side of the body which will send the song, or monitor mix to the receiver.
Usually what happens is that the musician will wear the receiver and plug the earpiece into that. There’s a knob to control volume on it too. The in-ear monitors feature noise-cancelling technology that helps dampen out background noise. This allows the musician to hear the song clearly as they perform.
This whole in-ear monitor technology was created to solve the problem with stage monitors. All stage monitors need to be turned up to balance out the sound coming off a noisy, cheering crowd.
This leads to fatigue in the ears and can also damage hearing. Equally as problematic, the stage monitors can interfere with the audio.
When that happens, it can ruin the performance and lead to disappointed fans. From the band’s point of view too, stage monitors make it harder to move around more freely on stage.
That’s why in-ear monitors are handy for musicians. They guarantee a better performance in many critical ways. For starters, they allow freedom of movement on stage.
This is essential for dancing performers with big choreographed numbers. Without in-ear monitors, it’s very difficult to move about.
In-ear monitors reduce feedback too. Musicians need to know how to control the microphone when they sing. Pointing a mic at the stage monitors causes annoying audio feedback.
The in-ear monitor allows musicians to turn any way they wish without having that rambunctious squealing ruining the show.
Because earpieces are so beneficial, this is why singers choose them for performances. Unless they plan to stay put in front of a mic and just sing, they’re a must-have for any performer.
What Do the Singers Hear with Their Earpiece While Performing?
So, we now know why singers wear earpieces during their performances. But what exactly do they hear while they have them in their ears?
To understand this, you need a quick crash-course in acoustics. The main PA speakers have to go in front of the performer or band.
If they’re behind them, it makes that nasty feedback that causes everyone to groan and cover up their ears.
With the sound in front of them, this makes your favorite musical artists hear something very different than what you get to experience.
With singers, it’s even more important because they must be able to hear themselves while they perform. Sometimes, wedge monitors are used.
These are triangle-shaped speaker cabinets set about the stage that face upward toward the singer, but these are only helpful if the performer is standing right in front of them.
This is why in-ear monitors have become so popular. Each performer on stage can here a mix of what is happening.
For example, in the case of a band, the singer would need to hear themselves the loudest while the drummer would need to hear the drums and bassist best. If you’re a musician, you know the strife of trying to perform your best when you can’t hear yourself.
In short, a singer hears themselves through the earpiece. Any other members of the group will hear themselves louder as well so they can hit all the right notes and make your experience seeing them live one of those moments you regale upon your grandchildren someday down the road.
Why Do Singers Sometimes Take Out Their Earpieces?
If you’re singing live on stage, you don’t want to remove your earpiece. This could result in singing off-key or missing a beat. Without that earpiece or the sound monitors in place, it’s absolute chaos of sounds. In-ear monitors are so advanced that the sounds can be customized to precisely what needs to be heard. This customization means that performers can focus on their own portion of the music.
Many people wanted to know what was up with Beyoncé’s performance during the 2013 presidential inauguration ceremony.
The problem was that there wasn’t a chance for her to rehearse with the Marine Corps Band so a last-minute decision was made for her to lip-sync rather than sing it live. So she was hearing herself sing from a pre-recording.
However, faulty feedback or sound system difficulties were cited as the reason she removed her earpiece.
Not exactly what she hoped for, we’re sure, but that is definitely one of the downsides of in-ear monitors.
She’s not the only one who’s been subjected to this sort of thing. Whether you’re a fan of Beyoncé or not, surely you can agree that hearing loud feedback in your ear would likely cause you to get that earpiece out of there as quickly as possible.
Do In-Ear Monitors Offer Better Sound and Mobility?
When it comes to audio equipment, sound quality is the biggest concern. That’s why in-ear monitors are the favored choice for most live performances. Stage monitors allow for too much error and can compromise the sound that comes in from other speakers. When feedback occurs, it can upset the performance.
If you’ve ever seen a local garage band perform, you’ve likely been privy to the whole feedback disruption that can come from a stage monitor.
In small-scale performances, it’s usually par for the course, but for big venues and major performances where people spend big money on tickets, it’s a major upset.
Stage monitors aren’t ideal for those that move around on stage. Those that sing and dance could never do what they do best with stage monitors in the way.
Since in-ear monitors are wireless, performers have the best mobility. As they’re customized to fit each performer, they stay put which assures a solid performance.
What fun would it be to go see Britney perform if she stood still in the center of the stage? Or rock legends Van Halen? Thank goodness for in-ear monitors that allow our favorite performers to do more than sing…they can fully entertain us!
Additionally, in-ear monitor systems are small and easy to go on the road with. That’s a fantastic benefit to those responsible for setting up and traveling with the band. There’s no bulky sound monitors to lug around to every show.
What about Safety of Earpieces?
If it’s loud for your at the show, just remember it’s even louder for those on stage. With all those sounds blasting around, they can cause hearing loss. A singer that can’t hear will never be able to sing as they once did. Preserving your hearing as a musician is just as important as keeping up your talent.
With an in-ear monitor, it blocks out the loud sounds all around from the music and the screaming audience.
At the same time, it brings in excellent sound right into the ears at a safe volume level. When a musician gets earpieces, a mold of their ears is usually created to ensure an absolutely precision fit.
With this perfect customization, they are not only comfortable but they fully block outside sounds to give the highest quality around.
There are universal versions of in-ear monitors too, made for anyone to wear. They will certainly help any singer or musician give a better and more mobile performance, though the best option is to have them customized to seal out unwanted sounds and deliver a phenomenal concert.
While singers are the main concern with in-ear monitors, other bandmates may want to wear them too to isolate their sounds and focus on their own performance.
With the transmitter, it can be set to mono or stereo sound and can send it out to as many receivers as the sound engineers set up allowing everyone in the group to be on the same page.
Conclusion
Singers wear an earpiece to deliver their best performance while keeping mobile on stage. As concert ticket prices soar, the demand for seeing bands do more than stand in one place and play their best songs also rises.
An in-ear monitor is the best type of equipment for singers and bands to help them tune into their own performances to give their very best.
Earpieces also help protect from hearing damage, something that is very important for musicians.
With the loud sounds of music around them often, preserving hearing means that a musician can go on to perform for years without missing a beat.