TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- DJ Booth
-- loud music vs your ear
Pages (2): [1] 2 »

loud music vs your ear

Hi Guys,

I have been meaning to ask you guys. How do you deal with a loud clubbing enviroment whilst trying to beatmatch with only one ear using your headphone.

i mix at home its fine, but when i try it at the club .. its hard to beatmatch. the music is playing so loud. so am i supposed to increase the loudness on the headphone? wont that kill your ear?

usually i only listen to the cue track using my left ear, and the live track playing out loud. Some people say that one should listen to both the LIVE and the CUE track on the headphone so its easy to beatmatch. i mean if you think about it, this will make it even harder. (incoming&live vs live)

i asked my dj friend on this question. he said that there is a trick to it .. but he refuses to tell me. i know he is just plain old selfish.

so hoping you guys can help me out. how do the big djs do it?

you could get sound-isolating headphones so you just gotta keep your headphones on (listen current and cue track)

and/or get earplugs

I am currently using a seinheisser HD25 SP headphone.

what sort of head phone are you referring to? it those those types technics that pvd and tiesto use? what model are they using anyway and how better is it compared to HD25 SP

I would say, just buy some Ultrasones and monitor in-ear, but no one would listen to me anyway. But, that's pretty much the best thing you could do for your ears, aside from custom earplugs.

quote:

Originally posted by Trogdor I would say, just buy some Ultrasones and monitor in-ear, but no one would listen to me anyway. But, that's pretty much the best thing you could do for your ears, aside from custom earplugs.

but would that be defeating the purpose? If i buy those earplugs then i cannot hear the live music. And that means i cannot beatmatch.

quote:

Originally posted by raveanddie but would that be defeating the purpose? If i buy those earplugs then i cannot hear the live music. And that means i cannot beatmatch.

they lower the volume so its safe for your ears, so you can still monitor in-ear, and at a volume loud enough to overcome the sound coming from the speakers

If I ever do play out, buying earplugs will be top of my list. Im like you. I mix with one ear. I hate being in a mix with both ears. I dont know why I just dont like it. Thing is you HAVE to learn how to mix like this because if you ever find yourself in a situation where the booth has no monitors you are fucked if you can only mix one ear.

Earplugs are brillant though since they lower the high frequencies that kill your ears (you know when you walk out a club and your ears are ringing?? High frequencies do that.

I was given a set on a job once and I threw them away years back when before I ever started mixing. Sorta like these here. I was in a factory with amazing machinery where there was alot of stone cutting/drilling so imagine how irratating it would be without ear protection but whack in those earplugs and you could almost fall asleep in there but still be able to hear people talking to you!

im a noob so my opinion prolly wont be as valuable as these other guys..still learning to beatmatch. but i find it ALOT easier to match beats using both headfone cups, my dj friends say thats not the way to go but hey its wat seems to work for me

I use the one ear method without any problems. You have to realize that if you're playing music in a club without any ear protection then you are going to have some hearing damage. Check out Etymotic ER20 earplugs, or you could look for custom ones if you have the cash.

Is There really a rule for the way you use the headphones,

I see most of The Dj's uses the 1 ear method, but I find for myself that listening both tracks through the earphone, it;s better for me.

I am not 100 % sure , but in my bedroom, music is not as loud as in a club, so I don;t want to learn something that could be useful on my bedroom, but then find out that I can not use the method I am acustom to, because th emusic it's too loud in the club.

In resume, Should I start using the 1 ear method, or I can stay with the other method hearing both tracks trough the earphone?


Thanks..

Learn to mix both ways. It will prove invaluable. I know a guy who turns the monitors off in the booth he plays in purely because he only mixes with both ears.. Thankfully 3 years with a PC, Traktor and a set of headphones taught me how to mix comfortably with both ears. Back then I didnt have an amp and speakers just headphones.

I use both methods. Feels just as natural using one ear.

there is no set way to dj

the only good way to dj is the way that YOU find the most comfortable and what works for YOU

everyone is different and approaches things different

this is why we are constantly telling people to practice and try new things here and there

it's the only way to develop your own style and learn what's right for YOU

i hate when people tell people that you shouldn't do this or you shouldn't do that, if you can make the beats go together and it sounds good, who cares how you do it, just that you're doing it

Re: loud music vs your ear

quote:

Originally posted by raveanddie Hi Guys, I have been meaning to ask you guys. How do you deal with a loud clubbing enviroment whilst trying to beatmatch with only one ear using your headphone. i mix at home its fine, but when i try it at the club .. its hard to beatmatch. the music is playing so loud. so am i supposed to increase the loudness on the headphone? wont that kill your ear? usually i only listen to the cue track using my left ear, and the live track playing out loud. Some people say that one should listen to both the LIVE and the CUE track on the headphone so its easy to beatmatch. i mean if you think about it, this will make it even harder. (incoming&live vs live) i asked my dj friend on this question. he said that there is a trick to it .. but he refuses to tell me. i know he is just plain old selfish. so hoping you guys can help me out. how do the big djs do it?

its harder to mix in loud events and is probably best to use both sides of the phones while adjusting pitch etc.. then alternate using one side while actually mixing..

if your ears seem to hurt of ring ....

id would spend some money on some decent musicians earplugs if i were you. i have this problem and its because your hearing is probably more sensitive than most. they re about 100 quid and need to be moulded to fit your ears.. i left it too long and now my ears cant take more than half an hour without any protection.

search google for 'hyperacusis' and see if the symptoms match yours... if so then definately get some pro earplugs. if not then i still suggest buying some before you end up triggering hyperacusis or tinnitus through too much loud noise.

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Morello there is no set way to dj the only good way to dj is the way that YOU find the most comfortable and what works for YOU everyone is different and approaches things different this is why we are constantly telling people to practice and try new things here and there it's the only way to develop your own style and learn what's right for YOU i hate when people tell people that you shouldn't do this or you shouldn't do that, if you can make the beats go together and it sounds good, who cares how you do it, just that you're doing it

Thanks for The advice mate, I know what you mean about the way to DJ, I just though maybe in a loud environment, using your both headphones would be impossible because I see all Dj's using the 1 side.

Also Wich one would be better for my ear?, using the 1 ear method or using both headphones.

What are Monitors?, I see people tlakign about this and realte this with headphones, but I do�'t understand exactly, beacuse I have Traktor, and I have never used the monitor (Button or play the track there), I just used the Mic and switch from cue to PGM, untill I'm comfortable.


Thanks for THe Reply again, not only to you, also for everyone that hae replied here


Thank You...

I see you mix with traktor too

monitors are just a posh name for speakers. You hear the same from your heaphones as you would on monitors if you have them in a setup. You basically use em so you can beatmatch properly. If you was playing out without monitors and using 1 ear for cueing you'd be beatmatching to a delayed sound. speakers would be facing away from you towards the crowd so the sound has to go forward then back to you causing echo and your mixing would sound aweful.

hope that makes some sense

a monitor is just a speaker you keep close to you and facing you so that you can rely on that for mixing rather than the room sound that's already been bouncing on the walls before it reaches your ear.

Ohh I see, but I have aquestion, if you have monitors in a CLub, and you listent here the same as the headphones, people would listen to the trainwreck while you are beatmatching,

I don�t understand exactly how does that works.


Thanks for the answers =)

so guys ... back to the question that started in this thread,


what you guys are saying is that, i should just get a earplug and blast the music in my headphones to almost the same volume as the live music to mix?

Buy professional earplugs NOW! They're expensive but will be an essential investment, especially if you're playing out in clubs and you want to preserve your hearing in later life.

To allay your fears about earplugs hindering your mixing abilities, I always mix while wearing my ER15's, even during practice sessions at home. Professional earplugs limit sound across all frequencies; I find it much, much easier to mix with them in as it allows you pick out sounds in your headphones which would otherwise be lost amongst all that thundering bass which assaults your ears when you're not wearing earplugs.

Mixing with earplugs takes a little getting used to (it took me a couple of hours of practice at home prior to gigs before I felt comfortable mixing with them at a club) but they've proven to be a godsend. Get them now!

quote:

Originally posted by FirstBorn Buy professional earplugs NOW! They're expensive but will be an essential investment, especially if you're playing out in clubs and you want to preserve your hearing in later life. To allay your fears about earplugs hindering your mixing abilities, I always mix while wearing my ER15's, even during practice sessions at home. Professional earplugs limit sound across all frequencies; I find it much, much easier to mix with them in as it allows you pick out sounds in your headphones which would otherwise be lost amongst all that thundering bass which assaults your ears when you're not wearing earplugs. Mixing with earplugs takes a little getting used to (it took me a couple of hours of practice at home prior to gigs before I felt comfortable mixing with them at a club) but they've proven to be a godsend. Get them now!

guess you are right... but i am in singapore.... i dont know where to get those professional earplugs. no one here makes those custom ones

quote:

Originally posted by Pinokio Ohh I see, but I have aquestion, if you have monitors in a CLub, and you listent here the same as the headphones, people would listen to the trainwreck while you are beatmatching, I don�t understand exactly how does that works. Thanks for the answers =)

generally the monitor plays the same as what the main rig plays only it is usually a more hifi sound(on a good setup). its just the same as mixing at home but at higher volumes.

quote:

Originally posted by Pinokio Ohh I see, but I have aquestion, if you have monitors in a CLub, and you listent here the same as the headphones, people would listen to the trainwreck while you are beatmatching, I don�t understand exactly how does that works. Thanks for the answers =)

The way people use monitors is they listen to the monitors with one ear so they can hear what is playing out live over the house sound system, and listen to the tracks they are cueing in the other ear using their headphones. The reason why you see most DJs using one ear in the headphone instead of two is probably because they find that the best way to mix. It's just really a matter of personal choice. I used to mix in my headphones, but after forcing myself to learn the one ear method I started throwing tighter mixes.

the times i have played out ive been able to adjust my monitors. was a jbl eon 15" g2. i put it on a chair that kept it low to where if i bent down i got loud, full sound. and if i stood up it was less (not sure how i got that..) then use 1 ear but with both tracks playing in the headphones. if you have a crossfader on the pfl, set it to about 3/4 cued track. then i can use both ears in the phones if i need clearer sound to check if its right.

Hmmmz.....


those custom earplugs are really expensive...

is there like a cheaper version i can buy? It doesn't have to drop the music right down. I mean 10dB isolation is enough.

U know when ppl are really enjoying themselves. They want the music to be louder and louder. THe last time i played out, I was clipping my mixer. I couldn't believe it. The sound system was reasonably loud, but ppl still want louder. THey even said, " i don't want to be able to yell at someone, and have them hear me". I guess that's why clubs are so damned loud. lol.

I really wanna protect my ears here, is there a cheaper option for me? I think just getting headphones with awesome isolation ain't good enough, simply because ur loosing options on how u mix (i mix both ways).

I mean those really cheap $20-$30 standard (but the more expensive ones) earplugs will have some benifit won't they? the most important thing is that the bass, and mids come through in my ear.

quote:

Originally posted by Zild Check out Etymotic ER20 earplugs.

They're $12.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.