Why Musicians Love Custom In-Ear-Monitors – and So Do Their Audiologists

Musicians, you’ve been through a lot over the past year — canceled performances, shrinking audiences, and smaller gig fees as venues struggle to pay their bills while generating less revenue.

As Memphis’ diverse live music scene continues to re-open, I have many more musicians coming through my door at Professional Audiological Services. They’re ready to get back out there, and I’m ready to get back into the crowd.

As I speak with them, I can tell you, they can’t say enough good things about their custom in-ear-monitors. They’re life-changing for people in the industry, so I thought — hey, this is the perfect time to share some of the things they love about them.

What Are Custom In-Ear-Monitors (IEM)?

As a musician, sound is your life. I don’t have to tell you that. You rely on your hearing to keep you connected to that sound, whether you’re creating, practicing, playing around, recording, or performing. But that same sound that you love can get loud, and you’re around it a lot.

In-Ear-Monitors make sure that no matter how loud the music gets out there — because we know people like it loud — you can hear the music at a volume that isn’t harmful to your hearing. They also allow you to hear stage cues, directions, announcements, metronomes, background tracks, and whatever you need to customize your hearing experience, so you can perform your best.

Custom IEMs take this to the next level. Custom molding ensures that these devices perfectly fit your ears so that sounds out there don’t interfere with what you need to hear. To get custom earmolds, you can visit my office.

What Are the Benefits of Custom In-Ear Monitors?

Why do musicians love custom in-ear-monitors? Honestly, it’s for a lot of the same reasons I do. According to a massive German study of musicians, musicians are 4x more likely to develop hearing loss and 57% more likely to have tinnitus (ringing ears). Custom IEMs can keep you from becoming a statistic.

Musicians love IEMs because they provide:

• Unhindered, clearer sound quality compared to monitor wedges
• Loud enough sound, so you can feel the music, but not so loud it damages one of your most prized senses. Certain sound levels can cause damage after just 15 minutes of exposure, and hearing is usually something that doesn’t go all at once. Each performance may be stealing a small percentage of your hearing, but it often takes five, 10, sometimes 15 years to notice a significant change. You can’t undo hearing loss.
• Personalized mix – With a skilled sound engineer and the right sound equipment, your team can customize what you hear. Want more bass, less kick drum? Already have some hearing loss? Easy-peasy for your sound guy or gal to adjust to your needs.
• Protect the band’s vocal cords. With custom in-ear monitors, you can communicate directly at a normal volume regardless of how loud it is on stage.
• Other health benefits- Less strain and stress to hear can have other health benefits like reducing raised blood pressure when your bandmate couldn’t hear the instructions. Have a smoother performance.
• A custom-fit means you and your sound engineer have precise control over what you hear.

How Do I Get Online IEMs Custom Fit?

I know you have some great options online for IEM, so who am I to stop you? But to get custom IEMs, you need to see an audiologist to get a mold of your ear. So if you want to buy your IEM from Professional Audiological Services, I welcome you. We have some excellent options. But if you want to get it online, why not come to get a custom earmold made for it, so you can get that perfect fit you need. My team can set up a time for you to come in for that.