From a technical point of view, it is a matter of curiosity for some to wear large headphones in a studio environment with so much sound insulation and technological tools.
The answer to the question is hidden right here; These headphones do not only enable background music to be heard, they also have other features. Let’s take a look at what these headphones do.
First, let’s talk about how music is basically recorded in the studio.
The instruments used and the touches of the vocals are among the most important reasons why we feel intense emotions in the music we listen to. Recording quality music is not as easy as it seems. While all the music is produced in front of us in live music, there is an intense recording process for albums and singles. We will refer to this process basically.
Multitrack recording has become the gold standard in modern music production. In this standard, all vocals and instruments are recorded on separate channels. After the recording is finished, the recordings in the channels can be edited one by one, the recording can be renewed if necessary, and in this way, songs that are close to perfect can be created. The biggest benefit of this gold standard is that it prevents recordings from interlacing and instruments from leaking into the microphone.
Let’s get to the topic: Why do artists prefer big headphones in the studio?
If the artists had first picked up the music to be played in the background during the recording, their very sensitive microphones would have detected these sounds. This would lead to the deterioration of the cleanliness and quality of the song. That’s why the artists who will do the vocal take their recordings on their own. Secondly, these headphones are made of insulating materials that are large enough to cover the ear to prevent other sounds from being heard. With the microphone and headphone meeting, the sound that the artist gives to the microphone from the headphones is transmitted to him instantly and it is possible to adjust the tone as he wishes.
In addition, these headphones are of high quality and their bass and treble are not at the standard level like other headphones. In these headphones, bass and treble are designed to make the slightest noise noticeable; This makes it easier for the user during the registration and editing phases.
So why do singers wear earplugs during live performances?
Have you ever wondered how performers who reach huge fan bases and perform live in a busy crowd in large arenas provide stable performances? To do this, the singers use in-ear monitor headphones, similar to regular headphones, in their live performances. In-ear monitor headphones; It enables singers to transmit different instruments at different volume levels so that they can maintain their performance in a stable manner. For example; If the artist wants to hear the sound of the drum more and the sound of the pianist less, this monitor can adjust it with headphones.
Now let’s get a better understanding of what normal headphones, studio headphones and in-ear monitor headphones are.
Noise isolation: Studio headphones and in-ear monitor headphones have a flat frequency. Sounds from these are projected to the performer in pure form, without bass boost. In normal headphones, the bass differs according to the production. The flat frequency of studio and in-ear monitor headphones allows the sound engineer and artist to notice roughness more clearly.
Type and design: The type of headset depends on one’s preference. While there are design preferences that cover or not cover the ear in normal headphones, versions that cover the ear are preferred in order to isolate the sound in the headphones used in the studio. These versions, which cover the ear, can be divided into two with and without grille. While the grilled version provides a little more spaciousness, the grilleless version provides more sound insulation. In-ear monitor headphones used on stage are generally uniform and used to fit inside the ear.
Durability: Durability varies according to the price of all 3 types of headphones. The products with high prices are more durable because the material quality is good, but we can say that the headphones used in the studio are made of quality materials for a long time.
Sources: Science ABC, Headphonesty
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