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In pub sessions I find it hard to hear my own playing. As a relative beginner, I dont want to play loudly for fear of putting others off. Is there any gizmo I can attach to my fiddle with an ear piece so I can hear how well or badly I'm doing please?
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Hi janewhiting (and others, although this is getting rather obscure). I am making the assumption here that you have a conventional acoustic violin. Here goes.
Many years ago, commercial airplanes utilized air powered head phones. I believe they were also used in medical MRI machines that image through the use of powerful magnets. If you look for an eBay auction for a school air powered headphone, and act quickly since there is only 18 hours left as I write this, you can get it for $8 (plus a few dollars for shipping). With this item in hand, it would be a rather simple matter to secure a stud onto the violin bridge that could be used to provide the “power” for the head phones. The stud should be as light as possible. A good stationary store should have aluminum “Chicago Screws” expanding report binders (cylinders that secure to each other by screwing together) that should work well for this project as the stud. This apparatus should meet your needs and will never need a battery.
If you only want to hear the violin through one ear, there is an air type “secret agent” ear bud that would also meet your needs.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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Interesting solution Irv.
Otherwise, an acoustical pickup with a monitor.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
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The party on eBay has relisted the air powered head phones, so the original poster has 28 days to get a set. This DIY solution should cost about $20. The alternative of a pickup, amp, and monitor would cost about $150 assuming used components.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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I think that the original poster has deserted us, but I thought that I would post a picture of the suggested air powered head phones someone else is ever in need. I still think that it would be a simple and cost effective solution.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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Has anyone here ever tested one of these air powered phones?
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
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They once were standard issue on commercial airplanes. I believe that they were also used on MRI machines and similar that use powerful magnets for imaging. I have used them and did not experience any problems.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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Interesting. I have the same problem with my weekly jam session. Sometimes the bar gets a bit loud so that I can't even hear myself playing lol.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
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I havn't used one of those in years and it was on an airplane. I remember it digging into my brain but it was not an ear cup, it was an in-ear tube. Sounded horrible. You may not get the quality you want from those and I suspect they would pick up all the ambient noise too since it's a tube and not an isolated signal. There are a bunch of good options available for acoustic pickup like Pierre mentioned and mini belt preamps to connect to an earbud. Usually pretty small and battery powered that sits on your belt.
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I propose that it would obtain the signal directly from a aluminum stud directly attached to the violin bridge. The only ambient noise it could receive would require the violin body to act as a speaker.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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