Use of earphones when playing along

[michael sam wild]

I was reading a very interesting piece on Tim Edey in The Living Tradition and he mentions spending hours with his earphones on playing along to Sharon Shannon et al. I got a free set from The Economist magazine so tried them (I've never really used earphones strangely, maybe at my age I should be glad of that!) I was playing along to the new Caitlin Nic Gabhan CD and it did seem to make a difference even though I couldn't really hear myself! What have other folk experienced? I just played with my eyes shut and focussed on the tune and let my fingers find their own way (much as I do in a session where I sort of know the tune and want to learn but wouldn't say I had it completely drilled in, keeping the volume down)

[David Levine]

I use earphones sometimes. I usually want there to be a blend, a balance, between the other person playing and me playing.

Sometimes I am just too loud - or the recorded volume is too low -- to hear the recording.

I want the other person to be louder when I am learning a tune, but then I decrease the recorded volume so I can better hear myself.