Sruthi in headphones?

[shibi]

While practicing is it OK to play the Sruthi using headphones? Or must the Sruthi be heard as ambient sound? This is because I find it hard to hear the Sruthi (I use a RADEL electronic Sruthi box) when I sing and I have to keep it close to my ear (I have Sruthi problems ) I generally use this online Tanpura

http://carnaticatorrents.ej.am/tanpura/

(Is this a good one?) wired to my ear using headphones. Is this a good way to practice?

Thanks,

Shibi

[srikant1987]

I think it is commonly believed that headphone listening is bad for the ears. You can offset distance between your ears and the source of sound with loudness to some extent. It is indeed a delicate balance to be maintained between the shruti volume and your own singing, and both need to be audible to you.

You can just try to lower your volume maintaining the pitch you are singing in kArvais, so that the shruti becomes more audible and you can see if you've done right. Frequently check -- stop singing or lower your volume if the shruti isn't audible.

[VK RAMAN]

Adding to srikant1987 suggestions, I suggest record your own music along with sruthi and listen

[Nick H]

I think it is commonly believed that headphone listening is bad for the ears.

Is it? I thought it was just high volume that was dangerous. Do let me know if I'm wrong about this!

Isn't there a problem with hearing your own voice when using earphones? I seem to remember some phenomenon of people singing out of tune when 'singing along' to music on head phones, as they do not get the feedback of their own voice in the same way. On the other hand, artists in studios perform using 'phones --- but maybe open-back? Could be talking through my hat about this --- with that hat pulled down over my ears!

[Suji Ram]

Isn't there a problem with hearing your own voice when using earphones? I seem to remember some phenomenon of people singing out of tune when 'singing along' to music on head phones, as they do not get the feedback of their own voice in the same way.

Using it in one ear will not cause to go out of Sruti I think.
I do that while practising violin when I play along to a recording. With headphones on both ears I cannot hear what I am playing!