MY EARS!

[MycooLeeyun]

My band practices in a 10x10 cement warehouse. We have some stuff on the wall to help with the sound but my ears are KILLING me after practice. I wear earplugs throughout practice but they don't seem to do the job. Obviously my band is loud, but we're not ridiculously loud or anything. The earplugs I currently use are http://www.earplugstore.com/er-20-bl...FXSSPAodvW8Atw and I'm wondering if there are some better ones or some other alternative to save my hearing. THank you!

[Floyd Eye]

For God sakes find a bigger place to play. Or turn EVERYTHING down.

[Keithwah]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

For God sakes find a bigger place to play. Or turn EVERYTHING down.

Floyd is pretty much speaking the truth. Even though you don't play that loud, it's obviously still too loud for the size of the space. 10x10 is IEM country unless you can get all to knock it down a fair amount.

[MycooLeeyun]

Yeah, I figured that might be the problem. It's about the only place we can afford right now. It runs us $60 a month as opposed to a 10x20 that will run us $120 a month. Damn it's loud..... I really want to maintain good hearing as I get older and this practice space is not helping with that.

[Pilgrim]

1) Turn DOWN.
2) Better earplugs.
3) Turn DOWN.

[seanm]

I measured our band at the last practice. At the end of the practice, slow C weighting, we where peaking at 119dB +/- 1.5dB. At that volume you have hearing damage after about 1.5 minutes

I have been using foam earplugs at -32dB. They attenuate the highs much more than the lows which is what I want as a bass player. They take a *lot* of getting used to. When I first used them the music seemed far away and it messed up my timing. But I am getting used to them. YMMV.

[Johnny Roots]

Originally Posted by MycooLeeyun

Yeah, I figured that might be the problem. It's about the only place we can afford right now. It runs us $60 a month as opposed to a 10x20 that will run us $120 a month. Damn it's loud..... I really want to maintain good hearing as I get older and this practice space is not helping with that.

Left ear is shot to hell from things such as this.

[WayneP]

Originally Posted by seanm

I measured our band at the last practice. At the end of the practice, slow C weighting, we where peaking at 119dB +/- 1.5dB. At that volume you have hearing damage after about 1.5 minutes

It’s not as bad as you think. C-weighting includes the bass frequencies, which tends to jack up the numbers, but bass frequencies aren’t nearly as damaging to hearing as the mid and higher frequencies. This is why OSHA uses the A-weighting scale for PEL (permissible exposure limit). C-weighting is relevant for noise-level ordinances, but for safety and hearing conservation A-weighting is what you’re interested in.

Still, even with A-weighting I’ll bet you’re hitting over 100 dB.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt



Administrator, Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Tobias Club
Big Cabs Club #23
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly

[bobbybass85]

http://1964ears.com/products_musician_earplugs.html

Expensive, but will save you in the long run. Next step after that would be IEMs

[Mister_argentum]

You need custom ones urgently rated at -25 (standard for rock) , be careful! The ones that you are wearing may not be suited for your ear cavities.

Good luck and turn it down!

[MycooLeeyun]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. You're absolutely right, the ones I'm wearing now don't really plug my ears like an old pair I had, they seem too small. Maybe I could get away with a similar style of earplug that just fits my ear cavity better?

[dmusic148]

These are cheap and work great

http://www.zzounds.com/item--HEA2210

[MycooLeeyun]

Thanks, I'll look into the hearos as well. I literally have a PA speaker pointing into my left ear and my drummers crash cymbal ringing in my right ear. I need some serious ear protection.

[Andyman001]

sounds like you need heavy duty.

http://www.howardleight.com/earplugs/max

I get these @ work, 33db cut.

[gregbackstrom]

Originally Posted by MycooLeeyun

My band practices in a 10x10 cement warehouse. We have some stuff on the wall to help with the sound but my ears are KILLING me after practice. I wear earplugs throughout practice but they don't seem to do the job. Obviously my band is loud, but we're not ridiculously loud or anything. The earplugs I currently use are http://www.earplugstore.com/er-20-bl...FXSSPAodvW8Atw and I'm wondering if there are some better ones or some other alternative to save my hearing. THank you!

I just listened to some clips from your website. Nice stuff! Inventive riffs, good vocals and good compositions!

I have a suggestion: TURN YOUR DRUMMER DOWN -- HE'S REALLY LOUD!! If, like too many drummers, he plays "full-tilt" in rehearsal, there's no way for the rest of the band to control their respective instruments' volume.

Again, you guys sound good! But you won't get any enjoyment from it---other than the memory---when you're deaf!

- Greg

[deafman]

Almost all of them sell individual packs of earplugs. Maybe 35 cents a pack. Buy 2 or 3 different ones and figure out what you like. Get some with the dip on them like the orange ones in the picture. The ones with open foam are harder, dry out ears more, and attract dirt. I cannot hear any higher tone, but the highs still still cause physical pain after a while. I wear earplugs at work, even though I am basically deaf as I go home in a better mood.

[MycooLeeyun]

Hey Greg, thanks a lot for the info and the listen. It's going to be quite the task to tell the drummer to turn down!

Andyman.. Do those earplugs work well in a music setting? Do they make the music sound like mud or what? I don't want to lose too much quality of sound from my earplugs.

[Johnny Roots]

Originally Posted by MycooLeeyun

Hey Greg, thanks a lot for the info and the listen. It's going to be quite the task to tell the drummer to turn down!

Andyman.. Do those earplugs work well in a music setting? Do they make the music sound like mud or what? I don't want to lose too much quality of sound from my earplugs.

Sorry for jumping in again here, as a person who has his left ear in a perma ring from such small studios in my early 20s. I am now 35 and still need to face my right ear to my amps etc. You dont want that man.

My bass player at the time brought in some plugs, I scoffed at them, made fun of him. This guy was a talent, he said try them. I wasnt into exchanging ear juices. I ordered a pair specfic for music. Which i think the fella's above our post linked. They work. No muddy sound.

I also in my left F'in have surfers ear. I went to the Dr, and they had made me some specific to my ears, for my diving and surfing, but...they work wonders in the studio as well.

I am not qualified or I cannot articulate properply, how it works, but your ear is plugged up with the plugs, theres a hole in them that lets the sound come in fine. ( slight muffle ) BUT.... a slight muffle in the shed with your boys tightening up for shows is alot better than being def. You dont need them for the live stuff. But that practice, yes!

If those links the fellas linked arent appealing. Maybe hit up an ear doctor and explain to him your concern. Trust me dude, you wanna F'in hear at my age...still....I may stop using them after 30 years of marriage. " Wait, what babe?" " Sorry cant hear ya!"

What I liked about approaching the Dr was, they fitted to my ear. I have small freaking ears lol, alot of the stuff you can buy didnt settle in properly for me. It also wasnt expensive to have made...well I wouldnt even put a dollar amount on my hearing. its just worth it

[Andyman001]

If it is loud enough to cause pain, you'll still hear everything, just quieter, especially the highs

[F-Clef-Jef]

I see people wearing earplugs improperly all the time where I work. They really need to fit, and be inserted far enough to actually block the noise. Otherwise it's not much better than having them in your pocket...
Even the cheapest of the cheap earplugs will block over 30db when worn correctly.