Everyone earplugged at practice: how retarded is that?

[Godbody]

Hearing Instrument Specialist (known as an audioprosthologist in some states) checking in.

I wear Westone-made custom plugs with 15dB filters, and they're most excellent. It leaves all the mids and 95% of the highs intact.

Frankly, exactly how well custom plug will work for you is related to the shape of your ear canal, but they still trounce any 'off the rack' plugs out there. They run for about $130 a pair where I work, and you can pick some options for free (like what color they are).

If you think $130 bucks is expensive, remember two things: 1) These plugs will last you may years, 2) even cheap, shoddily made hearing aids are WWWWAAAAAAAAAYYYY more expensive; and if you have a musician's trained ear, you won't feel satisfied with anything but the best hearing instruments.

So just wear ear plugs. Geez, the best kind in the world only cost what you'd pay for an SX!

[NickInMesa]

Originally Posted by Godbody

Hearing Instrument Specialist (known as an audioprosthologist in some states) checking in.

I wear Westone-made custom plugs with 15dB filters, and they're most excellent. It leaves all the mids and 95% of the highs intact.

Frankly, exactly how well custom plug will work for you is related to the shape of your ear canal, but they still trounce any 'off the rack' plugs out there. They run for about $130 a pair where I work, and you can pick some options for free (like what color they are).

If you think $130 bucks is expensive, remember two things: 1) These plugs will last you may years, 2) even cheap, shoddily made hearing aids are WWWWAAAAAAAAAYYYY more expensive; and if you have a musician's trained ear, you won't feel satisfied with anything but the best hearing instruments.

So just wear ear plugs. Geez, the best kind in the world only cost what you'd pay for an SX!

Thanks, Godbody! Care to give us part numbers? Also where are you located? Be shameless, plug! (pun intended)

[Mr. Mig]

Nothing wrong about protecting your hearing.

[otis_thick]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

I auditioned for a band and it did not work out. Straight rock, somewhat heavy.

The one thing I really did not get is this: I personally wear earplugs, because I damaged my ears enough in my teen years (actually managed to puncture my ear drums and am partially deaf to high frequencies in one ear), except when the volume is low, but in this case, it seriously was not.

And everyone was using earplugs...

The drummer was hitting really hard and we had to up our amps. I only brought a Crate Power Block, by the way, 150W into an 8ohm, with a Peavey 210, I was at 50%, but that thing was surprisingly loud. At first they sort of asked me if I would buy a real head if it worked out, then they asked me to lower the volume because I was covering everything

Why wouldn't they simply play at a lower volume without the earplugs?

Earplugs change the sound dramatically, you lose a lot more in the high frequencies than in the lows, and instead of looking at the drummer for cues, I had to stare at the guitarist's hands to determine what chord he was playing (this was an original song, by the way).

I understand earplugs in concert, when you're at eleven and you give the audience the decibels they came for, and since you know your songs, you're fine.

Seriously, how retarded is that?

When you are on METH it all makes since!

[Godbody]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

Thanks, Godbody! Care to give us part numbers? Also where are you located? Be shameless, plug! (pun intended)

I'd get in deep doodoo if I posted the name of my employer online A little detective work on the forum here would tell you that I'm in Wisconsin; All I'll say is that if you're in the Fox Valley, there's a good chance you'll come to an office I'm associated with.

The specific Westone plugs I wear and have fit for several bandmates and musician friends are here: http://www.westone.com/index.php?loa...ex&page_id=190

I got mine in a black and red swirl, with a cord running between the two plugs so that they can hang around my neck. A 15dB filter will be sufficient unless you're in, say, Motorhead. They even come with a full plug that gives you about 32dB of sloped attenuation (i.e. the kind that's awful for music); I use em when I'm mowing the lawn, etc. They're handy buggers.

[BigOldHarry]

Originally Posted by Sartori

It's hard to play a blast-beat quietly.

It's hard to play anything well. That's why it takes time and effort to be *good*.

And what the heck is a "blast beat"???

[BigOldHarry]

Originally Posted by Cabazon

While it's true that a drummer should have a good degree of dynamic control, drums do sound entirely different when played softer, not just volume-wise. It doesn't work for a lot of music. I used to try playing some black metal drumming with my brother, years ago, and he had a rather tiny amp. I had to play soft, and it sounded miserably weak. I recently let him borrow a better guitar amp that somehow landed in my care, I can play louder, and it sounds wonderful (as far as guitar+drum black metal goes)

But we're not talking about a liver performance here - we're talking about *rehearsal*, right? One does not have to get their optimal tone while playing to nail a tune for performance.

I've played with too many good drummers to buy this line of reasoning - A *good* drummer can play very quietly and sound *great*.

[BZadlo]

I wear earplugs anytime I'm playing with a band.
Unless you play acoustic music, you could be looking at some hearing damage.
Even a 15W guitar amp can get pretty loud.
Also, I have tinnitus and...it sucks!

[bassman1185]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

It's hard to play anything well. That's why it takes time and effort to be *good*.

And what the heck is a "blast beat"???

It's exactly what it sounds like. It's essentially hitting the kick, snare and hats all at 16th or 32nd notes, straight. It pretty much sounds like an explosion. It's used a lot in hardcore and the more extreme sub-genres of metal.

[heath_r_91]

Everyone in my band wears ear plugs at practice because my drummer can only do his thing so light.

I don't know if that is normal, but my drummer has one volume where he can play his parts - LOUD. It isn't really a problem though, we just turn up our amps so everything balances and put in our earplugs. No problems.

[Joey3313]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

But we're not talking about a liver performance here - we're talking about *rehearsal*, right? One does not have to get their optimal tone while playing to nail a tune for performance.

I've played with too many good drummers to buy this line of reasoning - A *good* drummer can play very quietly and sound *great*.

That depends entirely on the style.


I'm a drummer, and I can play pop, jazz, all that crap fine at low volumes, but if you expect me to play high energy metal or punk, it's going to sound god awful.

[WJGreer]

I'm no fan of limitless stage (and practice) volume, but I will say that if you plan to wear earplugs on stage (and we all should), it's a good idea to wear them in rehearsal too. This way, your ears gets used to what the band sounds like through earplugs.

Otherwise, if you are anything like me, you put in your plugs at a show, and suddenly everything sounds different, it gets inside your head, and your performance is subpar.

I have some very nice custom-molded plugs that do a wonderful job of cutting frequencies evenly, but they do make the band sound sort of "mellow" when I am not used to them. Unless I am used to it, my subconscious perceives that as a lack of energy or intensity, and my own playing suffers.

A couple of years ago I was playing regularly with a very loud drummer, and I was in a very good habit of wearing my plugs all the time. It got to where it sounded normal. Our current drummer has a lighter touch, and by result I have fallen off the wagon substantially.

[crow01]

Is funny how so few people actually wear earplugs. In all of my previous bands nobody used earplugs. I did. They all made fun of me.

In my current band, only one other guy uses earplugs. Last practice I removed them for 1 song, and my ears were buzzing all night. So I am pretty sure either the rest are deaf or they just don't care.

I have the cheapest earplugs, they work better for me. Had some that cost me like $10 they no good.