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Hearing Loss and Ear Plugs

#761
gtaus said:
In practice, we only turn it up enough to mix in with the drummer, and the drummer dials it back in practice for our hearing protection.
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I suggest you still wear ear plugs. Sound loss is cumulative. Every little bit adds up.

For practice, get some sound board(it's cheap) and put it up around the drummer. We cut a 8' piece in half and wired it together with some old clothes hanger wire.

Cleans up the band's sound a lot and cuts the noise from the drummer. Make sure it tall enough to go above the symbols.

I suggest adding more than we did. Installing some behind the drummer and hanging some from the ceiling will deaden the sound even more.

For the kick drum, cut a hole for it or mic it though the p.a. just enough for rehearsal.
 
#762
I visited the local audiologist and had my hearing tested.
I have some loss in the higher frequencies.
I asked about custom made ear filters so that there is no loss of any frequencies. I was told that an electrical engineer, who is also a jazz musician, has the patent.
As a result, it would cost me $450 to get custom fitted filters.
Only one of my ongoing gigs pays anything at all and we get few bookings. I will have to make due with the over-the- counter ear protection available.
 
#765
Tinnitis sucks more than you can imagine. I have it from 12 years working in a ship yard. I always wore ear plugs, sometimes doubled (ear plugs under ear "muffs") and I still had my hearing damaged.

I think some people are more susceptible than others. As a child my hearing was extremely good.

I still remember what the "old timers" at work used to say when I was putting on/in hearing protection, "you don't need those, you will get used to it".
 
#766
Funny this should pop up today.
Our band usually practices with a electronic drum set, but we're gearing up for our second gig so we've been using the acoustic kit recently, and today, after a just-about full volume rehearsal (that ran about two hours) we all noticed a change in our hearing, and we decided as a group to have the drummer go buy us some musician's ear plugs.
I haven't been playing bass (loudly, that is) for more than five months, and I've been to a *few* loud concerts, but when me and some friends took an online hearing test I dropped out two frequency levels before my friends. This gave me enough of a scare to realize the severity of the situation.
Luckily, the band ranges in age from 15-17, so we've made the right choice early. Hopefully, early enough. :)
 
#767
nicoli said:
Not sure where you're located, but that asking price seems pretty high to me. It might be worthwhile to check a couple other sources near you.
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I am in southern Minnesota. The local medical faciity is an affiliate of the Mayo Clinic. ("Mayo Lite" or "Mayo Too")
The basic plugs were $150 for each side. It would cost another $75.00 (each side) to add two filters.
 
#768
FrenchAK said:
Funny this should pop up today.
Our band usually practices with a electronic drum set, but we're gearing up for our second gig so we've been using the acoustic kit recently, and today, after a just-about full volume rehearsal (that ran about two hours) we all noticed a change in our hearing, and we decided as a group to have the drummer go buy us some musician's ear plugs.
I haven't been playing bass (loudly, that is) for more than five months, and I've been to a *few* loud concerts, but when me and some friends took an online hearing test I dropped out two frequency levels before my friends. This gave me enough of a scare to realize the severity of the situation.
Luckily, the band ranges in age from 15-17, so we've made the right choice early. Hopefully, early enough. :)
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Smart choice to get ear plugs. Why do you need the drummer to buy you earplugs? :confused:
How come you don't buy your own?

Speaking of loud, did you go to the Daughtry concert on Wednesday night?
Like an idiot, I forgot to bring earplugs with me. The sound in the Sullivan Area is ultra shrill at EVERY concert I've gone to there! My ears were ringing for 2 days (literally).
 
#769
You could also TURN DOWN at rehearsal! :rolleyes: I love my -9db earmolds. It didn't take hardly any getting used to, but I never would need them for rehearsal.

However, if you are playing LOUD and want good ear protection and a cheap solution to custom earmolds get the Etymotic Research ETY-Plugs. I keep 2 sets in my car for concert use for my wife and me. (no affiliation to Etymotic)

They're only $12.95 plus shipping - totally worth it!
I've used them for years. http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.html
 
#770
+1 on the etymotic research plugs. I too have a mild case of the tinitus, just mild enough I can ignore it most of the time. I credit cymbals bashing next to me and Marshall stack for 6 months in a garage band 15 years ago. After that I got earplugs.

The etymotics have a white rubber mushroom and a clear stalk and are barely visible in a darkened room. Pretty well musically flat in what they cut out, although I lose some of the "room ambience". Rather that than any worsening of the ringing I have now.

Bonus is I can hear what people are saying in a loud bar with them. I don't need a hearing test to tell me I don't hear very well compared to younger folks.
 
#771
I just noticed there are two threads by the same name, this one and the one under Live Sound forum!

This one seems more alive so I'll copypasta my experience to this thread:

BullHorn said:
I just got back from a 4-hour rehearsal with my ultra-loud band but this time wearing a pair of 15db attenuating Elacin ER FlexComfrt plugs.

At the end of the rehearsal, the entire band was beyond tired and most of them with a headache. On the other hand, the drummer (Wearing industrial-level headphones because he's tone deaf anyway) and me felt pretty good.

My plugs are very high quality and fit my ears perfectly. Regarding sound quality, for listening - they are amazing. For actually playing bass in a band, it feels a bit muffled. AFAIK, they cut 4khz-10khz by 2db more than they cut all the other frequencies so it might take some time getting used to.
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#772
I too have some of the dreaded ringing, fortunately only really noticeable at night. In my case it wasn't even sparked by super high volume levels, so I want to add a factor that might not be mentioned much in this thread:
If you have some upper respiratory sinitus and soforth going on - particularly if your ears have been affected - the chance of getting tinnitus is much higher. This is what happened with me, playing just a portable keyboard with its built in speakers, but with infection in my sinus and ear canals.
There is also some strong evidence that exercising with headphones/earbuds in greatly increases tinnitus likihood.
I don't have the links handy for this stuff, but it's readily searchable.
 
#773
I've run a test on some website and apparently, I either do have some mild-to-moderate hearing loss or my headphones might not be high-enough quality to properly reproduce the high tones in both speakers (They costed 5 dollars and are over a year old).

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Either way, I'm glad I got the earplugs while it's late but not too late.
 
#774
After completing my portfolio with long days and nights in the studio, I had a scare, of two long straight high pitched ringing in my ears.

Since, then (two years ago) I have been wearing these: Invalid Link Removed

When I'm playing (White Filter) or at gigs (Gold or silver) or out at nightclubs.

They were the best investment I have ever made and even though I usually get asked 'whats in you ears??' They are going to save my hearing and from going back to that horrible moment.

But for those buying them, you need time to work with them!! After 6 months, I was finally comfortable with them to wear and using them onstage. You have to get used to the changes in what you may or may not hear on stage.
 
#776
i have tinnitus. i play trumpet as well, and yeah, not possible to play with earplugs (i can barely play well without them...) i wish people wouldn't take it personally when they are asked to turn down. and also that they wouldn't turn it up again 2 minutes later.
 
#780
ExaltBass said:
You could also TURN DOWN at rehearsal! :rolleyes: I love my -9db earmolds. It didn't take hardly any getting used to, but I never would need them for rehearsal.

However, if you are playing LOUD and want good ear protection and a cheap solution to custom earmolds get the Etymotic Research ETY-Plugs. I keep 2 sets in my car for concert use for my wife and me. (no affiliation to Etymotic)

They're only $12.95 plus shipping - totally worth it!
I've used them for years. http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.html
Click to expand...

I use these too.

great, great ,GREAT thing to have!
 

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