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if you have halfway decent insurance and a decent ******** excuse (other than I play in a band) you can get these at no cost other than co-pay to the audiologist. without insurance they run about 150 and are cut,shaved and ported by Westone from a goo mold made by a professional. they have a choice of attenuators 9, 18 or 30. 9 is for low volume rehearsal at Daves house. 18 is for a Devils Marmalade show at The Czar Bar and 30's are for Foo Fighters at The Sprint Center. they also make great in-ear monitors and will knock 50 bucks off the customs acct they already have your mold in house from the plugs you've purchased but they only keep them for 6 months not forever. I love these plugs. At first your like "wholly **** all I can hear is the snare and the guitar" but you'll work into them. sometimes for small room shows I just put in the side where the drummer is.
It's good to learn from others, so I'll share an experience I hope everyone here will take under consideration.
I've had to wear hearing aids since 1992 due to nerve damage, not loud music. So I've also been an advocate for hearing protection, by all means wear it, but carefully.
What I mean is, don't where them too much. I started wearing ear plugs in a noisy work place almost three years ago. I am in and out of the noisiest areas a lot and it was too much hassle to remove them so frequently, so I wore them most of the day.
Hearing everything at a lower volume seemed nice until this past year. Without ear plugs everything started to seem too loud. I had inadvertently lowered my threshold for sound tolerance, giving myself a case of Hyperacusis.
Now it seems as though almost everything is painfully loud, yes painful and I mean real stabbing pain.
Imagine the click of a light switch as loud as someone clapping their hands right next to your ear., ( I'm not kidding.)
I have days that aren't so bad, but most of the time I can only listen to, or play music at very low volumes.
Next to total deafness and loss of limb, I'd say Hyperacusis is possibly the worst thing that can happen to a musician.
Yes, by all means wear hearing protection, but only when it is absolutely necessary.
That is the primary function of my ear plugs. I am just north of Chicago. Westone makes just about all of these. My doctor made the mold and sent it to Westone to be made. They are specifically for cutting db's and not frequencies. I sing 90%+ of all the harmonies in my band, so I know the problem. I don't go onstage without them.
I use plugs all the time.
I'm road crew for a local band so I always have plugs at gigs, I use the kind that tone down the music but don't actually effect the overall sound, they come in a little metal key ring cylinder. I carry them at all times. I also carry spare sets of foam plugs in my gig bag.
I even wear plugs at gigs as an audience member, except when in the pit (don't want to lose them)
I was quite lucky to have the potential for hearing loss brought to my attention early on, because I'm a roadie. A lot of people I meet don't even think about it. The drummer for the band I work for still doesn't wear plugs despite repeated requests for him to get some, I don't know why.
I really couldn't tell people enough how much of a gig necessity they are, especially if you're at gigs all the time.
Plus mine are little white in ear buds so you can't see them in amongst all my piercings anyway
I'm road crew for a local band so I always have plugs at gigs, I use the kind that tone down the music but don't actually effect the overall sound, they come in a little metal key ring cylinder. I carry them at all times. I also carry spare sets of foam plugs in my gig bag.
I even wear plugs at gigs as an audience member, except when in the pit (don't want to lose them)
I was quite lucky to have the potential for hearing loss brought to my attention early on, because I'm a roadie. A lot of people I meet don't even think about it. The drummer for the band I work for still doesn't wear plugs despite repeated requests for him to get some, I don't know why.
I really couldn't tell people enough how much of a gig necessity they are, especially if you're at gigs all the time.
Plus mine are little white in ear buds so you can't see them in amongst all my piercings anyway
First, an update to my prior post, and then a direct response to the question about using Musician's Plugs and singing in your band. I got fitted for custom Etymonic 15db reduction, "Musician's Plugs." I did some research, and preferred Etymonic over Westone, due to shape/profile, and the lack of a string to pull them out (like Westone had - which didn't appeal to me). In Greater Boston area, I paid $150 for the Etymonic, including doctor's consult and fitting (and the Westones were $250 at the two other places I called). I wanted plugs that would basically be 'invisible" when looking at me head on (call me vein - but I didn't want Frankenstein/Marvin Martian things poking out of my ears when performing). I found the custom fitting to be more uncomfortable than I expected - having something inserted deeply into your ear canal (by a professional audiologist, I should clarify) - but it wasn't comfortable, and then when the foam was injected, the pressure wasn't pleasant. However, I'd trade 10 minutes of semi-discomfort with keeping my hearing intact, any day. Got the plugs last week, and wore them to band practice last night. They are fairly comfortable (I had them in for 4 hours - toward the end, I looked forward to removing them - but they were not bad at all to have in). They sat just fine under the headphones we always use when recording. They sit pretty darn flush to my ear, and you can barely see them when looking at me straight (I've had conversations with my wife, with them in - and she didn't notice they were in). They did the trick, and I felt less "nervous" about having the headphones off when the drummer was practicing. OK, as far as the singing - no problem. The trick is that these go beyond the "second bend" inside your ear, so you don't get that boomy sensation you get with smaller plugs. I was able to sing and record my backup vocals to the recording track, no problem. Some lower conversations were a little harder to pick up (as you're reducing the overall volume by 15db -- but overall, I kept them in all night, and the guys wouldn't really have known the difference). Hope this is helpful to somebody.
Wearing ear plugs is one of the best things I have done for myself!
When I started playing music at a very young age, I quickly discovered that I didn't like that loud ringing in my ears after the gig, so I started wearing ear protection. It was rolled toilet paper at first, but eventually I started wearing ear plugs made to shut out loud noises.
I did a research project in high school about loud noise's effects on the body and learned just how harmful high sound volume is to the body, beginning with damage to the ears.
I learned from an audiologist that the ringing in your ears after exposure to loud sound levels is the sound of your auditory nerve cells dying. What a horrible sound!
My hearing allows me to enjoy my gift of musical talent and be able to share it with many people over the years. Wearing earplugs has allowed me to continue on with doing something I truly love to do.
If you want my advise, and if you value your hearing like I do, start wearing earplugs. It's a simple thing and it will do you and your hearing a lot of good.
Bob
When I started playing music at a very young age, I quickly discovered that I didn't like that loud ringing in my ears after the gig, so I started wearing ear protection. It was rolled toilet paper at first, but eventually I started wearing ear plugs made to shut out loud noises.
I did a research project in high school about loud noise's effects on the body and learned just how harmful high sound volume is to the body, beginning with damage to the ears.
I learned from an audiologist that the ringing in your ears after exposure to loud sound levels is the sound of your auditory nerve cells dying. What a horrible sound!
My hearing allows me to enjoy my gift of musical talent and be able to share it with many people over the years. Wearing earplugs has allowed me to continue on with doing something I truly love to do.
If you want my advise, and if you value your hearing like I do, start wearing earplugs. It's a simple thing and it will do you and your hearing a lot of good.
Bob
To the singers:
I tried the moulded plugs with 15dB as i surely mentioned a few pages back and switched to the 9dB version. You still have some amplified internal body noise, as with all earplugs, but i'ts not so bad as with the stronger ones. With 9, i can sing and modulate my voice as normal as long as i'm in a loud environment. If i did it in a quiet space, it'd be disturbing to hear the internal body noises amplified against the exterior noise - but with a guitard happily strumming away through a 4x12, it really feels like not wearing them.
I tried the moulded plugs with 15dB as i surely mentioned a few pages back and switched to the 9dB version. You still have some amplified internal body noise, as with all earplugs, but i'ts not so bad as with the stronger ones. With 9, i can sing and modulate my voice as normal as long as i'm in a loud environment. If i did it in a quiet space, it'd be disturbing to hear the internal body noises amplified against the exterior noise - but with a guitard happily strumming away through a 4x12, it really feels like not wearing them.
I wear the Westones. I'm on my second mold. I had my first set made back in 2000. Your ear canal changes shape over time, and after a while, my first set wasn't working any more. I had a new mold taken last year. I go back and forth between the 15DB and 25DB filters. I also sing a few songs in my band and do not have a problem wearing the plugs. I've been wearing these for so long that I feel strange when they aren't in.
Out of all my friends, I'm the only one that has constantly worn ear plugs since the beginning. I've been playing live for almost 20 years now. I really hope my friends' hearing will still be around in 10 years.
Out of all my friends, I'm the only one that has constantly worn ear plugs since the beginning. I've been playing live for almost 20 years now. I really hope my friends' hearing will still be around in 10 years.
I find others' accounts of their experiences very helpful, so I'm back to report on mine with the Earaser plugs. YMMV, of course.
I've been using the Etymotic ER-20 off-the-shelf plugs for a couple years, so that's what I was used to. Tried the Earaser plugs last night at a rehearsal. We're not stoopid loud but I'm uncomfortable without plugs--plus I've got decades of playing time (= exposure to loud sound) so I'm careful.
The fit of the Earasers was more comfortable, and the seal was better. The off-the-shelf ER-20s just don't fit my ear canal all that well; I have to push them in periodically, and the occlusion effect (booming) is nasty when I'm singing if they've started to back out a little bit.
But the Earasers just didn't give me enough attenuation. I left them in for the first hour of practice, and the quality of the sound was good (didn't sound muffled, like the foam plugs)--but too much level was getting through, and I switched back to the ER-20s for the balance of the rehearsal.
I'd say the Earasers could be a good choice for someone who just needs a modest amount of attenuation. But I'm gonna go ahead and get custom-fit plugs with either the Etymotic or ACS insert buttons. Out of my next paycheck, since the Sheriff of Nottingham (talkin' 'bout the IRS, y'all...) cleaned me out pretty good this month.
I've been using the Etymotic ER-20 off-the-shelf plugs for a couple years, so that's what I was used to. Tried the Earaser plugs last night at a rehearsal. We're not stoopid loud but I'm uncomfortable without plugs--plus I've got decades of playing time (= exposure to loud sound) so I'm careful.
The fit of the Earasers was more comfortable, and the seal was better. The off-the-shelf ER-20s just don't fit my ear canal all that well; I have to push them in periodically, and the occlusion effect (booming) is nasty when I'm singing if they've started to back out a little bit.
But the Earasers just didn't give me enough attenuation. I left them in for the first hour of practice, and the quality of the sound was good (didn't sound muffled, like the foam plugs)--but too much level was getting through, and I switched back to the ER-20s for the balance of the rehearsal.
I'd say the Earasers could be a good choice for someone who just needs a modest amount of attenuation. But I'm gonna go ahead and get custom-fit plugs with either the Etymotic or ACS insert buttons. Out of my next paycheck, since the Sheriff of Nottingham (talkin' 'bout the IRS, y'all...) cleaned me out pretty good this month.
I just wanted to thank the OP and the Admin for the sticky on this post. I had impressions done on my ears today at the audiologist and expect the musicians ear plugs in a week or two. I'm expecting that they'll work much better than the foam plugs I've been using. Another pair of ears saved, thanks to TalkBass 
OP, how often did the band rehearse and how often did it play gigs? Was it a pro touring band? The band I was in sounded to be the same so far as gear and volume but not being pro I can't say for sure how many gigs we played. I wore ear plugs for everything but what I considered the important gigs. Gigs and practice. The band practiced 3 to 4 nights a week for about 7 years between the two bands that formed from the first one. When my hearing was tested from 2000 to 2008 my hearing was great. NO hearing loss considered for my age.
Important to know also that you can have shooters ear muffs on and still suffer hearing loss from the sound that penetrates your frontal lobe.
As for fancy ear plugs, I bought some that are supposed to allow you to hear but that cut out dangerous frequencies. And honestly I got the same results with the foam plugs by pulling them out slightly until I could hear better but not have my ears hammered full throttle.
Important to know also that you can have shooters ear muffs on and still suffer hearing loss from the sound that penetrates your frontal lobe.
As for fancy ear plugs, I bought some that are supposed to allow you to hear but that cut out dangerous frequencies. And honestly I got the same results with the foam plugs by pulling them out slightly until I could hear better but not have my ears hammered full throttle.
I'm gonna have custom plugs made soon, and I'm trying to choose between the Etymotic buttons and the ACS Pro buttons.
Any advice or comments you can offer would be helpful!
Any advice or comments you can offer would be helpful!
Back in the day, there was no talk of such things. Too bad. I am 71, still playing, and have been since I was 19. Well, in electric bands, that is. I started with classical when I was a kid. But, between rock and roll, 5 years in the Navy as a flight crew member and working on aircraft carrier flight deck, and about the last 20 years in shooting sports, it is a wonder my ears work at all. I did have hearing aids, but one got stolen and the other quit working. When I get another $4000 together, I'll get another set. And I have 24/7 tinnitus. So the moral of the story is yes, get some kind of protection for your ears.
I do find it interesting my left ear is worse than my right. I wonder if it was because I always wanted to be on the drummer's right and as close as possible. Seems that ride cymbol was always right in my left ear.
I do find it interesting my left ear is worse than my right. I wonder if it was because I always wanted to be on the drummer's right and as close as possible. Seems that ride cymbol was always right in my left ear.
My left ear has now developed tinnitus. It now has a slight low-pitched ringing in it, 24/7. I'm 53, it started about six or eight months ago.
If it is just one ear, then see an Audiologist ASAP, this may not be related to noise exposure.
Fair enough, I would recommend you do not leave too long, I suggest you do a google search on tinnitus in one ear or feel free to PM me if you want more info.
I just used my new Musicians Earplugs for the first time at rehersal last night. I have a 15db filter installed in them.The sound level was comfortable (we sometimes get a little loud, but being old guys we usually keep it down) anyway, I was having a hard time being able to hear what I was playing. I use a 100 watt SWR LA12 combo amp at practice which is more then enough and I have it tilted toward the back of my head but still was struggling to really hear what I was playing.
Do these earplugs tend to block lower freq. a bit more then high? I really like the quiet atmospher they provide but I still have to hear what I'm doing...?!
