how did musicians play live without hearing protection??

[TreySonagras]

Musicians are reluctant to talk about their hearing loss. I have pronounced loss of my high frequency hearing and struggle with speech recognition. I am often afraid people will no longer trust my musicianship if they think I can’t hear well enough.
Hearing impairment is the only disability that people are comfortable making fun of. Especially when older people suffer from it. If I ask someone to repeat themselves too many times they’ll get frustrated and make comments to others about how deaf I am. No one would ever say something like “He’s just blind. He can’t see anything”.

 

[Jeff Elkins]

Thank goodness for hearing aids. They even tone the tinnitus down to tolerable levels.

Koog

Wait a sec. What's that about? Hearing aids can have an impact on tinnitus?

 

[Koog]

Wait a sec. What's that about? Hearing aids can have an impact on tinnitus?

Yes. Some have a white noise option. I didn't like that...it's just another noise, but because my hearing is so much better with the aids the tinnitus is much quieter. I have been told that, for some people, the noise from tinnitus will all but disappear with hearing aids in.

Caution: hearing aids are not a cure for tinnitus. My ears still roar when I don't wear the aids, which is pretty much only during sleeping or when I shower. Sure makes life more pleasant for me and has been worth the expense.

I'm not sure of the science behind this. I suggest reading up on the subject and checking with a qualified audiologist to get the answers you need.

Hope this is helpful.

Koog

 

[bassinflorida]

Whwat? Speak

these days, you always hear the advice “wear hearing protection onstage if you don’t want to go deaf” in the situation of live shows. but… what in the hell were they doing back then??? you don’t hear every musician from the 60s and 70s saying they have significant hearing loss, apart from the odd pete townshend. but even so, they were loooooud back then, and they had to be. amplification was less reliant on venue speakers, and the power was in the amps and how loud the drummer was… which is suuuper loud. these days, playing drums without hearing protection (i don’t do it regularly, if at all) for me literally brings pain to my ears, and i don’t understand how musicians played live with such loud playing environments and loud instruments without being in constant pain. think beatles shows, cream shows, any rock show being onstage with a drummer.

What? Speak a little louder please.

 

[JTE]

I remember reading an interview in the early '70 with Fran Beecher, Bill Hailey's ("Rock Around The Clock") guitarist where he talked about hearing loss he attributed to loud music.

Just playing bar band gigs since '76, mostly with country bands has contributed to a distinct difference in my ,eft ear vs. the right one. I always try to be stage left so the rest of the band is to my right. That generally put the cymbals too close to my right ear, and that carryout a good swath of frequencies there.

 

[retslock]

Upper and lower extremes of my hearing are damaged. Tinnitus is constant and has been all my adult life for 50 years or so. I get distortion from a whole range of things. Crash cymbals can be terrible when you’re close to them. Tambourines can distort and even a tap running sometimes can cause distortion. Crowded rooms make conversation difficult. TV is often hard to understand. I can hear but without consonant sibilance I can’t understand what’s being said. Our keyboard player’s Hammond sounds can distort significantly at lower frequencies. I tried earplugs but found it disorienting especially when I sang backups. This is what awaits younger players if they don’t take care of their hearing.

 

[eliascalles]

The sad thing is that I think hearing loss is almost the default norm and the majority of people have hearing loss. That makes it difficult for those of us who still have good hearing.

seriously. I also run sound for most of my bands and in some cases it's almost comical the lengths I have to go though to BOTH run a good stage and FOH mix AND appease deaf musicians lol. With the older crowed it seems that lower backs go out at about the same rate as hearing, so I've been able to convince a few guitar players to ditch the 2x12 tube combos and go direct into the PA which helps. I play with a harmonica player for whom I had to rig up a mount to keep his tube combo at head high just behind his poor deaf head. and I have purchased hearing protection for MANY of the musicians I play with though only a couple ever use them. I carry a set of plugs on my keychain, a set in each truck, a set in my drumstick back etc. I also work as a recording engineer and for me 3 sets on a loud stage (even with protection) will make it all but impossible to mix well the next day.

 

[bobyoung53]

They don't hear you though.

No I mean literally, they can't hear you

Not all of us geezers are deaf, I'm not, been playing for more than 50 years, most with SVT's and Marshalls and loud drummers, play smart get out of the line of fire. My hearing does drop off at about 10K which is somewhat normal for people my age, I have no tinnitus, this whole thread is a little overblown, you cannot really differentiate age related hearing loss from hearing loss from exposure to loud noises.

I didn't not highlight anything in this following statement, don't know why it does that:

One of the most common types of hearing loss is known as high-frequency hearing loss. This means high-pitched sounds are harder to hear. It can affect anyone of any age, but is common in older adults with age-related hearing loss, as well as people exposed to loud noises.

 

[BlueTalon]

I have purchased hearing protection for MANY of the musicians I play with though only a couple ever use them. I carry a set of plugs on my keychain, a set in each truck, a set in my drumstick back etc. I also work as a recording engineer and for me 3 sets on a loud stage (even with protection) will make it all but impossible to mix well the next day.

I bought a set of EarPeace hearing protection for my guitar player and my drummer. I don't think they ever use it, but they see me use mine all the time, and I feel good that I made it available to them, even if they choose not to use it (and then complain later about losing their hearing!).

 

[buldog5151bass]

I think it's more that it wasn't considered a medical condition. It was pretty much accepted that is you were a touring rock musician, construction worker,factory worker, etc., you would have significant hearing loss.

I've always protected my ears. After playing in bands for over 30 years, no issues.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I think it's more that it wasn't considered a medical condition. It was pretty much accepted that is you were a touring rock musician, construction worker,factory worker, etc., you would have significant hearing loss.

I've always protected my ears. After playing in bands for over 30 years, no issues.

 

[Rwimmer]

I use to break the filters off cigarettes and insert in my ears while playing showed in Vietnam back in the 60s . Not attractive, but better than nothing.

 

[ryco]

You did your very best with what you had.
From Bogan/Atlas to Shure Vocal Masters without monitors thru Voice of the Theater et all with monitors.

 

[GreyEagle]

My first rock concert I experienced was Blue Cheer at The Electric Factory (March 1970 I believe). The seats right in front of the stage were vacant, so I sat at the front with my chin on the stage (no lie or exaggeration) while they set up. The solid wall of Marshall double-stacks wasn't warning enough for me, nor was the fact that the roadie drove spikes/nails into the stage to secure the kick drum. And look! when the roadie did the soundcheck, the kick's head stayed dented where the mallet hit...hmmm sheetmetal heads. All instruments & vocals (it seemed) were run through the Marshalls (Marshall stacks as PA!?!). The sonic vertigo I experienced was a new sensation! Stayed there the whole show acting like I knew what I was doing; teen pride, my nemesis! Band practices a couple of years later were near as loud. Tinnitus has been my companion since (although my hearing's checked out ok).

 

[Matt R]

Huh, what did you say?
Tinnitus, ring ring ring 24/7 is the result one decade after playing in club bands standing next to hard hitting drummers.

Westone ER15 custom molded ear plugs. Wish I started wearing them much earlier.
There's no reversing hearing damage.

 

[MrNige]

these days, you always hear the advice “wear hearing protection onstage if you don’t want to go deaf” in the situation of live shows. but… what in the hell were they doing back then??? you don’t hear every musician from the 60s and 70s saying they have significant hearing loss, apart from the odd pete townshend. but even so, they were loooooud back then, and they had to be. amplification was less reliant on venue speakers, and the power was in the amps and how loud the drummer was… which is suuuper loud. these days, playing drums without hearing protection (i don’t do it regularly, if at all) for me literally brings pain to my ears, and i don’t understand how musicians played live with such loud playing environments and loud instruments without being in constant pain. think beatles shows, cream shows, any rock show being onstage with a drummer.

It ruined my ears mate. Worst thing ever were side fill monitors!

 

[Dan Knowlton]

Well, with tinnitus you get to have another barrier to falling and staying asleep! Thank God for IEM's!

 

[Astronaut]

By not putting stuff in their ears and playing... at the same time.

 

[Bob McAlister]

these days, you always hear the advice “wear hearing protection onstage if you don’t want to go deaf” in the situation of live shows. but… what in the hell were they doing back then???

We were stoned!!!
No, seriously I played 5-6 nights a week until I was 26 years old, Then once disco killed all those gigs, I went into construction for 40 years. I can't hear the kitchen timer and my wife says, "you can't hear THAT!" oh well.

 

[Laurence D]

I have herring loss too! Playing for over 50 years and it’s taken it’s toll!
I have lost most of the higher frequencies. I can hear people talking, I just can’t tell what their saying. I’ve had hearing aids for four years and have to say they really work. I wear them even when playing. I can control the volume and tone through my phone.