Reminds me of when I went to an Isis show at the subterranean in Chicago. Dub Trio (opener) was about to start, I reached for my earplugs and went "uh oh". My friends had to yell for me to hear them for a couple hours afterward. 
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
MY EARS!
- Thread starter MycooLeeyun
- Start date
Thanks so much for all of the input. My main concern is definitely preserving my hearing as I love music. I'm also a piano player who wants to hear the beautiful acoustic melodies that the piano produces for the rest of my life. I think the earplugs I have now are too small. I noticed at practice that they weren't really doing anything.. It almost seemed like I didn't even have earplugs in. So besides taking the doctor route and getting custom fitted ear plugs.. What would you all suggest as the most affordable and effective pair?
With A weighting, we where still hitting about 118/119dB. I only quoted C since that is what the charts I found used. The bass is very quiet compared to the other instruments. Most of the volume comes from lead guitar and drums. But not the bass drum.
And remember these are peaks, not average.
May want to consider telling the drummer to get some pads for his cymbals, snare, and toms. As well as putting a blanket or hoodie in the bass drum.
118dB in a practice space?
as a young teen i got dragged to "hang out" at a band practice that was like this, with a full marshall stack and a huge kit in a square empty drywalled bedroom.
the volume was bizarrely loud, but i didn't want to look "uncool", so i didn't run out of there or even jam my fingers in my ears like i should have.
i ended up discreetly leaning against a wall and pressing my right ear to it to block the racket as much as i could, but my left was still exposed.
that ear suffered permanent damage and is not as good as my right to this day.
as a young teen i got dragged to "hang out" at a band practice that was like this, with a full marshall stack and a huge kit in a square empty drywalled bedroom.
the volume was bizarrely loud, but i didn't want to look "uncool", so i didn't run out of there or even jam my fingers in my ears like i should have.
i ended up discreetly leaning against a wall and pressing my right ear to it to block the racket as much as i could, but my left was still exposed.
that ear suffered permanent damage and is not as good as my right to this day.
Playing super loud in rehearsal just means that you're covering all your mistakes with sonic mush. When you get to the gig, and are asked to turn down, the band will start to hear how much player X fumbles the bridge or backup singer Y misses the harmony in the 2nd verse.
Put up some heavy blankets and throw down some rugs to reduce reflections, turn things down a bit, and get some proper fitting earplugs.
I use these ones in blue [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] but I think one ear is bigger than the other, so I'll be getting a pair of the large ones until I feel the need for custom molded. I think I paid more when I got mine, but they're dirt cheap and do cut volume pretty evenly.
Put up some heavy blankets and throw down some rugs to reduce reflections, turn things down a bit, and get some proper fitting earplugs.
I use these ones in blue [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] but I think one ear is bigger than the other, so I'll be getting a pair of the large ones until I feel the need for custom molded. I think I paid more when I got mine, but they're dirt cheap and do cut volume pretty evenly.
I had the etymotic earplugs in regular size, I just picked them up in large and it seems to be working better. My ears were still ringing after practice and as I laid down in bed to go to sleep. I think it might be possible to turn the guitar and bass down slightly, but the drums will continue to be loud as hell. We have the room semi sound proofed but it could definitely use some more.
+ 1 for the foam ear plugs. When worn properly they work great! I use the long ones with the cord attached to the plug. This allows me to insert them deep into the ear canal.
If that doesn't work, wrap the drummer in the blankets, throw him in the trunk of a car, and leave it somewhere wet. Like a river.
I'm not going to let anybody destroy my hearing just because they lack the skill to play quietly. Our rehearsals are incredibly quiet - bass through a 25w amp set to about 3 on the dial, same for electric guitar. We can run acoustic piano and guitars without any amplification, and we've even been known to have the drummer play on a couple of phone books instead of his drums. We're all too old to want to hurt anyone!
A 10'x10' room is very small room for a full drum kit, plus everyone else.
Put practice pads on the kit, dampers you name it. Whatever it takes. Or get an electronic kit and turn it low. The drummer should be protecting his hearing too.
An extra $60 / month for the larger room might be a good thing too.
A side story: We had a drummer audition for my band this summer. He played loud and did not know how to play soft while keeping intensity. We did not take him. Later on, we had a drummer come in and coach us, a guy who taught drums at the University level, he played with power, drive and intensity at a very low volume. All this on a crappy kit that we have at our rehearsal space. Excellent drummers can do this. Our current drummer can do this pretty well, not as well as the university teacher, but pretty good. Your drummer needs to learn how to do this.
For practice go to the drug store down the street and get some regular foam -32db plugs. They are cheap and they will save your ears. The "sound quality" going into your ears isn't as good, but at least you'll be able to hear when you're 40.
If theres one thing that drive me nuts about wannabe musicians, it's the volume thing.
Id bet money none of the others are going to do a single thing to improve the situation, in which case the 10x20 wouldnt be much better.
If you cant afford a safe car, you shouldnt drive until you can; if this situation is all you have access to, then practice at home until you have the means to do something reasonably safe.
The only thing I can recommend in good conscience is to dump that scene.
Stick_Player
Inactive
- Nov 13, 2009
- 4,149
- 937
- Disclosures
- Endorser: Plants vs. Zombies Pea Shooters
If you are going to play at silly-stupid sound levels, you might as well look silly-stupid doing it.
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
If our government subjected prisoners of war to that level of abuse, there would be Congressional hearings and someone would go to jail.
Find more intelligent bandmates.
Find more intelligent bandmates.
Yeah, sounds like you should get the drummer some Hot-Rods or brushes. Tell him he can't have his sticks back until he learns to turn it down.
I never wear earplugs and my ears never hurt with our loud drummer, 2 guitar half-stacks and a tube Mesa head with 1x15+4x10.
You guys are... too loud.
You guys are... too loud.
I am in misery if I forget my earplugs. I use the molded ones. My problem is that everyone keeps telling me to turn up, they say you can never have too much bass. Well it is too much for me if I'm so loud (being closer to my amp) that I can't hear everyone else! It occurred to me, what earplugs might I use that aren't flat and cut more bass? Seems like I want to try the opposite of what the yellow foam plugs do.
Most ear plugs will cut the highs before cutting the bass. The easy solution to your situation is to sit/stand farther away from the bass amp. I do it often. The amp is over there, and I'm over here. Let those who want "More BASS!" position themselves closer to the bass amp.
