Max-T
43 posts
Sep 30, 2010
2:14 AM
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Does anyone here use earplugs when they are gig'ing (or even if you're seeing a rock/blues concert?)
I've been thinking of getting a custom made pair like these:
http://www.djmmusic.com/ItemMatrix.asp?GroupCode=ER25&MatrixType=2
Got the idea after last night, I was at the Charlotte street jam sitting about 6feet away from a guitarists amp, (not to mention the PA speakers) came away with a sore head and ringing ears and thought I should probably get some earplugs so that I don't go deaf by the time I'm 30.
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"imagination is more important then knowledge" - Albert Einstien
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Ant138
592 posts
Sep 30, 2010
5:25 AM
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I've used earplugs for gigs since i was 19 or so. I'm now 32. I think you should consider using them,the last thing you want is problems like Tinitus. I can't think of anything worse than having a loud hising noise in my ears for the rest of my life.
I also find that ear plugs filter out the crappy noisefrom loud gigs, some of my friends used to take the mick out of me for wearing them but who will be laughing in the long run.
I don't think people realise how much damage is done to your hearing from gigs and clubbing.
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http://www.youtube.com/user/fiendant?feature=mhum
Last Edited by on Sep 30, 2010 5:27 AM
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Honkin On Bobo
389 posts
Sep 30, 2010
5:28 AM
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I wear 'em almost all the time when I go to listen to live music. SO MANY bands have no idea what volume level is appropriate for the size room they are playing. It's mind boggling to me.
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toddlgreene
1847 posts
Sep 30, 2010
6:20 AM
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Wear them-no question about it, especially in front of a loud p.a. or loud stage volumes. Plus, especially if you deal with loud guitar amps, overzealous drummers or-imagine this-another harp player who likes to play at 11, you're a lot more susceptible to getting a feedback attack-and feedback of the high, screeching variety HURTS.
An added bonus of using earplugs, or even just wearing one, is that you can hear yourself play through your head when you have no monitor or your amp gets lost in the fray.
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Crescent City Harmonica Club
Todd L Greene, Co-Founder
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harpdude61
376 posts
Sep 30, 2010
6:49 AM
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I use them with a loud band. Sometimes I'll just use one if the band is not too loud and the drummer is on one side.
I have the foam insert type plugs with my Ipod. They seal very well. I like to play along with jam tracks with these to practice playing softly. Works well.
TIP...If you want to enjoy your favorite tunes while mowing or doing something noisy, insert the foam plug/phones deeply and wear a set of muff type ear protection over top. I can hear Cotton wailing away, but can barely hear my mower.
Last Edited by on Sep 30, 2010 6:50 AM
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mr_so&so
363 posts
Sep 30, 2010
7:09 AM
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There seems to be a bit of a sea change in attitudes here since the last time this topic was discussed. And that is good.
I wear 'em too. And the custom fitted ones you are thinking about are the way to go. Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way and am battling to keep tinnitus at bay. So far, it is working, and my tinnitus has been slowly going away because I'm not constantly re-injuring my hearing.
Todd and Ant make a good point too, that the plugs help you hear better by filtering out the ambient background noise and by helping you hear yourself play (through whatever bone conduction magic is going on).
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Barry C.
5 posts
Sep 30, 2010
8:41 AM
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The ringing in your ears is the sound of hearing damage - wear them for sure - custom plugs are the only way to go - or one day you'll wake up and the ringing won't go away (i have mild tinnitus from playing in a band that i didn't even think was that loud until it was too late - now i protect my ears from further damage at all costs!).
I use these: http://www.westone.com/
I'm currently using the custom earplugs but researching changing to in-ear monitors (ear protection & actually hearing myself onstage), they plug into the sound board.
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~Banned in Boston!
Last Edited by on Sep 30, 2010 10:56 AM
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harpdude61
378 posts
Sep 30, 2010
9:08 AM
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Barry C. How do these in-ear monitors work? I have no idea. Do they plug into something? Long chord?
I would really like to hear myself better when playing.
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nacoran
2845 posts
Sep 30, 2010
10:20 AM
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There was a thread a while back about tinnitus and hearing loss. There was sort of a roll call of who did and who didn't have hearing damage. It was really sobering. Earplugs are your friend.
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Nate
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oldwailer
1362 posts
Sep 30, 2010
10:35 AM
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When I find myself in a situation where I need earplugs to have a good time--I leave. . .
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9000
22 posts
Sep 30, 2010
12:22 PM
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In my area the blues are played loud! I've been using custom fitted E-A-R ear filters for 6 or 7 years now. I wish I had started using them 30 years ago. Did you know that many musicians in symphonic orchestras use ear filters to protect their hearing and they're not using amps like a lot of us. I'm losing my hearing but the protection has helped to slow things down. Keep in mind that it's probably louder right in front of the band than it is on stage. I use the 9db filters on stage and 15db filters when I'm sitting up front at a loud show. Don't take a chance on losing your hearing. It's really tiresome to say, "huh?" all day long!!
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TNFrank
282 posts
Sep 30, 2010
12:51 PM
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I know one thing for sure, don't EVER go to an Indy Car race without ear plugs. My brother and I found that one out the hard way. LOL
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Harmonicas:
Hohner Big River in Low F,G,A,Bb
Hohner Special 20 in Bb
Suzuki HarpMaster in C
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Max-T
44 posts
Sep 30, 2010
2:52 PM
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Cheers for the feedback guys. Looks like a set of earplugs are in order then.
I'm just not too sure which filters to go with. they have ER-15 and ER-25, I was thinking of getting the ER-25's, apparently they are for louder situations.
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"imagination is more important then knowledge" - Albert Einstien
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9000
23 posts
Sep 30, 2010
5:37 PM
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@ Max-T: ER-25s are usually for drummers. They take 25db right off of the top. These will probably take so much of the "juiciness" out of the music that it will be difficult to play. There are also ER-9 filters. I have the 9's and the 15's. Those cover 100% of what I do which is mostly a pretty loud rockin' blues band. All the best, Jay
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Greg Heumann
798 posts
Sep 30, 2010
10:05 PM
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I know it ain't good for my hearing - but I just can't hear the band and how I'm mixing with it when I wear earplugs. If I had in-ear monitors and a sound guy to manage the levels (in my ear and the house) I'd use them - but I don't have that luxury. I do wear them when listening to others when they're too loud, but when I'm performing I just can't get used to them. Open to suggestions......
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/Greg
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mr_so&so
364 posts
Oct 01, 2010
7:45 AM
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@Max-T, I have both 15 and 25 db filters. The audiologist said that the 15s should be enough, but for any amplified music listening, I wear the 25s. I don't find that they attenuate too much, FWIW. Then again I'm paranoid about doing more damage and the 25s have done the trick so far.
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Barry C.
6 posts
Oct 01, 2010
10:35 AM
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Max T - I also have both the 15 & 25's - the 15's don't always do the trick (and the 25's are great when my wife starts asking why I bought so much harp gear!)!
Why putz-around, only $80 more to get both.
Does anyone use in-ear monitors and can give some guidance on pros/cons????
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~Banned in Boston!
Last Edited by on Oct 01, 2010 10:35 AM
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toddlgreene
1861 posts
Oct 01, 2010
10:51 AM
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Greg-try wearing just one(even a foamie is good), strategically on the side where the loudest sound is coming from(usually the guitar), you'll still hear well enough, plus get the benefit of your harp resonating through your bones so you can hear it. You'll at least be blocking out some of the damaging noise.
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Crescent City Harmonica Club
Todd L Greene, Co-Founder
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nacoran
2853 posts
Oct 01, 2010
12:02 PM
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Are there any hybrid earplugs/earmonitors? You could block out the noise and then pipe in just what you need?
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Nate
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MrVerylongusername
1262 posts
Oct 01, 2010
12:09 PM
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that's what IEMs are - they are designed to block out stage noise so you can have your mix at a comfortable volume level. Our whole band uses them and have never looked back - the most important thing is getting the mix right. Takes a bit of getting used to. Usually though IEMs are bundled with cheap crappy headphones. You need to spend good money to get sound isolating phones with good top and low-end freq reproduction. The Shure E series are good and you can ear moulds on them for a perfect fit.
Last Edited by on Oct 01, 2010 12:10 PM
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9000
26 posts
Oct 02, 2010
7:21 PM
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@ Greg H. Using filters requires some practice. I had trouble at first but I want to play as long as I can and I also want to be able to make a living in an occupation that requires me to hear what others are saying. The custom filters are much different than the foam plugs. They do not have that same "stuffy" feeling. In a loud club there is so much noise that I can often hear better...even speech with the filters than without them. I suggest that everyone go to an audiologist and have their hearing tested. The resultant audiogram will become your baseline so that you can track your hearing loss. The unfortunate reality is that the combination of aging and loud music will mean significant hearing loss for many of us. While you're with the audiologist price out a couple of quality hearing aids...It will put the price of those tweed amps into perspective!!
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Sam Pai Kenpo
50 posts
Oct 03, 2010
12:40 AM
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I was going to buy some expensive protection and read that the foam earplugs are actually better protection. You can't hear everything as good, but it also keeps my singing on key. I'm used to earplugs because my wife snores!
A bass player I know has tinititis and his ears ring all the time. I don't want any of that stuff.
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barbequebob
1277 posts
Oct 03, 2010
11:55 AM
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Personally, the off the shelf ear plugs I don't like because they take too much across the board and the special custom ones are better because they're tailored properly, which you can't have on the off the shelf stuff.
A number of the OTS stuff comes either -29 or -15 decibels, but when it's done across the board, that's the wrong thing to do because they take off EVERYTHING, and the middle frequencies don't need to be squelched as much and tho most people think the trouble frequencies are in the treble because of loud guitars, the TRUTH of the matter is, and as also explained to me by a reputable audiologist, the REAL damage comes from the bass frequencies, especially those coming from an electric bass and when I see kids today jack that bass up really loud, they have no clue as to how much damage they do to their hearing that they'll never get back.
The top two offenders for hearing loss are:
1.) ELECTRIC BASS (needs greater amplifier power to produce those low notes,and for years, bigger speakers to reproduce it, but it takes standing some 20 feet away for a bass player to actually hear themselves and they can't hear themselves when standing directly in front of their amps because it takes more physical space to develop);
2.) CYMBOLS may seem odd, but because of its indefinite pitch, it can do quite a lot more damage that one realizes.
Much further down the list is the guitar, and tho it DOES create painful sound pressure at a loud volumes, it terms of REAL hearing loss, the guitar doesn't come REMOTELY close to what electric bass does.
Standup bass produces fewer problems because there are fewer volume problems with them, plus they do not produce the kind of harmful harmonic overtones that the electric bass does.
I can attest for a FACT that for having a loud electric bass on my left over the years that I do have some hearing loss out of my left ear (and it's also why I prefer to have someone who can also play stand up bass as well as a lot of the stuff I do, it makes more sense) and when I hear kids with their loud car stereos with the bass jacked up to 11, it physically hurts like hell from the sound pressure of the bass, and guitars bother my ears far less.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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