Musician's earplugs

niangelo · Post by **niangelo** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:56 am

That's it, I'm gonna save my hearing. I only play in church, but when our stage volume tops around 108db, I gotta do something.

So I ran it by the pastor, and the church is gonna spring to buy me some musician's earplugs. They're around $160, and I can swap the filter for 9, 15, or 25db reduction. I'm gonna go with the 15 for starters.

Molds get done on the 11th!

Jacco428 · Post by **Jacco428** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:16 am

I've got them too. takes some getting used to, especially when singing, but besides that it's great and really saves your hearring.

TheOrangeJuicer · Post by **TheOrangeJuicer** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:23 pm

Custom molded models are great of course. For the working musician without a sponsor, Hearos are great.

http://hearos.com/earplugs/musician-ear-plugs.html

LeonC · Post by **LeonC** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:54 pm

Do something to protect your hearing. Tinnitus is seriously a b1tch and something you REALLY don't want to deal with. It's the worst @#$% thing that's ever happened to me, and I, like a dumba$$, did it to myself.

I've got some custom made plugs that I had an audiologist make for me. But at this point--they're about 5 years old--and the shape of my ear canal has apparently changed enough to where these don't work that well. See, it's not the filter that's custom made, it's the shape--they're made fit perfectly inside *your* ears. I've been using much less expensive plugs from Etymotic Research and they're doing a great job. (These are the people that make the filters that most custom-made earplugs use.) I just wish I'd started using *something* a lot earlier.

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx

One last point. None of these things are perfect or fool-proof. You can still get tinnitus, even if you're wearing these things, if the noise is too loud.

Bluz57 · Post by **Bluz57** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:04 pm

Yes, always protect your hearing.I burned mine out years ago with loud music and gunpowder.I always wear plugs when I go to concerts.The volumes there will destroy your ears.I have lost 50% in my left ear, probably 30% in my right.

Asphalt Jungle · Post by **Asphalt Jungle** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:08 pm

WHAT!?

big L · Post by **big L** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:49 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by LeonC
 Do something to protect your hearing. Tinnitus is seriously a b1tch and something you REALLY don't want to deal with. It's the worst @#$% thing that's ever happened to me, and I, like a dumba$$, did it to myself.

I've got some custom made plugs that I had an audiologist make for me. But at this point--they're about 5 years old--and the shape of my ear canal has apparently changed enough to where these don't work that well. See, it's not the filter that's custom made, it's the shape--they're made fit perfectly inside *your* ears. I've been using much less expensive plugs from Etymotic Research and they're doing a great job. (These are the people that make the filters that most custom-made earplugs use.) I just wish I'd started using *something* a lot earlier.

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx

One last point. None of these things are perfect or fool-proof. You can still get tinnitus, even if you're wearing these things, if the noise is too loud.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

big L · Post by **big L** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:51 pm

Tinnitus does take some getting used to. I've had it for years. I take Gingko every day. It helps me a lot.

half_deaf · Post by **half_deaf** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:57 pm

That is serious stage volume. Maybe your church should invest in ear monitors..??

rabies · Post by **rabies** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:58 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jacco428
 I've got them too. takes some getting used to, especially when singing, but besides that it's great and really saves your hearring.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
i bought some fairly nice earplugs for about $15 bucks off the bay, and i found they worked great...until i started singing, it felt super weird, almost to the point where i just couldn't do it, although i somehow managed to lose them somewhere

if i was simply a guitar player, i'd definitely invest in some, but unfortunately its my job to do vocals as well, so i've gotta pass for now:(

BrianGT · Post by **BrianGT** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:00 pm

I too have partial hearing loss and that ringing in the ear always in the background.
Unusually though, I hate a bright sounding amp......so if it sounds bright to me it MUST be bright!!
Look after your ears....or it's the end of your playing.......

Bandeapart · Post by **Bandeapart** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:06 pm

I actually just use tissue cuz it heavily cuts sound but not tone like cheap ear plugs.

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:21 pm

I just use these if I find volume too loud.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/ultratech_er20.htm

Does the job decently - just knocks the edge off the sound for me. I don't play at silly volumes though. If we started playing higher volumes, i'd probably be thinking about in-ear monitors or custom moulded ones...

Niangelo, that's some serious stage volume. I'm surprised your pastor - let alone PA crew - let's you get away with that! Might be worth thinking if you can bring it down somehow. Ear plugs are all very well, but that sort of bombardment can hurt other guys in the congregation too...

TheOrangeJuicer · Post by **TheOrangeJuicer** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:24 am

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by rabies
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jacco428
 I've got them too. takes some getting used to, especially when singing, but besides that it's great and really saves your hearring.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
i bought some fairly nice earplugs for about $15 bucks off the bay, and i found they worked great...until i started singing, it felt super weird, almost to the point where i just couldn't do it, although i somehow managed to lose them somewhere

if i was simply a guitar player, i'd definitely invest in some, but unfortunately its my job to do vocals as well, so i've gotta pass for now:(
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No you don't. You can't afford to. Try these out:

They are affordable and just reduce level, they don't completely block the highs that you need to hear. They don't reduce level nearly as much as some other types either, so it's not perfect but it may be the best compromise in your case. Losing your ability to discern those frequencies even without ear plugs is a compromise you should not be willing to make.

Bluz57 · Post by **Bluz57** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:29 am

I am going to see Robin Trower tomorrow nite.I have my tickets and my Silencio ear plugs in hand. They have the valves that close up once the sound get s above a certain level. Suspect they will be closed most of the evening.

Musician's earplugs

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