Hearing loss....

[RAM Z]

Here's something ya don't "hear" much about and something I've often wondered...... how is your hearing affected by being around and/or playing live music and should we be concerned about it?

Is there any way you can protect your hearing and still hear what you're playing ?

I've noticed over the last couple of years and after several hearing tests at my job ,that I don't hear certain voice levels of conversation and have to turn the t.v. up a couple of extra notches to hear it clearly ! I imagine alot of it has to do with my job because I'm around alot of pneumatic machines and other various load noises aside from being in a band. My sister is completely deaf from birth so I think about hearing loss often and wondered what some of your views were on this subject !( this subject only please )

Btw "Unclescabby" in case you are reading this I do know how to sign and my mother is an interpretor at a school, so sorry I didn't reply a few monthes back to your post about needing someone who could sign. I asked her later about it and she told me that there are a couple of different types of signing and she don't use the method they teach now and consider "standard I guess" , so she didn't think she could help, sorry for being a litlle late on that !

[facingwest]

A few years ago I got concerned with my ears and hearing loss. When I went to take a test, I found from the doctor that my hearing was fine. They only tested no more than 20 frequencies out of 20,000. I know I have to have some kind of hearing loss over the years playing in bands.

Anyways, after I had that test, I purchased some custom ear plugs and what a world of difference it made. Too many years of that high ringing whenever you are trying to go to sleep is gone. You have to get used to them being in your ears but I highly recommend them. You only get one set of ears and I'd like to be able to hear when I'm 70+ without hearing aids.

These plugs are custom fit to your ears and run about $250, but they're worth it in the long run.

[RAM Z]

250 smackers ouch ! No seriously, I hear ya man. I wanna be able to hear for a long time to come so that's a little something I didn't know about and I will look into it. Thanx for the info man.

[facingwest]

Divide 250 bucks over the next 40 or 50 years of your life...OR...1000+ dollar hearing aids that require you to buy batteries constantly. Which would you choose?

[RAM Z]

How about it ! Btw , where did ya get those earplugs?

[bassist_25]

Every musician who has played for any amount of time has lost some of his or her hearing. It only takes about 90 db for hearing damage to occur. Even my music professor, who's spent her life playing Classical music, has suffered hearing loss. The custom made ear plugs are worth the $250. You just have to be careful with them, because they're very fragile, more fragile than the Hearos you buy down at the music store. I use to have a pair of the ear plugs with the baffles in them, but they didn't evenly cut the frequencies and were a pain in the ass to put in my ears. Either way, there's something even worse than some hearing loss: Tinnitus.

I've very anal about my hands and fingers. I actually take extra caution not to put my hands in a situation where they would get hurt. For example, I refuse to use power tools. Even a broken finger can severely impair one's playing after it heals.

[Bert|Evil]

What?

[RAM Z]

I know what ya mean about your hands and fingers ! I have to be very carefull at work for that too ! What is Tinnitus ?

[bassist_25]

What is Tinnitus ?

It's a ringing in your ears that will never go away.

[RAM Z]

Thanx bassist_25 , I've heard of that I think, but never knew what it was called.

[Banned]

Tinnitus surprisingly can also occur without being around loud noises.

My mom had it and it drove her crazy for a few years. Thank God it eventually faded away some.

[facingwest]

I forget the name of the place off hand, but they're based out of Johnstown. I posted about the ear plugs many moons ago on General discussion. The plugs that I got had the caps. Two different db reduction (15 and 25). I started with the 15, then went with the 25.

From playing heavy strings 20+ hours a week, I had to start doing stretches in my hands and wrists because everything is tensing up. My chiropractor told me to lightly bend my fingers back without bending my wrist and not putting too much tension. Do that for about 5 minutes at a pop. Then do it with your wrists, but don't push too hard.

[bassist_25]

From playing heavy strings 20+ hours a week, I had to start doing stretches in my hands and wrists because everything is tensing up. My chiropractor told me to lightly bend my fingers back without bending my wrist and not putting too much tension. Do that for about 5 minutes at a pop. Then do it with your wrists, but don't push too hard.

Back when I was 17, I was in a pit orchestra. I was rehearsing up to 8 hours a day. Because of that, my left thumb will now occasionally have involunantary spasms.

[YankeeRose]

I was recently discussing Hearing Loss with a Musician. I have a slight hearing loss in my right ear, but it was due to repeated ear infections as a child. I went through testing 10 years ago or so and like facingwest, was told my hearing is normal. (Thanks for the info on how only 20 out of 20,000 frequencies are tested!) I didn't care what the test said, I know I don't hear right out of it...it's not hard to tell the difference. Just 1 example: when I was a kid I recall answering the phone and telling my friend, "just a second, I have to switch to my phone ear". They said "what?" I thought everyone had 1 ear they could hear out of better due to repeated talking on the phone. Hey, I was only a kid! I most likely do have some hearing loss due to loud Music. There are quite a few concerts I've left not being able to hear right for a little while...my hearing has seemed muffled, pretty much what my right ear is like. What is strange is that I'm a very light sleeper. The slightest noise can wake me up. I've bought and used ear plugs for years, just to be able to sleep. (My ex-husband's snoring sounded like a freight train!) There are many different levels of decible blocking capability available. The ones I buy in the Sporting Goods section of a department store. They are sold in packages of 5 or 6 pairs, cost less than $3.00, and they last quite a while.

[Craven Sound]

Here's what I use, they seem pretty flat for the most part. They cost around $15.

[RAM Z]

Yeah I can get those from work. They hurt my ears though and kinda give me a headache after a while, if that makes any sense.

Can you use ear plugs while you play without not being able to make out what everyone is playing?

[facingwest]

I never had a problem hearing everything. You just heard it at a low volume. To this day, if I walk into a place that's too loud, I'll walk right back out. Two reasons; hearing and screaming over music to talk to someone. It's hard enough playing 4 hour gigs without breaks.

On another note, I got Sunday and Monday off....I might lose my voice watching the game!!! GO STEELERS!!!

[YankeeRose]

RAM Z, the ones I buy are foam and fit comfortably into the ear. My ex once brought the kind pictured home from work for me to try...they
hurt my ears, too. With the ones I wear, I can still hear the alarm.
With lower level ones, I'm sure you could hear what you need/want to.
It'd take a bit of trial and error until you found which ones work best. The varying level ones are in the health and beauty section. The highest rated ones are too, but they are in different packaging and cheaper in Sporting Goods.




Two days from now, the STEELERS will be the paladins of Super Bowl XL!!! I'll be "whoo hooing", but the only way I'd lose my voice is if it's like the game with Indy. GO, GO, GOOO STEELERS!

[HBSPro]

I agree with craven sound those ear plugs are the ones i use after sound check and setting the monitor mix so everyone is happy in go the ear plugs. you can still hear pretty good with them as long as you dont cram them in so there tight. by just placeing them in your ears it cuts down enough db level that by the end of the night and the truck is loaded. you dont even mind putting the radio on for the ride home.

[SpellboundByMetal]

my hearing is allready bad....so i dont wear earplugs. maybe i should!

[bsaller]

my hearing is allready bad....so i dont wear earplugs. maybe i should!

Here's a test. After playing a show, when you get in your vehicle, play the stereo. When you get home shut off the ignition, but not the stereo. next day get in your vehicle and start'er up. I don't know about you guys, but I used to jump outta my skin!

BTW Those expensive earplugs are especially made for muscians(I think) cause they filter certain damaging frequencies.

[Day]

In ears! I've known guys that have been using them for years, but I never thought that I'd like them. I just recently gave in and bought a decent pair. Westone UM-2. They have dual drivers with a build in crossover and I think that they sound as good as my studio headphones. If you mic everything you can get everyone in the band balanced in your head. That way when your runnin' around stage, everything still sounds the same. It's also pretty cool singing when you don't feel like you have to scream over everything else. I'm suprised how comfortable they are and like you guys said, the price is probably worth it over a lifetime of hearing.

[the herald]

every night when i lay in bed i have a loud ringing in my head!! oh well the shit you deal with in rock and roll

[redawg]

Cigarette filters make pretty good ear plugs. I've seen alot of musicians really go all out with thier in ear rigs. Doug, the keyboard player for Juiced has a duel channel compressor and graphic eq in his in ear rig. Dale, the singer for High Tyde had an fx processor and graphic eq in his rig.

[songsmith]

I just saw a consumer-reports-type shootout on TV the other night... earplugs from $.99 to $90.00. The cheapest plugs cut the same or more sound pressure level as the expensive ones. I generally use foam, though I have some good ones, too. I like the contoured foam ones best, as opposed to the simple foam cylinders, they're really comfortable. I use the 29db ones for the real loud shows. Scream's PA will scramble your eggs if you don't wear plugs.
I have gotten the business for being a sissy, but when I wake up the next morning, no hangover, no ringing ears, just the headache from cigarette smoke. I can go fishing in peace.
I'd LOVE to have in-ear monitors, too, but only because it beats heavy floor boxes and feedback. The Aviom system would be cool,too: 16 channel monitor mixers, one for each musician, you mix your own monitors right on stage. They use them in studio's I've been in, and it's awesome.---->JMS