Save your Hearing!

[hduncan]

I know most of us are fully aware of the dangers of SPLs. But for the uninformed, Please take sometimes to read this and start preventing any (further) damage to your ears!

Bring Down the Noise

[jbsg02]

can anyone recommend some good flat response ear plugs?

[bgrotto]

I wonder if the 4-6k notch is any explanation for the extreme brightness in contemporary pop music...

[David Brown]

Originally Posted by jbsg02

can anyone recommend some good flat response ear plugs?

Go to your Audiologist, usually at your local Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor. They will make you a custom molded pair for about $100.

David Brown

[the_man361]

a funny thread, but as a performing musician i cant agree with the OP any more... i used to play gigs and practice without any IEMs and i would have doubtlessly damaged my hearing if i hadn't got any... and i never realised how important they were. good on you for getting the word out though i imagine many people here are aware

these days i even choose to listen to music on the bus and out and about in town using my IEMs due to the low amount of background noise :P

[chasman]

thank you DarkEcho.

[Fleaman]

Originally Posted by bgrotto

I wonder if the 4-6k notch is any explanation for the extreme brightness in contemporary pop music...

I'd like to think that....but why does it make it past mastering like this?

I think it has more to do with record labels wanting that instant Wow factor when you play the 1st few seconds of a song. They or the radio-in-the-car-public aren't too concerned with listening fatigue over long periods of time as most people don't listen to music for long periods, and they want instant attention to their song, not warm, full, and smooth high-end extension.

[hduncan]

I think that superbright sound gives an illusion of clarity which sounds more appealing to people. Fatigue over a long period of listening is annoying though.

Either way- get yourself some nice earplugs and wear them often!

In fact, everyone should have a jar of the cheap ones in their gear/gig bags and their car/backpack, wallet, keep a pair in every pair of pants you own- put them in your shoes or hide them between your toes.

whatever you have to do to protect your ears.

Hell- I was at a Moroccan restaurant last night and they had a belly dancer. I just happened to be sitting directly under the speaker and THEN she whipped out the finger cymbals- JESUS! I escaped to the bathroom to check my ears for blood. when I returned, I had wet toilet paper wadded up sticking out of my ears- but I'd rather look silly than lose my precious precious hearing!!!!

[Mr. Man]

Originally Posted by jbsg02

can anyone recommend some good flat response ear plugs?

You don't really need custom flat response earplugs as long as you get to know the earplugs you are using well like you know the response of your monitors. I use a specific brand of rubber swimmers earplugs for almost 4 years now and know them well enough that I automatically know what mixes will sound like with those plugged into my head.

[tho_dk]

Thanks Dark Echo for starting this post.

I knew most of the stuff in the article but really appreciate being reminded.
Havent had my hearing checked for about ten years (i'm 34) - I'm going to have it checked now.

Best regards
Thomas

[nickolo]

Interesting/paramount subject!! I started out working as a tea boy then tape-op assistant etc.OK i take some blame as at that age i would listen to my walkman at full whack etc..Anyway,in a year or so by 18years old i started to notice this sort of sucking/compression type effect in my ears [more so in the right ear] when any short,loud upper mid sort of sound,mostly for example if an engineer was working on the crack of a snare or a soloed loud gtr track or going out to move mics when a drummer or trumpet player was playing..
But the real damage to the top end [again mostly in my right ear] was when i played,recorded and toured in a band.At one point it got so bad that my ears would kind of distort and compress/duck on stage and i would rely on watching the drummer for time etc..
By this point i developed tinnitus too!!!nasty!!!
Luckily a long break [2-4 years]from all this and my ears recovered quite a bit.They will never be anything like before and i lack top end in the right one!!!But treating them with respect now has helped get them recover some what.However,i wished i had not been so ignorant and sought advice and help back in the day etc...

[SighBorg]

Another thing to mention: Do not think that because you've been much more careful with your ears than most people that you can let it go "just this once". Not worth it.

[zulusound]

I wore my earplugs yesterday when I mowed my lawn.

I never go to gigs without them, even if it's jazz or a club spinning vinyl. The EQ on some of those systems is really damaging and full of distortion. Many clubs that don't pay attention have blown drivers in their PA, which is very damaging to ears.

I think I have probably suffered more hearing loss from car stereos (not mine) than in my own studio.. Remember that damage often comes from THD as much as SPL.

[hduncan]

Originally Posted by nickolo

Interesting/paramount subject!! I started out working as a tea boy then tape-op assistant etc.OK i take some blame as at that age i would listen to my walkman at full whack etc..Anyway,in a year or so by 18years old i started to notice this sort of sucking/compression type effect in my ears [more so in the right ear] when any short,loud upper mid sort of sound,mostly for example if an engineer was working on the crack of a snare or a soloed loud gtr track or going out to move mics when a drummer or trumpet player was playing..
But the real damage to the top end [again mostly in my right ear] was when i played,recorded and toured in a band.At one point it got so bad that my ears would kind of distort and compress/duck on stage and i would rely on watching the drummer for time etc..
By this point i developed tinnitus too!!!nasty!!!
Luckily a long break [2-4 years]from all this and my ears recovered quite a bit.They will never be anything like before and i lack top end in the right one!!!But treating them with respect now has helped get them recover some what.However,i wished i had not been so ignorant and sought advice and help back in the day etc...

Nickolo, that's a very unfortunate story. You might still want to investigate physical therapy for your jaw/neck/shoulders- that might help with the tinnitus and other noises you hear (sometimes tense muscles in specific places can add to your hearing damage). Definately use protection now to keep what you have left!

It upsets me when I hear people say "my ears are already F***ed up"- If you still have SOMETHING then protect it!

[hduncan]

Originally Posted by Kelly644

Another thing to mention: Do not think that because you've been much more careful with your ears than most people that you can let it go "just this once". Not worth it.

I agree 100%. Your ears degenerate quickly if you don't take care of them, and once damaged, can never be restored. If your ears are at 80% and you attend a rock concert without plugs "just this once" look forward to 75% after one concert- thats all you have left for the rest of your life.

Once I forgot my earplugs at a concert, I didn't want to leave my seat for some reason.


So I put my fingers in my ears for 2 hours.
I don't mess around with my ears.

[nickolo]

Funny you mention tense neck,back issues etc...A doctor mentioned that as many engineers,producers and musicians develop bad posture whilst working with tension..
My hearing is OK these days and the brain has a way of balancing/correcting the dip in top in one ear.I am lucky that the tinitus stopped 3-4 years ago 100%.But i hear horror stories of people that are really stuck with it for life!!!

[Studioklocka]

I've got a question. Can overuse of ear-plugs have a negative effect? Say you use ear-plugs when you sleep, when you go out to discos etc?

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by Studioklocka

I've got a question. Can overuse of ear-plugs have a negative effect? Say you use ear-plugs when you sleep, when you go out to discos etc?

I don;t know about sleeping but when I was in college I used to put the plugs in at the clubs all the time. I hated dancing so undoubtedly I was usually stuck next to the giant subs or the main speakers . . . my friends would always complain their ears were ringing when we left

I just did a gig w/ a rock band and forgot to bring my plugs . . . it was horrible. It was soo damn loud! scary loud! I never understand how I see people on stage w/o plugs. when the bass player is right in front of an 8X10 cranked w/ no protection . . . craziness

come to think of it - I think it's time I get a new pair. mine are starting to get really old and the filters keep popping out.

anyone know if the filters degrade over time?

[sleestack]

how do you know how good your hearing is?

[hduncan]

Originally Posted by Studioklocka

I've got a question. Can overuse of ear-plugs have a negative effect? Say you use ear-plugs when you sleep, when you go out to discos etc?

The only thing I could see being a problem is wax build up, or possibly ear infection (if you are using old or unclean plugs) Otherwise- I don't think it could be harmful.

Try it for a week and see if your ears ache or anything, let your body tell you if its healthy or not. I'd also throw that one by the doctor too.

DEFINATELY wear ear plugs ANYTIME you are in a loud environment.

Even some vacuum cleaners can damage your ears after extended periods of use. If it's even MODERATELY uncomfortable at first- plug em. Even if it just seems "noisy". Sometimes I plug my ears at a super crowded restaurant where everyone is yelling.

[hduncan]

Originally Posted by sleestack

how do you know how good your hearing is?

Schedule a Hearing Test (sometimes referred to as an Audiogram or Base-line Hearing Test) at your local ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist. They will put you in a really quiet room with special inner-ear monitors (like nice earplugs with build in speakers) and they will play a series of beeps/blips at various frequencies and various amplitudes. You will be asked to respond a number of ways (most likely by raising your hand) and they chart your results. Then, when you are done, they have compiled a graph similar looking to an EQ curve that shows the quietest you can hear at all frequency ranges. I've been meaning to scan mine and post it up- I'll do it today so you can see. It can be useful if you end up with a Notch, you might be able to compensate the appropriate dBs in your monitors so you don't bias your mixes.

[mr breaker]

Also watch out when your tracking in the studio. Those headphones will also cause some serious damage.

Especially if you're in the same room as your half stack and have your 'cans cranked to compensate.

[nickolo]

Often you find out soon after damage has been done but as dark echo said see an audiologist for expert opinion..There is no need to stress about it as long as you take reasonable precautions as mentioned above!!We are all so different so what might affect someone,will not the other etc..However,a simple test with a good pair of cans will at least show up subtle high frequency dips in one ear.As far as recording goes these days,i think its more understood that moderate to low volumes with nearfields are the way 90% of the time.A nice crank up on the big ones whilst laying tracks and now and again is cool.I guess keep a pair of plugs with you at all times.One more thing is drinking and drugs seriously affects the way the brain interprets sound and i think after a few drinks you are less likely to think 'god,thats too loud,im stepping back a bit!!!'

[hduncan]

Indeed, Nikolo.

Another thing is that the ear has a mechanism that reacts to loud noises. It's known as a threshold shift and a muscle in your ear moves in a certain way so as to protect itself. The problem here is that you become useless as far as Mixing goes if your ear is protecting itself, you wont be able to make decent sonic judgments.

Also- very important- the ear has a way of "getting used to" sounds that are too loud. So it might hurt at first, then as a few minutes go by, you start to get comfortable.

Just because it stopped hurting, doesnt mean it stopped damaging! Your ear is in very serious trouble now because you won't be able to tell if the loudness is breaking down your ears. Always react to your ears' first sensation. if the amp goes on and your ears hurt- they need to be plugged. dont wait until 10 minutes afterwards to decide whether or not to have plugs in.

I dont step foot inside of a studio/band rehearsal space without plugs in.. Its like a biohazard suit for me, so I can scope out the place and decide if dangerous volumes are present.

By the way, I'm 21, so none of you other youngin's have any excuse not to wear plugs! I'm doing it, so its cool.

[krytikal1]

sometimes i work live shows, and when i'm not mixing i always have in my er20's.

really comfortable, and drop farely evenly from top down. i've even worn them while mixing monitors with loud bands. you have to be a little more attentive at listening for feedback and such, but man is it worth it.

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



K

[Fruition2k]

Great post, this past weekend I ran sound at a small club, I ran volume as
at a comfortable level but it was so crowded and SRO. The crowd itself was
out of control and so loud! With people whistling and screaming it forced me quick to put in my earplugs which I always bring. At 43, mixing in the studio or doing
an occasional FOH gig I learned the value of keeping your ears protected at all
costs, even if your live mix suffers a bit.
All it takes is one show to ruin your greatest asset, and BTW you can get your
hearing checked for free during AES conventions. Its been a while and I need to
get mine checked again just to be safe.

[hduncan]

Excellent tip about the AES shows and Free Hearing test.

The great thing about your hearing is that protection costs less than a buck and can save you from impending ear drum doom so easily. Get some cheap plugs at the grocery/hardware store next time you are there and then think about investing in some high quality ones designed specifically for your ears, or something like the ER20s (which arent even that expensive, ~$15?)

Then get yourself a hearing test and schedule them annually so you can monitor your hearing and any loss that might be occurring so you can catch it before it goes too far!

[TwistTurner]

I never wore ear plugs on live gigs because I never could tell how loud I was playing in relation to the other members of the band. I could never hear my cymbals. Finally after 44 years of playing, I decided to go get my ears cleaned and hearing tested. As I suspected I have some loss around 4k.

I don't monitor very loud in the studio, so I don't think I really need ear plugs there, but I just got a pair of custom musicians ear plugs ($150)which are molded to your ears and available in -9, -15, and -25db. I haven't had a chance to try them on a gig yet but just playing the drums alone, I can hear everything very clearly and all frequencys seem about attuned the same. I'm really wishing I'd have done this when I was in my twenty's or 30's rather than waiting till I was in my mid 50's.

do it now guys, you'll thank me in 20 years!

[Ringwraith]

Great post!

This is a concern that has really had me worried these last few weeks.
I've noticed in the last year I have a very low level of constant tinnitus.
The last month or so the level has increased & it's had me worried sick!
I have read that you can have tinnitus without hearing loss but as a professional musician I feared that I may have loss some hearing.

The last hearing test I had done was in 02 & they told me I had above average hearing for my age. So I made an appointment to have them checked again & I'm thrilled to say I still have better than average hearing with no signs of loss! I'm 39 & have been exposed to loud music regularly pretty much for 26 years! I've never used ear plugs while performing as I hate what they do to the sound but I ordered the custom formed "musician" plugs and hope they deliver what they promise in regards to even attenuation!

One thing the audiologist told me is that as we get older, the same types of exposure that didn't harm in the past will do more damage as our bodies weaken. Makes sense. I'm lucky my hearing is still top notch but this "scare" has really made me want to take better precautions. I'm noticing a lot of other activities cause temporary <loud> tinnitus that is a potential hearing loss situation!! I will be wearing the plugs while I do them from now on. Like cutting the grass, trimming the hedges, wood working.

Cheers
Sean

[Fleaman]

Originally Posted by TwistTurner

I don't monitor very loud in the studio, so I don't think I really need ear plugs there, but I just got a pair of custom musicians ear plugs ($150)which are molded to your ears and available in -9, -15, and -25db. I haven't had a chance to try them on a gig yet but just playing the drums alone, I can hear everything very clearly and all frequencys seem about attuned the same. I'm really wishing I'd have done this when I was in my twenty's or 30's rather than waiting till I was in my mid 50's.

do it now guys, you'll thank me in 20 years!

I've been using those for 14 years now! I wear them even at bars/clubs/parties, even when it's not that loud. Because people shout in your ear in those places and that just kills me.

If you're in the Los Angeles area you can get them at the House Ear institute House Ear Institute Contact Us ask for the 'dispensary' and make an appointment for musicians ear filters fitting. Haven't been there in a couple years, but I think it was about $125 for the pair, fitted. They are a non-profit, so it's a little cheaper there, they'll tell you the price when you call.

Remember everyone, hearing damage is cumulative and builds even w/o much notice. Even just aging reduces your hearing ability, you don't need to accelerate that....