Earplugs

[Ed Friedland]

Converted asks:

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www.edfriedland.com

[cornbread_medhotmail.com]

I use HEAROS. They block a lot of the volume and keep some of the nuances. I highly recommend earplugs both live and practicing.

[Mike H.]

My cousin in Arizona has a custom set of ear plugs that were molded for him. He paid over $100 for them. I myself use HEAROS brand that have a diaphragm in them. The trouble with regular earplugs is that you hear yourself only, and they don't let enough of the outside mix in. These have a hole in them that cuts the noise by some percentage of DB. This is especially great when you have to sing back-up vocals and need to hear everyone else. They run around $15.00 with the little case. It's been doing well for me. I wear them in rehearsal and in live settings.

[jeremy c]

I have professional molded earplugs. They work very well, but I must admit that I rarely wear them. I feel too much as if I am in a cocoon and not in touch with the rest of the band or the audience. On the other hand, I rarely play with very loud bands these days so I don't really need them. I wish I had these in the old days when I played loud 6 nights a week.

Jeremy Cohen

 

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http://www.jps.net/jeremy/basspage.html

[Ryan Griffith]

I use foam plugs usually, sine they cut the most noise, around 25-30db. I have tinnitus, and I can't take much volume, so I have to go for whatever makes it the most comfortable for the onstage sound levels. As I get more into vocals I'd like to check out the hearos though, since it'd be nice to hear some more of the details & higher frequencies around me. however, I usually find that everyone plays so loud that I can hear everything I need to, even with foam plugs in. Kinda sad, I think.

Wear your damn plugs!

 

Regards,

~Griff

[SmakBass]

I use the moulded earplugs for my punk gigs and none for Jazz gigs becuase I find I really need to hear the nuances, My punk gig though, being the loudest band in Canada (I use a 3000watt system for this using 8, 10, 12, 15, and 18" cabs) If I didnt use them I would be deaf, but even so considering our ears are at "cymbal" level ear plugs are our friends.....

[Ben]

I use Etymotics ER20 generic earplugs. They provide 12dB of protection and, unlike foam plugs, let you hear the highs as well as the lows. They also come in your choice of decorator colors, for what that is worth. Etymotic also makes custom-fitted products and very good in-ear audiophile-quality headphones.

 

www.etymotic.com

[brianrost]

I used to use Sonic II plugs, then switched to Hearos (more comfortable) for a few years until I finally splurged for custom fitted plugs (Etymotics, I think) with interchangeable 15 dB and 25 dB attenuators. Cost me about $135 (!!!) with both attenuators, the doctor appointments were 100% covered by my HMO.

 

First surprise was how LITTLE attenuation the other plugs were giving me. I use the 15dB atenuators, the 25dB would be too extreme unless I was playing metal. One sax player I work with swears by the 25 dB attenuators, though.

 

Second surprise is how easy it is to get used to hearing everything 15 dB down. When I take the plugs out at set breaks it's amazing how loud all the noise in the room is!

 

Because I have slight tinnitus I wear plugs on all my gigs unless it's 100% acoustic. I also now use those cheapo throwaway foam plugs when using the lawnmower or snowblower.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

i have some sonically accurate plugs from MF that are similar in cost and funciton to hearos. sometimes i find they don't attenuate enough, as my 300W combo was not enough power for my last band. they were terrible, and they played way too loudly.

i wear earplugs during rehearsal and gigs, and whenever i'm driving over 50mph with the windows open. my left ear would be deaf from the wind and truck noise if i didn't.

[T-Bone]

Well, I tried to wear earplugs when playing, but it was too easy to lose touch with the rest of the band. They also drove me nuts when I was trying to sing . I would either wear foam or sonics and they did the job. It was just a matter of choice to not wear them.

 

Did somebody say something? I thought I heard something...Hmmmmmm guess not http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Jeff Addicott]

I got a set of custom-moulded earplugs at the audiologist for about $100. A c-note to prevent hearing damage? What an incredible bargain!!

 

I definitely don't hear the same with them in, but I've learned to live with it. I can still hear what everyone's doing, so what the heck. I can actually hear my own singing better.

 

I don't use the plugs absolutely all the time, but for most routine gigs with the funk band, I definitely do use them. I hate making my ears ring. After playing in a fairly loud setting every weekend for a few years, there's no doubt in my mind that using plugs has prevented some damage.

 

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Jeff Addicott

http://www.jeffnet.org/~addicott/bass.html

[cornbread_medhotmail.com]

After reading back through this thread, I think I will check into the molded ones. My only complaint about ear plugs is that I didn't start using them until it was too late. I'm 27 now and have the hearing of a 70 year old.

[Richard Johnston]

I carry three sets of plugs: For moderate volumes, a pair Doc's ProPlugs, a relatively cheap, sized and molded plug that gives a broad-range cut so you don't have that "muffled" feeling. For higher volumes I use cylindrical foam shooter's plugs, and when things get ridiculous I stuff in those big blue wax plugs. (You could sleep through the bombardment of Dresden with these babies, but, incredibly, some bands sound just fine when you're wearing them. Maybe better.)

 

The main thing is, you should use something to protect your hearing. I wish someone had warned me about this 20 years ago.

 

This message has been edited by Richard Johnston on 08-08-2001 at 03:08 PM

[Ed Friedland]

I don't need earplugs much because my gigs are all moderate volume level. In the old days I used to stuff napkins in my ears on the rock gigs, it helped enough. When I was playing Little Shop of Horrors many years ago, my right ear was right next to the crash cymbal, so I got in the habit of wearing a swimmer's earplug in that one ear.

 

I don't go to loud clubs or concerts, so it's not really an issue for me, but I hate when the random feedback happens on a gig. That can REALLY ruin your ears quick when the soundman does something stupid. It's also happened in the studio while the engineer messes with the cue mix. Very bad for you! Keep the phones off until he tells you it's safe, and hope he doesn't screw up!

 

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www.edfriedland.com

[Ben]

I dunno, Ed! "Moderate volume level?" I just wonder a little bit, from someone who recently replaced a 400 watt head with a 1600 watt head to drive a 3x10 cab...

 

Just for yucks, I recently checked the volume level of my two Nemesis 2x10s when driven to a decent level to keep up with a drummer. I used my trusty Radio Shack sound level meter and was getting an average of 115 dB at about 4 feet, with peaks as high as 120. So that's 4 reasonably efficient 10" speakers driven by 400 watts. Definitely earplug territory.

[Steven Denike]

I roll up a bit of wax off of a flesh-coloured candle, soak it in the sink under hot water and then fit it into my ear. For lots of attenuation, I shape a deep plug. For a little, I just use a little wax. Since I mould new ones each time, they always fit . . . just make sure the wax is dry before you leave them in too long (shape the soft wax, then pull them out and let them dry).

[Ed Friedland]

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Oooh! Busted! Well, SOMETIMES I play kinda loud http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/redface.gif But strangely enough, I never come home with the ringing ears I remember from my high school garage band days. Yeah, maybe I should start carrying those foam plugs around just in case.

 

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www.edfriedland.com

[alexclaber]

Bump!

[Rick Hoffman]

Bump Bump!

 

(hey what's "bump" mean? )

[Mike Bear]

I've been using ear plugs since I've been in bands. About age 14. But, I would always toss them out because I didn't feel I could feel the music with the plugs in. I started wearing them all the time by 19. I do have some high end loss. I get tested every year. Mainly cause at least once a year I get these nasty ear infections. BLOOD AND ALL. pretty metal? Any how, I think the most damaging thing back then was not only high volumes but crappy equipment and sounds. Ratty instead of chunky guitars. OH and my drummer used Ziljian platinum series, those were way freaking tinny.

 

For the past 3 years I've been singing. I need ear plugs for hearing myself. We rehearse in a small room. At times, I don't even know why we own a PA, can never hear anything. But at shows, you never know how loud the monitors are, or if there will be any. So just relying on the plugs is best. Same for bass too. Last show at The Whisky as stated in another post. I could have left my cab at home and gone direct, cause I didn't hear anything. But that's why we practice, so we hopefuly make sure we are doing the right thing by way of feel.

 

I've been through many types of plugs. I used those cylider shaped yellow ones for construction, a few hard ones which I didn't like very well. Now I use Profit. My father does some administrated stuff at a ship yard, so he purchases me a box of 200 pair for $25. And you know what?... I sell them at shows for $1 each. I actually don't think you need to much reduction. The yellow ones reduced too much. The ones I have now are pretty good. Or at least until I come across something else.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Foam ones here. They are cheap. They are disposble. They are idiot proof. They are in a big honkin' box in the office of my old plant like the condom box at the nurses office of a public school.

 

Who dug up all the old ear plug threads??? Great use of the Search feature!

[dohhhhh6]

Just wondering, I practice in a small room with a 3 piece. I have a 100 watt 15 inch combo and the guitarist has a 12 inch 65 watt combo. I'm always telling everyone to turn down/play softer (the guitar can get nasty quick, otherwise) as we have a bit of a feedback problem with our single 15 inch Carvin PM15A for vocals.

 

Would you recommend earplugs for these practices? I've never had to use earplugs since we play decently soft (to the drummer and no more). I feel that earplugs would take me "out" of the music kinda, but my hearing is more important. I do have some blue Hearos with a 33 db NRR just in case, though I've never use them.

 

What's the advisable setting for using earplugs?

 

Thanks.

[getz out]

Live drums? With cymbals and snare? Yeah, get those plugs in your ears, kid.

 

65-watts of guitar? Evil.

 

Be smart.

[alexclaber]

Originally posted by Da LadY In Tha Pink Dress:

What's the advisable setting for using earplugs?

In my opinion? If you're standing in the same room as a drum kit and the drummer's armed with anything heavier than brushes.

 

Damage is cumulative althought some people's ears are tougher than others (or maybe some people just don't miss losing their hearing more than others!) For me, the temporary tinnitus after band practices or gigs is enough to make me wear earplugs for anything involving amplified instruments, horns or drum kits.

 

Actually maybe that's the best way to judge it. If your ears ring after band practices, even to the slightest degree, then you're probably damaging them and should consider earplugs.

 

Alex

[Rick Hoffman]

I wonder if cool-lookin earmuffs would work...at least it would control the hair situation somewhat...

[Catlin]

I use ear plugs most of the time, except when i am with my school jazz band.

I usually stick with the large Orange ones, the real soft ones, i find they take out the "harsh" high-end guitar and drum sounds, and leave lots of bottom end. I am so used to plugs so I can jam/practice/gig with them in with no problems at all.

[butcherNburn]

I use the cheap foam ones. I started using them years ago when I worked at a printing company. I spent most of my time running a large folding machine. My boss didn't approve. He said "I never needed them." Also commonly heard was "you don't need the safety guards, they only slow you down." This was coming from a man with half of his finger missing (he lost it for a 3 cent stamped envelope). In my 6 years there, I helped remove 5 smashed fingers from machines, some were truly grousome. The last was my own, luckily it was only the tip and it grew back. That was one of many reasons I left.

 

Earplugs are key if you are constantly exposed to loud noise. They don't make you a wuss. I am lucky to have excellent hearing, more sensitive that most people around me. I do worry about my future though, a lot of people in my family have some serious hearing loss. If I was a working musician, I'd invest in a better set of plugs.

[bruiser_dup2]

I use drugstore "down-fiber" plugs with a rating of 22 decibels. The brand name is Flents Quiet Down. It's kind of like a little wad of cotton in a blue plastic condom. Cut the sound (drums) just enough but I can still hear the bass. They're very comfortable-- the heavier foam plugs start to hurt after a while.

 

Those probably wouldn't be enough in a really loud gig situation, though. But I've had tinnitus for oh, close to 40 years, and I'd rather it didn't get any worse.

 

Bruiser

[wraub]

Sonic II brand, been using 'em for practice and gigs since about 1988.

I wear 'em to concerts I go to as well.

You only got 1 set of ears.

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[Mike Dimin]

The best plugs on the market are made by ER (Etymotic Research). They make the filters for the custom plugs (many companies make the molds) and the make the "ready-fit" ER-20's. The ER-20's have been branded by other companies (i.e. Hearos). The funny thing is that I saw the Hereos version or the ER-20 for 23.00 in Sam Ash (48th st. NYC), while I sell the same plugs, in a wider variety of colors for $12.

 

Sorry to say, Ed, that the rolled up napkin or TP does not attenuate anything. The disposable foam plugs attenuate too much. If you cannot afford the custom ones, which are truly the best than the ER-20's are your next best choice.

 

BTW, My wife is the head of the Audiology Department for a major Hospital -I frequently get lectured on the benefits of saving ones hearing

 

Mike