Hearing Loss

[Foot]

Hi,

 

I've been semi-careful about my hearing (plugs sometimes, keep practice volume lowish) but recently I went to a jazz/r&b show in a spectacularly boomy club with a PA that really roared. Since then (about a week ago) I've had a ringing in my right ear that refuses to go away. Some of the more aggressive music I listen to, especially the stuff with really prominent drumming, suddenly seems too loud even at low volumes. Of course It's made me a bit worried about hearing loss. I'm only 27 and as a musician, terrified to death of not being able to hear properly. I'm seriously considering a stylistic change to avoid loud rock abuse.

 

I guess I'm not really looking for advice, earplugs and everything, blah blah. But I was wondering if any of you low downers have to deal with damaged ears. When did you notice a significant change in your hearing? Stories, wisdom, anything. I'm just looking for something to relate to.

[Ryan Griffith]

The ringing is called tinnitus in case you don't know. I've had tinnitus for about 6 or 7 years, and i think i've had some minute hearing loss, although it's hard to tell what's hearing loss & what's sounds being masked by the ringing. I can't really say much without a relation to the importance of hearing protection. As a musician you're going to continue being exposed to loud volumes both in performance & listening. High volumes don't just risk hearing loss, but the ringing could get louder, which has happened to me. I got the musician's earplugs, the molded, expensive ones, but it's one of the best investments I've ever made. It's gotten to the point to where I'm overprotective, if not downright paranoid about my hearing... I bring plugs with me everywhere now, just in case. At the end of the day, your ears are pretty much the one thing that can't be fixed if they get abused too much. Take care of those puppies!

 

peace,

~Griff

www.jacoda.net

[SoundWrangler]

*Get to an OTR (otorrinolaringologist; that is; ear, nose & throat guy) immediately! Have the audiology done on your ears. (Hopefully, he'll tell you you've got a mere infection, or impacted ear wax - good luck!)

*Check out this site:

Hearing Educ. & Awareness for Rockers

* Get "musician's earplugs". If you're strapped for cash, get the $12 ones they sell at Musician's Friend, etc. But much better is to get custom-fitted plugs through your OTR (which may set you back as much as $150, including the fitting). You can get various levels of attenuation, they don't whack the high end, & you can still have normal conversations between songs. The drugstore foam plugs are terrible for playing (much less talking or singing) so you tend not to use them.

* Take care of your ears, including when you go to clubs & concerts. After years of R&R abuse, hi-volume incidents can cause permament damage to your hearing, that for most people would only cause ringing the next day. (Take it from me; my left ear has a mid-range dip, tinnitus & some distortion in the mids at high levels, all finally provoked by someone ELSE's sound check!)

[A.P. Non-Prod.]

I suffer from a mild case of tinnitus. I think I even know the show that damaged me. About three years ago a loud groove core band in a narrow venue blasting one of those damned g**tar notes just pierced my ear I think I felt a little pain even. I swear it rang for almost a month. Probably from gradual abuse of listening to music too loud also. It is unfortunate and very scary especially because I'm young and just beginning my own adventure in making music. And like Mcgryff I have become totally paranoid about further damage. I bought the molded expensive earplugs, they are very nice. I bring mine with me everywhere also. They cut 25dbs and for some of the bands I've seen I almost would rather wear the foam hearos. If you put those in deep they cut out 30+dbs. I can not enjoy most live music now without plugs. Fortunately the audiologist said I did excellent on my hearing test. And also fortunate is that lows don't bother me like those highs do. Those cymbal blasts and g**tar notes Sometimes tiny little sounds can seem really loud and make my eardrum jump. I think they call that hypercausis. Symptoms fluctuate with your health, mood, diet. About considering a stylistic change to avoid loud rock abuse. I thought about it too, but I have not. I might go to a few less shows, I just always bring plugs and try not to stand right in front of the speakers.

[Mike H.]

I thought I was losing my hearing or it was damaged about a year ago. I was in a couple LOUD rock bands, and being young and "cool" thought earplugs were "gay". At any rate, I eventually tried earplugs because I got sick of a piccolo snare (gunshot) though my head for 3 straight hours. I began (and still do) have problems with background noise when I'm talking to people in public, or at the music store where I work. Even an acoustic guitar in the background causes me problems. At any rate, I went to the doctor for a hearing test, and I was put in the booth and given the test. They showed me the results and reaffirmed them by telling me "your hearing is perfect". I still don't understand why I have problems with background noise.

[Jason Hoyt]

Sometimes in the U.S.M.C. I had to fire some shoulder fired anti-tank missiles. I didn't have any ear plugs at the time, so I used a couple of cigarrette butts, needless to say, they weren't very effective. At the time it was no big deal, but between that, loud shows/practices, and a whole other host of obnoxiously loud items, my hearing is starting to wane a bit as the years pass... Now I sit up and take notice of my hearing because, lets face it, its alot easier to take care of my hearing now, than to try and be a bass playing "Mozart".

[g.]

I've found that the standard hearing tests one gets when working for an industrial employer or whatever really don't address the entire frequency spectrum or check for envelope-instigated hearing deficiencies. They just use a limited set of fixed frequencies generated at several steady state amplitudes. So there are problems they simply don't detect.

[Foot]

Just wanted to say thanks for the replies. I'm making a doctor's appointment first thing tomorrow cause this ringin' just isn't going away. I think i'll bear in mind Greenboy's opinion though. I have a feeling that it's a pretty fair assessment.

 

Man, bassape... CIGARETTE BUTTS?!!! Sounds disgusting. I do remember on occasion trying to stuff in newspaper or toilet paper as makeshift plugs though.

 

Hoagie, I hear you on the piccolo snare thing. The last band I was in, the drummer was really wild and had a huge kit. But his favorite piece was that damn piccolo. RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-BAM!! Sometimes the whole "Your the bass player. Go stand next to the drummer so you guys can lock" thing is painful.

[g.]

Foot, though what I said is true of by-the-numbers audiology, you can get more comprehensive testing if you inquire.

 

To me, sitting or standing in front of drums on the plane of maximum SPL for the crash cymbals is the Big Torture... Though guitarists who use the same maximum trebly shred distortion all night long would rate - but at least they are usually on the other side of the stage ; }