Earplugs for gigs

[Mikeg]

im going to see avenged sevenfold and stone sour at the plymoth pavilion. ive heard that they play trememdously load. will musicians earplugs reduce the sound quality?

[Dubs]

I always bring earplugs with me to gigs. Sometimes I use them, sometimes I don't, but if I don't bring them then I definitely can't use them...

[99ster]

[quote name='Mikeg' post='1003751' date='Oct 28 2010, 01:54 PM']im going to see avenged sevenfold and stone sour at the plymoth pavilion. ive heard that they play trememdously load. will musicians earplugs reduce the sound quality?[/quote]


Quite the opposite in my experience - for me it improves the sound quality at gigs (that's using ACS ER-15 customs).

[Dood]

Infact, with decent earplugs in (like ERs) - I've been to a few gigs where you could hear how rubbish the PA mix actually was when the volume isn't tearing your ears to pieces! - I always wear my plugs at gigs, unless of course the volume isn't a problem!

[51m0n]

Yup, I find it far better to wear ear plugs (ER-15s) than not in the audience

If I were doinf reguler front of house I would always be wearing custom molded ear plugs.

[Doddy]

I wear my ER-15's at gigs aswell.

[ezbass]

The American Express accessory for anyone going to a gig or loud club. Don't leave home without them.

[Delberthot]

every time - I took one of mine out briefly during last year's Motorhead gig.

Deary Jesus, it was hellishly loud. totally unbearable. There must've been a lot of deaf people in Glasgow for a good few days after that one

[TRadford]

Most earplugs make the music a lot better, you can actually hear whats going on rather than just a wall of noise. I always wear some to gigs.
The fact I sell earplugs is completely irrelevent of course..

[Wolverinebass]

I've always worn earplugs at practice, but the experience that showed me I had to wear them at gigs was seeing Alice in Chains last year. That was devastatingly loud. Insane beyond any level I have ever experienced. I then got myself a set of ER15's. Ironically, I've not been to a gig since then except ones I've played at.

[Twigman]

I remember the days of getting down the front and sticking my head in the bass bin so that my brain was vibrating in my skulll....










I only ever wear earplugs when I'm motorcycling.

Tinnutus? Who said that?

[PaulWarning]

In my experience it's more important to wear them when you're in the audience than when you're on stage, it's much louder in front of the PA speakers, and yes it does improve the sound quality, gets rid of the high fequency distortion that happens when the deaf sound engineer pushes the slider to 11

[4 Strings]

I must say I have never played with a band which was so loud that I needed ear plugs. Things have got loud at rehearsals on occasion but no problems for me. If you're playing so loud that your ear's hurting then there's something wrong.

Watching bands have hurt my ears on more than one occasion, its the PAs, not the backline or drums which does it for me. My ears ring from windy days, being tired, and noisy bands. Recover the following day though, still have excellent hearing, but I won't risk things.

Whether you wear earplugs to watch depends on whether you want to have fun with the wall of sound and excitement or appreciate the quality of the mix. I'm in my 50s and still prefer the former, although I have walked out of gigs by, frankly, poor bands to whom I didn't want to sacrifice any hearing.

[dougal]

Always; and I too believe they improve the sound.

I have custom moulded ER15's and it's the best money I ever spent. I also have a set of 25 inserts that I only use for Motorhead gigs

[woodster]

[quote name='ezbass' post='1004147' date='Oct 28 2010, 04:59 PM']The American Express accessory for anyone going to a gig or loud club. Don't leave home without them.[/quote]


+10000

If you come home from a gig with that 'crackling' sensation in your ears, you've already damaged the tiny hairs in the inner ear and they never recover.....

[Faithless]

Earplugs are a [i]must[/i], a [i]law[/i], it doesn't matter if you're going to gig, or to see something.

In most of the gigs, even 'jazz' ones, it's way too loud.

And it's way cheaper to buy a pair of ER 15's than to take a medical treatment for damaged hearing.

Edited November 2, 2010 by Faithless

[Cygnus x-1]

My local specsavers want nearly £200 for moulded earplugs, is this reasonable? I know you only get one pair of ears but, as they need to be moulded, buying online is not possible. As I live 'out in the sticks' shopping around becomes difficult, any suggestions? cheers.

[dougal]

[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1009973' date='Nov 2 2010, 07:59 PM']My local specsavers want nearly £200 for moulded earplugs, is this reasonable? I know you only get one pair of ears but, as they need to be moulded, buying online is not possible. As I live 'out in the sticks' shopping around becomes difficult, any suggestions? cheers.[/quote]

I paid something along those lines; not quite as much but close.

I guess it depends on how comfy you find the ER-20s, which are a tenner (including shipping), or thereabouts.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Communication-Solutions-Musician-Earplugs/dp/B000UJ8RHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288859159&sr=8-1"][/url]

They'll do the job, just not as comfy or frequency neutral (imo).

[oldslapper]

[quote name='Mikeg' post='1003751' date='Oct 28 2010, 12:54 PM']im going to see avenged sevenfold and stone sour at the plymoth pavilion. ive heard that they play trememdously load. will musicians earplugs reduce the sound quality?[/quote]

...pardon..??

[Slaveunit]

Wear them at practice, but not at gigs, on or off stage.

Not tried good ones though, only ever had cheap foam ones that are a fiver for 50 pairs

Dont wear them on the motorbike either, but that really ought to change...

[fillerbunny]

I've gotten to the point where at practice the cymbals hurt my ears even with ER-20s. I really need to scrounge up the cash for a pair of moulded plugs.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='dougal' post='1011644' date='Nov 4 2010, 08:27 AM']I paid something along those lines; not quite as much but close.

I guess it depends on how comfy you find the ER-20s, which are a tenner (including shipping), or thereabouts.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Communication-Solutions-Musician-Earplugs/dp/B000UJ8RHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288859159&sr=8-1"][/url]

They'll do the job, just not as comfy or frequency neutral (imo).[/quote]

I use ER-20's, they do the job for me

[Ou7shined]

I'm an ER-20s guys too. I not only wear them at gigs but when out on the town too (helps eliminate the ear-stabbing harshness of whatever poorly converted mp3 the technically challenged DJ is playing through the tired old mid-humpy PA). Can't get used to wearing them on stage though.
Saw Mud Honey the other week. People took the mick at my earplugs (as usual) but did they get to hear the band at CD quality and go home without ringing ears? No. Nerd win.

[krispn]

I think of it like wearing a helmet when on the bike or a seat belt in the car - it that important!

Once you try out ear plug you'll realise just how much of an improvement they can make to sound quality and your enjoyment of a gig. Had to leave the Belini gig a few weeks ago as the vocals were very shrill - can't believe I left home without the plugs - i normally keep two or twee sets around the flat and practice room. I'll keep an eye on amazon for any discounts and them snap up a spare pair - in the bass case, my gig bag with pedals etc at home so there should always be a pair close by.

[webby]

I bought a pair of ER20's recently (Our drummer is ever so loud) but when I wear them I find the bass a little hard to follow. It's like everthing's turned down, which is what I wanted of course, but the bass seems to get lost a little bit. Maybe I should just turn my amp up?