Sarah5string Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I know I should wear earplugs.. and yes I know I'm damaging my hearing... but I've tried earplugs and find that I completely lose the feel of the music and have trouble playing well. Does anyone else had this problem? I've even tried wearing one ear plug on the side closest to the drummer but still I struggle.. Anyone know I can get around this?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgt-pluck Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Sarah5string' post='270586' date='Aug 26 2008, 09:44 PM']I know I should wear earplugs.. and yes I know I'm damaging my hearing... but I've tried earplugs and find that I completely lose the feel of the music and have trouble playing well. Does anyone else had this problem? I've even tried wearing one ear plug on the side closest to the drummer but still I struggle.. Anyone know I can get around this??[/quote] How about trying the disposable tapering plugs ( cheap from Boots ) and not push them in so far? I use them on my 'bike and find I can change the amount of sound-damping they give me by how far in I shove 'em! FWIW - I suffer from intermittent tinnitus through biking. You don't want tinnitus Pluck Edited August 26, 2008 by sgt-pluck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah5string Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 [quote name='sgt-pluck' post='270587' date='Aug 26 2008, 09:48 PM']How about trying the tapered style plugs ( cheap from Boots) and not push them in so far? I use them on my 'bike and find I can change the amount of sound-damping they give me by how far in I shove 'em! FWIW - I suffer from intermittent tinnitus through biking. You don't want tinnitus. Pluck[/quote] Well my ears whistle the majority of the time already but most of the time it's drowned out by everything else going on around me, which is why I want to stop it before it gets any worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmandan Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 (edited) a mate of mine got a ringing in his ears after hitting a cymbal in his conservatory..... that was about 8 years ago and his ears are still ringing! get some of these: [url="http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=121"]http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.p...&Itemid=121[/url] I got mine at Specsavers audioligy dept in Wolves for £160 - which [i]does[/i] sound very OTT but when you think about it, it's worth every penny. perfectly flat attenuation and above all others (and I've tried EVERYTHING over the years) very comfortable. also great for haring yourself for those BVs they're actually a pleasure to wear, rather than a chore. and because they're so flipping expensive you'll never lose them (hopefully) all in all, a small price to pay for looking after those lugholes! edit: oh yeah, and I got a free hearing test out of it, good for establishing any existing situation of hearing loss (thankfully minimal, and I intend to keep it that way) Edited August 26, 2008 by bassmandan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 IME you get used to it. I can converse normally and hear myself fine at metal gigs/rehersals as well as nightclubs using cheap foam plugs. I wouldn't go near a drummer or anything with a PA without them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geilerbass Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 [quote name='bassmandan' post='270591' date='Aug 26 2008, 09:55 PM']a mate of mine got a ringing in his ears after hitting a cymbal in his conservatory..... that was about 8 years ago and his ears are still ringing! get some of these: [url="http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=121"]http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.p...&Itemid=121[/url] I got mine at Specsavers audioligy dept in Wolves for £160 - which [i]does[/i] sound very OTT but when you think about it, it's worth every penny. perfectly flat attenuation and above all others (and I've tried EVERYTHING over the years) very comfortable. also great for haring yourself for those BVs they're actually a pleasure to wear, rather than a chore. and because they're so flipping expensive you'll never lose them (hopefully) all in all, a small price to pay for looking after those lugholes! edit: oh yeah, and I got a free hearing test out of it, good for establishing any existing situation of hearing loss (thankfully minimal, and I intend to keep it that way)[/quote] A big +1 for these. I've used them for several years and they really are the best earplugs that (a lot of) money can buy. I always look at it as though I'm paying for my hearing - £160 doesn't seem very much when put in those terms. You can get used to the foam ones, but it takes a while - you just have to persevere. Again, not such a rough deal, when it's your ability to hear that could be at stake. I've said it before, but I'm now at the point where I feel incredibly uncomfortable when I'm out somewhere load and I don't have my earplugs with me. I have tinnitus in both ears and some minor hearing loss in my right ear - it sucks, particularly considering that I've tried to do everything right with hearing protection. Some people are just more sensitive to damage than others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 i found i got used to the earplugs quite quickly, a couple of practises and i was fine. it does take some getting used to, but i've found i can concentrate more on the drums and bass as you feel them as well as hear them. not to be boring but the alternative to not wearing them is that eventually everything is going to sound like you're wearing earplugs [i] all the time[/i]. wear them sarah...get customs or the elacin ones from ebay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breakfast Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I get on alright with the muso type of ones- the kind of multi-layer mushroom design - in fact they tend to take out a little more middle and treble than anything else so it can be slightly easier to hear the bass and drums. I used to use them for practice if it was getting loud and absolutely always for the other acts on the bill during gigs as that tended to be when I was in front of the PA. I rarely played gigs wearing them because there I did need to be able to hear as much as possible of what was going on but I also found that being on stage was probably one of the less loud parts of being in a band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Wear plugs. The moulded ones are by far the best. £160 might seem like a lot of money but how much do you value your hearing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 [quote name='bassmandan' post='270591' date='Aug 26 2008, 09:55 PM']get some of these: [url="http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=121"]http://www.hearingprotection.co.uk/index.p...&Itemid=121[/url] I got mine at Specsavers audioligy dept in Wolves for £160 - which [i]does[/i] sound very OTT but when you think about it, it's worth every penny.[/quote] i think i'm going to look into that very soon...thanks for the tip shame their website describes their product as beign made from "soft durable silicon".....sand in your ears anyone ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 My hearing is shot too. I don't often come away from practice with ringing ears anymore because those frequencies have already been killed off. But to try and make what hearing I have left last a bit longer I always wear my Elacin ER 20's (<£10 ebay) whenever I go out like clubbing or to gigs or whatever - you hear the music better and you also hear everything that folk are saying to you in these noisy situations. I don't ware them when I play live as I think they isolate me from the liveness and the energy of gigging - on stage does sound better though. One of my favourite sounds in the world is cicadas. I'm just back from my holls and very scarily I discovered that I could only hear some of them, even ones that were singing right next to us were completely deaf to my ears. Look after your lugs folks before it's too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simwells Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Another vote for the Elacin/Etymotic ear plugs (as a minimum standard) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escholl Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 [url="http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx"]http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx[/url] as previously stated, these are def the way to go. only a tenner, and they actually sound pretty good, don't kill the frequency response like foam plugs do. i'm partially deaf in my left ear and suffer from a mild tinitus -- and trust me, you don't want even that. there is no price you can put on your hearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah5string Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 (edited) Thanks guys. Have managed to get some of the etymotic ones off ebay for £9.28 inc postage. Fingers crossed they arrive in time for the gig on saturday but I'm not hopeful. Ah well at least I'll have them for future gigs. Thanks everyone Edited August 26, 2008 by Sarah5string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 (edited) Those er-20s are great - I have a pair of the standard ones, but found that the smaller ones (babyblues) fit better so I use those. If yours don't arrive in time remember the inverse square law from physics at school and stand well away from cymbals & guitar amps if at all possible. Edited August 26, 2008 by Jean-Luc Pickguard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 (edited) I put mine in as soon as I arrive at a gig and leave them in until I get in my car/van to go home, can't be too sure when the drummer is going to crack his snare Edited August 26, 2008 by Jase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fudge Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 [quote name='Jase' post='270692' date='Aug 27 2008, 12:33 AM']I put mine in as soon as I arrive at a gig and leave them in until I get in my car/van to go home, can't be too sure when the drummer is going to crack his snare [/quote] By the way? What was your favourite humming noise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Actually it's the silent drive home after a gig.....and when I sit here like a looney reading topic after topic and all I can here is my pc....by the way it was such a random question, what was all that about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fudge Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Im still on the night shift with new baby. I think I teased you with a father ted quote the other night. I will be back at work next week and can fire random things at people during work time. The original answer was fridge. I usually have a bit of Johnny Cash on in the background, just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 [quote name='Mr Fudge' post='270704' date='Aug 27 2008, 12:15 AM']Im still on the night shift with new baby. I think I teased you with a father ted quote the other night. I will be back at work next week and can fire random things at people during work time. The original answer was fridge. I usually have a bit of Johnny Cash on in the background, just in case.[/quote] Never watched Father Ted....but weirdly enough, when I was trying to figure out what the hell you were on about.... I did think of a fridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fudge Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 [quote name='Jase' post='270707' date='Aug 27 2008, 01:19 AM']Never watched Father Ted....but weirdly enough, when I was trying to figure out what the hell you were on about.... I did think of a fridge.[/quote] Then the next logical thing to do .. is watch some fr ted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Get some ER20s and dont' go into the rehearsal room or venue until you have them in. It takes time to get used to them but persevere, your hearing is too valuable to risk damaging it. Bear in mind that some people's ears can stand far higher volumes without suffering damage whilst others will get permanent tinnitus after only a few loud nights - unfortunately you won't know how tough your ears are until too late! If you can afford it I highly recommend the ER15 custom made plugs - they cost about £150 but it's the best £150 I've ever spent on any music-related gear. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geilerbass Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 [quote name='alexclaber' post='270790' date='Aug 27 2008, 09:38 AM']If you can afford it I highly recommend the ER15 custom made plugs - they cost about £150 but it's the best £150 I've ever spent on any music-related gear. Alex[/quote] I'd go for the ER25s - particularly if you're playing heavy music. In fact, there are times that even a 25dB cut doesn't feel enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumbo Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Another vote for the ER20's! I've been using them for a few years, I'm now so used to wearing them that I don't like going to gigs without them. They certainly take some getting used to though, give it a few weeks of using them regularly and you'll adapt fine. One thing you've gotta watch out for though, don't over compensate for any EQ settings on your bass amp, I often end up cranking the treble too much if I set up my bass sound with plugs in. My advice would be to set up your bass sound without plugs in, then use them when you're playing as a full band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markytbass Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 I have some ER20's, they are loads better than the disposable ones which seem to block out everything. I can still hear the snare and vocals and can feel the bass through the floor. I went to a AC/DC tribute gig a few months ago and came away with a ringing in my right ear (forgot to take the plugs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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