Ear plugs. Aaaargh

[Dan Dare]

Anyone else have problems with people in bands who insist on wearing ear plugs? As a result of doing so, they can't hear subtleties or how loud they are relative to everyone else, so they crank the volume and the whole thing descends into chaos. When you suggest it would be better to take them out and for everyone to play at a sensible level, they bleat about damaging their hearing (they don't seem able to grasp that wearing plugs is only going to increase the problem, for others if not for them). Mad.

[rogerstodge]

Oo dear..

[Paul S]

Possibly the most skewed logic I have read this year.

Well, it is only 3rd.

[Cameronj279]

Wearing ear plugs increases hearing damage?

I don't get it.

I always play with ear plugs in and rarely have my volume above 3.

[MoonBassAlpha]

I believe my tinnitus was caused by a drummer wearing plugs. He just didn't realize (or care) how loud he was playing in a confined space with me near the crash.

[jezzaboy]

Try telling a lead guitarist with an SG, a Marshall valve amp and a boost pedal to play at a "sensible" level

Edited January 3, 2016 by jezzaboy

[PaulWarning]

I can see the logic here, I always set mine and the bands volume without ear plugs then put them in, it certainly tempting to fiddle with the eq and volume with ear plugs in. but just take them out for a second and hear the difference, and yes I have got custom ear plugs at £125

[arthurhenry]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1451831740' post='2943763']
I believe my tinnitus was caused by a drummer wearing plugs. He just didn't realize (or care) how loud he was playing in a confined space with me near the crash.
[/quote]
More likely it was caused by playing in a confined space with him, without wearing ear plugs.

Edited January 3, 2016 by arthurhenry

[discreet]

Can. Of. Worms. I'm not a particularly sensible man, but one of my better life decisions was to use ear protection when I started playing in bands forty years ago. Subsequently my hearing isn't shot and I don't have debilitating nightmare tinnitus like most of my contemporaries.

You'd be surprised at just how 'quiet' some sounds that can kill your hearing actually are. Any kind of band with amps and drums in it will damage your hearing, even if you think you're playing 'quietly'.

Edited January 3, 2016 by discreet

[JapanAxe]

When I ran my own band, we never played so loud that I had to put earplugs in. I believe that is the optimum setup at which the OP is hinting.

When I dep with other bands, I set my levels to work with the band and [i]then[/i] make a decision about earplugs. Sometimes they don't go in until after a couple of numbers, or even the second set.

[ahpook]

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1451831007' post='2943751']
Anyone else have problems with people in bands who insist on wearing ear plugs?
[/quote]


No, I encourage all my band mates to wear earplugs as we all should.

[discreet]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1451833576' post='2943788']
No, I encourage all my band mates to wear earplugs as we all should.
[/quote]

I agree. It's not very rock 'n' roll to wear earplugs, but it's sheer bloody reckless stupidity not to - in my opinion. This is one of your five senses that you're frivolously throwing away. And for what? It's just plain unnecessary.

Edit: Just read this and it's a bit ranty. I don't care. I feel strongly about it.

Edited January 3, 2016 by discreet

[yorks5stringer]

What did the OP say?

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1451833515' post='2943786']
When I ran my own band, we never played so loud that I had to put earplugs in. I believe that is the optimum setup at which the OP is hinting.

[/quote]

This is where the argument comes in about low volumes being perfectly acceptable for a folk band but when it comes to a rock or metal band it just doesn't have the same impact at low volumes.

I think regardless of genre there is always a point where can get too loud.

I still can't see any negatives towards wearing ear plugs though.

The scenario stated in the OP seems to really be aimed towards people who want to listen to the same volume regardless of ear protection. Which seems a rather amateurish mistake to me (I say that as someone who is very amateur!).

[Lozz196]

In our old punk covers band the guitarist wore ear plugs. Then turned up much louder than the rest of the band as he couldn`t hear himself anymore.

So he ended up hearing himself at exactly the same volume as before the ear plugs were inserted, but now everyone else was deafened by him.

The thought of inserting his 412 into another of his orifices else occurred to the rest of the us.......................

[ambient]

There's ear plugs, and ear plugs.

The yellow foam ones are meant to deaden sound, proper music ones are designed to attenuate sound.

In my opinion, we all play too loud nowadays anyway. I don't think 1000 watt heads are necessary, but that's just me.

[Beer of the Bass]

I had an issue for a while with my guitar playing where I would set the treble so that it sounded right with plugs in but ended up painfully bright for anyone not wearing them. I like a fairly bright, glassy, single-coil guitar into Fender style amp sound and getting that right while avoiding the icepick is a tricky balance. The solution seems to be to listen to my sound without the plugs when I first set it up, then avoid turning it up any further once I've got them in.

[Panamonte]

I wouldn't say that any of the bands I play with play at excessive volume, but for the last 5 years I've always worn earplugs if I'm playing with a drummer i.e. standing right next to sources of high frequency transients such as cymbals and a snare. I haven't experienced any of the problems cited by the OP. If I think someone's too loud, I'll ask them to turn down rather than cranking my own level.

[essexbasscat]

To the OP;

Have you suggested the offending ban member(s) use ear defenders with a lesser degree of attenuation ?

[JTUK]

Plugs are fine but the bar staff aren't wearing them and neither are most of the audience.

Pretty soon, IMO, legislation will come where noise levels are regulated.
The pub is a working place so I can see a time when employees are protected.

If someone is using plugs and they don't know how loud they are ..that makes them as culpable.

Ears ringing is not funny.
I often take my plugs to gigs and put them in if the band gets too loud... but I think legislation will come
to lessen hearing damage this for the general 'good'..
No easy answer.... most people I know play to a decent level, noisewise and tend not to use them...or put them in.
Mostly younger guys...
but often if plugs are in the equation it is because those people are wise to volume being an issue
with that band but are used for selfish reasons..ie, I'm wearing them so I can turn up..
Lot of truth in that, IME.

Edited January 3, 2016 by JTUK

[scalpy]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1451834380' post='2943800']

In my opinion, we all play too loud nowadays anyway. I don't think 1000 watt heads are necessary, but that's just me.


[/quote]

This!

[Earbrass]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1451836312' post='2943830']
Plugs are fine but the bar staff aren't wearing them and neither are most of the audience.
[/quote]

This.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1451836312' post='2943830']
Pretty soon, IMO, legislation will come where noise levels are regulated.
[/quote]

I'd like to think so, but I'm not holding my breath,

[Paul S]

To be fair, bar staff aren't standing next to the snare drum.

At least, not at any of the gigs I play.

[ambient]

With regard to the bat staff at venues. How many times have you had to shout your order to them because the music is so loud ? Bear in mind that the bar is usually right at the back of the venue.

[ambient]

I can kind of understand rock and metal bands wanting a bit of volume. But the average pub and function band in my opinion play too loud.

A trumpet player friend of mine is always complaining about the volume of a soul band that he plays for.