POLL: how many of you use ear protection
Vint
playing drums a couple months ago and while playing softly is not a
problem, playing rock especially with other people generally requires
me to play harder and things get very loud. loud enough that i could
totally see myself causing permanent ear damage. i tried earplugs
and while that works i find it muffles things too much and then you
just end up turning everything up and playing harder to compensate.
i would just want to take a little off the snare, cymbals, hihat and
ride, i'm going to bring my headphones next time and just wear them
while i play, see if thats a good compromise, what do you all do?
Sam Savoca
Sam S.
"Vint" <i...@like.sow> wrote in message
news:wwWDc.1400$2Q2...@news20.bellglobal.com...
Frisco
theatre (because I didn't wear any when I was a younger drummer and
now any loud noise can be painful), PLEASE go get some protection for
your hearing NOW!
some options:
- molded in-ear filters - best results but most expensive (about
$180/pair). A real flat volume control than can be swapped for -9,
-15, -25, etc. filters
- isolation headphones - uncomfortable after awhile and looks wierd.
Regular "can" headphones tend to sound like the foam earplugs below
and aren't easy to play with them on. I do use the Vic Firth
headphones to record with tho... $50-$60 at Music Stores and online
- Etymotic ER-20 plugs - this is what I use, good cheap filters that
cut the volume down but let you hear balanced highs/mids. $12/pair
(also sold at Guitar Centers, etc. as Hearo's High Fidelity filters).
Not quite as flat a response as the molded ones, but fairly comfy.
The bass is still a little muddy, but no problems staying tight during
soft or loud jams
- industrial foam-type earplugs. Roll 'em up and cram 'em in your
ears, they make everything sound like mud but are super cheap and
disposible. Hard to play anything besides LOUD rock with these, but
they're almost to the point of being free because they're so
inexpensive.
You can order the Etymotic Research ER-20's online and they deliver
within a few days. Even if you opt for another ear-protection, these
are too good and cheap to NOT keep a pair in your jacket pocket, glove
box, cymbal bag, stick bag, etc.
Paul
Chris Whealy
> when you play and what kind of protection do you use? i've just started
>
ALWAYS wear ear protection!!
I hear my monitor mix through closed back headphones. These cut the
sound significantly (25-30dB I think). Even after I've been playing
loudly, I never get any ringing in my ears.
Look after your ears, you've only got the one pair!
Chris W
--
The voice of ignorance speaks loud and long,
but the words of the wise are quiet and few.
--
John in NH
the sticks for a couple of fun fills. :)
Usually, when playing for longer periods, I'll use the foam plugs or the kind
with the special thingie that lessens the volume of louder noises, like snare
hits and crashes.
John in NH
~~~
The biggest obstacle on the path to success is the stupidity of others.
My eBay Stuff:
http://tinyurl.com/u0fi
Vint
>theatre (because I didn't wear any when I was a younger drummer and
>now any loud noise can be painful), PLEASE go get some protection for
>your hearing NOW!
>
>some options:
>
>- molded in-ear filters - best results but most expensive (about
>$180/pair). A real flat volume control than can be swapped for -9,
>-15, -25, etc. filters
are westone and etymotic the same? the westone site calls the molded
musicians earplugs the ES49 earplugs with ER9/15/25 filters and has
the universal ER20's, and the etymotic site just calls them ER9/15/25
and ER20, then when you click on 'earmold labs' on their website
the first link at the top is www.westone.com
so its all the same right? im going to get some er20's because maybe
they'll be good enough for me but these custom earplugs sound really
interesting, i -hate- wearing regular foam earplugs because they really
distort the sound and make everything so muddy and its hard to hear people
talk, you say the er20's still cause muddieness, can anyone testify that
these custom earplugs that cost 20 times more cause no muddiness and
maintain audio clarity? are they really worth it? how long do the filters
last? i wouldn't mind forking out the money if they last a really long
time and live up to the hype. also, can you attach cords to them? and if
so is the cord removable? let me know! thanks
Vint
>hits and crashes.
what are those?
John in NH
That's the main drum you hit and the shiny plates that make sounds. ;)
JaKe
I do, Westones, -25db $150 custom fit.
--
JaKe, Seattle
"People never understood, that the drum is a musical instrument."
Elvin Jones
Vint
>>snare
>>>hits and crashes.
>>
>>what are those?
>>
>
>That's the main drum you hit and the shiny plates that make sounds. ;)
'the special thingie'
nick amoroso
try these - http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.asp
they aren't expensive, and they don't muffle everything and make you feel like
you have a head cold.
peace,
:nick amoroso:
professional drums and instruction
http://www.nickamoroso.com
-----
"it takes an entire newsgroup to wash dennis' ass??" ~ dan radin
Frisco
foam earplugs. I can hear people talk just fine over the music, if
not even better than without the plugs. I haven't used the molded
ones, but from feedback I've heard the low-end is even clearer in
them. The ER20's are clear, but there's some low-end muddiness that
you just can't get rid of - high's and mid's are very nice tho.
Jamming with the band makes the mid/highs of the bass stick out a lot,
so I can hear what the bass player's doing even better than without
plugs. The bass lines tend to get lost to my ears otherwise...
Oh yeah, I got the chord for the ER20's and they just sit around my
neck like a necklace when I'm not using them in-between sets.
Paul
Dan Radin
news:wwWDc.1400$2Q2...@news20.bellglobal.com...
Weston ER-15s for most playing, 25s, for very loud situations.
JDiddy
I've ever spent. Buy them here, or Guitar Center/Musician's Enemy/Etc:
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.asp. I own two pairs and carry them around
in my stick bag, just in case one of them goes missing. You can hear all of
the frequencies (no dissapearing guitar and vocals as with foam), and they
work well at low or high volume. I'm so in love with them that I even wear
them on whisper volume restaurant gigs now. They're also valuable if you're
on a multi-band bill and one of the other bands is just ridiculously loud.
--
Remove Suckaz to Reply
"Vint" <i...@like.sow> wrote in message
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DJ Bjorklund
John in NH
JaKe
>
> WHaaaaaaaaaat...?!?!?
EAR PROTECTION? WHO NEEDS EAR PROTECTION!!!
JR Richley
play. before that i wasted time experimenting with Sonic 2's and some other
non form-fitted plugs.
"Vint" <i...@like.sow> wrote in message
news:wwWDc.1400$2Q2...@news20.bellglobal.com...
DJ Bjorklund
>DJ Bjorklund wrote:
>>
>> WHaaaaaaaaaat...?!?!?
>
>EAR PROTECTION? WHO NEEDS EAR PROTECTION!!!
Yes, I agree we need to protect our wildlife resources and yes, deer
should be no exception! And I meant it!!
nick amoroso
>play. before that i wasted time experimenting with Sonic 2's and some other
>non form-fitted plugs.
>
the sonic 2 is shit.
Mark Rance
attenuators in custom ear molds. The only thing that varies, for me, is the
degree of attenuation. I use and that depends on the gig. It is
either -15db (studio) or -25db(most live gigs).
-Mark
"Vint" <i...@like.sow> wrote in message
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Mark Rance
"Dan Radin" <dan....@veriWORMzon.net> wrote in message
news:6WYDc.10692$Av3...@nwrdny01.gnilink.net...
Dan.
Do they teach (and encourage) the use of ear protection at Berklee?
Curious,
-Mark
P.S. How about an update on your experiences there, when you have a
moment...?
P.S.S. Have you had an opportunity to study with Rod Morgenstein?? If so,
how was it?
Mark Rance
"JR Richley" <drumf...@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:5x0Ec.8979$Pt....@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...
> i've been wearing Westone musician's plugs since about 1997 for EVERY gig
i
> play. before that i wasted time experimenting with Sonic 2's and some
other
> non form-fitted plugs.
How many times, in that number of years, have you had to replace the custom
molds?
As alluded to in an earlier post some time back, mine seem to have shrunk
such that the changing of the attenuation filters has "progressed" from
trivial to nearly impossible. I am scheduled for a new fitting to get fresh
molds (mine are 4-5 years old) but I am curious to know if others have
encountered this same challenge.
-Mark
Steve
switching types makes the drums sound completely different, so try
different types to find those that sound and feel right to you. Hearing
loss is cumulative, so even if you don't notice it right away, you are
damaging your ears. I've heard countless musicians say "I wish I would
have worn plugs when I started" as they bemoan their hearing loss.
Erich
I was not good about it for 20 years or so... now I have CONSTANT
RINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGING in my ears. 100% of the time,
every day, every night. Right now. The more I think about it... the
louder it seems.
So - these days: I use IEMs for gigs I'm playing and 15dB custom
molds for gigs I'm watching. I also use hearing protection mowing the
lawn. (Usually foamies)
Somebody said the damages are cumulative, so I'm trying to eliminate
as much as I can.
Erich
Sam Savoca
"Erich" <littlegr...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:e61b1bc2.04062...@posting.google.com...
> RINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGING in my ears. 100% of the time,
> every day, every night. Right now. The more I think about it... the
> louder it seems.
Thanks a pantload! Now I'll be hearing it all night.
Sam S.
Billy Rhythm
> - industrial foam-type earplugs. Roll 'em up and cram 'em in your
> ears, they make everything sound like mud but are super cheap and
> disposible. Hard to play anything besides LOUD rock with these, but
> they're almost to the point of being free because they're so
> inexpensive.
>
That's what I use. I used to use the straight sided type like this:
http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/images/earplugs.jpg
Then, I went to a rounded type, like this:
http://www.noisebustersdirect.com/images/312-1252.jpg
Now, I'm using something that looks like this:
http://www.bikers-shack.co.uk/shack_shop/maxlite.jpg
This shape seems to work the best for me. The straight sided ones take
a bit to get them small enough to get in my ear canal, and then they
take a while to puff back up. The curvy ones go in easier, and fill
the canal quicker.
Yes, the sound is a little strange. But once you get used to it, it's
no big thing. I can tune with them in, and have no problems getting an
appropriate level based on what the other guys on stage are doing.
And, toms sound really fat! :-)
Billy Rhythm
Erich
I know. It sucks ass. I don't think we can do enough to reiterate
the point to young people who may not have a problem -yet.
PROTECT YOUR FUCKING HEARING!!
I've always hated the way things sound all muffled when you use foam
earplugs. Muso earplugs are NOT perfect, but they're pretty good.
And way the hell better than listening to a 4kHz sine wave going on in
the middle of your brain for the rest of your life.
Actually now that I'm old and lame as hell... I don't really like loud
music. (I like to play it, but I just can't stand the racket. - TPOH)
The earplugs and IEMs are actually quite heavenly.
Erich
drumdude
I never have and now I am sorry I did not use any at all , along with over
15 years of sound engineering has taken its toll
--
Growing old is inevitable ... growing up is optional.
"Vint" <i...@like.sow> wrote in message
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Miikka A. Eerola
Most of the time I end up playing along music or a click, anyhow. My ears
don't ring anymore:)
Perry Justus
> playing drums a couple months ago and while playing softly is not a
> problem, playing rock especially with other people generally requires
> me to play harder and things get very loud. loud enough that i could
> totally see myself causing permanent ear damage. i tried earplugs
> and while that works i find it muffles things too much and then you
> just end up turning everything up and playing harder to compensate.
> i would just want to take a little off the snare, cymbals, hihat and
> ride, i'm going to bring my headphones next time and just wear them
> while i play, see if thats a good compromise, what do you all do?
I use standard foam earplugs (well, perhaps not the cheapest, most
basic ones), but I'm used to them; having worn foam plugs for around
six years, I've grown accustomed to the way they, well, plug things
up. Whenever I forget to take some plugs to band practice, I cringe
at the sound and actually can't make out what the other guys are
playing nearly as much as I can while using hearing protection. It
/is/ a pain having to take them out everytime I want to say something,
but it's really better for me to wear them. I had several ear
infections as a kid that left me with a low ringing that's increased
quite a bit since going to see loud shows and not always wearing
plugs, so I'm *not* going to take my chances. I may get non-foam
protection (probably just the Etymolics) in the near future because,,
when I think about it, it might actually save me some cash to buy one
$12 pair that lasts a long time instead of going to Walgreen's every
other month for a new package.
Headphones will only block out the most piercing, sharpest
frequencies, unless they're high-end models. For you, I'd suggest
getting a pair of Etymolic earplugs; if you're willing to make an
investment, look into the custom-fitted Westone brand.
Perry (started out with cottonballs)
Mark Karjaluoto
store I shop at locally is also an electronics repair shop. The guy there
picked up a pair of shooters' head-phones, then installed a couple of
inexpensive drivers in them. So it gives me ear protection, but lets me play
along to my mp3 player. They cost about $130 Canadian.
I think it's very important to take care of one's hearing. Ever since I've
played drums, I've always worn ear-plugs... even if the sound off the drums
was muffled. Damaged hearing does not correct itself, and I don't want to
have to deal with ringing in my ears.
M
"drumdude" <pa.dr...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:tnAEc.27353$Av3....@nwrdny01.gnilink.net...
Chris Milillo
news:zPAFc.15826$P7.7807@pd7tw3no...
> One of the other options would be some isolation head-phones. The music
> store I shop at locally is also an electronics repair shop. The guy there
> picked up a pair of shooters' head-phones, then installed a couple of
> inexpensive drivers in them. So it gives me ear protection, but lets me
play
> along to my mp3 player. They cost about $130 Canadian.
After buying the Vic Firth Stereo Isolation phones, I felt they were
good, but VERY uncomfortable after wearing them for any period of time. I
decided to try Direct Sound Extreme Isolation headphones. I paid $100 for
them (twice the cost of the VF SIP) and I feel that they are DEFINITELY
worth the difference, both in sound and ESPECIALLY comfort. Since I am a
huge advocate of hearing protection and because I was so impressed by the
Extreme phones, I became a dealer for them. They have proven to be very
popular with my students.
Ordering direct from the manufacturer's website (
http://www.extremeheadphones.com/ ) will run you $139, and Musicians Friend
sells them for $99.99 + S&H... I'll offer them to to anyone in the
Continental US for $90.00, shipped. I accept Paypal, cashiers checks or
postal money orders. My website is not ready for public consumption quite
yet, so email me privately dr...@bestweb.net if interested. Thanks.
CM
Baranbb
$2.50/8-pack. I have the Weston custom plugs but can't use them, they
let in too much of the high end. I also recommend something called
OTO-EASE, available at hearing aid dealers. Its a lubricant for
hearing aids, and helps in 2ways - keeps your ears from getting sore
from putting in and removing the plugs between sets, and helps seal
the plugs, so you don't get blasted when you move your jaw, as happens
sometimes. I'm glad to see interest in hearing protection on this
site. I am in the midst of a month-long hiatus (self-imposed) after a
bad ear infection left my ears too sensitive to play. (My ears rang so
bad after a gig they woke me up!) Tinnitus can mess with your sleep
and concentration, as I'm finding out. Try 'em all, but use something.
BB in Big D
> >
Doug Crooks
> I use and recommend the orange plugs available at Eckerd's for
> $2.50/8-pack. I have the Weston custom plugs but can't use them, they
> let in too much of the high end. I also recommend something called
> OTO-EASE, available at hearing aid dealers. Its a lubricant for
> hearing aids, and helps in 2ways - keeps your ears from getting sore
> from putting in and removing the plugs between sets, and helps seal
> the plugs, so you don't get blasted when you move your jaw, as happens
> sometimes.
Holy crap that's a great idea (OTO-EASE)! I never thought of that, but
I totally know what you're talking about as far as sore ears and getting
blasted when I move my jaw.
You could've just made my next gig!!
Thanks!!!
--
doug
Cormac
>Tinnitus can mess with your sleep
> and concentration, as I'm finding out.
Tell me about it! It SUCKS.
pete nuwayser
I got the molds in '97 and replacement filters about two years ago
which fit just as well as the originals. I've never replaced the
molds.
It's funny reading about this, though, because although my molds fit
my ears well, I can't really remember how well they fit when I first
got them. IOW I've been wondering if I should replace them. Not sure
if they shrunk or if my ear canal expanded. Anyone have comments on
this?
hth
Pete
Erich
> I got the molds in '97 and replacement filters about two years ago
> which fit just as well as the originals. I've never replaced the
> molds.
>
> It's funny reading about this, though, because although my molds fit
> my ears well, I can't really remember how well they fit when I first
> got them. IOW I've been wondering if I should replace them. Not sure
> if they shrunk or if my ear canal expanded. Anyone have comments on
> this?
In regards to the original poster. I also use -15dB custom molds. I
try to limit my noise exposures now, as the damage is cumulative and
I've got to "choose my battles." (I've got minor "noise notcth"
hearing loss at >4kHz and garden variety case of Tinnitus - discussed
several times here)
In regards to refitting your customs. My audiologist suggests that
the ear canal DOES change shape. It can be especially pronounced if
you lose/gain weight. I would just -pardon the pun- play it by ear.
If they are loose-you'll get leakage-you'll know it. If they're tight
and are not comfortable-you'll know it.
However, I have a standing annual appointment with the hearing Doc. I
was fucking cavalier, know it all and "bulletproof" when I was
younger. I fear the payback, now. So... visit your audiologist often,
and be concious about taking care of your body. They only issue you
one.
Erich
Aaron J. Grier
> are westone and etymotic the same? the westone site calls the molded
> musicians earplugs the ES49 earplugs with ER9/15/25 filters and has
> the universal ER20's, and the etymotic site just calls them ER9/15/25
> and ER20, then when you click on 'earmold labs' on their website the
> first link at the top is www.westone.com
yes. etymotic manufactures the button filters and westone does the
earmolds.
> you say the er20's still cause muddieness, can anyone testify that
it depends on your ears. everybody's are different. I've had good luck
with the er-20s, but the top end wasn't quite as accurate as the custom
plugs.
> these custom earplugs that cost 20 times more cause no muddiness and
> maintain audio clarity? are they really worth it? how long do the
> filters last? i wouldn't mind forking out the money if they last a
> really long time and live up to the hype.
one of my filters is staring to go, but I've been playing with these
once a week or so for two years now...
> also, can you attach cords to them? and if so is the cord removable?
> let me know! thanks
the cord on the ER-20 is removable. I don't think the custom plugs have
cords.
--
Aaron J. Grier | "Not your ordinary poofy goof." | agr...@poofygoof.com
"someday the industry will have throbbing frontal lobes and will be able
to write provably correct software. also, I want a pony." -- Zach Brown