Members pink floyd cramer Posted January 7, 2005 Members Share Posted January 7, 2005 I have posted this topic on other forums but this one probably has a greater % of live players, so may be more appropriate. About 4 years ago I had my hearing checked, and found that I had a severe high frequency hearing loss. I was fitted for hearing aids, got out of playing keyboards in bands, and only played acoustic gigs. After about 2 yrs of that, I started wearing ear plugs and playing in bands again every now and then. Now I have to do it full time, until I can start a new acoustic gig in Feb. I love playing with a band but have to use earplugs that block out about 20 db, otherwise I notice my hearing is muffled the next day. I really need to just quit all bands but I gig for a living and I don't want my truck repo'd or to live in a homeless shelter. I have to find another line of work. Just wanted to know who else here has bad hearing, and how they cope with it, who has had to quit playing, etc. Anybody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackwatch Posted January 7, 2005 Members Share Posted January 7, 2005 Sorry about your hearing loss. I lost a very small part of my high end when I worked in a plywood plant in my twenties. I then had a 20 year stint as a carpenter. I should have my ears checked again.I do notice that I tend to turn up the high end a bit much when I EQ but other than that it's just the "HUHS" that bother me.I do play more acoustic style music now, although feeding back the system worries me. And I tend to do that more than I should.....Ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gogo Posted January 12, 2005 Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by Blackwatch Sorry about your hearing loss. I lost a very small part of my high end when I worked in a plywood plant in my twenties. I then had a 20 year stint as a carpenter. I should have my ears checked again.I do notice that I tend to turn up the high end a bit much when I EQ but other than that it's just the "HUHS" that bother me.I do play more acoustic style music now, although feeding back the system worries me. And I tend to do that more than I should.....Ciao +1it's not playing that's a problem for me, it's understanding everything that people say, especially on the phone. And I miss listening to Chopin without that tinnitus.I wish I could go back and protect myself better, but it's a small problem for me compared to the tragedies many people live with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted January 12, 2005 Members Share Posted January 12, 2005 Originally posted by pink floyd cramer I have posted this topic on other forums but this one probably has a greater % of live players, so may be more appropriate.About 4 years ago I had my hearing checked, and found that I had a severe high frequency hearing loss. I was fitted for hearing aids, got out of playing keyboards in bands, and only played acoustic gigs. After about 2 yrs of that, I started wearing ear plugs and playing in bands again every now and then. Now I have to do it full time, until I can start a new acoustic gig in Feb. I love playing with a band but have to use earplugs that block out about 20 db, otherwise I notice my hearing is muffled the next day. I really need to just quit all bands but I gig for a living and I don't want my truck repo'd or to live in a homeless shelter. I have to find another line of work.Just wanted to know who else here has bad hearing, and how they cope with it, who has had to quit playing, etc. Anybody? First of all, you are wise to minimize the damage further! The way I deal with it is to be the one who sets the "sonic parameters"...when I hire a drummer/percussionist or bassist, I make it VERY clear that our onstage volume NEVER exceeds a certain level and that they only get one warning...after that, they're fired. Self-taught drummers are the worst, so I make a point of only working with jazz or classical/symphony trained percussionist, whenever possible. Obviously, if it's not your project, you really can't be this particular, but you might discuss your concerns with the other members, and point out to them the tragedy of Beethoven's latter years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pink floyd cramer Posted January 13, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2005 The band I am working with now is one of the quieter I have worked with (no accident there). Guitar players usually give me the most trouble, I quit my last band because the guitar player/bandleader was way too loud. In the past I think I have also hurt myself by subjecting my ears to chick singers shreiking through through cheap ratty PA's. Higher-end gear tends to be much easier on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BandofThievesâ„¢ Posted January 13, 2005 Members Share Posted January 13, 2005 You should fork out about $100 for some custom plugs.They are transparent.Any good hearing place should be able to make them for you...That way you don't have to ask the rest of the guys in your group to play different from what they are comfortable with.Good Luck..P.S. One 4 ot 5k spike in the monitors will mess up your hearing..Better to be safe than sorry.Hearing Does NOT Restore itself.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The_Idiom Posted January 13, 2005 Members Share Posted January 13, 2005 when you got ear plugs did you get good ones?? i use a pair of custom molded ones from an audiologist... pretty expensive but very well worth it.... i play in a rock band, and it can get pretty loud... my drummer hits the drums hard... and i wouldn't want him to hit the drums and lighter.... i'm sorry but i'm from the thought that certain music drums should be hit differently and rock music should have a nice crisp snare .... anyway thats a different topic but the custom earplugs are reallyworth it Brandon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pink floyd cramer Posted January 13, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2005 For now I am using Hearos, not the cheapo foam ones but the ones that are baffled and attenuate all the frequencies equally, cost me about $18. They are soft plastic and seal pretty decently, though not as well as custom-molded. Sound quality is good compared to others I have tried. Hearing protection, sadly enough, is really not on too many peeps minds. It is hard to find decent earplugs in stock, and not because they are flying off the shelves. I find it ironic that the worst offenders for playing loud often have decent hearing- everyone is different when it comes to the degree to which their ears can withstand noise. I have played side by side with players who didn't suffer nearly the damage I have (but I am sure they didn't get off scot-free). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted January 14, 2005 Members Share Posted January 14, 2005 Originally posted by The_Idiom when you got ear plugs did you get good ones??i use a pair of custom molded ones from an audiologist... pretty expensive but very well worth it....i play in a rock band, and it can get pretty loud... my drummer hits the drums hard... and i wouldn't want him to hit the drums and lighter.... i'm sorry but i'm from the thought that certain music drums should be hit differently and rock music should have a nice crisp snare .... anyway thats a different topicThe drummers I work with are hip to the fact that a lighter stick (oneb guy uses those "bundle sticks) can hit just as hard, sound just as crisp, yet not cause hearing damage. Something worth considering!but the custom earplugs are reallyworth itBrandon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pallas Posted January 17, 2005 Members Share Posted January 17, 2005 im experiencing the same thing ringin in the ears so when we rehearse its ear protection time but when we play its only on my leftside that gets protection usually where the drummer is. Yeah its bad when it affects you coz its different with earplugs...you cant communicate well musically so protect your ears people:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The_Idiom Posted January 18, 2005 Members Share Posted January 18, 2005 he drummers I work with are hip to the fact that a lighter stick (oneb guy uses those "bundle sticks) can hit just as hard, sound just as crisp, yet not cause hearing damage. Something worth considering! hey thats an awesome idea.... accept i've tried it before... and although i LOVE the sound... i've always been able to tell that it was bundle sticks or quiet sticks or cool sticks or whatever you wanna call them... but for certain musical types you can get an awesome snare/tom tone with those things Brandon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adamsj Posted January 21, 2005 Members Share Posted January 21, 2005 I'm still playin', though I know I've damaged my hearing. Changing habits and wearing plugs after decades of not is very hard to do. But y'know, everyone should. Here's words of warning to younger guys: I can't have a conversation in a noisy bar (or any noisy room, like a sports arena or noisy restaurant) because the high end of my hearing is pretty damaged. Don't let that happen to you, because it ain't funny. It sucks. Wear plugs from the start and you'll never suffer the consequences, or have any complaints like, 'but it just doesn't sound the same!' Just do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackwatch Posted January 21, 2005 Members Share Posted January 21, 2005 "bundle sticks) I'm pretty sure they're called "Hot Shots" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jumpy Posted January 21, 2005 Members Share Posted January 21, 2005 Originally posted by Blackwatch I'm pretty sure they're called "Hot Shots" My drummer calls them blast sticks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackwatch Posted January 22, 2005 Members Share Posted January 22, 2005 I just did a seach on Musicians Friend and they're called all kinds of different things. I wasn't trying to be picky...it's just my drummer always corrected me when I called them anything other than "Hot Shots" I guess he was the anal one..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EdDrums Posted January 23, 2005 Members Share Posted January 23, 2005 My band practices about 10 hours a week and sometimes i dont wear earplugs and I would have headache for most of that day. I have only been playing for a few years and have sufferd some ear damage. Now I wear earplugs with headphones over top....You can never be to safe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adamsj Posted January 24, 2005 Members Share Posted January 24, 2005 good idea eddrums. All the old time drummers are the most deaf players of all, 'cause they've got those cymbals ringin' in their ears every night. When you're practicin', you should consider putting something over the cymbals to dampen the ring, and save your ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sickwindsor Posted February 5, 2005 Members Share Posted February 5, 2005 Well my biggest problem is that the drummer and my bass player wear earplugs but im a guitar player and my other guitar player do not because when we do we can hear our guitar parts.Its all muffled and you cant really tell what guitar chords your playing.The drummer is really botherd with how loud his kit is cause its at least 10db's louder to me then for him since his cymbals arnt at ear level for him buy they are for me.Ive sat down at his drum kit and played a few songs with my bass player and now I see that his kit is very mellow at the thrown but 4 feet out its a monster.I guess 1/4 wave theroy coming into play.I get slight ringing in my ears during practice but I dont really notice damage untill after practice and the whole day after.Do you know when you go swiming and you get water in your ears and everthing sounds muffeled and lifeless and you try to shake the water out of your ears but nothing comes out.I usally have to sleep on the ear that got water in it and let it drain thruout the night and I can hear better in the morning.Thats what my life is like playing in my band.My plan is to do two things.One build a drum riser for my drummer so I can get the cymbals atleast a foot over my head and that should help alot and then Maybe invest in some In Ear Monitors that reduce sounds up 30db and I can have my vocals and guitar parts come in at whatever I want.But at $600 for the sure unit I wanna make sure you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackwatch Posted February 5, 2005 Members Share Posted February 5, 2005 we've started playing at lower volume levels and a number of positive things have happened: -The club owners are much happier-The audience seems happier-We get jobs at clubs we wouldn't have before-We get a better class of club.-Our ears are much better off-The music is much more melodic-The audience can understand the words to my songs-We sell more CD's Overall it's been more fun. I know that some of you guys play music that has to be played loud because of it's nature, but I've seen many, many musicians that play loud for no good reason at all, and they suck because of it...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adamsj Posted February 7, 2005 Members Share Posted February 7, 2005 yeah, Blackwatch, you're right -- many who play loud do so for no good reason, and they suck 'cuz of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members prembo Posted March 29, 2010 Members Share Posted March 29, 2010 You say About 4 years ago I had my hearing checked, and found that I had a severe high frequency hearing loss. I was fitted for hearing aids, got out of playing keyboards in bands, and only played acoustic gigs. After about 2 yrs of that, I started wearing ear plugs and playing in bands again every now and then. Now I have to do it full time, until I can start a new acoustic gig in Feb. I play bass and guitar and have bad tinnitus and severe loss in left ear--how does a hearing aid cope in a stage situation does it reproduce true??etc etc I know nothing..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Poker99 Posted March 29, 2010 Members Share Posted March 29, 2010 I always use ear plugs at gigs and live shows when we play in small places. On a bigger stage its fine most of the time. Beware of close walls! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sabriel9v Posted March 29, 2010 Members Share Posted March 29, 2010 I've definitely suffered hearing loss and I'm only 24 But my mom, grandma and ex-girlfriends have always told me that I suffer from a disease called selective hearing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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