How LOUD are your practice sessions?

[sylvesterlowery]

We get pretty {censored}ing loud!

We jam in a large warehouse near my house, industrial area so we can crank it quite a bit.

[docjeffrey]

 

OSHA is all done on statistics so you could be at risk more than the standard says. Also there is a peaky quality to guitar playing from transients that also do damage. Sustained exposure means repeated over a period of time - which I guess is what your practice is. Cumulative effects. Coupled with the above, keep the ear plugs. Better yet, get a checkup and see what state the ears are in now. You may be lucky, but not forever. (despite the disclaimer, I used to be a noise and vibration consultant.)

 

 

 

I had my hearing checked a couple of years ago when I was having trouble with my left ear. I've shared with you folks the fact that I have freakishly sensitive hearing meaning that I can hear very faint tones at all frequency levels beyond the range normal for most humans.

 

You'd think that this is a good thing, but it's actually quite a problem mainly because what I hear is not what my bandmates or the audience is hearing. Certain instruments are really annoying (horns, keyboards especially). Cymbals can be excruciating. Mixing a recording is a total crapshoot, and running live sound is impossible.

 

The only good thing about having ultra sonic hearing is that I can hear very subtle differences from one guitar or amp to another, which means that a lot of budget gear is unfortunately out of the question, as well as some of the high end crap that's out there. By the way, I do wear hearing protection when I attend concerts, even when we go to local bars.

[Doctor49]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

according to my wife, I have bats ears and dogs nose.
Sadly nothing from a horse.

[smp156]

I pulled out my db meter today out of curiosity to see what kind of damage I was doing to my hearing. With a Gretsch 6120 through a Fender Tweed Deluxe, sitting 5' from the amp, I wound up the volume to my favorite level.

oh dude... i live with tinitus from going to too many loud concerts in very small venues. do yourself a favor and wear earplugs its not that big of a hassle.
but anyway, i recorded this composition at "conversation" level. meaning i live in a very "resonant" house with 2 old ladies beneath me. so i don't turn up loud at all, and here's an Experimental Dirge Metal piece:
http://www.youtube.com/user/smp156?feature=mhw4#p/u/7/D9C8BdIFF3U

[Josh S]

I had my hearing checked a couple of years ago when I was having trouble with my left ear. I've shared with you folks the fact that I have freakishly sensitive hearing meaning that I can hear very faint tones at all frequency levels beyond the range normal for most humans. You'd think that this is a good thing, but it's actually quite a problem mainly because what I hear is not what my bandmates or the audience is hearing. Certain instruments are really annoying (horns, keyboards especially). Cymbals can be excruciating. Mixing a recording is a total crapshoot, and running live sound is impossible. The only good thing about having ultra sonic hearing is that I can hear very subtle differences from one guitar or amp to another, which means that a lot of budget gear is unfortunately out of the question, as well as some of the high end crap that's out there. By the way, I do wear hearing protection when I attend concerts, even when we go to local bars.

 

 

Welcome to my life - I've got the same dealy. It does cause all kinds of problems in the mixing arena, it's true. Drives me kind of nuts. And makes me go through serious gear changes because I can hear the differences that nobody else does.