General Music Chat

I've seen drummers wearing headphones, didn't think much about it, just figured they would get a better monitor mix that way. For me I'm not sure if it would work unless they were wireless, I move around too much to have a wire hanging around me, which is why I got the wireless unit for my guitar. Actually my niece git it for me for Christmas a couple of years ago, she was tired of seeing me trip over guitar cords and kicking them out of the way.

The mickey mouse ears work pretty well for shooting, I haven't tried them with a band, but they don't block conversation, I've used them several times for target practice and can still talk, but the muzzle noise is very well muted.

As far as pro musicians, Eric Johnson has tinitis, from years of maxed out Marshalls, I remember reading an interview with Billy Gibbons where he said he searched all over the place for a guitar with more treble for the Eliminator album I think it was, which immediately made me think it's not the guitar, it's his ears...I'm sure plenty others have permanent hearing damage as well. Zeppelin and Deep Purple both had reputations as VERY loud bands, Rhino (Iron Butterfly and Captain Beyond) used a pair of 200 watt Marshalls for the 1st Captain Beyond album, I'm sure that couldn't have been good for his eardrums, Ritchie Blackmore used a 200 watter as well, and has been quoted saying he always played every amp he ever owned maxed out, Ted Nugent played a wall of Twin Reverbs maxed out for many years, et cetera...and people think my Super Reverb is loud...

Now we have kids running around all over the place with bass drums you can hear for 4 blocks, I'm betting in a few years we have a couple of million deaf people running around wishing they hadn't bought those huge speaker boxes...the bad part is if you stop next to them at a red light, it's loud enough to damage your ears too. Fortunately you don't have to sit there long...

Pete, I'm gonna go completely off-topic, but there's no way to send you a message.
I went back to listening to your recordings again and they're awesome. And the beard is great too

Eric Johnson has tinitis...

So does Paul Gilbert. He wears big over-the-ear headphones now, even on-stage, to protect what hearing he has left. I've also read that Myles Kennedy has tinitis.

If any of you sit in a quiet place for a few minuets you will discover 90% of the human population has tinitis. (ringing in the ear)
When your butt rich and bored you can complain about it to some incompetent DR who will treat you for it at great expense.

There are other causes for tinitis, coffee, for example.
Another cause is fatigue.
Here's an interesting fact about tinitus which most people are unaware of . . .
The more and more tired I get the more 'rings,' or tones, I will hear.
One or two tones is normal for me.
Anytime I am exhausted I can hear at least 3 tones.
At 4 tones, I have a 50-50 chance of getting a headache or sore throat. because - at that stage, my whole body is weakened from fatigue.
(I don't get much sleep).
But - almost everytime I've heard 5 tones, I wind-up getting sick.
I have never heard (or noticed, rather) more than 5 tones - it is extremely difficult to differentiate them . . .
I use tinnitus as my bodie's own personal alarm system.

Damn few people are that aware of their bodies RM. Good for you.
Dehydration is the number one cause of most peoples aches and pains.
It's not the water for fluid sake, no, it's the need of the hydrogen ion in the chemical reactors of the cells. Some hom is well hydrated will urinate very frequently. It's natural and only bothersome in our over tech society.
Dehyration and poor oxygenation contribute to tinitis as well. I am only mildly aware of the ringing in my ears at sea level. At 10,000 ft. Much more pronounced.

I do, and think you should too. Aint no shame in keeping your hearing. Paul gilbert wears those big sound-cancelling ear-muf thingies on stage - he's a walking ad for ear protection.

~chris

Do you wear earplugs when you practice? Should one wear earplugs when they practice? I'm asking because I've noticed that after I practice for a little while, my ear starts to burn a little. If anyone wears them, maybe you could give me some recommendations. Thanks.

I use earplugs when I practice with a band and on stage.

My preference is ear plugs for shooters. They do affect the way I hear my amp, so it just takes a bit of getting use to. The highs are deadened a little bit, but I think after a few times using them you will get use to the tone difference.

Regarding their comfort. I have worn them doing club dates that lasted 4 hours. I would take them out between sets. But otherwise they were quite comfortable.

The idea is to get ones that fit your ears. Everyone's ears are a bit different.

I just got a new pair -- not shooting type -- by a company called ETY but they are not as comfortable as the shooting plugs. SO I think I'll find another pair of shooting ear plugs. Go to a gun store and get them.

It's a great idea to do your best to protect your ears. Even if you wear head phones and think you look stupid. Your hearing is far more important than one night of looking strange.

I've never worn 'plugs and we used to play loud as hell. I believe if it hurts your ears, you're doing something wrong. And the audience will feel it too. And not like it. EQ it until you can still feel it but it doesnt hurt your ears.
-My .02.

Hey guys I just stumbled across your site and saw this discussion.

I developed tinnitus a few years back as a result of going to too many loud clubs and concerts without hearing protection. I spent a while looking around for the best earplugs to use that would protect my hearing without muffling sound.

I started out with Etymotic ER-20s which have been linked a few posts back, and they were pretty good, but I found they were slightly uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, and they've got a small clear stem which sticks out half an inch which can get annoying.

The best earplugs I've come across hands down are the Alpine Musicsafe Pros. They're tiny so when they're inserted they aren't visible in your ears, and they come with 3 different attenuating filters (low, medium, and high) which means you can choose the amount of sound reduction you get.

You can get them from www.earbuddies.co.nz. All the earplugs sold by EarBuddies come with a keyring case like the ER20s so it's nice and easy to take them with you without worrying about losing them. They ship internationally and are the same price from there as buying them within the US and are delivered just as quick too!

My tinnitus has improved heaps over the last few years by using these whenever I'm out around loud music. Give them a go.

Thanks for the information Wreck.

I never used earplugs when rehearsing or playing live because most often I couldn't hear the separation in the different instruments. Playing metal for 12 years I always had to hear my drummer. Now that I'm older and I'm always saying "WHAT?" to my wife... I'm certain I should've used them! hahaha

But What the hell... too late now!

There are some really cool earplugs that you can get molded to your ears that have a hole through them... it cuts the sound down immensly but you can still hear the different tones clearly. I'm seen them at NAMM but haven't tried them.... but I've heard good things! (pun)

Just listened to your songs Powergroove- Good stuff! Metal then Mellow, Nice. Good talent.

I try my darndest to wear ear plugs in practice. I don't have insane sound levels so that I have ringing in my ears if I don't but it's just safer. Last thing I want to do is lose my high frequency hearing, and high levels of sound for long periods are absolutely the only preventable thing that causes that.

It doesn't even take all that much, 85 dB is the low end that can cause long term damage. A lawnmower is 90 dB. A rock concert is estimated at 120.

Yes it makes it harder to hear and match with my vocals, but if I am having a hard time in a jam session I'll take one out. At least that way I save one ear.

1 ear is better than no-ears..
I play my guitar at home so loud sometimes ( I'll post a self-jam session sometime) that my ears are ringing the next day.. that way I know I'm still alive...
But my hearing is still good... huh? what'd you say?..