Hearing Protection

[pompatus]

Does anyone have a recommendation for hearing protection while performing or playing in an ensemble? I’m already condemned to a lifetime of tinnitus, but I’d like to avoid further damage. In a concert band I play in I’ve been given the seat of honor directly in front of the snare drum, and it gets a bit piercing. Thanks, all.

Terry

[Kingfan]

I sit right next to the drum set in big band. I use an in-the-ear silicone earplug from the local discount store in the ear by the drums. I can pull it out when he is using brushes, put in part way when he is at moderate volume, shove it in further when it is kickin' it. You could do the same with a pair. Many have a string connecting the two, so you could dangle them around your neck when not needed.

[Burgerbob]

I wear these at work, in practice, and even sometime in the car. Only 12db reduction, so not for the REALLY loud settings (rock concerts and the like) but perfect for most things.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044 ... UTF8&psc=1

Only downside is I've lost so many of them... I think I'm on my 8th or 9th pair.

[Matt K]

I got a box of these in 2013:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

Still going strong. I reuse them.. perhaps more than I should but I almost exclusively wear shirts with front pockets so its easy for me to slip them in. I have had a pair in my black slacks for like 3 months at this point. They're my summer big band ear protectors!

I don't usually wear them 100% in. I'll insert them all the way and then gradually remove them until it's the right reduction for the context. A lot of times that means the right ear is slightly more inserted than the left one since the drummer is to my right as well.

[mrdeacon]

The foam ones honestly aren't that bad. There are a ton of different ways you can put them in your ears like Mattk and Kingfan mentioned. I own both foam and a set similar to what Burgerbob has.

[ngrinder]

I use -7db ear plugs. They're custom and sort of expensive, but they work really well and are worth it, in my opinion. I do like the foam ones too, because you can adjust how deep they go in and thus how much sound gets out, but I've settled on the customs. Bit more predictable, I guess.

[pompatus]

I sit right next to the drum set in big band...

I'm pretty sure it was years of big band playing that wrecked my hearing to begin with. When I was younger I was too stupid to do anything about it. Now that I'm older and my ears ring non-stop it's too late to prevent, but I'm wizened enough to keep it from being worse. Thanks, for the tips, guys.

Moral of the story, kids, is to take care of yourself, nobody else will do it for you.

[AndrewMeronek]

I keep a pair of these in every trombone case, in my mute bag, and in my car:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007FKY8SI/?c ... _lig_dp_it

I find that in loud environments, I need as much protection as possible. It's about protecting myself from damage, and also I find that it's actually easier to hear in loud environments with them in, because there is less distortion going on in the ear. My horn still sounds different, of course; that just takes getting used to.

[Bonearzt]

I have a pair of Earasers for when I'm sitting in front of a strong trumpet section. Comfortable, but still get somewhat of a plugged feel. I've gotten used to it.

When I was at the past PASIC in Indianapolis last November, I grabbed several handfuls of the foam plugs they had at each performance room. THOSE I keep everywhere!


Eric

[bimmerman]

I've got a set of the triple flanged "musician" earplugs that live in my case. Maybe Etymotic? They work really really well and make rehearsal a lot more bearable when the trumpets are trumpeting.

High school me definitely didn't do current me any favors. I don't have nonstop ringing but I do have faint hissing, so I don't want it to get worse.

I'm overly cautious now. Earplugs when using tools in the shop, wrenching, playing, performing, racing, driving the loud janky car, etc. I don't wear them when practicing though, not yet anyway.