Musicians Earplugs - good and cheap

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 1:48 pm

Howdy folks,

Whistles and flutes are darn loud and they do damage our hearing, whether we want to believe it or not. In the interest of protecting my own hearing I did some research on earplugs for musicians and found a really excellent and cheap option - the Etymotics ER-20. A pair of ER-20s costs $10. Unlike other earplugs, the ER-20s are designed to deliver the full acoustic range to your ear with no distortion but with a flat reduction in volume. What this means is that you can practice flute or whistle, play loud, lean into those high notes, and not hurt your ears. It's fantastic. Besides not hurting the ears, I think it is really good for proper playing. Speaking for myself, I know I tend to pull back on the high notes, or cut them short, because the sound is painful for me. With the ER-20s I can lean into those high notes and just focus on the tone, not worrying about it being too loud. This is a great thing. The flute and whistle sound superb when heard through the ER-20s, just the same but quieter.... it is much, much more pleasent.

I bough a pair from the Ear Plug Super Store here: http://store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/profmusearpl1.html

They came in three days and are absolutely great. I highly, highly recommend them. The Ear Plug Super Store also sells all sorts of other great hearing protection aids as well as in ear headphones.

Check it out.

Best.
Chrs

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 2:43 pm

I got some of these a couple of years ago but I confess I don't use them nearly as much as I ought to. I've always found standard earplugs to be uncomfortable.

I do plan to get some custom fitted musician's earplugs made at some point, though, funds permitting - you are right, it's very important to protect your hearing. Not only from your own playing but also from the piper or button box player next to you!

Father Emmet · Post by **Father Emmet** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 2:55 pm

There's no category for "What?"

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 2:58 pm

The problem with hearing loss:
By the time you realize you have some, it's already too late!

Montana · Post by **Montana** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:31 pm

Yes, my ears get irritated especially if I'm playing a Susato. Considered ear plugs but figured I'd lose the ability to hear the note quality. Maybe these plugs allow you to still here the timbre of the notes.
The concept sounds interesting. I would like to hear (no pun intended) from others who might have tried these, particularly if you have tinitus. I know there was a thread a month or so back that talked about tinitus so I know there are some folks out there who suffer from it.
My mom has tinitus. She used to be a vocalist but her tinitus got so bad she couldn't discern harmonies or certain voices; it starts to get all mixed up. Interestingly she has no problem hearing music with higher frequencies (whistles and fiddles). I wonder if she used these types of ear plugs if it would bring everything down to a level where the tinitus wouldn't interfere or be agitated.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:53 pm

Please take Chris' advice: Get and use good quality hearing protection, but also be aware, all hearing protection only lowers the levels of sound getting into your ears, YOU CAN STILL SUFFER SIGNIFICANT HEARING DAMAGE EVEN WHEN WEARING HEARING PROTECTION!!! Unfortunately I know first hand, because it recently happened to me

While working I was subjected (several long exposures) to a high pitched sqealing sound while boring out sections of wood for instruments. Even though I was wearing BOTH NRR 34 rated ear plugs, AND NRR 34 ear muffs (very nearly the highest rating you can get), the sound still seemed quite piercing to me at the time (yes, both the earplugs and muffs were properly fit), however I continued to work because I assumed that, with all the hearing protection, I would be fine. Sadly, I am not: I now suffer from serious tinnitus (ringing of the ears) to such an extent that I cannot sleep without some sort of fairly loud white noise in the background. This damage is permanent, and dealing with the constant ringing is both stressful and depressing.

In addition, my hearing has become (for how long I don't know) hypersensitive: Normal sounds seem so loud to me now that I often have to wear ear plugs during the day just to deal with the normal sound levels of the everyday world. Again, incredibly stessful, and a real downer.

In addition, I most certainly have lost some level of hearing acuity in certain frequency bands, again, this damage is permanent.

All very sad, and it all happened very quickly - just a couple of exposures to this particular sound, and my life is forever changed

Something to think about...........

Loren

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:56 pm

Loren,
very sorry for your hearing problems. Awful. Is there no chance of (partial) recovery?

Best wishes,

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:11 pm

Loren,
Thanks for making us all aware of how fragile the gift of hearing can be. I'll be wearing those ear plugs in sessions.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:16 pm

I'm not convinced. I think it would have to be an unusually loud session to cause hearing loss, and you'd have to be close to the noise for a prolonged time. We're talking acoustic instruments here, right? I think the noise we're exposed to when driving in a busy street is more intense than what you get in a typical session.

In classical circles, piccolo players sometimes wear earplugs when they practice, if they're going to be practicing loud notes on the third octave, but other than that i've never heard of flute players using earplugs.

Loren's case is something completely different: industrial equipment noise at very high levels.

Caveat: my hearing is not perfect either, but it's due to earwax buildup. (Ew!)

Caveat 2: of course, if you're practicing flute, tuba or whatever it is that you play, and if the sound is painfully loud to you, you should wear protection. Maybe you're playing Susatos, or what's the name, that expensive whistle that's supposed to be very loud on the high notes?

g

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:51 pm

I remember acouple years ago Tony made it clear to us uilleann pipers that we could be damaging our hearing (these pipes are soft, but not all that soft in a hard room). His instructions were emphatic, having lost some hearing himself, playing in a rock band. I remember him being emphatic about it too... "PROTECT YOUR HEARING!"

A couple months ago, I started using a chain saw, falling some dead trees on some property I just bought out in the mountains. I absolutely put on the headphones for protection. Chainsaws are LOUD!!

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 5:50 pm

I voted yes. I sometimes experience ringing in the ears. I think all musicians lose some hearing, it is a matter of degree, even without amplification. I have tried earplugs, but find them uncomfortable. My three decibel solution is some tissue in the ears. Not much protection, but a little is better than none, and it is noticeable to me. Mind you, I am talking about attending concerts or playing live music, not industrial applications.

This is not something to be arrogant about, once lost, hearing can not be recovered without extraordinary means. Acoustic instruments in close proximity are more than enough to cause permanent hearing loss.

from
http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/hearingloss.cfm
... If a sound reaches 85 dB or stronger, it can cause permanent damage to your hearing. The amount of time you listen to a sound affects how much damage it will cause. ...

... When listening to music on earphones at a standard volume level 5, the sound generated reaches a level of 100 dB, loud enough to cause permanent damage after just 15 minutes per day! ...

I think some of my damage is from listening to music. Coincidentally, a busy city street is rated at 85 decibels, so yes, that can cause permanent hearing loss with prolonged exposure. If anyone has a decibel meter, data from whistles and/or sessions might be of value.
+ Bill

Jim W · Post by **Jim W** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 6:53 pm

I've got a pair of ER-20s that I used for a fair while. Currently have both ER 15 and 25 with custom molds; while lots more expensive, they're also much more comfortable. (The 20s aren't really bad, though.) There are times I still have some damage, even with the plugs, but that's in a really loud environment. The sound that comes through the plugs is quite altered, but I've adapted to that, to quite a degree. Doesn't take much to reach the level of ear damage, even with acoustic instruments. We don't usually appreciate what we have until it's gone (or damaged.)

chas · Post by **chas** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 6:58 pm

There are certain notes on certain whistles in certain rooms that sometimes bug me, but I find it hard to believe that a wooden flute will damage hearing.

Having worked in damaging environments, I don't mess around. I do some woodworking and always wear plugs, a particle mask, and either oversized glasses or goggles. I had some ear cups, but they broke recently and I haven't gotten any new ones.

Loren, is the hearing loss due to bone conduction?? I know that's in principle possible, but I've never heard of it before. (If you've ever waited for the sound of a tuning fork to die down and put the base against the back of your skull, that's sound that's conducted by the bones.) I worked in a printing shop and could still hear the presses through my bones when I couldn't hear them through the hearing protection. It's a weird feeling.

Hiro Ringo · Post by **Hiro Ringo** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:04 pm

I know a few descent violinists who use a earplug on the instrument side of the ear while practice(even when they own more than 200 years old violins). Continuous listening to a particular sound can easily dull the sensitivities to a particular quality/range of sound. I know this is what most people wont care though.

I first would choose the instrument and gizmo which wont hurt my ears as possible. Loud instruments OK but I would choose the instrument which sound the most comfortable under my ear at any rate. The sound wont much have affects on the audience side so this is quite personal matter. But we know personal matter actually has affects on our own sounds.

I believe good sounds can bear continuous listening. Good music and good instruments too. Bad music/sounds/instruments cant bear continuous listening. My starting point to judge any music/instruments.

brianormond · Post by **brianormond** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:21 pm

-I recall a televised presentation on Inuit life in the Arctic in which boys joined fathers on a subsistence hunt for seal. -The men had hearing damage from exposure to rifle shots, and research on the kids showed exposure to as little as ten shots while growing will cause some lifetime hearing loss, so efforts are made now to protect kids' hearing during the hunt. Didn't the British government rate bagpipes as a hearing hazard not too long ago?

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Musicians Earplugs - good and cheap

Does playing flute or whistle hurt your ears?

Musicians Earplugs - good and cheap