loud whistling, hearing problems

nikiarrowsmith · Post by **nikiarrowsmith** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:31 pm

Is it true that continuous whistling especially with louder whistles can lead to hearing problems and other ear conditions? I ask because I've begun to notice some irritation when I play the higher notes, after a long session of playing alone. Obviously one cannot use ear plugs when playing with other musicians, but for extended playing alone would this be a good idea?

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:47 pm

on a related topic:
Is it true that the hunger site makes you crave for a double burger with cheese. cause i just felt it

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:18 pm

Yes. Fortunately, whistles are a bit quieter than some other instruments, however it can be a serious problem.

I suffer from tinutus (ringing in the ears) and playing in the upper register aggravates it and may have even been the root cause of the problem. Playing outdoors and with quieter whistles, as well as earplugs or similar helps limit the damage. All hearing loss is permanent damage. It is gradual and accumulates over a lifetime.

walrii · Post by **walrii** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:20 pm

Any loud noise will eventually damage your hearing. Get a quiet whistle to practice with or practice somewhere that absorbs the sound like a well-carpeted room versus a tile floor. Ear plugs might be a good idea but I'll leave it to others to comment on earplugs effect on the pitch you are hearing as you play.

I lost a lot of my hearing while hanging around jet engines for many years. Protect your hearing - every time one of those little hairs in your inner ear falls down dead, it is dead forever and they don't grow back!

Edited to add: Nicely said BillChin!

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:24 pm

I'm not sure what the irritation you are talking about is, but I bet you could take your whistle to a hearing specialist or someone who tests hearing and talk to them about your situation and let them measure how loud your whistle is, etc. They would be able to tell you if you might be harming your hearing. If you are, then you have to take some action to prevent it. Probably they could help you with that too. I know earplugs are rated according to how much they cut down loud sounds, so I bet you could find some that would protect your ears without making it hard to hear what you are playing. But I think you need to know how loud your sounds are in order to figure out what to do---so that's why I'd go to someone who can measure that for you.

azw · Post by **azw** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:26 pm

BillChin's right: I find that playing a quieter whistle really helps.

Another way to reduce the noise level, I think, is to play in a lower pitch. I love playing the tiny high whistles but they're painfully shrill, so I often end up playing a Bb or C instead.

Among my favorite in-the-house whistles is a Hoover white cap in C. It's a great player and fairly quiet.

BTW, I'd love to get one in D, if anyone has one they want to sell!

azw · Post by **azw** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:33 pm

There are lots of different kinds of ear plugs, each designed for specific purposes. They're designed to attenuate different frequencies, and some (like theones for musicians) reduce the level evenly across a broad range of frequencies. Most of the plugs I've bought in recent years come with a chart of how much they reduce different frequencies.

If you Google on "ear plugs musician" (without the quotes), you'll find plenty of web pages about musicians' ear plugs.

falkbeer · Post by **falkbeer** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:13 pm

nikiarrowsmith wrote:Is it true that continuous whistling especially with louder whistles can lead to hearing problems and other ear conditions? I ask because I've begun to notice some irritation when I play the higher notes, after a long session of playing alone. Obviously one cannot use ear plugs when playing with other musicians, but for extended playing alone would this be a good idea?

There are several ear plugs for muscians on the market. These plugs sounds very natural and reduce all frequencies equal. (you won´t get that typical muffled ear plug sound that comes from extreme reduction of high frequences)

Try: http://www.ultimateears.com/custom/ER-15_earplugs.htm

I´ve got a pair of plugs that reduces 20 dB, and they work exellently! They are very usefull on loud rock concerts too!

Good luck!

dDave · Post by **dDave** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:20 pm

Howdy,

I sell big drums where hearing loss is definitely a problem in the community. Because of that, I also sell earplugs that are cheap ($13), attenuate pretty darn evenly across the frequency range, are are reusable. I like them much better than my $180 custom musician's earplugs which don't seal to my ear nearly as well.

I almost always wear earplugs if I'm playing a high D whistle. In fact I always carry earplugs with me where ever I go and find I plenty of places where life is a little more manageable when you turn down the sound 20db.

Regardless of where you get them, I do highly recommend having a set of earplugs. As mentioned, hearing loss is cumulative and permanent. There is a lot of good info at Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers(H.E.A.R)

Best,

Dave

DreamOgreen · Post by **DreamOgreen** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 2:37 am

For what it's worth... azw said

Another way to reduce the noise level, I think is to play in a lower pitch

In my opinion that is more of an issue with how the sound "feels" to you..... I also have a substantial hearing loss cause by thousands of hours in light aircraft without adequate hearing protection. The sound that did it to me is a very low frequency sound. Apparently any long term exposure to sound of any frequency over 90 decibels or higher can cause permanent damage. That's why I am so personally fond of quiet whistle like hoovers and such......

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:41 am

This is a bit of an aside, but I have a bit of tinnitis in one ear which I attribute to an ear infection I had a few years ago. Of course, I've also been a musician for many years, and play fiddle, whistle, mandolin, banjo and guitar. I also enjoyed my rock and jazz concerts over the years, so who knows?

I do find that the higher whistles set my ear to ringing more. Consequently, I do most of my practicing on whistles that are C or lower, or on my very quiet Hoover narrow-bore D. And I often wear an earplug in one or both ears. As others have said, damage is cumulative and permanent, so conserve your resources!

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:58 am

After a time when I had ringing in my ears from practicing a tune with lots of high notes in it, I took advice and bought several kinds of ear plugs. I use earplugs when playing high whistles now. My hearing has never fully recovered from one extended practice session playing a high tune!

The earplugs that I have found that help me the most also happen to be the cheapest and don't muffle the sound unless I insert them deeply into my ear. I have had no problems since using them.

I agree with the value of practicing on lower and quieter whistles and that helps me a lot.

Guinness · Post by **Guinness** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:24 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_health_effects

Skip to Hearing Loss.

riverman · Post by **riverman** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:51 pm

I always wear earplugs now--ever since I tried to master a song with high As and Bs on a high D whistle, and tried too long and too hard. My hearing went tinny, and stayed that way LONG time! My favorite whistles sounded like a wasp in a tin can!
So now, earplugs! And I find I don't dread the high A so much and can hit it with greater confidence. I enjoy playing better that way.
The lower whstles are better on the ear, and the quieter ones also, but I find they're all loud enough to reactivate that tinny sound for me.
I find, however, that once I relax and listen THROUGH the earplugs, I have a great time whistling!
My favorite are the Hoch's Noise Brakers from The Ear Plug Store. They've just been improved so they fill your ear better. They cut out some sound, but not enough to dull the music. Earplugs with too much protection, like 20-32 decibels, can make you feel like you're listening to your whistle from the next room! Go for around 12-15 decibel reduction. That's perfect.

azw · Post by **azw** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:08 pm

DreamOgreen's point is worth investigating. It could be DreamOgreen is right that we perceive higher pitched sounds as louder, but they may not be.

Does anyone have access to a noise level meter?

It'd be worthwhile to know whether lower whistles play at the same or a different decibel level.

I think we'd want to test in two ways: (a) the decibel level of a full range of notes on the one whistle, and (b) the same notes on two similar whistles with the main difference being different root notes (e.g. if playing D and C Burke brass whistles, comparing the decibel level of the second octave D and C respectively).

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loud whistling, hearing problems

loud whistling, hearing problems

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