Ear Plugs
- workbased 2000
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Ear Plugs
When you play/practise do you wear earplugs?
I recently had a hearing test and was described as having some hearing loss in the high register.
I have noticed myself that I frequently am saying, "Pardon", and having to have something repeated, confirming hearing loss to some degree.
I am really quite worried about further loss as I've woken up in the middle of the night recently and heard.............. Crickets!!!!!
Tinitus.......... maybe only mild but I don't want it to get any worse.
Whenever I remember, and am not too bombed, I will put in a pair of Musicians Earplugs. Cost me $50.00 but I figure what price is your hearing? Pardon???
I try to remember to put them in for every practise . Yeah Right!!! See bombed!
Not even close, but I think I should .
I wonder what all you whistle /flute players do.
Pardon???
I recently had a hearing test and was described as having some hearing loss in the high register.
I have noticed myself that I frequently am saying, "Pardon", and having to have something repeated, confirming hearing loss to some degree.
I am really quite worried about further loss as I've woken up in the middle of the night recently and heard.............. Crickets!!!!!
Tinitus.......... maybe only mild but I don't want it to get any worse.
Whenever I remember, and am not too bombed, I will put in a pair of Musicians Earplugs. Cost me $50.00 but I figure what price is your hearing? Pardon???
I try to remember to put them in for every practise . Yeah Right!!! See bombed!
Not even close, but I think I should .
I wonder what all you whistle /flute players do.
Pardon???
- crookedtune
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I have tinnitus in one ear, which I attribute to an ear infection I experienced a few years ago. It's not severe, but is pretty much constant. I usually don't notice it, unless I think to listen. But a few times a day it will increase in volume for a few minutes, as if to remind me.
I sometimes wear earplugs when playing high whistles, particularly if I'm in a small enclosed space. I ALWAYS wear them when I use machinery like lawn mowers, etc... You don't need to spend a lot on earplugs, though. You can buy simple, but effective foam plugs in packs of 10 for a few dollars (US).
I sometimes wear earplugs when playing high whistles, particularly if I'm in a small enclosed space. I ALWAYS wear them when I use machinery like lawn mowers, etc... You don't need to spend a lot on earplugs, though. You can buy simple, but effective foam plugs in packs of 10 for a few dollars (US).
Charlie Gravel
“I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.”
― Oscar Wilde
“I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.”
― Oscar Wilde
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- Tell us something.: irish music, specifically slow airs played on different whistle keys, also lower keyed flutes like Bb, but only from modern makers who have managed to get the hole spacing a little closer. And finally learning some fiddle tunes, mainly slow airs again so that the whole family don't go mad with the sound of a cat being strangled.
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Hi,
I damaged my ear some 35 odd years ago, as a young lad and the high notes of some whistles reverberate quite badly in my left ear, almost not at all with the flute, but I always play with a set of Elacin ear plugs, if you get the good ones $150 ish dollars mark, they pretty much dont affect the sound quality you hear, but really do cut the high frequencies.
if I can find the case I will let you have the model number.
I did have a cheap pair some time ago and they stopped most of the nasty fequencies but also muffled the sound.
cheers sponge,
I damaged my ear some 35 odd years ago, as a young lad and the high notes of some whistles reverberate quite badly in my left ear, almost not at all with the flute, but I always play with a set of Elacin ear plugs, if you get the good ones $150 ish dollars mark, they pretty much dont affect the sound quality you hear, but really do cut the high frequencies.
if I can find the case I will let you have the model number.
I did have a cheap pair some time ago and they stopped most of the nasty fequencies but also muffled the sound.
cheers sponge,
- FJohnSharp
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- Tell us something.: I used to be a regular then I took up the bassoon. Bassoons don't have a lot of chiff. Not really, I have always been a drummer, and my C&F years were when I was a little tired of the drums. Now I'm back playing drums. I mist the C&F years, though.
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- MusicalADD
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I worry sometimes about whether high whistles contribute to hearing loss, yeah.
But, no, so far I have not used ear plugs while practicing or playing at sessions.
I spread my whistling across various whistles - a low D, a brass A, and a Burke narrow-bore composite high D, which isn't too loud. By doing some of my whistling on lower pitched whistles, and by making my high D a not-terribly loud model, I hope that I'm minimizing any hearing loss potential.
But.... so far, for me, whistle is not my main session instrument. If whistle does become my main session instrument, then I'll need a louder high D whistle. If that happens then I'll have to consider the ear plugs, I think. Sometimes I've felt ear discomfort sitting near certain other whistlers at sessions.
But, no, so far I have not used ear plugs while practicing or playing at sessions.
I spread my whistling across various whistles - a low D, a brass A, and a Burke narrow-bore composite high D, which isn't too loud. By doing some of my whistling on lower pitched whistles, and by making my high D a not-terribly loud model, I hope that I'm minimizing any hearing loss potential.
But.... so far, for me, whistle is not my main session instrument. If whistle does become my main session instrument, then I'll need a louder high D whistle. If that happens then I'll have to consider the ear plugs, I think. Sometimes I've felt ear discomfort sitting near certain other whistlers at sessions.
- larrym.
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Ahhh, tinnitus, my constant companion for many years in both ears. When I finally brought it up with my doctor and he asked me if it was like a ringing in my ears I finally said yes it was (prodded by my "ex" wife). Silly me, when I heard people talk about ringing in their ears I always thought they meant like an alarm clock or telephone!crookedtune wrote:I have tinnitus in one ear, which I attribute to an ear infection I experienced a few years ago. It's not severe, but is pretty much constant. I usually don't notice it, unless I think to listen. But a few times a day it will increase in volume for a few minutes, as if to remind me.
I sometimes wear earplugs when playing high whistles, particularly if I'm in a small enclosed space. I ALWAYS wear them when I use machinery like lawn mowers, etc... You don't need to spend a lot on earplugs, though. You can buy simple, but effective foam plugs in packs of 10 for a few dollars (US).
Just curious about your using ear plugs. Doesn't having them in exaggerate the ringing?
_______________________
Larry
"For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
- PhilO
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Thanks for the reminder to use the ones I have; they work very well and don't interfere with anything but volume of sound.
I got Hearos - a set of 2 high fidelity ear filters - 2 to a pack with cases - a couple of years ago for about $18 I think - maybe from Musicians Friend online.
Philo
I got Hearos - a set of 2 high fidelity ear filters - 2 to a pack with cases - a couple of years ago for about $18 I think - maybe from Musicians Friend online.
Philo
"This is this; this ain't something else. This is this." - Robert DeNiro, "The Deer Hunter," 1978.
- Jason Paul
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I figure that if anyone has reason to be concerned, then that's reason enough to wear earplugs. Personally, I've never encountered any whistle that I felt was damaging, but so what? Bagpipes are loud, pipe organs can be very loud, but whistles are whimps by comparison. When we perform I usually wear them. Our speakers have warning labels that say "DANGER. This device is capable of producing sound at levels known to be harmful to humans."
Hi,
I have tinnitus in both ears (also caused by an ear infection in my youth), and when I began to play the whistle, I had the feeling it was worse for about half an hour after playing, then it returned to "normal". I have tried earplugs but did not like it (probably my tinnitus is not bad enough yet ).
My solution at the moment is practicing on a Bb-Generation. It does not seem to affect my tinnitus, although it is not so much lower than a high D (but I cannot promise that this will work for everyone).
If I should ever play in a session, I may have to use ear plugs though.
Greetings
bluefrog
I have tinnitus in both ears (also caused by an ear infection in my youth), and when I began to play the whistle, I had the feeling it was worse for about half an hour after playing, then it returned to "normal". I have tried earplugs but did not like it (probably my tinnitus is not bad enough yet ).
My solution at the moment is practicing on a Bb-Generation. It does not seem to affect my tinnitus, although it is not so much lower than a high D (but I cannot promise that this will work for everyone).
If I should ever play in a session, I may have to use ear plugs though.
Greetings
bluefrog
Take care of your hearing! I spent many years in the Air Force, working around jet engines. I was quite cavalier about wearing hearing protection in my younger days. Now my hearing is shot. The whistle is one of the few things I can still hear clearly.
Just so. I've had tinnitus in both ears since childhood. I though everyone had that.larrym wrote:Silly me, when I heard people talk about ringing in their ears I always thought they meant like an alarm clock or telephone!
The Walrus
What would a wild walrus whistle if a walrus could whistle wild?
The second mouse may get the cheese but the presentation leaves a lot to be desired.
What would a wild walrus whistle if a walrus could whistle wild?
The second mouse may get the cheese but the presentation leaves a lot to be desired.
I suppose if the cause is otoacoustic emissions, it might, but I think most of thelarrym. wrote:Just curious about your using ear plugs. Doesn't having them in exaggerate the ringing?
time it's caused by the receptors thinking there's a sound when there actually
isn't. If there isn't an actual, physical soundwave, then there's nothing to
bounce off the earplugs...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus
I have had tinnitus for many years from working near whining steam turbines. Ear plugs do exaggerate the noise I hear. But the idea is to protect the hearing that is left.larrym. wrote:Ahhh, tinnitus, my constant companion
Just curious about your using ear plugs. Doesn't having them in exaggerate the ringing?
Larry[/color]
''Whistles of Wood'', cpvc and brass. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69086
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I am not sure as to the cause of tinnitus. When I mentioned mine to my doctor, I was told that it is actually quite common. Anyway, my left ear is the worst, and it is also the one that tends to be more cloggy. As for it sounding louder with ear plugs, my guess is that it does mainly due to the outside sounds being attenuated by the ear-plugs. Also, as DIY audiophile, when I listen critically to my amps and recordings, my tinnitus seems to get louder, which is probably more of a psychological effect.
Anyway, I prefer to listen to things quietly, if possible. I haven't noticed my high D (Burke DAN) being too bad, although the high B can be loud. My advice, I suppose would be err on the side of caution and use ear-plugs, especially if playing the louder whistles.
Do the cheaper ear-plugs really muffle the whistle sounds sufficiently to be annoying? I expect that you'd easily get used to them.
Charlie
Anyway, I prefer to listen to things quietly, if possible. I haven't noticed my high D (Burke DAN) being too bad, although the high B can be loud. My advice, I suppose would be err on the side of caution and use ear-plugs, especially if playing the louder whistles.
Do the cheaper ear-plugs really muffle the whistle sounds sufficiently to be annoying? I expect that you'd easily get used to them.
Charlie
- Boody
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I never wear earplugs playing whistle, and I would probably start wearing them playing guitar before I did whistle. My band practices with half stack marshall amp, 250 watt bass amp, drum set and vocals get pretty loud, but they are nothing to live shows. Sometimes my ears ring for a day or so after shows, but wearing ear plugs would spoil the fun.
Whistle Clips (Old, I really need to update these)