01-12-2021, 03:07 PM
Preventing hearing loss with musicians earplugs
While the factors discussed above play a role in hearing loss, they affect us all differently. Some people may have constant loud sound exposure for years and suffer no ill effects, and others have long-term damage after just one event. Yet there is no debate that repeated exposure over time is destructive, and as such, every effort to mitigate this should be a priority for every musician. The good news is that even in the presence of damage, progression can be prevented by taking some immediate steps.
While the factors discussed above play a role in hearing loss, they affect us all differently. Some people may have constant loud sound exposure for years and suffer no ill effects, and others have long-term damage after just one event. Yet there is no debate that repeated exposure over time is destructive, and as such, every effort to mitigate this should be a priority for every musician. The good news is that even in the presence of damage, progression can be prevented by taking some immediate steps.
- The most important thing is to vigorously defend your ears! If you enjoy “feeling” the loud music at a rock concert, make sure you wear ear protection so you don’t ruin your hearing. because ear protection for musicians is very important.
- Second, develop the habit of paying attention to the volume levels around you by using a dB meter. If you don’t have a dedicated device, such as the Galaxy Audio Check Mate CM-130 SPL Meter, you can easily use a smartphone app, many of which are free. Use quality speakers, headphones, or in-ear monitors to get accurate frequency response, but be careful to keep their volume levels in check at all times.
- Third, get in the habit of using earbuds or plugs when you’re in any loud environment (not just music venues). Put them in when using power tools, shooting firearms, mowing the grass, or going to that monster truck rally or sporting event.
- Fourth, when you do use in-ear protection, use best practices. Be sure they seal well in your ear canals — not only for comfort, but because a leaky seal defeats the purpose of using them in the first place. Never leave one in-ear monitor (IEM) out and one in; that’s a sure-fire way to damage your hearing over time. For musicians onstage, if you are having trouble hearing what’s going on around you (which actually means you’ve got a good seal), consider adding an ambient mic channel to your in-ear mix or perhaps getting a newer IEM model that has a port to allow external sounds to enter as well, such as Westone’s Am Pros.