Off Topic Gigging with earplugs

[spkirby]

Hey Tim,

like you I have low level tinnitus but now use Elacin ER20's for gigs and rehearsals. I find the response a hundred times better than the regular foam things you buy in Boots or get given on planes, its pretty much what you hear normally with the volume down to 70%. They are also comfy so no worries there although sometimes I wish they were stronger than ER20 as I guess my band is very loud!! As someone else said it's nice to get to the end of a set and not have that noise mush sound you get when your ears are tired!

[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elacin-Earplugs-ER-20-For-Musicians/dp/B000UJ8RHE]Elacin ER-20 For Musicians: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo[/ame]

On a more +ve note my tinnitus recently had a flare up for a couple of weeks and I assumed I had gone to the next stage of damage...fortunately it was a temporary thing and I'm back to the "normal" quiet whistle I've had for years...here's hoping for you...

Steve

 

[bkrumme]

Paul Gilbert wears Gun Mufflers DaPatrooch has a point; you could try that?

I think it would be cool! Surely, Paul uses in ear monitors under them?

When I saw him, the headphones were not plugged in to anything, so I would venture to guess no.
I use comparable custom molded earplugs to what you show in your original thread. These were a VERY good investment for me and I really enjoy playing with them - it's much easier to discern and seperate the instruments than it is without plugs... I'd never gig without them!

Cheers

Eske

Paul certainly does use some crazy ear protection. Here's a link to what those are:

EX-29 Headphones

They're probably plugged into an IEM bodypack with the cable running under his shirt...

 

[ProtoChicken]

Paul certainly does use some crazy ear protection. Here's a link to what those are:

EX-29 Headphones

They're probably plugged into an IEM bodypack with the cable running under his shirt...

Yup, you can see the cable running from the headphones here.

 

[jamminjim]

Hey Tim - sorry to hear about the tinnitus - on a side note, try not to take aspirin.... it'll make it worse.

 

[Larry]

I should really consider a pair of earplugs.

 

[sickindian]

Hey Tim,

like you I have low level tinnitus but now use Elacin ER20's for gigs and rehearsals. I find the response a hundred times better than the regular foam things you buy in Boots or get given on planes, its pretty much what you hear normally with the volume down to 70%. They are also comfy so no worries there although sometimes I wish they were stronger than ER20 as I guess my band is very loud!! As someone else said it's nice to get to the end of a set and not have that noise mush sound you get when your ears are tired!

Elacin ER-20 For Musicians: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

On a more +ve note my tinnitus recently had a flare up for a couple of weeks and I assumed I had gone to the next stage of damage...fortunately it was a temporary thing and I'm back to the "normal" quiet whistle I've had for years...here's hoping for you...

Steve

I have the same ones from my Sitemanager hehe cause when im using Stihl saw its getting very loud and whistling drives me crazy.

that might be a bit strange question but can drugs cause tinnitus?

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Hey Tim,

like you I have low level tinnitus but now use Elacin ER20's for gigs and rehearsals. I find the response a hundred times better than the regular foam things you buy in Boots or get given on planes, its pretty much what you hear normally with the volume down to 70%. They are also comfy so no worries there although sometimes I wish they were stronger than ER20 as I guess my band is very loud!! As someone else said it's nice to get to the end of a set and not have that noise mush sound you get when your ears are tired!

Elacin ER-20 For Musicians: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

On a more +ve note my tinnitus recently had a flare up for a couple of weeks and I assumed I had gone to the next stage of damage...fortunately it was a temporary thing and I'm back to the "normal" quiet whistle I've had for years...here's hoping for you...

Steve

Hello mate,

That last paragraph has given me the most hope of anything that I have read all week. I have been feeling a bit down about it all to be honest, knowing that doing what I love more than anything has destroyed my hearing! But maybe it might die down a bit in a few weeks like you.

I am seeing the doc on Tuesday, and getting the fitting done on Wednesday for my fitted in-ears so I am putting my reckless past behind me now!

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

that might be a bit strange question but can drugs cause tinnitus?

From what I read, some can. Luckily I am not taking anything, legal or otherwise!

 

[sickindian]

My tinnitus started after one illegal drug fortunately its better now but it used to be very disturbing especially in the night.Now it comes back from time to time when im drunk.

 

[SharonG]

My sympathies on the tinnitus - I'm right in there with you. I started using in ear monitors and found it helps tremendously, although they do take getting used to. I did eventually go for the custom molded plugs and it helped both with keeping noise out and improving the tone of what comes through.

As far as causes for tinnitus - it does result from the hair cells getting knocked flat from over exposure to loud noise, and they do not recover. Some drugs including aspirin and caffeine can make it worse. I find mine most annoying whe trying to get to sleep when it's very quiet, or when trying to hear something very quiet and the tinnitus drowns it out.

If you don't have it yet, it's worth the effort to avoid it.......

 

[Purple ASS]

As far as causes for tinnitus - it does result from the hair cells getting knocked flat from over exposure to loud noise, and they do not recover. Some drugs including aspirin and caffeine can make it worse. I find mine most annoying whe trying to get to sleep when it's very quiet, or when trying to hear something very quiet and the tinnitus drowns it out.

If you don't have it yet, it's worth the effort to avoid it.......

Gulp...i just read this whilst drinking probably my tenth coffee today. I really must cut back I went down the IEM route as not only was stage volume too loud but I struggled to hear my guitar through it all. It's great now, I can hear myself, and now the rest of the band moan because they can't !!

 

[fbecir]

Most of the bands play too loud.
Last Friday my band was playing in a pub with another band. The drummer of this band had a very good technique but he played really too loud. The result : most of the people went outside the pub for drinking their beer ...
The drummer of my band plays with rods and he is able to play with a light touch (but okay he does not have the technique of the other guy). The result : all the people came back in the pub ...
If you play on big stages, you need to protect your ears. But most of us play only on small stages thus the best solution is to play with a low level. If some guys in the band start to play with earplug, they will increase their volume. Thus, the band will play louder and louder ... If you need to play with earplug, that means that your audience needs also to wear earplugs.
I don't wear earplugs : I prefer to ask the other guys to reduce their volume. Not really easy with a drummer but worth a try.

 

[bkrumme]

Most of the bands play too loud.
Last Friday my band was playing in a pub with another band. The drummer of this band had a very good technique but he played really too loud. The result : most of the people went outside the pub for drinking their beer ...
The drummer of my band plays with rods and he is able to play with a light touch (but okay he does not have the technique of the other guy). The result : all the people came back in the pub ...
If you play on big stages, you need to protect your ears. But most of us play only on small stages thus the best solution is to play with a low level. If some guys in the band start to play with earplug, they will increase their volume. Thus, the band will play louder and louder ... If you need to play with earplug, that means that your audience needs also to wear earplugs.
I don't wear earplugs : I prefer to ask the other guys to reduce their volume. Not really easy with a drummer but worth a try.

You make a valid point. If you're in a small pub, the volume could be turned down quite a bit, saving your ears from strain and damage. That's a highly unlikely scenario, though. Always have some earplugs handy, even if they're the cheap ones.

 

[paranoid70]

I prefer to ask the other guys to reduce their volume. Not really easy with a drummer but worth a try.

I don't know how to make drummers play quieter. I don't think they know how either.

 

[fbecir]

I don't know how to make drummers play quieter. I don't think they know how either.

Once I played in a pub in Paris (l'Abracadabar). In this pub, they have a system for measuring the noise level. If the noise level is higher than a certain level, the PA is automatically disconnected.
With this sort of system, you learn fast ...
Now, with all the problems caused by the IPod (it seems that most of the younger people are deafer than me thanks to the IPod), the regulations will become more and more strict.
We have to adapt ... and our drummers have to learn how to play with light rods.

 

[bkrumme]

Once I played in a pub in Paris (l'Abracadabar). In this pub, they have a system for measuring the noise level. If the noise level is higher than a certain level, the PA is automatically disconnected.
With this sort of system, you learn fast ...
Now, with all the problems caused by the IPod (it seems that most of the younger people are deafer than me thanks to the IPod), the regulations will become more and more strict.
We have to adapt ... and our drummers have to learn how to play with light rods.

And our producers need to learn how to make music sound good without just jacking the volume.