So I joined a band a few months back and after lots of practice we are about to embark on some gigs. The only problem i have is after every practice my ears are ringing. When we first started to practice i bought some ear plugs form Boots, Just the clear ribbed ones you buy for flights etc. I tried them but just felt they pretty much made me unable to hear. I had real difficulty hearing notes and in the end just decided It was better without so I could at least hear what i was playing.
Can anyone recommend some really good earplugs that reduce the noise but still let you hear what you are playing?
Thanks
Slightly deaf guitarist
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I had the moulds taken at my local Boots after a hearing test.
https://www.acscustom.com/uk/products/hearing-protection/pro-series
For £120 it was a bit steep to start with but have been using them for almost 4 years and worth every penny!
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I've played God knows how many hours in bands and only once did a session get out of hand (the drummer's fault of course) and we ended up with temporary deafness. Despite what others might tell you this is not necessarily an occupational hazard.
It is just not safe to be within a few feet of a heavy rock/metal drummer without ear plugs. Hard snare rimshots are dangerously loud at close range as are crashes.
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I describe their importance thusly: "As a musician, if you fucked your hearing, you'd obviously move heaven and earth to fix it, so why not spend 120 quid now and make sure you don't have to, because you can't."
One of the best gear purchases ever, as I do have tinitus from various gigs/rehearsals when I was younger, and that damage has been done, so I really don't want it to get any worse (and it hasn't since having these).
Looking on the bright side - I can't hear the beeper when the dishwasher's finished!
http://www.read-audio.com/
Most of the time when I get temp hearing loss it’s mostly in one ear - the ear facing the drummer. So I just have one earplug in the ear on the drummer’s side, and though the other ear I can hear my amp normally. Never had a problem with either ear after I started doing that.
Get yourself down to Boots the Chemist and book an appointment to have moulds done of your lug'oles.