Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

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How often do you protect your hearing from excessive loud noise and/or music?

Most of the time. Whenever possible and reasonable.
5
83%
Only some of the time.
1
17%
Rarely.
0
No votes
Never. I like the ringing in my ears to be LOUD!
0
No votes
 
Total votes : 6

Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Tue Mar 01, 2011 2:05 pm

So I'm around younger musicians a lot, and it continues to amaze me the complete lack of understanding of the importance of protecting your hearing in excessively loud situations. I will say that there are certainly more kids in their teens actually trying to wear plugs or headphones when jamming compared to when I was that age. There really weren't people preaching about it back then but now, there is no excuse.

I'm not saying that you can't ever enjoy music or playing without hearing protection, but in some of the situations that I've seen and heard, it's hardly more pleasurable without protection given the exceptional loud volume present.

I certainly wish I could take back some of the exposure I experienced as a kid, and I do my best to help others avoid it before they say the same thing. I still have some, and this includes those who say they want to get into "music" as a profession, who just laugh when I chew them out for not protecting their hearing.

I'm not just talking about ear plugs here. Avoiding loud noise is protection as much as anything. So where do you stand?
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Tue Mar 01, 2011 2:36 pm

To answer your question, I learned at 28. So a little over a year ago. I have musicians earplugs I use when I play drums or go see live music. I think they are great. That being said, I only decided to see an audiologist after I already knew there was a problem with my right ear. I have a moderate dip around 4k in my right ear and I didn't want it to get worse so...

Who knows when it happened. It could have been like that since high school, who knows. But I just made the decision that I wasn't going to let it get any worse. Especially since I depend so much on them know. It makes me wonder though, we just my right ear? My left ear is in an acceptable range, but my right ear isn't. So what happened? No idea. Not taking any more risks though.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby macrae11 » Tue Mar 01, 2011 2:45 pm

Yeah I got on that bandwagon young which is good. Probably around 22 or so. I've musician's earplugs now too, and never go to any concert without them. I've actually bought them twice because I lost my first pair. Insane not to buy them for $150-$200 or so, I still thought they were a great bargin even after paying well over $400.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Tue Mar 01, 2011 3:04 pm

I'm getting used to having them in too. I've started wearing them in the bar at Cougars even when I'm not playing on stage. I can still talk to people normally and I can tell a uge difference when I'm done for the night. I never had any ringing in my ears per se, but I could certainly notice that ears would go into "protect" mode. I can tell especially since I know what's it's like now with proper protection.

I'm contemplating ripping the cord off that attaches both of them so I can wear them more without the cord being a problem. Then I increase my chances of losing them though.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Sun Mar 06, 2011 5:31 pm

So since this tread seems to only have attracted those who watch their exposure, how do you all go about limiting yours?

For me, good isolating headphones when drumming, or musicians earplugs. Earplugs or earmuffs when around the loud stuff. As already mentioned, musicians plugs are especially great when you are an audience member as well.

It's the unnecessary exposure that I try and convince people about. Even if you don't like performing with something in, during breaks in noisy environments like clubs and restaurants, wear plugs! Another unnecessary bit of exposure is things like lawn mowers and snow blowers... anything loud really. Make sure you're wearing protection. Even long road trips in vehicles with lots of road noise.... Terribly hard on your ears. Be careful.

My latest trick when mowing the lawn is to wear these and listen to tunes from a portable player. Protection, and entertainment rolled into one.
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It just fills Forum pages..." --compasspnt

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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Alain Benoit » Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:14 pm

Well i got caught with my pants down when I attended The Hads CD release event. Worst live sound ever in this city in recent memory. An hour and a half of my life I will never get back and untold damage to my ears.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby gamblor » Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:11 pm

Sunstar??
Made of 40 dollar bills
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:22 pm

gamblor wrote:Sunstar??

Trade and Convention Center. The offending party is a nice person, but the complete opposite of useful behind a console. Yet bands continue to hire him... So here we are.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Alain Benoit » Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:44 pm

Drumwaiter wrote: The offending party is a nice person, but the complete opposite of useful behind a console. Yet bands continue to hire him... So here we are.


Which sadly blows a wide gaping hole in Malcolm's earlier statement

Malcolm wrote:"If "price" is all you have going for you, it won't last long."
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:49 pm

Alain Benoit wrote:
Drumwaiter wrote: The offending party is a nice person, but the complete opposite of useful behind a console. Yet bands continue to hire him... So here we are.


Which sadly blows a wide gaping hole in Malcolm's earlier statement

Malcolm wrote:"If "price" is all you have going for you, it won't last long."
Are you sure it's just price in that case?
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:59 pm

Yeah really, because it's been going on for quite a while.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Wed Mar 09, 2011 7:40 pm

Happy to say, I don't know who you're talking about.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Brian G. » Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:48 pm

Just wondering if anyone here went to the CD release for "The Playdates" @ 112 Princess St. last Saturday and what they thought of the sound (level and quality)?
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:17 pm

Brian G. wrote:Just wondering if anyone here went to the CD release for "The Playdates" @ 112 Princess St. last Saturday and what they thought of the sound (level and quality)?

Hey Brian, thanks for joining us.

That's the SJTC location isn't it? Haven't been in there yet... heard good things about that space though. Unfortunately, I wasn't at the show. Who was doing sound?
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Christian LeBlanc » Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:42 pm

I wasn't there either, but I can at least say - welcome to the forum!
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Brian G. » Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:12 am

Dean was handling the sound (does that mean you have to be kind?). Warren B. did lights.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Brian G. » Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:15 am

Christian LeBlanc wrote:I wasn't there either, but I can at least say - welcome to the forum!


Thanks, I have been trolling around here for a couple of years. Malcolm has reminded me several times that I was not a "member".
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Greg H. » Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:05 am

Welcome to the forum!
I have to admit, I haven't went out and bought musicians plugs yet, though I've been beating myself over the head to do so.
I used to play with ear plugs in, but of course that messed me up because it wouldn't take all the frequencies out evenly, so I've been playing without for far too long.
That being said, the band usually only fits in one night a week for practice between my hospital schedule and their school/work schedules, so hopefully I'm not doing too much harm.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:51 am

Greg H. wrote:That being said, the band usually only fits in one night a week for practice between my hospital schedule and their school/work schedules, so hopefully I'm not doing too much harm.

You play with one of the only drummers in the area that can play louder than me... There's no way that can be good for your hearing...lol
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:01 pm

Yes, Brian has outed himself as one of many lurkers around here. Way to go finally signing up!

I don't think most who frequent this place were the target audience of that show at the Theatre Company building. The question is... what did you think of the sound Brian? Was that the first event of it's kind in that space?
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Brian G. » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:26 pm

Malcolm Boyce wrote:Yes, Brian has outed himself as one of many lurkers around here. Way to go finally signing up!

I don't think most who frequent this place were the target audience of that show at the Theatre Company building. The question is... what did you think of the sound Brian? Was that the first event of it's kind in that space?


This was the first music event like this. It is something I have wanted to try since we opened that space back in 2008. I kept my earplugs in for most of the all ages show so that was not a good test. I kept them out for the 19+ show that followed. It was loud but I think that goes with the territory. I thought the sound was good but I am no expert. Lawrence thought the sound bounced around the room but he based that on Dean's pre-sound check testing in an empty room. I did not get a chance to ask Dean for his opinion. BTW, Shelly's Living Room shares a common wall with the Rehearsal Hall. She definitely heard the band (and did not have to buy a ticket).
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:27 pm

Brian G. wrote:Dean was handling the sound (does that mean you have to be kind?). Warren B. did lights.


No that doesn't mean I have to be anything. Dean is typically a person that prides himself on doing good work. In the 15 years or so that I've known him, "half ass" just doesn't come up as a way of describing him. However I wasn't there so you'd have to tell me. The fact that it would be brought up is intriguing but Dean hasn't once given me a reason to question his ability to run a FOH, so that's all I can really say.

Since we are in the hearing protection thread, did you maybe find it too loud?
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:31 pm

Brian G. wrote:
Malcolm Boyce wrote:Yes, Brian has outed himself as one of many lurkers around here. Way to go finally signing up!

I don't think most who frequent this place were the target audience of that show at the Theatre Company building. The question is... what did you think of the sound Brian? Was that the first event of it's kind in that space?


This was the first music event like this. It is something I have wanted to try since we opened that space back in 2008. I kept my earplugs in for most of the all ages show so that was not a good test. I kept them out for the 19+ show that followed. It was loud but I think that goes with the territory. I thought the sound was good but I am no expert. Lawrence thought the sound bounced around the room but he based that on Dean's pre-sound check testing in an empty room. I did not get a chance to ask Dean for his opinion. BTW, Shelly's Living Room shares a common wall with the Rehearsal Hall. She definitely heard the band (and did not have to buy a ticket).

Were there noise complaints?
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:42 pm

Drumwaiter wrote:Since we are in the hearing protection thread, did you maybe find it too loud?
Exactly what I was thinking.

Dean is certainly capable, with an appropriate rig and audience, of doing an proper mix of a rock band in a setting like the SJTC space. It would be solely up to the band at that point whether it sounded "good" and was an appropriate volume.
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Re: Hearing Protection... When will they learn?

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:47 pm

Brian G. wrote:I thought the sound was good but I am no expert.

Lawrence thought the sound bounced around the room but he based that on Dean's pre-sound check testing in an empty room.
Don't discount your opinion too much. It does matter.

That room + "empty" would = very lively. The whole point is what it sounds like in a performance situation with the audience on the floor.
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