Musicians are cool! Their songs bring us so much enjoyment. But music is a lot more powerful when it’s loud, and that can be a hearing risk. Since musicians expose themselves to loud music on a daily basis, their hearing is at an increased risk of being harmed.
As you get older, you’ll still want to be capable of enjoying your favorite music whether you’re a musician or not. The key to having a lengthy successful career, for musicians, is protecting their hearing. Ear protection is also key to a lifetime of musical enjoyment for everyone.
Sometimes it can be surprising how loud music can get
If you ask the majority of individuals if a jet engine is loud, they’ll likely say yes.
But what about music? People may not be so fast to answer that question if you ask them if a violin or acoustic guitar is loud. Imagine their surprise when they discover the reality: that music is certainly loud! Your ears can even be harmed by classical music which can reach relatively high volumes.
Sounds louder than 90 dB can be created by a violin, for example. A leaf blower is about this noisy. In Europe, for example, they have laws that require ear protection for anyone who works in a work environment where there is noise louder than 85 dB.
And your hearing can be significantly compromised over time if you’re working with music every day, especially if you don’t wear hearing protection.
How can you safeguard your hearing?
Okay, now you recognize that musicians need to protect their hearing (especially if they want to go on rocking out for many years). So what can musicians do to safeguard their hearing and still enjoy the music they enjoy so much?
Well, here are a couple of simple things musicians can do:
- Track your volume: Everyone remembers the old saying “knowledge is power”. So it follows that you should always know what volume of sound you’re exposing your ears to. Sometimes, this is as easy as monitoring your volume settings on amps and receivers. But you can also purchase a volume meter app for your cellphone to make it convenient to monitor the real-world volume levels your ears are experiencing day in and day out. You will need to make some changes if the meter regularly reads louder than 85 dB.
- Take breaks: Your ears are like any other part of your body: they can be overworked and will frequently benefit from rest. So give yourself “hearing breaks” frequently. This will help prevent your ears from getting overwhelmed with noise (and damage). Duration is almost as important as volume with regard to hearing health. Taking breaks can be the difference between just enough stimulation and too much!
Use ear protection
Using ear protection is the number one most effective way to protect your hearing. Many musicians are reluctant to use ear protection because they’re worried it will effect the quality of sound they hear, as well as muting the volume. That isn’t always true, depending on which type of ear protection you use.
- Ear plugs made mainly for musicians: Disposable earplugs are something that’s most likely very well known to most individuals. They don’t always fit comfortably, but they do reliably stop a lot of sound. They’re cheap, easy to come by, and easy to throw away. And they aren’t ideal for musicians. But earplugs just for musicians are also available for a little more money. These earplugs use cutting-edge manufacturing tricks (mostly they’re made out of very distinct materials and are designed to conform nicely to the ear) to preserve audio fidelity while decreasing the noise you experience by around 20dB. This option is perfect for musicians who require a light to moderate level of protection (and who don’t have a lot of money to invest in earplugs, or are likely to lose them).
- Electronic earplugs: Electronic earplugs function in essentially the same way as high-quality, non-electronic earplugs. The majority of the sound will be blocked by the earplug itself. But the earplug itself will send in the sound you hear. For individuals who work in very loud environments and need better control of the volume, these earplugs are ideal.
- In-ear monitors: The majority of music is electronic these days, or at least amplified by electronics. A device, known as an in-ear-monitor, is put inside of your ear and transmits signals in electronically. Most monitors are small speakers that fit tightly and block out the majority of sound while playing sounds you want to hear at less harmful volumes. So you regulate the volume level and are able to hear sound in an accurate and clear way. In-ear monitors are beneficial for people who work primarily with electronically amplified instruments.
Safeguard your hearing, and protect your career
It’s better to begin safeguarding your hearing early, before any substantial damage occurs. With options available at nearly every price point, there are easy ways for everyone to safeguard their hearing and their future. Remember that you’re investing in your career by utilizing hearing protection for musicians. It’s one way to make sure you’ll be making incredible music for many years (maybe even decades) to come!
Give us a call so we can help you get started.
