Musicians are cool! Their songs bring us so much enjoyment. The drawback is that music is pretty much always loud, in fact, many people like it better that way. Since musicians expose themselves to loud music frequently, their hearing is at an increased risk of being harmed.
As you get older, you’ll still want to be able to enjoy your favorite songs whether you’re a musician or not. The key to having a long successful career, for musicians, is protecting their hearing. For the rest of us, ear protection is the secret to a lifetime of musical enjoyment and enrichment.
Sometimes it can be surprising how loud music can get
Most people would say that a jet engine is really loud.
Is music actually that loud? If you ask somebody whether an acoustic guitar or a lone violin is noisy, they might not answer so quickly. Imagine their surprise when they discover the reality: that music is certainly loud! Even classical music can reach relatively loud volumes that can easily harm your hearing.
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 regulations that require hearing protection for anybody who works in a setting where there is noise above 85 dB.
And your hearing can be seriously compromised over time if you’re working with music every day, particularly if you don’t use ear protection.
Can you safeguard your ears from noise damage?
Okay, musicians who want to preserve their hearing for years to come need to protect their ears. So how can musicians continue to enjoy their music while also safeguarding their hearing?
Here are a couple of tips:
- Take breaks: Your ears are the same as any other part of your body: they can become exhausted and will often benefit from a break. So take regular breaks from the noise. This will help stop your ears from getting overwhelmed with sound (and damage). With regard to hearing, how long you’re exposed is nearly as significant as how loud it is. Taking breaks can be the difference between just the right amount of stimulation and too much!
- Track your volume: Knowledge is power, right? So it follows that you should always know what levels of sound you’re exposing your ears to. Sometimes, this is as simple as tracking your volume settings on amps and receivers. But you can also purchase a decibel meter app for your smartphone to make it convenient to monitor the real-world volume levels your ears are encountering day in and day out. You will need to make some changes if the meter consistently reads above 85 dB.
hearing protection is important
Of course, the single most effective thing you can do to safeguard your ears is simple: wearing ear protection of some kind. Many musicians are unwilling to wear hearing protection because they’re worried it will effect the quality of sound they hear, as well as dampening the volume. But depending on what type of hearing protection you use, that may not always be true.
- Ear plugs made primarily for musicians: Disposable earplugs are something that’s probably very well known to most people. They don’t always fit comfortably, but they do reliably block a lot of sound. They’re inexpensive, easy to get, and easy to throw away. For musicians, they aren’t the best solution. However, by spending just a little more money, you can purchase high-quality earplugs made chiefly for musicians. A special material and state-of-the-art engineering are utilized to help these earplugs fit snuggly in the ear and decrease external noise by about 20% while preserving the audio fidelity. For musicians who require a moderate level of protection on a budget, this option is perfect.
- Electronic earplugs: The same basic functionality found in non-electronic earplugs can also be found in electronic earplugs. Most of the sound will be blocked by the earplug itself. But the earplug itself will pipe in the sound you hear. For individuals who work in really noisy environments and need better control of the volume, these earplugs are ideal.
- In-ear monitors: The majority of music is electronic nowadays, or at least amplified by electronics. A device, called an in-ear-monitor, is placed inside of your ear and transmits signals in electronically. Most monitors are small speakers that fit snugly and block out the majority of sound while playing sounds you want to hear at safe volumes. This means you can hear exactly how you sound, at a volume you control. In-ear monitors are beneficial for those who work chiefly with electronically amplified instruments.
Protect your hearing, and protect your career
It’s better to start safeguarding your hearing early, before any substantial harm occurs. With solutions available at nearly every price point, there are simple ways for everyone to protect their hearing and their future. Don’t forget that you’re investing in your career by utilizing hearing protection for musicians. It’s one way to be certain you’ll be making amazing music for years (maybe even decades) to come!
Contact us so we can help you get started.
