Musicians are cool! They bring so much pleasure to our lives with their performances. But music is a lot more powerful when it’s loud, and that can be a hearing hazard. The musicians themselves are at an increased danger of hearing damage since they are subjected to loud music just about every day.
Whether your living depends on music or not, you’ll still want to be able to hear your favorite songs when you’re in your later years of life. For musicians, safeguarding their hearing is the key to a lengthy and successful career. For the rest of us, hearing protection is the key to a lifetime of musical enjoyment and enrichment.
Oftentimes it can be surprising how loud music can be
Most people would say that a jet engine is really loud.
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 damaged by classical music which can get to fairly loud volumes.
Sounds higher than 90 dB can be created by a violin, for instance. That’s about as noisy as a leaf blower. In Europe, for instance, they have laws that require hearing protection for anybody who works in a work environment where there is noise louder than 85 dB.
And your hearing can be significantly damaged over time if you’re working with music every day, especially if you don’t use hearing protection.
Can you protect 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 keep enjoying their music while also safeguarding their hearing?
Here are a couple of tips:
- Track your volume: Everybody remembers the old saying “knowledge is power”. So being aware of volume levels of sounds around you will help you safeguard your hearing. Usually, this is as easy as tracking your volume settings on amps and receivers. But you can also buy a volume meter app for your cellphone to make it convenient to monitor the real-world volume levels your ears are encountering from day-to-day. If the meter detects volumes above 85dB consistently, you’ll have to address this.
- Take breaks: Your ears are like any other part of your body: they can become exhausted and will often benefit from a break. So give yourself “hearing breaks” frequently. By doing this, noises won’t overpower and damage your ears. Duration is almost as important as volume when it comes to hearing health. Taking breaks can be the difference between just the right amount of stimulation and too much!
Use ear protection
Using hearing protection is the single most effective way to protect your hearing. A lot of musicians are worried that hearing protection will muffle the sound and impact its overall sound quality. But depending on what type of hearing protection you use, that might not always be true.
- Ear plugs made primarily for musicians: Most people are likely acquainted with disposable ear plugs. They don’t always fit perfectly, but they do reliably stop a lot of sound. They aren’t difficult to get, aren’t expensive, and can be disposed of easily. For musicians, they aren’t the best solution. However, by spending just a little more money, you can buy high-quality earplugs made chiefly for musicians. A special material and modern engineering are used to help these earplugs fit snuggly in the ear and minimize external noise by around 20% while preserving the audio fidelity. This option is perfect for musicians who require a light to moderate level of protection (and who don’t have a ton of money to invest in earplugs, or are likely to lose them).
- Electronic earplugs: The same basic functionality found in non-electronic earplugs can also be found in electronic earplugs. The earplug itself will block the majority of the sound. What you hear will instead be piped in by the earplug itself. This solution is perfect for people who work in particularly noisy settings, and who are looking for more options in terms of controlling volume.
- In-ear monitors: Most music is electronic now, or at least amplified by electronics. A device, known as an in-ear-monitor, is placed inside of your ear and transmits signals in electronically. Most monitors are little speakers that fit snugly and block out most 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 practical for individuals who work primarily with electronically amplified instruments.
Safeguard your hearing, and protect your career
It’s best to start safeguarding your hearing early, before any substantial damage occurs. With options available at just about every price point, there are simple ways for everyone to safeguard their hearing and their future. Keep in mind, ear protection for a musician is an investment in your career. It’s one way to make sure you’ll be making incredible music for many years (maybe even decades) to come!
Contact us so we can help you get started.