Musicians rock. Their performances bring us so much happiness. But music is a lot more powerful when it’s loud, and that can be a hearing hazard. Since musicians expose themselves to loud music frequently, their hearing is at an increased risk of being damaged.
As you grow older, you’ll still want to be capable of enjoying your favorite songs whether you’re a musician or not. For musicians, safeguarding their hearing is the key to an extended and successful career. Ear protection is also key to a lifetime of musical enjoyment for everybody.
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? If you ask somebody whether an acoustic guitar or a lone violin is noisy, they may not answer so quickly. Imagine their surprise when they discover the reality: that music is certainly loud! Even classical music can reach fairly high volumes that can easily damage your hearing.
A violin, for example, can produce sounds well over 90 dB. That’s about as loud as a leaf blower. In Europe, for instance, they have regulations that require ear protection for anybody who works in a setting where there is noise louder than 85 dB.
And if you’re working with music day in and day out, consistent exposure to that sort of volume, particularly without hearing protection, can seriously harm your hearing over time.
How can you safeguard your hearing?
Okay, now you know that musicians need to safeguard their hearing (particularly if they want to keep on rocking out for many years). So what can musicians do to safeguard their hearing and still take pleasure in the music they love so much?
Here are a couple of strategies:
- Track your volume: Knowledge is power, right? So knowing volume levels of noises around you will help you safeguard your hearing. Sometimes, this is as simple as keeping track of your volume settings on amps and receivers. But you can also keep track of day-to-day volume levels of environmental noises using a decibel meter app that you can download on your cellphone. You will want 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 a break. So take regular breaks from the noise. In this way, noises won’t overwhelm and damage your ears. With regard to hearing, how long you’re exposed is almost as significant as how loud it is. The difference between the perfect amount of stimulation and too much can depend upon taking frequent breaks.
Use ear protection
Needless to say, the single most effective thing you can do to protect your hearing is easy: wearing ear protection of some kind. Lots of musicians are concerned that ear protection will muffle the sound and impact its overall sound quality. But depending on what type of hearing protection you use, that may not always be accurate.
- Ear plugs made primarily for musicians: Disposable earplugs are something that’s likely very familiar to most individuals. They’re fairly good at stopping a lot of sound although they sometimes don’t fit very well. They aren’t hard to get, aren’t expensive, and can be thrown away easily. And they aren’t best suited for musicians. But earplugs just for musicians are also available at a slightly higher cost. A special material and modern engineering are used to help these earplugs fit snuggly in the ear and reduce external noise by around 20% while preserving the audio clarity. For musicians who require a moderate amount of protection on a budget, this option is perfect.
- Electronic earplugs: The same general functionality found in non-electronic earplugs can also be found in electronic earplugs. The earplug itself will block the majority of the sound. But the earplug itself will send in the sound you hear. This option is perfect for people who work in particularly loud environments, and who are looking for more options when it comes to controlling volume.
- In-ear monitors: The majority of music is electronic now, or at least amplified by electronics. A device, called an in-ear-monitor, is put inside of your ear and transmits signals in electronically. It’s like a specialized little speaker for your ear, and the majority of monitors can block out sound from the outside world (thanks to a fairly tight fit and specialized design). This means you can hear exactly how you sound, at a volume you control. In-ear monitors are useful for people who work mainly with electronically amplified instruments.
Protect your ears, and protect your career
It’s never too late to take steps to safeguard your ears, but it’s definitely a good idea to start sooner rather than later. With solutions available at nearly every price point, there are easy ways for everyone to safeguard their hearing and their future. Remember, ear protection for a musician is an investment in your career. It’s one way to be certain you’ll be making incredible music for years (maybe even decades) to come!
Don’t quite know where to begin? Call us today, we can help!
