Musicians & live music

Due to the law of physics, earplugs lessen (attenuate) the sound energy for the higher pitches more than the lower bass notes. Typically earplugs will cause music to sound hollow without much high-end. In the late 1980s, a company named Etymotic Research came out with a “flat” earplug—one that lessens the sound energy for the high-pitched notes as much as for the low bass notes. These use a small acoustic amplifier that puts back many of the high-pitched sounds. Musicians and music listeners then can hear their music unaffected, except that it is at a less-damaging level.

There are several types of hearing protection products available for musicians and people that attend live events such as high fidelity earplugs as well as custom molded hearing protection (visit our website for information to our partners)

Many drummers use industrial strength earplugs, similar to those used in factories. These earplugs take off a lot of the sound of the high hat cymbal and rim shot of the drum. The drummer needs to hit harder in order to hear properly, with the result of wrist and arm damage. Using proper ear protection will resolve this. Drummers should be using enough ear protection to prevent hearing loss, and enough audibility of the music, so that they will not overplay.

These are called in-the-ear monitors, and they are a form of a modified hearing aid. Musicians use them as their own monitoring system instead of the small “wedge” monitors on the floor of the stage. The wires are connected to the sound amplification system either directly or through a wireless transmitter. The musician can then hear their own music as well as that of the other musicians, but at a safe level. When musicians use in-the-ear monitors, the overall sound level on stage is typically much less than if they were using conventional wedge monitors.

The ringing is called tinnitus, Latin for ringing. Actually, tinnitus refers to any noise that is heard in the head, that does not come from the outside. Tinnitus comes in two flavors—objective and subjective. Objective tinnitus is tinnitus that can be heard by other people. This is very rare, and is usually related to blood vessel problems in the ear. Subjective tinnitus is much more common and refers to the type of tinnitus that only the person can hear. But, to answer your question: You are probably suffering from TTS from the concert.

The short answer is “yes” and “no”. It is true that the ear recovers after about 16 hours and can take on new challenges of loud music, but TTS is a warning signal of being exposed to too much music. If you go to a concert or Friday night do not mow your lawn until Sunday. However, once you have a music related (or noise related) hearing loss, it is permanent, so do whatever it takes to prevent it. Certainly moderation is one idea. Enjoy that loud song, but when it is over, turn down the volume a bit to give your ears a rest.

Believe it or not, but Classical music—or specifically playing classical music –can be more damaging than rock music. Research has shown that about 30% of rock musicians have hearing loss, and about 52% of classical musicians suffer from this problem. The main difference is that classical musicians rehearse, perform, and teach more hours each week than typical rock musicians. And classical musicians tend to be clustered closer together than rock musicians. So even though the peak sound levels in a rock band may be higher than in an orchestra, the total weekly dosage of a classical musician is greater.

Although this next issue is highly variable, many classical musicians do not like their music as much as rock musicians do. T is this liking of the music that is partially responsible for the difference in susceptibility between rock and classical musicians. Research has shown that if you like the music, it is actually less damaging than if you do not like it. Classical or orchestral musicians may play the same piece of music countless times, and become bored with it. In addition, an orchestra musician has their music selected for them by a conductor or artistic director. They may not like the selected pieces. In contrast, a rock musician tends to play their own music—music that they love. This research has been replicated many different ways, always with similar results. So, go ahead and enjoy your music (in moderation and with practicing the four techniques for hearing loss prevention learned throughout the Your Ears Rock program).

That is correct. We are not sure exactly why that happens, however there are two theories. One is that when you are under stress, certain hormones are released in your inner ear that makes it more susceptible to hearing loss. A second theory is related to the fact that there are a series of feedback loops from the brain back to the inner ear. These feedback signals can change the susceptibility of the inner ear to damage. If the music is pleasurable, the feedback from the part of the brain corresponding to hearing, reduces the susceptibility.

These are called baffles and are usually made of Plexiglas or Lucite. All baffles, due to the law of physics, attenuate (or lessen) the intensity of higher pitched sounds more than the lower bass notes. These baffles are designed to lessen the energy for those high-pitched high hat cymbals, and rim shot hits that a drummer may make. This protects the other musicians and helps improve the balance of the music. The low bass thumping sounds from the bass drum are not really affected. The only “trick” with baffles is that they should not extend up above the drummer’s ear because the last thing anyone would want is to cause more hearing loss for the drummer by being forced to hear the music, not only once but twice from the initial sound and the reflection off the back of the baffle.

These are typically used on the seats of violinists and viola players. In many cases, these musicians need to sit in front of the brass or percussion sections, and they serve to lessen the energy from these louder instruments. The only problem with a seat baffle is that it has to be within 7 inches of the violinist’s ear. If it is further away, there is minimal benefit because of the reflections off the floor, ceiling, and music stands.

There is an acoustic reason for this. The lip of the stage in front of the band or orchestra acts as an acoustic mirror. The higher pitched sounds of the band not only come off the stage to the audience but also reflect off the lip of the stage, thereby enhancing the higher pitched sounds. The band members do not have to play as loud up on stage in order for the people in the audience to hear it better because they are performing at a safer level.

Many percussionists hum and grunt. There is a small muscle in the middle ear that Mother Nature gave us so that our own voice would not be too loud to ourselves (called the stapedial muscle). It has been shown that if one hums or grunts just prior to a loud sound and continues that hum through the sound, this muscle in the ear continues to contract, providing an attenuation (or lessening) of the sound energy. So, these drummers and percussionists are actually protecting their hearing.

There are some inexpensive changes you can make. Wall coverings and floor coverings are the two easiest things you can do. If there is nothing on the walls, try putting up some heavy drapes. These will absorb many of the undesirable reflections. Also, carpeting will serve the same purpose for those reflections from the floor. A drop ceiling is starting to get a bit expensive however this will also help. You should also be wearing hearing protection such as the ER-15 or ER-25. These will let you hear your music and at a safer level.

There are several things you can do that are easy to accomplish and inexpensive. Incidentally, there is a fact sheet chapter 4.

• You can place the trumpet players on risers as this will allow the higher pitched harmonics of the trumpet to literally go over the heads of the other musicians “downwind”
• Put up drapes behind you in order to dampen the unwanted reflections.
• Get the art department to make some 3-D relief art that can be placed on the side walls. This will also help to lessen the unwanted reflections. Because music teachers are exposed to sound for significant amounts of time each week, wearing proper hearing protection should be strongly considered. Teachers are at risk of hearing loss and have successfully won cases with the Worker’s Compensation Board or other regulatory government agencies in the past.