Musicians are cool! They bring so much joy to our lives with their performances. 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 greater risk of being damaged.
Whether your livelihood 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. The key to having a long successful career, for musicians, is protecting their ears. Ear protection is also key to a lifetime of musical fulfillment for everyone.
Sometimes it can be surprising how loud music can be
If you ask the majority of individuals if a jet engine is loud, they’ll likely say yes.
Is music actually that loud? People might 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 indeed loud! Even classical music can get to fairly loud volumes that can easily harm your hearing.
Sounds higher than 90 dB can be produced by a violin, for instance. That’s around as noisy as a leaf blower. In Europe, for instance, they have regulations that require ear protection for anyone who works in a work environment where there is noise above 85 dB.
And your hearing can be significantly 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 keep their hearing for years to come need to protect their hearing. So how can musicians continue to enjoy their music while also protecting their hearing?
Here are a couple of strategies:
- 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 frequent breaks from the noise. By doing this, noises won’t overpower and harm your ears. With regard to hearing, how long you’re exposed is almost as important as how high the volume is. The difference between the perfect amount of stimulation and too much can come down to taking regular breaks.
- Track your volume: Everybody remembers the old saying “knowledge is power”. So knowing volume levels of sounds around you will help you protect your hearing. Keeping track of the volume on amps and PA systems is one factor. But you can also monitor day-to-day volume levels of external noises using a volume meter app that you can download on your cellphone. If the meter reads above 85dB regularly, you’ll want to address this.
Wear hearing protection
Using hearing protection is the number one most effective way to protect your hearing. Lots of musicians are concerned that ear protection will muffle the sound and impact its overall sound quality. That isn’t always true, depending on which kind of ear protection you choose.
- Ear plugs made specifically for musicians: Disposable earplugs are something that’s probably very familiar to most individuals. They’re fairly good at stopping a lot of sound though they sometimes don’t fit comfortably. They’re cheap, easy to find, and easy to dispose of. For musicians, they aren’t an ideal solution. But earplugs made just for musicians are also available for a little more money. These earplugs use fancy manufacturing methods (mostly they’re made out of very distinct materials and are designed to fit comfortably in the ear) to maintain audio fidelity while diminishing the noise you hear by something like 20dB. For musicians who need a moderate level of protection on a budget, this solution 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 out the majority of the sound. But the earplug itself will pipe in the sound you hear. For individuals who work in very noisy environments and need better control of the volume, these earplugs are perfect.
- In-ear monitors: Electronics are a significant part of modern music. A device, known as an in-ear-monitor, is put in your ear and passes 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. This means you can hear exactly how you sound, at a volume you control. For musicians who electronically amplify their instruments these in-ear-monitors are the ideal answer.
Protect your ears, and protect your career
It’s best to start protecting your hearing early, before any substantial damage occurs. Everyone can safeguard their hearing and future with hearing protection solutions at all price points. 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!
Contact us so we can help you get started.