Musicians are cool! They bring so much pleasure to our lives with their songs. But music is so much 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 harmed.
Whether your income relies on music or not, you’ll still want to be able to hear your favorite songs when you’re pushing 60, 70, or 80. The key to having a lengthy successful career, for musicians, is protecting their hearing. For the rest of us, ear protection is the key to a lifetime of musical fulfillment and enrichment.
Music is surprisingly loud
Most people would say that a jet engine is really loud.
Is music actually that loud? If you ask someone whether an acoustic guitar or a lone violin is noisy, they might not reply right away. Imagine their surprise when they discover the reality: that music is certainly loud! Even classical music can get to relatively high volumes that can easily damage your hearing.
A violin, for example, can create sounds in excess of 90 dB. A leaf blower is around this loud. To put that into context, the European Union laws dictate that any workplace noisier than 85 dB requires the use of ear protection.
And if you’re working with music day in and day out, consistent exposure to that kind of volume, especially without ear protection, can seriously damage your hearing over time.
How can you protect your hearing?
Okay, musicians who want to preserve their hearing for years to come need to protect their hearing. So what can musicians do to safeguard their ears and still take pleasure in the music they love so much?
Here are a couple of tips:
- Take breaks: Much like any part of your body, your ears can become fatigued and may need a little break. So give yourself “hearing breaks” regularly. This will help stop your ears from getting overwhelmed with noise (and damage). Duration is nearly as important as volume with regard to hearing health. Taking breaks can be the difference between just enough stimulation and too much!
- Track your volume: Everyone knows the old saying “knowledge is power”. So it makes sense that you should always know what levels of sound you’re subjecting your ears to. Tracking the volume on amps and PA systems is part of it. But you can also buy a volume meter app for your cellphone to make it easy to track the real-world volume levels your ears are experiencing from day-to-day. You will want to make a few changes if the meter regularly detects volumes above 85 dB.
Use ear protection
Of course, the single most beneficial thing you can do to safeguard your hearing is easy: using ear protection of some kind. Many musicians are unwilling to wear ear protection because they’re concerned it will effect the clarity of sound they hear, as well as dampening the volume. That’s not always the case, depending on which kind of hearing protection you choose.
- Ear plugs made specifically for musicians: Most people are likely acquainted with disposable ear plugs. They don’t always fit well, but they do reliably stop a lot of sound. They’re not difficult to get, don’t cost much, and can be disposed of easily. And they aren’t best suited for musicians. But earplugs just for musicians are also available at a slightly higher cost. These earplugs use cutting-edge manufacturing processes (mostly they’re made out of very specific materials and are designed to fit comfortably in the ear) to maintain audio fidelity while decreasing the noise you experience by something like 20dB. For musicians who require a moderate amount of protection on a budget, this solution is perfect.
- 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. But the earplug itself will send in the sound you hear. For individuals who work in very noisy settings and need better control of the volume, these earplugs are perfect.
- In-ear monitors: The majority of music is electronic nowadays, or at least amplified by electronics. A device, known as an in-ear-monitor, is put in your ear and passes signals in electronically. It’s like a special little speaker for your ear, and the majority of monitors can block out sound from the outside world (thanks to a rather tight fit and specialized design). So you regulate the volume level and can hear sound accurately and clearly. For musicians who electronically amplify their instruments these in-ear-monitors are the ideal solution.
Safeguard your career by protecting your hearing
It’s never too late to take steps to safeguard your hearing, but it’s definitely a good idea to start sooner rather than later. Everybody can protect their hearing and future with hearing protection options at all price points. Don’t forget that you’re investing in your career by utilizing hearing protection for musicians. By doing so, you will be able to enjoy creating music for as long as you want to.
Contact us so we can help you get started.