Hearing troubles! Please Read!

[Frazzetto]

Thanks guys! i bought some disposable HEARO's for now. In the future i will buy decent reusable ones. Helped so much, thanks again all!

[Austinkessler]

I am deaf as a doorknob because of loud music/playing :/ dont learn the hard way

[itchie]

new smaller size

anyone partake yet?

[Drumbledore]

Guys, if you don't protect your hearing when you start playing drums, or at least protect the hearing that you have left....

your hearing will go from this....


into this

then to this

and then dwindle into this

and finally sound like this .. .... ... ... < (words too small to see in the distance)

in amongst a lot of hiiiiiiiisssssssssssssss!!!!!!!

[funkyruss]

If one gets hearing aids, does it increase the volume of the tinnitus ringing as well?

[trickg]

If one gets hearing aids, does it increase the volume of the tinnitus ringing as well?

I don't know for certain, but I would tend to think not. Hearing aids amplify and clarify sounds that are external to the ear and tinnitus is a condition that is occurring in the inner ear.

[drummer]

Funk and I were just talking about this in shout. Younger guys, definitely take this ear protection seriously. The ringing in my hears is loud and constant. How I wish I could go back and do it over again.

[bongobro]

I used to wonder why one of my former radio colleagues had to

TURN THE MONITORS UP TO BLASTING WHEN HE WAS ON THE AIR...

and, after more than 30 years in radio and playing drums for over 25 years, now I know. Please, if you do nothing else, get some quality ear plugs and USE THEM!

[funkyruss]

We sure are passionate on this topic......please listen to us older people you youngins.....its something you don't want to experience!

[Pearl MCX Man]

I wear hearing aids and the ringing does go away until I take them out. Drums do not sound the same with hearing aids cause you are not getting the real sound of the accoustic world if you know what I mean. The good side of the hearing aids is that the drums sound real good when wearing headphones ( not the ones that you hear music from). Like everyone says wear protection or you will go deaf. I wonder how many big name drummers that are deaf out there. When you see them get interviewed they do not seem to ask the interviewer to repeat himself or show any sign that they don't hear them by answering yes when they should say no etc. Anyway ears are the musicians biggest asset so protect them.

[Frazzetto]

This became a hot topic. Atleast I hope some other people are reading it to learn. I use earplugs now, and the music sounds much cleaner when rehearsing. No overtones, sounds almost like recording quality. I actually like it better. -33db im using, very dampened. Thanks guys!

[kay-gee]

I still say, when practising drums, learn to control your volume. It takes discipline. Wearing ear protection shouldn't give you license to make everyone else around you deaf!!
I'm finding lots of drummers now getting with other musicians and having no clue just how loud they are. We've chosen instruments that can be very loud. It doesn't take a whole lot of force to get the message across!!

all the best...

[SpecialAnthony]

Anyone have any experience with Alpine's earplugs? I'm looking at upgrading from the typical Hearo's style plugs, and am intrigued with the kinds that have different filters for different levels of attenuation.

This stuff is no joke. I'm only 34 and have issues from my "invincible" youth.

[groovearteest]

I must ask. If i practice by listening to music through my ipod and have to turn up my music loud to hear it over my drums will my hearing still get messed up. and if this is the case how do i practice to my music without messing up my hearing.

[slinglander]

I must ask. If i practice by listening to music through my ipod and have to turn up my music loud to hear it over my drums will my hearing still get messed up. and if this is the case how do i practice to my music without messing up my hearing.

Oh, yeah! Do not crank up the iPod vol. and go ahead and put the noise canceling headphones over the iPod buds. Too loud is too loud anyway you hear it. Or run/Jack the iPod into a stereo and use noise cancellation plugs, etc.

[rickthedrummer]

Has anybody said anything yet?

[SpecialAnthony]

I must ask. If i practice by listening to music through my ipod and have to turn up my music loud to hear it over my drums will my hearing still get messed up. and if this is the case how do i practice to my music without messing up my hearing.

As Slinger said, this will do damage as well. What works for me are earplugs (usual foam kind) and then Bose Triports or similar over the ear style headphones. Finding the right headphone and earplug combo can be tricky though, as alot of the headphones I tried made my drums sound very harsh even with earplugs. It wasn't pleasant. Vic Firth also makes a noise cancelling over the ear headphone that is supposedly good, but I still feel you'll end up cranking the music and doing damage.

[wolvie56]

I must ask. If i practice by listening to music through my ipod and have to turn up my music loud to hear it over my drums will my hearing still get messed up. and if this is the case how do i practice to my music without messing up my hearing.

Yes. Any loud noise damages your ears. High's and low's, music or monster trucks, makes no difference. Especially if you have ear buds directly in your ears. Ear buds + noise cancelling headphones would be good. Or eliminate the buds and get a good pair of noise cancelling musical headphones like Vic Firth's, or a pair of Sennheisers.

[Pearl MCX Man]

Has anybody said anything yet?

How is your hearing Rick after 50 years of playing them as a career. Does your wife yell at you all the time cause you can't hear her or just selective hearing like me when it comes to the wife. LOL

[inthpktplayer]

What? Use all caps, I can't hear you.

[kay-gee]

How is your hearing Rick after 50 years of playing them as a career. Does your wife yell at you all the time cause you can't hear her or just selective hearing like me when it comes to the wife. LOL

I get accused of being deaf, but my hearing is actually still pretty good. I think men recieve on different frequencies than wives transmit on a lot of the time. Defense mechanism I guess.

all the best...

[dblKick]

Dude! You SO hit home with this!
I AM a 46 yo guy that has played since I was 8. I don't live with my mom though I do have a 15 yo son that plays.
Anyways.... I have nerve deafness, I've lost about 60% of my hearing & I'm a total donkey for taking better care of my ears. I own & run my own business and I cannot tell you the importance of hearing the details! Unless you want to have hearing aids, protect yourself!

Dave

[drumsetsnide]

Thank you guys, a lot. The ringing and muffled-ness is going away slighlty more and more. I will for SURE buy earplugs. I just always thought that with earplugs or headphones it would mess with my ability to hear the music, wouldnt it?

Not having hearing protection will mess with your ability to hear the music and everything else in life you use your ears for.

I must ask. If i practice by listening to music through my ipod and have to turn up my music loud to hear it over my drums will my hearing still get messed up. and if this is the case how do i practice to my music without messing up my hearing.

Doesn't matter what the noise is. If it's loud enough it will cause damage to your hearing. I use and love the Shure SE425 sound isolating in-ear monitors. They block up to 37 db of noise so you can have music or the mix at a low level yet still hear the ambient noise of the drums or the band if you wish. Spend the money on GOOD in-ears or GOOD ear phones. $300.00 to $500.00 is not hard to come up with and well worth saving your hearing.