My Sensaphonics custom ear molds arrived today (ear molds? gross.) and they feel amazing.
I mentioned buying some Etyomotic Music Pros after demoing them at NAMM 2013. I thought it was fitting that I saw a link to this infographic today.
On day 1 of NAMM I had my hearing tested and faired well. My hearing isn’t perfect from years of standing to the right of loud drummers. But I’m within a healthy range for a guy my age, maybe even a guy 12 to 16 months younger. Nostalgia for pre-teen hearing aside, I would probably be in a lot worse shape if I never used earplugs.
The main point I want to make is this: Bandheads like me are regularly putting their ears in danger and need protection.
In addition to the hearing loss infographic, check out Etyomtic’s interactive slide rule, hearing protection brochure, and app. The daily exposure limit of a 115 dB marching band is under 30 seconds!
Most parents have no idea. They need to have the talk about protection. Spread the word.
Hearing Loss and Musicians
Mark H says
Thanks for the reminder on this. I have started playing with a full band again after a few years off, and I can already tell that my hearing is starting to be affected. It doesn’t seem like it is happening at the time, but being in confined spaces with louder instruments can make a big impact on hearing. I need to look into getting custom ear plugs like this.