Earplugs

[enitharmon]

I have a strange relationship to earplugs.

In Greece when we go to concerts no one ever wears them, but in my first show in Germany I saw too many people wearing earplugs, almost everyone.
I have to say that I belong to the people who get "soundsick", that is after every concert I have an earbuzz for one or two days, so it is good when I wear them. But if I wore them in Greece, I would be probably called faggot (na, or whatever), but in Germany noone cares.
Also from my experience, you can sometimes listen better with earplugs, than without (especially if you are in a Dream Theater concert just in front of the headphones! )

What do you think about it? Do you prefer wearing them?

 

[ledmag]

I see ppl wearing them everytime. I haev worn them before. I prefer to have them if it gets too loud, but i usually forget to bring them

 

[TexasFriedCriminal]

as of late I've started to wear them.
at my last maiden gig I had this buzzzzzzz in my ears for about 5 days... that was enough to forsake all metalllic manly hood considerations and just wear them

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

Agreed. I wear earplugs at band-rehearsals too (...ha ha, Ledmag, you know how long my rehearsals go for... you can understand!).

I have terrible 'tinitus', which is permanent ringing in the ears, all the receptive hairs in the inner ear are fused rock-hard, and they send static into my ears... it's terrible. It gets heaps worse after every concert too, so i have to look after my ears...

 

[true light]

i have only walked out of one gig, FESTER FANTICS. i want to feel the fucken shit.

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

i want to buy some before the iced earth gig on february 5th. i already had some earprobs and i dont wanna waste my ears...

 

[ledmag]

Trapped>>>I hope you wear plugs during your jams...Hell, they last 5 days each LOL

 

[Ecstatic Youth]

i never wear earplugs at concerts and i only listen to my earphones full blast and i see my friends band practice every week ina small basement and its fucking loud shit
i've noticed that my ears actually neve rstop ringing.
but no, no ea plugs at concerts

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

Trapped>>>I hope you wear plugs during your jams...Hell, they last 5 days each LOL

LOL.

I learn my lesson BIG-TIME after the first epic-rehearsal we had. Man, i couldn't hear properly for weeks. ha ha, the poor drummer STILL can't hear.

 

[Serge]

I never wear these things .. but last concert of Dimmu Borgir I had to flee!! Nearly didnt manage to understand a single word OUTSIDE the hall hahaha
but what the heck ... I love it loud and my ears are used to it .-)

 

[Skreemqueen]

I don't wear ear plugs. But then again, I'm young, and I'll probably regret it when I'm tone deaf.

 

[ZANEX]

I think everyone should take their hearing seriously. One of my best friends and former bandmate (guitarist) "Doug" is losing his hearing. He constantly has ear infections and "ringing" in his ears. This is because he has been playing guitar since he was 14 and is know 33 and didn't start using ear plugs until a few years ago when his doctor told him to do so. He frequently asks me to repeat myself when I am having a conversation with him. I don't like to use earplugs, but I will if the volume is way to loud during a show or while at a band practice (*see ledmag and Trapped's posts.) If I can talk to the person next to me during a show or a practice to raise my voice a little, then I won't use earplugs. But if I have to yell and my ears start to ring after a few songs, I will use earplugs or cotton. Yes, I know some people will say "your a pussy/wimp if you use ear plugs". Well, I'd rather be called a "pussy" than lose my hearing. I have been around people who are deaf and use what sign language I know to communicate with them. I'll quit preaching now, but don't take listening to music or practicing out full volume lightly. Yes I like it loud, but audible and distinguishable also. Cheers

 

[neal]

after just about every concert i say 'next time im going to bring some earplugs.' but i always forget. most of the time if you get close enough to the stage all you hear is the bands equipment, but if you get just past the line where the venue's p.a. kicks in, your ears will be ringing for a few days. thats why its best to be in the first 3 rows or so hehe.
-neal

 

[MetalManCPA]

I wear them - and if I forget to bring them, I find a napkin, and stuff some in the ear - it's better than nothing - and I don't need to go deaf. I want to grow old listening to music - not deaf by listening to music.

 

[SentencedToBurn]

yes well said metalman.
i dont bring earplugs to concerts but i think i should now. I used to think that you should only wear them for band practices and if its your band thats playing a show, but i recently felt diffrent. I dont want to ever go deaf. i cant stand it when my friend wants me to listen to something on his walkman and he has it full blast and when i say turn it down hes like, you pussy its not even that loud. WELL MAYBE THATS CAUSE YOUR DEAF!

 

[ArtisanBass]

Until the end of school I would inconsistantly wear plugs. I'd get agrivated at rehearsals. Even now I still get agrivated with the mix ouf sound at rehearsal. Depending on the musicians you are playing with and size of the room you are jamming in, it's like committing audio suicide to not wear plugs while rehearsing, moreso than when you are at a show. Usually the yellow foam plugs cut too much and exentuate the bass to much. I'm a bassist and I say that.
I teach bass privatly and teach kids how to play songs frequently and I was sick and the hearing in my left ear was gone for two weeks and it sucked. Gave me a bit of a teast of what is to come if I everslack on wearing plugs. All of a sudden I went from transcribing simple punk tunes for my students at times, to being stuped on the first measure of a lame Blink song cause I couldn't tell weather I was hearing E, Eb , or F. I shit you not and I pick out songs quite well otherwise.
Until there's something better out there or you get custom plugs which are about $150, bite the bullet and wear plugs. Look on the back of the package and see how many decibles it cuts out. The yellow foam cut out 30. That's way to much, all you need is between 8-12 to kill the high end and take the volume down slightly.
There's my 2 bits. I wanna keep my hearing so I can produce music and tones with complete control of what I think I'm hearing and what I'm actually doing.

Take Care Folks

 

[Tranquillian]

I don't go to gigs without them anymore. I have tinnitus since I watched In Flames and Dark Tranquillity in 1999.

 

[Jody42147]

I usually stuff alittle napkin or toilet paper in my ears right before the show starts...it's always available, and people can't really tell. I can't stand that ringing shit for days and days...