how loud is the band? (+ hearing problems)

[batera]

Some background is necessary to this question:

I've been playing drums for 10 years and my ears have taken a beating. All my musician friends are fine but for some reason my ears have become really, really sensitive and I absolutely can't play drums without earplugs. Loud noises hurt me, and if I see a live show, even just live jazz, I come out with really messed up, ringing ears. Simply listening to my headphones somewhat loudly makes my ears ring. So you get the picture.

I was thinking of going to a Symphony X show with my normal earplugs, but how loud does the band play? Do they play extremely loud such that the sound really goes through your head and vibrates your inner ear, because that might set off my hyper-sensitive hearing. It's a pain (literally and figuratively), but I have to take care of my ears at all costs. Thanks for any advice.

 

[RiderOfJustice]

Some background is necessary to this question:

I've been playing drums for 10 years and my ears have taken a beating. All my musician friends are fine but for some reason my ears have become really, really sensitive and I absolutely can't play drums without earplugs. Loud noises hurt me, and if I see a live show, even just live jazz, I come out with really messed up, ringing ears. Simply listening to my headphones somewhat loudly makes my ears ring. So you get the picture.

I was thinking of going to a Symphony X show with my normal earplugs, but how loud does the band play? Do they play extremely loud such that the sound really goes through your head and vibrates your inner ear, because that might set off my hyper-sensitive hearing. It's a pain (literally and figuratively), but I have to take care of my ears at all costs. Thanks for any advice.

That answer really varies. It matters what venue you are seeing them at. If you go to a small venue the sound will just bounce off the walls and totally destroy your ears so you better bring your effective ear plugs. In a well sized venue with good acoustics Symphony X's set is bearable. I guess they aren't as loud as most metal bands but you know it's loud music so you better bring your earplugs either way just in case.

 

[Altitudes]

I never brought earplugs to a concert but I do use them for band practices. I would strongly recommend bringing them if you have experienced "pain". This could be tinnitus =0

 

[Wander]

When I saw them, they weren't terribly loud, but it still made my ears ring pretty bad.

Btw. I have also played drums for several years and have noticed that it may have effected my hearing a bit. I really try to be more careful from now on.

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

I go to a lot of concerts... and every time I've seen SX, they've been loud as HELL! You'll definitely want to bring some plugs, man. Enjoy the show!

 

[razoredge]

Ive only seen them once, small venue, it was foolishly loud and jumbled, it was more of a lowend thing than high frequencies and yes it penetrates, I felt like a speaker cone

 

[frozen_core]

always ALWAYS wear earplugs at any show or at any practice/jam session. it's not necessarily the loudness of the shows, but rather the longevity, that can kill your ears. get a good pair, it'll help in the end.

 

[Lucius Octavion]

Putting your ear right up to the amps is pretty painful. Yup.

And when I saw Symphony X, the harpsichord by itself was causing an earthquake. With everything that's pretty darn loud. Sometimes after shows you never think you're going to hear right again. Definitely don't want your eardrums to get ripped apart.

Take good care of yourself.

 

[Eternal Dragon]

I went to see a friend's band play once, and for some reason the keyboard was insanely painful. It had never happened like that before with this band, and it sounded like the sound was being generated directly outside one of my ears when it was actually a fair few meters away. My guess is that its just one of those weird waves phenomena rather than having weird ears. Ever since then I've worn earplugs every time because I never know what crazy shit might happen.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

always ALWAYS wear earplugs at any show or at any practice/jam session. it's not necessarily the loudness of the shows, but rather the longevity, that can kill your ears. get a good pair, it'll help in the end.

Best advice in the thread. The only times i don't wear earplugs is when i'm playing a show, but even then i'll put some toilet paper or something in my ear to cut down on the harsher frequencies without blocking out the shit i wanna hear

Wearing earplugs at shows is metal because then you keep your hearing longer.

 

[batera]

Does anyone know how the hearing of the Symphony X guys is? Or will someone please ask next time they do an interview? Does anyone know if they use earplugs on stage?

 

[Kenneth R.]

I've a history of getting up front, or in front of the speakers. In some clubs in London, I decided it'd be cool to lean in and feel the speaker stack vibrate against my head. I lean in close to my amp when playing at times as well. I like that obliteratingly loud sound/feeling.

I should probably start wearing earplugs...

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

You should wear earplugs at ANY concert (exluding, perhaps, acoustic ones). Tiny little hairs in your ear called cilia are damaged by loud noises, and they do not regenerate when destroyed. I'm not a bioacoustics expert, but I do know that much.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Does anyone know how the hearing of the Symphony X guys is? Or will someone please ask next time they do an interview? Does anyone know if they use earplugs on stage?

At the risk of sounding like a dickhead (me? never!!!), but am i the only one that thinks this question is a bit.... odd?

 

[Meedleyx10]

yep...a bit odd.

I use these:http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx

I also keep a set of foam ones in a thing on my keychain just in case. However, I think this summer I'm going to invest in a pair of these:

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/erme.aspx

Might seem like overkill to some people, but it's worth it to me. One of my teachers swears by them. I'm hesitent because of the cost, but we'll see...

 

[batera]

At the risk of sounding like a dickhead (me? never!!!), but am i the only one that thinks this question is a bit.... odd?

I'm a serious musician looking to my musical idols regarding how they protect their hearing and how they've coped over the years. What's odd about that? People are OCD about much weirder details with celebrities all the time.

Anyway, lots of people talk all the time about how so-and-so has hearing damage from some famous band (James Hetfield comes to mind immediately) or ask famous musicians how they protect their hearing.

So yeah...what's your point?

 

[DoomsdayZach]

I'm a serious musician looking to my musical idols regarding how they protect their hearing and how they've coped over the years. What's odd about that? People are OCD about much weirder details with celebrities all the time.

Anyway, lots of people talk all the time about how so-and-so has hearing damage from some famous band (James Hetfield comes to mind immediately) or ask famous musicians how they protect their hearing.

So yeah...what's your point?

My point is that it seemed like an odd question.

 

[batera]

My point is that it seemed like an odd question.

I know you think so, but it's not odd at all. Look, famous musicians have signature drumsticks, guitars, guitar picks, guitar straps, magazine ads, whatever. People get all crazy about those things that the players use. Now I'm asking about how some of the musicians I most respect deal with a very salient and concering issue in metal music--hearing protection and hearing damage. That's a lot more important issue between players and music-playing fans than if someone uses a hickory stick .6 or .55 centimeters to hit a drum when they don't even have the same hands as you do, or what guitar Romeo uses. He would kick anyone's ass with a piece of garbage. But hearing protection and hearing damage are a health issue, which is infinitely more important. Like I said, people talk about it a lot. I've seen who-knows-how-many references to Jame Hetfield's tinnitus from Metallica. What's odd about it? Are you a musician?

 

[clover]

If I wore earplugs to a concert, I wouldn't hear a damn thing. My hearing is shot from all my years in the Army, firing weapons on the rifle range...

 

[razoredge]

The bigger question is why so loud ? Yea everybody like their music cranked but theres loud and then insanely loud. With insanely loud comes more acoustical problems and a big puddle of mud. The best concerts for sound quality that I have seen were with bands or soundman that showed some restraint. It seems a bit counter productive to have all your fans wearing ear plugs. "Yea I love loud music thats why I wear ear plugs" dut da da. I have never wore ear plugs to a concert but after the SX concert I began to change my thinking on this. The opening acts were plenty loud to get the presence of power across, and their quality of sound was far superior as well, SX was a whole nother story.