Off topic: Noise Pollution

[~nightfall~]

Recently, I went to a gig with 4 norwegian metal acts. I`ve seen lots of gigs during the past years, but this one made me think. The volume when the bands played was unbearable, it was 100% impossible to take one note from the other - just a high-pitched way-to-much-volume noise, and I mean NoIZe!, that made my ears ring like a m#¤%fu¤#. They still do, 3 days later. I left before the last band entered the stage, the one I in first place came to see. I just could not stand more noise pollution.

My point is, why do bands, or more likely - their crew, do this? I`ve been to other gigs aswell that`s had much of the same "problem". And the problem seem to grow stronger the smaller the venue is. I`ve seen big acts as Metallica and Maiden in concert, and they never play at this volum. I meen, they hit you in the face, but they don`t destroy your ears while doing it. And best of all, I can actually hear which song they are playing!! W O W !!!

Comments?

 

[Skaldir]

Yeah, that's a thing I'm really getting excited over! I can't stand to go to a metal concert without earplugs. I always use them on concerts, because I don't want to ruin my ears. I visited only one gig in my life where the sound was good. "Deine Lakaien" a few years ago. A german Dark Wave band.
You're right, it seems that the more little a band, the louder the sound on gigs. I absolutely don't know the sense behind it... I mean, it's okay when the bass is loud, but the high frequencies which ruin the ears should be gained lower.

 

[mindspell]

I never go to a show without those anymore. Great earplugs that you don't lose higher frenquencies with, and they are washable...

 

[Kevin Kitchel]

I used to run live sound, and believe me, its usually the soundguy not being very experienced with metal, and blaming it on the band. Louder doesn't equal better either. I did sound for Orange Goblin and Alabama Thunderpussy, and that was the loudest show EVER. Other than stoner bands where a case of busch and 120dB is in the rider, I kept it quiet.

 

[~nightfall~]

@mindspell: Where did you buy those? And what did they cost? Anyone else who have used similar earplugs, and can recommend it?

 

[Skaldir]

@mindspell: Where did you buy those? And what did they cost? Anyone else who have used similar earplugs, and can recommend it?

I bought similar ones in a music-store, and they cost like 30 € at least. If you want some, custom-made for your ears, your at 100 - 200 €.
But I must say, that I don't like the sound, because you always have too much bass, because of the ear-bones. But it's better than let the ears be ruined.

 

[fireangel]

@mindspell: Where did you buy those? And what did they cost? Anyone else who have used similar earplugs, and can recommend it?

I have such kind of earplugs, too, they´d cost 20 Euros from a music-store and they are good. They give you a much better sound than the very cheap ones at least, and I´ve seen musicians wearing those, too, in case they don´t have the custom-made ones anyhow.

I know an adress, which I haven´t tried out myself, but should be alright, it is www.hearsafe.com.

These earplugs reduce the loudness of all frequencies, so you can still hear good, though I have to say, it did not really work with Nightwish Otherwise I´ve never had any problems. Yeah, maybe you hear everything perfect without, but I, too, don´t like to ruin my hearing-ability.

And what you mentioned in your first post, that the concerts are superloud nowadays, that I noticed aswell. Couple of places seem to turn the music louder everytime I go to a concert there. On the other hand, it did not depend on the size of the venue.
Tavastia/Helsinki has only capacity of 700 but the best equipment to find, so it is not so loud. Pakkahuone in Tampere has twice the capacity and was making your ears bleed...

 

[mindspell]

I got them online at earplugstore.com, for 13 US$, didn't find a better rpice than that. I bought three pairs for friends and me and the three pairs were 35$

Oh and those reduce the sound by less than 20 dbs so you can't really put your ear to the speaker so to speak. They work really good, you lose a bit too much mid-range but they sound so good compared to the cheap one its amazing.

 

[~nightfall~]

Thanx for the links & info everyone! I never thought of this myself, but will try it out now for sure. A reduction of 20dbs, as you mention mindspell, will have alot of difference compared to the level Im "used to".

 

[lumen]

When I saw Halford in the spring it was ridiculously loud. I felt like my brain was shaking inside my skull, and the entire building (including the whole old-fashioned heating & ventilating system) was shaking. It was painful, even with earplugs, and I couldn't enjoy the show. Earlier in the night it had been okay but it just kept getting louder with each band. Blech!
It was hell when I was in a band too because my drummer played so friggin' loud that the guitarist and especially the bassist would turn up their amps so they could hear themselves. Half the time when we played shows the bassist had his amp up so loud that the soundguy had to turn him completely off at the sound board.
Gives me an earache just thinking about all of it.

I heard orchestral musicians suffer major hearing loss from having other instruments blaring so close to their ears...

 

[mindspell]

I suffered permanent ear damage at a show a year back and after that I decided to go with the earplugs everytime. The show in question was not that loud but it was an all day festival and I guess an exosure that loud and that long (~9h straight) just gave me that problem. Now I always hear a ring in my ears when I go to sleep and the slightest loud music makes them ring for about a day...