Re: [Harp-L] Ear Plugs

[Garry Hodgson <harp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rick Davis wrote:
> What earplugs do you guys recommend for gigging?  I need something more
> effective than the little foam cylinders.
i used the somewhat-better-than-foam reusable ones (EAR-15?)
for a while.  worked well, but were pretty uncomfortable.  they
have a straight shaft of hard plastic, with softer rubber around it.
ears aren't shaped that way.

on the suggestion of a drummer friend of mine, i finally went to a
hearing specialist and got fitted for custom ones.  they pour some
goop in your ear that hardens to make a mold, then send them out
to make earplugs  that exactly fit your ear.  you can get different
strength filters for them; i went with the max.  i still have some
ringing in my ears sometimes.

a side benefit of going this route is that they did extensive testing
of my hearing, which i'd been worried about for some time.  i'm still
within normal range, but just barely.  this confirmed the need for
hearing protection. music's important to me, and we're all getting
older.  gotta hang onto what hearing i've got left, or at least slow
the decline.

i also discovered long ago that i actually hear the music better with
earplugs in.  if you ever heard a recording that had the levels too
high, so everything got distorted, that's what it sounded like at
loud concerts.  putting in earplugs cranks the levels down so you're
not in overload all the time, letting you hear the music.