What kind of hearing protection do you all use?

[porkrind]

I'm pretty zealous about using hearing protection. When the guys and I are jamming with the "monster drum kit" it gets kind of (really, really) loud, so we all have to turn up to that level. I usually use the soft foam industrial earplugs combined with peltor earmuffs. What do you use?

[Ron Green]

1. My view is that, if you have to wear hearing protection, you're basically

too loud. However, I keep earplugs in my case, and if the stage is very small and I have to stand very close to the ride cymbal, I'll put one in the exposed ear.

[porkrind]

3. True, there is no point in playing loud just to be loud

The problem is that the volume of the drums cannot be easily lowered, so if we are to play together we must be as loud to be heard. I suppose you could mute a drum, but like you say, a ride cymbal is quite loud.

Hearing protection does suck because it's uncomfortable and it filters out some of the frequencies you want to hear.

I wonder what the big arena-rock pros use on stage?

[dbt]

2. Sadly, I could not find any sort that was comfortable.

The devices that I tried gave me the most aggravating sense of isolation from my fiddle. That's an instrument wherein one has to hear the high frequencies to be sure of the note, since there are no frets to rely on.

I had to resort to the tried-and-true: bitching out my bandmates and/or refusing to play another lick until the volume was lowered. But good on you for protecting your hearing. When I think of John Densmore not being able to play anymore because of tinnitus, I feel seriously robbed!

:hi:

[leftofthedial]

4. Huh?!?

<what'd he say?>

[MazeRat7]

5. something about protection from herrings I think....

[SheepyMcSheepster]

6. i use wads of toilet paper

they shield enough to stop the "ringing" but allow me to actually hear some of the highs.

[livinginphotographs]

7. The tinnitis takes care of that naturally.

And I'm sure I misspelled that.