[Hammertime]

When I was at jazz camp a few weeks ago (best week of my life by the way )
people played really loud. And when I put in earplugs, I noticed that I barely heard the group . That was because the vibrations of the mouthpiece went through my skull directly to my ear. (If you put them in and tap your teeth you can hear it very clearly)

Now I was wondering if there was a way to lower the decibels coming through my ear and still hearing evertyone "equalized" ?

Greets

 

[saxmanglen]

Etymotic Research has the custom ER series musician earplugs. They can be used with 9, 15 or 25 dB attenuators.

You'll never get fully away from hearing your sound more internally but it's much better than traditional plugs.

Here's a link to more information:

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

 

[Hammertime]

Thanks for the info saxmanglen. I guess I'll have to buy on of those. But not at the moment (150-200$ is quite an amount of cash, especially for a 16 year old kid like me :/ )

 

[saxmanglen]

You've got to remember it requires an impression (mold) be taken of your ear. This is used to have a custom earpiece made for you. The different filters are interchangeable.

On the budget side they make an ER20 stock plug for around $20 or less a pair.

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx

http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/profmusearpl1.html

 

[Hammertime]

But there are so many professional sax players in the world, there has to be some solution?

 

[Grumpie]

As Glen said you need the special filters for musicians otherwise you will notice the problems you mentioned. A factory I used to work provided customized earprotection, the take out everything above 85dB I think. I still have those and use them when it's real loud around me but the take away to much (they are still nice on the motorbike).

Adams muziekcentrale works with Tympro and have been trained by them to make the mold etc. €110,- gets it done with full service and two year guarantee.

Here is some info from the shop in Thorn NL in Dutch. That's just across the border at Maaseik.
Here is the link to the Belgium shop at Diest, maybe give them a call for more info.

There are probably cheaper solutions but I don't know if they will do the job. Expensive is relative, you've only got two ears.

 

[DukeCity]

But there are so many professional sax players in the world, there has to be some solution?

Yep, and there's lots of professional sax players with hearing damage! I got a pair of the custom plugs several months ago, and I've started using them on most of my gigs. For being able to hear the rest of the band, the custom plugs are a HUGE improvement over all of the off-the-shelf plugs (and I tried them all, including the the stock Etymotics).

Save your pennies, call an audiologist, and get fitted for some custom plugs.

 

[old10m]

ear plugs

I had a set of ear plugs made for me by an audiologist about 10 years ago, and I don't know what I'd do without them. In addition to playing I teach instrumental music ( large classes) and it made a tremendous difference in the wear and tear on just the exhaustion of listening to the mass of sound. I used the 15 db filters, and they took a mold of my ear as if I was being fitted for hearing aids.
They are well worth the money (about $120) at the time. They let me hear pitches, but when the music and the sound stops, you can still have a normal conversation with those around you.

I highly recommend them.

10m

 

[saxphil]

I found putting one of the yellow foam plugs in the ear closest to the bludgeoning, but not reefed,acted as a cheap mute but not a plug in the other ear which is away from the racket.This is not perfect but allows you to kinda hear as usual,with some protection.

 

[hgrail]

Etymotic Research also has some inexpensive ($13.00) plugs also that work excellent. I own several pair - keep one set in the car and one in each horn case. Also bought a set for the wife for Christmas (for the movies and such).
Highly recommend them.

 

[Bill Mecca]

One of the keys with any ear protection (mostly the ready fit models, NOT customs) is deep insertion. the Customs should be deep enough to help avoid, for some reason I cannot remember the name of the effect, maybe Glen can help out with that, that effect. Most people do not insert them deeply enough. the customs should be made deep enough. I say should because I have an issue with one of mine that I believe was not seated deeply enough when casting the mold. that and they seem to work themselves out a bit as time goes on.

Not currently playing with a loud band so no need to get another pair.

But you only get ONE set of ears, so protect them.

( I have a couple sets of ready fit, one on my keychain)

 

[saxmanglen]

Bill's right!

The impressions must go past the second bend in the ear canal or past the cartilaginous portion of the ear canal. This places the end of the mold into the boney (thin layer of skin over bone/skull) portion of the ear canal. By having the custom molds made this deep or inserting the stocks ones to those depths will reduce the "occlusion" (stuffed up feeling) effect significantly.

Happy hearing!

Glen AKA Earmanglen

PS If the custom molds are over 2 years old the ear may have stretched out some and the molds may not fit correctly. It's not unusual to need to replace the custom mold every 2-3 years.

 

[Hammertime]

I went to an audiologist (correct term?) and she gave me a link to a site (because they didn't make the musician's plugs) and I am planning on getting the plug on page 5 of this folder.

 

[Bill Mecca]

hammertime, those are the ER15's made by etymotic, and Westone molds, which is what Glen has been talking about, those will work well.

 

[cjpts]

I bought a pair of Elacin ER 20 S. They're not brilliant as conversations are a bit distorted but they'll definitely protect you ears. I read in the eBay auction that this is a more specialised version of the ear plugs designed for musicians.

I've only felt the need for them a handful of times, but my band's drummer swears by them and he never misses a beat !

 

[piwikiwi]

I'll bump this old topic^^. Does anyone here use earprotection when practicing?

 

[saxomophone]

I tried using them but when I took them out I realized that I was playing with the most horrible sound and didn't realize it. Maybe I was trying to make my horn sound to my plugged ears the same as it does when I don't have plugs(actually sound filters) in my ears.

I decided that if I can't hear myself clearly, how can I work on playing with good tone?

On the other hand, I'm sure anyone who can hear me wishes that they used ear protection when I practice.

 

[jazzbluescat]

I'll bump this old topic^^. Does anyone here use earprotection when practicing?

You mean "practicing by yourself?"

 

[Ken]

I'm thinking about getting a custom pair but was wondering which to go for, the 9 dB or 15 dB attenuators?

I play big band and jazz combo and feel I can get by without it most of the time. It would only be for when the drummer gets loud or I'm next to an amplifier. I'd also use it for practising piccolo. I currently use foam ear plugs, usually half-way out.

 

[saxmanglen]

I'm thinking about getting a custom pair but was wondering which to go for, the 9 dB or 15 dB attenuators?

I play big band and jazz combo and feel I can get by without it most of the time. It would only be for when the drummer gets loud or I'm next to an amplifier. I'd also use it for practising piccolo. I currently use foam ear plugs, usually half-way out.

Start with the 9dB attenuators. You can always get the 15's if you decide you need them. The attenuators can be swapped out very easily.

You can buy both sets of attenuators when you get your custom molds. It may be worth having them both.