Hearing Protection, Loss & Damage For Musicians [A Conversation With Tom Trones Of Minuendo]

[@TomTrones]

Thanks for having me on, guys! I'm glad to be part of increasing the awareness about taking care of our most important sense! And from the many great comments on the topic from your audience, it seems they agree!

[@ThatPedalShow]

Thank you Tom!

[@davidjdriver]

Have you thought about hearing protection for motorcycle riders? I can't seem to find anything that can actually deal with the wind noise on my helmet. I find it quite painful at highway speeds but I know other bikers that have no problems with it but don't seem to have the hearing loss I already have from years standing next to a drummer.

[@dustinthiessen]

Hey Tom! LIve sound engineer here, and longtime tinnitus sufferer... would you recommend your earplugs for mixing live audio? I need to figure out something to prolong my career at this point...

[@jimmieoneal5013]

@@davidjdriver I know you were asking the guest, but I started using custom fit silicon earplugs several years when riding for the same reasons you stated. It is relatively inexpensive for the ones with no speakers, etc. and in my experience, much more comfortable than the foam plugs for long term wear on road trips.

[@davedavem]

I love hearing a knowledgeable person telling about a very technical subject at a level that's easy to understand and digest. This was most definitely that, thanks!

[@LunchboxGTI]

I got permanent Tinnitus this year from going to a show without earplugs. So happy to see this on your show! Hearing protection is THE most important thing you can discuss on your channel. Tinnitus sucks!

[@b3ndavies]

Been hoping for a show on hearing protection for years! So so important. We're nothing without our hearing. Thanks lads!

[@ryanhillclimber]

I have suffered my entire life with tinnitus and it got really bad in my mid 20s after a gun shot injury. I’ve been told over and over that there is nothing to be done. It’s lead to a very serious source of ongoing depression with me. It was really refreshing to hear about efforts in coping. Protect your ears when you can everyone! Just be smart about it. Thank you for this episode

[@Gorphoz]

This is the TPS content I live for

[@bigsby1]

I'm an audiologist and a guitar player, and I thought this was great. Kudos to Tom for providing a lot of important, accurate information. I look forward to trying out the Minuendo plugs. Good job guys.

[@ThatPedalShow]

Thank you for this!

[@Itsscottwhatyouthink]

Great presentation on an important topic and really appreciate you guys bringing Tom in as a guest. Mick I have to say you are an excellent guitar player but that was the most guarded and self conscious I’ve ever heard you when playing at volume for Tom! I found it amusing, maybe not quite as inspired as your playing usually is and maybe no coincidence. I remember when I was 17 I was a new guitar player and invited to a rehearsal by a drummer for a metal band that worked in a music store in town. It was a very small room and that band must’ve been 120db and I was right next to the cymbals and PA. By the time I left I had not just a ringing but this whooshing sound in my ears and it kind of scared the crap out of me. Even as a self perceived invincible 17 year old. Fully recovered and I’m grateful for that experience in that respect. Years later as a gigging musician playing in two rock bands rehearsing 2-4 nights a week and gigging 3-4 nights a month for ten years I started wearing ear plugs more and more often until it was habitual and I just got so used to it that it changed the norm for me. I became so used to it that if I forgot my earplugs that became uncomfortable not just volume but higher frequencies that ear plugs seemed to cut out. So for whatever it’s worth that may be some encouragement for anyone starting to use earplugs. Give yourself some time to get used to them, weeks even. Don’t just toss them after ten minutes, if you’re patient with yourself you might find you actually PREFER the sound with them in. And we’re all musicians here, our hearing is absolutely vital, gotta take care of it. Cheers guys and thanks for all you do, love the channel I’m a long time subscriber!

[@mrblablablabla]

At first, tinnitus made me anxious, because it just seemed to get worse and it was like I didn’t have any control over it. Then I happened to find out that some cases are influenced by muscle tension around the jaw. I tried stretching and massaging my jaw and found out I was lucky enough for it to help. It’s really nice to have the feeling I’m somewhat in control of it. The tinnitus hasn’t really bothered me for a while now. There’s also specialised physiotherapists on this subject who can help. Too bad most doctors don’t know about this. (Also, stress and sleep patterns can be of important influence)

[@ThatPedalShow]

YES to this. Thank you.

[@marknugent5406]

Thanks Dan & Mick for covering a topic that for some reason never gets enough exposure. Even better getting a very knowledgeable guest to explain it. Keep up the good work guys love all your vids.

[@colaboytje]

Yes, yes, yes. Protect your hearing in any way possible. I've lost half of the audible frequencies due to damage in my left ear. You don't what you've got 'till it's gone!

[@Mattwillo]

As a partially deaf player myself full deafness left sided partially on the right, ( progressed over time due to a condition) this is a super important topic that’s close to my heart, musicians need to look after there ears, I’m envious of the players that don’t care! Big love on bringing up the topic!

[@zootallures1]

D&M & Tom….thank you for doing this show and asking / answering just about every question I have about hearing damage and guitar playing. Well done, boys!! Much appreciated.

[@daviddowns16]

I have a pair of 1964 audio IEM’s and when I purchased them, I went ahead and got custom molded plugs as well. I love them! I wear them at every show.

[@johnpierson8398]

Thank You Tom! Your narrative was really great! This is so important for musicians to learn about. Thank you for your knowledge and perspective we guitar players should listen to.

[@chrishepburn1503]

I'm only 40 and have had tinnitus for 4 years. Have played in bands my whole life and never thought to wear ear plugs. I wish someone would have had this conversation when I was young. Cheers.

[@reeveselectro]

Look up Bruxism and TMJ disorders before assuming it's hearing damage👍✔️🙏

[@Ottophil]

@@reeveselectrohe said hes been playing in bands his whole life without plugs. Thats like telling a smoker to check their home for radon after the cancer diagnosis

[@reeveselectro]

@@Ottophil ive been doing the same from age 15 ... im 57 now and have had a huge turnround in my lifelong tinnitus in the last 18 months after seeing a Dr who understood theres more to tinitus than just hearing loss.

[@keithlogan3212]

⁠@@reeveselectroHi I’ve been suffering from tinnitus the past 4 years. Can I ask how you have helped your tinnitus? Many thanks

[@RyanRenteria]

most important episode you've ever done!

[@user-oy7gz5bf2h]

Oh man. I'm commenting before watching. I just sat in front of my computer coming back from a gig, ears ringing. Unexpected bulls eye.

[@Will-Young]

I absolutely love that you’re covering this. I don’t often comment on KZbin but I feel I have advice that is rarely shared and can make a huge difference to a lot of people. Earplugs at all price ranges from £20 plugs to custom ACS plugs take some getting used to! The first time you try any earplugs they will feel weird and your brain will tell you it sounds bad. But PLEASE persevere. After a couple of months of regular use you will likely acclimatise, and be far better off than if you tried once and decided it wasn’t right.

[@petergoddard1960]

June 1977, Motorhead supporting Hawkwind, when live music was properly loud. 20 feet back from the stage, dead centre I swear it was like being in the beam of a jet engine. You felt it as much as heard it. There was an actual 'heat' to the sound. One mate climbed up into one of the PA bass bins and was unconcious by the end. True. Happy days!

[@RichardPribbernow]

Great musicians issues discussed! Love the show, learned a lot about a hobby I've had since 1979. Thank you gentlemen for the love, joy, frustrations and passion for all that gear !

[@petercarparelli]

This is brilliant. An important topic that more people need to pay attention to!!

[@TheHitmann069]

Unfortunately too late for me gents. Been a gigging guitarist since the age of 12. I'm now 54 and haven't been able to play for the last 2 years due to three different but important issues with my hearing. I can no longer hear the pitch of notes correctly, I have 4 different frequencies and volumes of tinnitus and a 40db loss of hearing in my left ear and 3 different frequencies and volumes of tinnitus in my right ear with a 20db loss. Not being able to play has caused me other mental health issues. To anyone out there thinking it won't happen to you, please do something today to mitigate any potential trouble in the future. My life is truly miserable without being able to express myself in a musical way, either writing and recording, gigging or listening to it. Best wishes and thanks for sharing this very important issue. 🙏

[@EM-fi7cx]

If you play in a band, you will develop hearing problems. It's only a matter of time. And once the damage is done there is no reversing it. I think this is a great product for concert goers as well. I'd like to see this company get into IEMs.

[@gbarge4]

I'm a little late to the party because of traveling but boy, what a great show. Just having accurate information is so valuable. Personally, I always have to take extra care with my Magnatone and chalk it up to its headroom. My cautionary tale for others with higher headroom amps is that even with the volume on 2 on the Twilighter stereo, stepping on the Hello Sailor FreeRange with both sides carelessly on and set for another amp, the sudden charge of volume was explosive and painful. It was very sobering and the pain lasted several days. It seems to take much less stimulus to bring the ringing back and that was months ago. That's it, mates. Please be smarter than I and take care to avoid sudden volume surges.

[@bobbler42]

On the dangly neck stuff: the point at which i switched to moulded earplugs was when i dropped one of the standard ones at a gig. Bugger that, i thought, and went rummaging amongst the dropped pint goasses. I eventually found it, i thought, and stuck it back in the key ring cannister, thinking i’d clean it when i got home. When i did, i found 3 plugs in the cannisrer. Either i’d picked up someone else’s, or they were breeding in there. The moulded ones are on a string with an alligator clip. I have not lost them yet.

[@JiminTennessee]

The concert that began my ruin, was the summer of 1988 when GNR (which I was 3rd row in front of Slash) opened for Aerosmith. I had to switch seats with a friend (25 rows back) so I could stay for the rest of the show. I never got better, just worse. Too many nights in my own band after that, combined with countless hours of bad ear "management" has resulted in a constant ringing. Like crickets at night. Keeping my back and neck muscles loose, staying emotionally stable, and using ear blocking equipment when running chain saws, lawnmowers, and weed eaters is really key to subduing this. Playing live is over and so are most live shows.

[@wimjacobs4075]

Great and fascinating show. I had been looking forward to this one ever since you guys announced it. I'm a bit late to watch it, however, since I've been away from the internet for a few weeks and catching up on the shows now... so I'm not sure my comment will be seen, but regardless... I've been struggling for ever to hear clearly in loud venues (pubs, parties, concerts). From different experiences, I deducted it's certain high frequencies that garble in my ear into a crackling sound, and when that happens that crackling cancels out all the rest. It's worst in pubs and at parties, so I have always had a hard time joining conversations, which did have an impact on my social life, though my lip reading has improved somewhat over the years. I cannot remember this ever being different so I have no idea what caused it, hence genetics I guess? In concerts, sometimes I can hear louder music better than less loud stuff, depending on the frequency range of certain instruments being played or not, and I found that blocking my ears with my fingers does help when those frequencies appear. It's hardly a comfortable way to sit out an entire concert, but it works. Doesn't work for conversations though. And plugs that I tried muffle things too much for concerts as well, so I quickly abandoned those. I might give the Minuendo stuff a try instead. Pretty expensive though, but probably worth the investment if they work.

[@adey_baby]

Great episode guys 🤫🫨

[@GazMoz78]

My tinnitus roars! Snare drums and Cymbals combined with tiny cramped pub "stages" are the culprit. Finally got pro moulded plugs in 2019. Definitely worth it.

[@strings2wood]

Thank You for the way you dealt with this important topic in a mindful and sensible TPS. Best.

[@davidsummerville351]

Very important topic. Thanks 😎🤓

[@WillBrahm]

Amazing episode, thank you!

[@obhmusic]

Great episode! And hello from Norway :)

[@tonypersson9998]

Very interesting and important. Thank you, Tom & TPS!

[@eightleafgaming]

Thanks for posting this! My friends got me heavy into hearing protection when I first started playing and I do believe it's very important.

[@Yupppi]

Guys this is such a fantastic topic to talk about. Especially to kids who feel invincible and don't know how to fear of something decades away. I feel like talking about this topic should always be accompanied with what I was shown at work safety class. That how quickly your hearing can get to the damaging zone in everyday life even, and how the damage is there even if you won't notice it, because it starts far outside your normal hearing range and only catches you up with noticeable consequences when it's way too late to act upon it. And the permanent tinnitus that for some people is bad enough to make them consider taking their own life. Protecting your hearing from the start is important to avoid a kickstart towards injuries.

[@bdunn315]

Ironically, Mick has a Play Loud T-shirt on. 😂 Very important topic guys! Thank you.

[@ThatPedalShow]

Nothing ironic about it. Play loud, and never any other way! (Unless you're at home and are not plugged in).

[@bdunn315]

Totally agree! Thanks for all you guys do 🤙

[@Magnetic_loops]

Thanks for doing this guys. Really great video and an important topic. This topic is very close to my heart. I am a guitarist who has played for 30 years, unfortunately I am also severely deaf (borderline profound). I discovered my hearing loss at 18 and as a musician this was devastating news. Whilst it does not appear that the loss was music/volume related, it has of course had a huge impact on my life. I now have to wear hearing aids to hear anything. Clearly this is totally suboptimal for hearing music as they simply aren’t designed to ‘hear’ music properly (they are solely designed around speech detection for obvious reasons). I find it so difficult to know that I am never ‘hearing’ the same thing as others, particularly when it comes to tone and guitar playing. I really do advise people to listen (no pun intended) to the advice in this video, your hearing is precious and it’s so important to protect it. I’m fairly local to you guys (Bristol) so would love to come along to an experience day at some point, it would be really interesting to ‘experience’ playing and listening at that kind of volume, which would also allow me to hear without the hearing aids (albeit safely!) - I’ll have to look out for some dates!

[@-Madkrafter]

I have had tinnitus most of my life remembering all the way back at 7 yrs old having to sleep with the radio on to drown out the ringing. I am 53 and have had multiple hearing tests and have found my tinnitus is in the 12-14K range and hearing tests confirmed that I have a slight dip there but heard the 20K tone and no other deficiencies. I do have custom molded musician plugs with 15 & 25 DB inserts. I find the 15 DB perfect for concerts and don’t leave home without them! Thank you for this episode 🤘

[@AlbusBand]

Minuendo is what I use; they’re great!!!

[@darrenc8776]

Its a great subject to cover guys. I use ear protection all day at work but wouldn't always consider it when playing guitar. Its surprising how low the volume is before you notice your hearing has been affected. Its as much to do with length of time of your exposure as much as the volume you have. An aurdiologest told me that unlike other parts of your body your hearing once damaged just remains that way.

[@garygallagher7341]

Tom is clearly a super bright guy. What an interesting product

[@periloustemple8290]

This was so useful! I greatly appreciate it - and got a great deal of better questions from this one. Thanks. Great find.

[@SomeKindOfMadman]

Great discussion, very important points made to enlighten us. I’m a bedroom guitar player, though I still crank my headphones up, so this is something I need to be aware of now.

[@joelhabrial3897]

Great episode! I really appreciated @TomTrones realistic and nuanced approach to what you're actually experiencing in the room.

[@ScottRainsford-iq6xy]

I started wearing hearing aids at the age of 42 but really was asking people to repeat themselves by my early 30’s. Classic Gen Z Walkman generation, metal fan, club DJ. “Temporary” tinnitus became a disturbingly normal part of the weekend. Now at 48 I wouldn’t know silence. As stated in many other comments this effects not only hearing but bigger picture of relationships and mental health. I don’t waste time regretting my choices in life but with modern thinking and solutions like this I still have hope I can pass on the “feeling” of loud volumes to my son as a sensible parent - great episode boys, I hope it is widely received - if there is only episode to share with your friends make it this one

[@Leo_Fender]

Dan, nice Johnny Marr jag!! Ive got the exact same model. Such a phenomenal instrument! Fun tip: this guitar LOVES half round strings, or even flats. Sounds so so so “toneful” through a pushed clean amp! Thank me later (I promise it won’t disappoint! lol).

[@JCYoo]

This is extremely important to all of us. Thanks for shining light on this topic.

[@ileutur6863]

I make sure to wear plugs at 99% of the shows I go to, its a lifesaver in small clubs when all you can hear is the ringing of cymbals. I haven't been able to make them work at band practice though, my playing gets noticeably worse when I can't hear the attack of the notes from my amp.

[@ThatPedalShow]

Same here! Mick here....

[@GCKelloch]

I used to use just one -20dB ear plug facing the drums in an attic rehearsal space we all sound proofed. I could hear keyboards and vocals from my floor monitor just fine from the other side without the cymbal crashes deafening me. I don't think I ever suffered ear damage rehearsing, but my hearing now drops off above 12kHz at age 60.

[@jakereesemusic]

49:34 You guys asked about whether having a plug in one ear makes the damage in the unplugged ear worse. In this case since it’s not an in ear monitor,like he said it’s no big deal. BUT you shouldn’t do this with IEMs as you will perceive the IEM in one ear as being much quieter than it actually is,so then you turn it up way too high,causing damage. I think this was your line of thinking when you were asking. Good shout

[@RoyGBiv-lc8tv]

This was great!

[@jrchanning]

What a fascinating and important subject to have discussions about at TPS, a lot of things I never knew about, excellent stuff 😄

[@AndyDemos]

Excellent video and some really helpful discussion! I got tinnitus by filming demos in a small sound booth for a couple years ;) Molded plugs are certainly the best for me but I love the idea of these being adjustable down to 7dB (I too favor 15dB for most concerts). Take care!

[@michaelgriffin5304]

Just checked out the plugs. They look very nice! Definitely something musicians and anyone who frequents loud/ear damaging levels should consider.

[@rustygardhouse7895]

Cool! Being of certain age I have tinnitus from years of running equipment with out hearing protection. Always hated current earplugs because of the muffled effect. Good on you for this.

[@infraaa_]

Ayyy! Not sure if y’all did this because of me bugging y’all to, but much much appreciated nonetheless!😊

[@simonhartman4943]

This is the exact problem I encountered in the past year. I feel like I am on the cusp of serious permanent tinnitus (even though the ringing is very quiet and my brain cancels it out when I forget about it - BUT it is still present all the time). I am only 22 which only makes things worse. This is the reason, why I am transitioning from loud amps to IEMs and digital modellers (plus at home I only play really silently or without an amp at all). So I just want to really support the advantages of digital guitar technology, so even people like me can enjoy amazing guitar sounds even at volumes that do not damage my ears. Thanks guys for this video!

[@ThatPedalShow]

A word of warning. We know plenty of people who have hearing loss due to IEMs being too loud. It's a false dichotomy to say that silent stages and digital tech is somehow better. No matter what the source, it's simply about level and length of exposure, no matter how it's getting to your ears!

[@gayvalds]

If you haven't gone to an audiologist for moldings yet, I'd recommend you get a set of molded earplugs in addition to the IEMS.....I use my earplugs for every concert I attend and it's well worth the investment!

[@simonhartman4943]

@@ThatPedalShow yes, I am very aware of that, just like you mentioned in the video. I deliberately try to have my IEMs as quiet as possible, just to hear everything a little bit. I use IEMs more like earplugs with a tiny bit of sound added in, because I can have control over a level of every instrument that I hear - a wedge monitor wouldn't help me with silencing a VERY loud drummer of my band (he is standing on a platform too, so everything is right next to my head) and this just helps me not have cymbals blasting right next to my ear and I can tame him a bit.

[@simonhartman4943]

@@gayvalds That will be the next step for me, my bandmate has one of these too and he praises them a lot. :)

[@jamiesugg]

I played for 5 days a couple of weeks ago at a Church Leaders conference; approximately 24+ hours of guitar playing across the week with a full band and loud drummer. It was the first time I’d used IEMs and I agree that there is a massive temptation to drive the volume through them to achieve an ‘amp in the room’ effect. I learnt after the first day to lower the main levels and balance out the mix so that I didn’t strain my ears. It was a silent stage and the drummer was fully enclosed.

[@NFMorley]

Enjoyed the discussion - Ive had temporary tinnitus for the past couple weeks (from an infection thats slowly resolving) and it's flipping annoying! I can only imagine how disruptive it would be to constantly have to live with that. Somewhat fortunate that I've always used ear protection when playing cranked up (and when going to watch gigs in small venues), but that's definitely not that case amongst most of my friends (late 20s, so still also an element of 'I'm too young to see an issue' sadly).

[@DBroce]

I had asked this question many weeks ago on the TPS live. Thank you very much for this.

[@jakubpodesva9802]

Always good thing to open this theme guys! As a person who has permanent tinnitus, I can advice everybody to do the protection before it is late. Because after it is late, you cannot undo it...

[@MusicTherapyLaz]

I was one checking an issue n with my Pedals at a live jam hang out in a small room and a guy came in and just staring jamming out with his solid state Crate amp... thankfully didn't give me tinnitus... but of my lord... what a terrible sound it was! I don't always use ear protection ... but now days I always have some rest protection with me at any place I might expect loud noise! 🤘🎸😎❤👂

[@Dan_Ranger]

60 year old metal head here that used to rehearse 3 to 4 nights a week in the 1980's. I decided after a year or two of that to wear ear plugs. It was an adjustment but I have limited my ear damage. 20 plus years on custom ear plugs on either 9db or 15db filters. Depending on the band and duration. Highly recommend ear plugs to save your lugs to keep on enjoying the music. I even where that home to stop the dog barking and the wif.... 😂

[@shadowulf]

Not a metal head, but an electrician with near 40 years in industrial and commercial construction. I recently had my hearing tested by industrial hygienist. He was so impressed with my hearing, that he felt the need for a follow up interview. I have used hearing protection my whole career. It works. I also do shooting sports, work on motorcycle engines and play guitar. Ear muffs or 9db - 30db ear plugs are always nearby.

[@Dan_Ranger]

@@shadowulf I always have a pair of plugs in the car or in my pocket. Keep my music ones with my gear but yes definitely good to be prepared. Even when I go and see bands or to loud environments I’ll grab my ear plugs. Just second nature now.

[@pauleddy5146]

Hello. 65 years old. Amplified music my entire life. Machine shop noise for many years, construction noise for slightly more and building maintenance, periodic machine noise the remainder of my professional life. I have difficulty with anything over 11K. The noise floor is extremely important on my perception of tones, sounds and conversations. A crowded restaurant? I can't hear anyone across a small table. I sit next to anyone I want to converse with. Mixing and mastering involves close proximity tools, nearfield monitors and a sub directly in front so I can feel what I can't hear. Takes time to understand levels seen and the final mix. Like flying a plane on instruments. As hearing is midrange focused, I'm good with the nuances, but high frequencies and low I use meters and slopes. Creating a low noise floor for critical listening helps with necessary amplification/volume levels.

[@MarceloDurham]

Great stuff ... playing live in bands my whole life and being there at TPS once I can tell you guys do play loud indeed!!! BUT I LOVED IT! LOL

[@ryangunwitch-black]

Dude this dude is the homie!!! Funeral kicks arse. ❤

[@liverpoolred2834]

Where can I get tickets to go and see Womb Trembler? I have all their records! 🙂🎸

[@JohnHillmanchannel]

This was a really interesting and worrying watch. To me it was also a good example of hearing what you want to hear, both literally and metaphorically. Understandably, Dan and Mick really wanted Tom to give them some dispensation for playing loud. As someone who liked to play loud, I can completely relate to wanting this. But any hearing loss is a miserable lived experience.

[@BarefacedAudio]

This is so valuable! I will continue to tell Barefaced customers (and anyone else who will listen!) that the best money they can spend on music gear is some custom made musicians’ ear plugs. I shall watch this in full when I get a moment and see if I have anything useful to add!

[@crumpred805]

Great TPS topic. I have hearing loss due to neurological issues from childhood. I had no idea how much high end I was missing until I got hearing aids.

[@ckturvey]

Thanks so much for covering such and important topic. I like you guys don't like to perform with earplugs, but when i was in a loud band, would use them during practice. Another situation good for earplugs is sound check. That is the time when you are very likely to get exposed to very sudden and damaging sounds. I didn't at our last sound check and we had an issue with the system that had my ears ringing before the gig. I also have found that playing a semihollow guitar has helpes me to find the 'sweet spot' sound of my rig at a lower volume. This has made for a more fulfiling experinace without risking my hearing. Thanks again!

[@TimB335]

What a great video gents, if I ever get ringing after practice or gigs I immediately regret it - got to look after your ears!

[@soerenjordan]

Great topic, had tinnitus for almost 10 years on my left ear caused by a loud rehearsal without earplugs standing to close to the cymbals of the drummer,...now I damaged my other ear as well by using inears during my last tour. I tended to do exactly what was mentioned here, I wanted the sensation of a rocking sound and turned the things up too far,...be very careful with the level of your inears!

[@Telewest792]

When God created us he gave us perfect hearing but as we became “cleaver” we decided loud noise was a good idea but the ear was never meant to listen to huge decibel levels on a constant basis so I’m glad you have bought up this topic as I’m sure a lot of your audience are , i for one have tinnitus in my left ear and it can be very debilitating. Thanks Guys for doing this show.

[@JarickL]

This is an excellent video that's really important for musicians. I had low level tinnitus for over 20 years due to being a drummer in a rock band and not using ear plugs at first. The last few years the tinnitus increased quite a bit and that was a struggle, but there's been a lot of ways to help. Meditation and stress reduction, taking better care of myself, and even just giving the brain time to tune it out all helped. There's always ways to improve your quality of life even with chronic conditions like tinnitus. But the best medicine is prevention, and using good quality earplugs is critical!

[@Angus.Maclean]

For some reason you two can talk about side issues in a very engaging way. Ironically, it led me to test the limits of my soundproof home studio and, unlike Dan, it turns out I can easily hit 100db without the family hearing me at 6am! (An excuse to a pair of Minuendo?)

[@Psychograce93]

Wonderful video guys. I think I've touched on my story of hearing loss prior to this video, but long story long; I lost a pretty significant part of hearing voices clearly (2-4k, right around the intelligibility mark) due to high SPL for an hour straight at one of my first festival visits to some no-name band, when I was too young to realise the damage that could be done. A year later I got some molded earplugs (~25dB?) which did the job, but I've come to understand that, even tho incredibly useful, takes away alot of the fun of actually hearing the music thats being played (when the playing is good). Now 2 days ago now (nov 5th), I was at the Empire State Bastard gig (Mike Vennart, Simon Neil; prior guests to your show, beg no introduction) and I was standing under the left PA with only my left (''bad'') ear exposed and my right (''good'') plugged up. Thoroughly enjoyed the show, but I had to take them out after going back and forth between plugging my ears and listening to that GODLY sound of Mike's amp, which I was right in front of. Even tho I think I made the right call by plugging my ears and going back and forth, ending with no plugs to experience the full frequency range of the band; I am absolutely amped (pun intended) to get my hands on one of these. If they are half as good as said, I'll be satisfied.

[@Aleph_Null_Audio]

This is a really interesting conversation. As a drummer, I've come to enjoy playing with earplugs in (good musician's earplugs) because the attenuation in the treble mimics that sound of the drums at a distance. Up close you get all kinds of ringing harmonic information that the audience doesn't hear. I even tune with earplugs in because it gives me a much better sense of what is actually making it to the audience.

[@tobymoorhouse]

ENT specialist here.. such an important topic. Especially if you want to keep appreciating the top end on your amps.

[@NJSonye]

We live in a very loud loud world. One finds out that 85dBs is common in our loud world. There are famous studio musicians that are now wearing hearing aids. Some really need them but I know they are afraid of their jobs. I had an illness at a very young age that produced a high fever. I don’t hear over 800 hz in my left ear. I am very sensitive to bass frequency. I do find out when bass volume is better managed the entire band (blues & funk) sounds much more musical. I was surprised to find that my Ears, Nose, and Throat doctor & Audiologist are fans of IEMs. Many symphony musicians have hearing loss. People in the military, pilots and sailors in submarines have hearing loss. I am

[@willgoodchild4343]

I use these earplugs in my band the Kilrains. We are super loud and once you get used to them they are a god send I still have tinnitus but no where on the scale I’ve had before. Invest in a set you’ll be glad you did

[@rockandrollmd541]

I rip small squares of paper towel, fold them over 3 times, and stuff them in my ears during gigs. They cut enough db's, while still being able to hear and feel the music. My ears do not ring afterwards. Foam earplugs cut too much treble. I always use the paper towel squares when I see a band at a bar or concert.

[@jimhardie1980]

As a 40something bedroom guitar player who has had mild-moderate hearing loss from birth and been using hearing aids for years, I'd like to thank you for this show.... It's suuuuuuuuuper interesting! What a dude Tom is?!?!

[@gatomau77]

An amazing episode!!! Thanks That Pedal Show!!!

[@rogervann5547]

Great T Shirt choice Mick!

[@MrMystery666]

Holy shit I have been contemplating these exact ear plugs after seeing the sounbrenner adverts. Now this vid before I even watch it will help me understand what I am looking at. I have some damage and need to protect going forward.

[@Five0Music]

Brilliant observation/suggestion to try using hearing protection at rehearsals, possibly 80-90% of your exposure, then go without in the critical performance environment if the hearing protection impedes the feel and inspiration of playing loud. I’m blessed to have good hearing in my 60s, well into my fifth decade as a gigging musician. I used to hate the “quiet” or “silent” stage concept but have grown to appreciate the reason, and enjoy the experience. There’s nothing like a cranked amp, but it’s more of an occasional indulgence than a regular stage exposure now.

[@hollybushrailway]

I've started wearing ear plugs even for things like just busking outdoors with a small battery amp. Protect your ears and play for years

[@andyskittrall207]

My first experience of whistling in the ears (the dreaded tinnitus!) was after seeing Gary Moore at Goldiggers in 1983. I'll never forget just how incredibly loud Gary was running his Marshalls and how loud the P.A. was. After the gig, I spent the next couple of days shouting at everybody in conversation and say "eh" or "pardon" to anyone who spoke to me. Mind you, that night was one I've never forgotten so not really complaining!

[@cactus-mcjacktus]

Tinnitus does suck. I’m 22 and have it from issues unrelated to my actual hearing. I got sick one day about a year ago and once i got better, suddenly i had tinnitus. I’m used to it now but it really, really wrecked me mentally (and somewhat physically as a result) for about 6 months. Ironically, i’m very very careful when it comes to loud noises, always using earplugs and generally just being as cautious as i can (and have been since i was very young). Whatever you do, please take care of yourself. Hearing loss and tinnitus can really tear you apart in ways you’d never expect, especially as musicians.

[@scottcurry4116]

Great show. I have hearing loss in both ears, most likely genetic per my audiologist, and tinnitus. I got tinnitus after doing some demolition in my basement. Hearing is very important to musicians and we should take care. I have hearing aids now and it has actually helped my playing. I’m hearing frequencies that I’ve missed for years (mainly in the 6kHz range) I can play my acoustic and hear my guitar and voice much better. It’s like having in-ear monitors. In addition, with them in, my tinnitus disappears. So there is hope. With my electric, I can set the amps up to 80-90 dB and get a nice experience playing. I can play louder and turn the hearing aid down as the device is filtering the sound level into my ears. I also wear them at concerts. I may try a pair of the Minuendo plugs for really loud situations. Many thanks for this show.

[@johnny.musician]

Too late for me, sadly…Marshall Stacks in the 60s and 70s have left me with profound hearing loss in my left ear, my right ear runs at about 40% of what it should be. Hearing aids have been no use, especially with the ‘intelligibility’ of words. At the risk of being didactic, I blame playing so close to a loud drummer as a primary cause. To this day I can just about manage to play close to a heavy-handed drummer but as soon as he hits cymbals hard I visibly wince. Thanks for the great episode, guys.

[@loganme]

Dan can play guitar like that AND does jiu jitsu?! Now THAT is rock. The world needs to know what belt he is.

[@johnmundt7834]

Glad you covered this. I’m 39, can’t say I have bad issues but have noticed struggling with quiet talkers against background noise and the usual ringing after loud music. I swapped out speakers in my AC15 and got better headphones for mowing the lawn so I don’t need to crank either one anymore. Hoping small things like that will help stave off bigger issues

[@donaldryder5534]

I have to admit I wasn't interested in this one, but very glad I watched! Very useful.

[@peterpink5393]

Really good video! As always 😎 This indeed is not black and white. I have those ”glass ears” (or something like that) and even though I’m only 33 years old my hearing is not in a good shape. I have also constant tinnitus and daily problems to hear speach. I also can’t tolerate higher volumes anymore. 100 db is pure pain. I think that I have played in bands and by myself with ”normal” volume and I have used hearing protection (not always but most of the times when volume was higher) but still the damage happened. I don’t know but I think that my situation is not very common but it’s tricky because you may not know until it is too late. But few things that I wanna say is that if your ears always ring after exposing to loud sound, it’s probably not good (I think I had that quite often but it did not feel bad after it was permanent). And also what I would have done differently is that I woud go check my hearing every year or something like that because it is quite easy to see if your hearing is getting some permanent hit and if you are exposing too much to loud sound. And last thing that I wanna say is that sometimes you hear people say, when talking about music and hearing loss, that it’s not so bad if your hearing gets bad, just put more volume. It does not go like that. You lose some part of your hearing range and putting more volume doesn’t fix that. It’s still a mess, only a louder mess. Ps. Sorry about my english. I think I understand quite well but writing is hard.

[@Scott-nj1jt]

Thanks for doing this, guys.

[@1rondark]

I spent years cutting feature films. On the mixing stage, the mixers, and I, would insert custom moulded ear plugs with, usually 12-15 db attenuation, if we were mixing gunshots . Those could blow your ears for the rest of the day. We would also leave the stage when the engineers were pinking the room before the session. That was really loud and would distort any critical judgement.

[@ileutur6863]

Guns in american movies are always too goddamn loud. Please tell your colleagues to stop doing that

[@Kevin-the-Just]

A better quality hearing protector is just what I need. I acquired permanent tinnitus about 20 years ago from standing next to the drummer. The consequences were constant (low level) ringing, difficulty with understanding speech in busy environments like pubs and, more annoyingly, it makes the volume level of typical gigs completely intolerable. Everything just sounds like mush. So, hearing protection that can genuinely reduce all frequencies by the same amount would be great.

[@Chucksguitargeekery]

When I was in my 20’s, I wound up in a band with some dudes in their 50’s who played through all the hair metal years. They were all hearing impaired and as a result the stage volume of that band was brutal and they all still complained they couldn’t hear themselves. I decided then that I needed to prevent that and have worn earplugs since. I settled on earasers, they worked great. I’m definitely going to check out these minuendo ones though.