One thing many musicians fail to think about when they start off on their musical journey is how to properly protect their hearing. Although your instrument will bring you countless hours of inexplicable joy, if you are not careful, it will bring you a lifetime of hearing damage.
OSHA regulations state that the threshold for db level in the workplace is to be no more than 90db for a maximum of 8 hours. Here is a quick breakdown of acceptable db levels per hour.
90 dbA 8 hrs
92 dbA 6 hrs
95 dbA 4 hrs
97 dbA 3 hrs
100 dbA 2 hrs
102 dbA 1.5 hrs
105 dbA 1 hr
110 dbA 0.5 hr
115 dbA 0.25 hr or less
You may be wondering exactly how loud 90 db's is. This is the level of a common home lawnmower. Imagine how loud your new instrument is when you really get going. Actually, you don't need to; here is a chart for that as well.
60-70 dB normal piano practice
70 dB fortissimo singer 3 ft. away
75-85 dB chamber music in small auditorium
84-103 dB violin
85-111 dB flute
85-114 dB trombone
106 dB timpani & bass drum rolls
120 - 137 dB symphonic music peak
150 dB rock music peak
So now what? Well, the good news is you have the capability to completely protect yourself. The best way to prevent any hearing loss is to always use ear plugs, even when you are just practicing, even when you are just practicing by yourself.
When looking for ear plugs, one thing you want to look for is the NRR which stands for Noise Reduction Rating. This is pretty self explanatory and is easy to figure out, the higher the NRR, the more noise it will keep out. Here are a few common ear plugs on the market today.
INDUSTRIAL FOAM: These are the bright yellow or orange foam ear plugs you can find almost anywhere. The plus to these is that they are one of the best at simply blocking out all the noise and they are super cheap as well as easy to find. The draw back to these is since they block out all frequencies, you will tend to get a very muffled sound. This could be tough to handle in a band setting when you are listening for cues from your band mates, or simply wanting to enjoy your musical experience a little more.
EAR PLUGS: These are the ones that look like Christmas trees. They are rubbery with 3 ridges and a tail piece to make it easy to get them in and out of your ear. They do not block as many frequencies as the foam ones which means there is a less muffled sound coming through. These come in at a price of around .
CUSTOM MADE: These are the ultimate for any musician. These will cut out most, if not all of the damaging frequencies. These result in the ultimate experience of clarity while still offering maximum protection. The down side of these is that they ain't cheap! These will cost you around 0, but compared to hearing aids later on, this is a bargain. Also, you can't pick these up just anywhere. You will need to go to an audiologist to get fitted for a pair. The plus is that these will be much more comfortable than the generic ones. This comes in handy when your are doing a long rehearsal or show.
In the absolute worst case scenario, the old standby of cotton or toilet paper will do the job decently. This should not be your standard operating procedure though.
One last tip, which ever set you decide is right for you, make them easily accessible. Most musicians carry their plugs in a gig bag, instrument case, a lanyard around their neck, or even a key chain. Which ever way is easiest for you, do it. Keep them close; it is way to tempting to just start jamming if getting to them is going to be a hassle.
If you follow this advice, you will have a long, healthy future ahead of you with many years of musical enjoyment.
