Joerox
New member
Hi all,
I've actually been toying with the idea of starting a thread about the aforementioned, but internships and facebook apps got in the way.
Alright, back to topic.
Fellow softies and guests who are reading this, I am creating this post to remind (i.e nag like your grandmother) us all about the merits, and importance of protecting our ears.
As musicians, we create music, and we use our ears to decide whether we have created something gd or not. Unless you are immensively talented on the other side of Beethoven, it would be very difficult, if not impossible for you to write something when your hearing is gone.
We need our ears not just to enjoy what we have played, but most importantly, to listen to others in your band as well. You can't rock out in a band, if you can't even hear the rock.
Take Paul Gilbert, for instance. He is always seen with his earphones. He wears them because his hearing has pretty much detoirated to the point that he NEEDS those earphones to even play. Do you really want to reach that stage for the sake of the cranked up marshall sound and hearing those bar chords in all their distorted glory.
I for one, love those distorted chords just as much as the other guy, but I don't want my ears to crap out on me.
The easy solution? A pair of earplugs.
I'm sure that we are familiar as to what a earplug is, and we know the benefits of wearing them.
But why do't others wear them? I have identified, and shall attempt to debunk the reasons why a large lot of us still refuse to wear them.
First up is the assertion that "It doesnt look cool? Well, guess who uses earplugs live on stage? Steve Vai endorses Hearos (at least, the last I checked, he did), and uses them live on stage. Like him or hate him, Steve Vai has good showmanship, and his wearing ear plugs does not diminish his ability to look cool on stage. Wearing earplugs prevents you from getting headaches due to the excessive noise, and you will thus feel more comfortable and your ability to deliver increases.
Furthermore, if you, like me, formed a band at some point purely out of teenage angst to be different and unique, I generally take it that you want to be known to have a unique style of some sorts, not a unique disability to do a certain something.
The second reason is that they are expensive. Well, you can buy really cheap ones at about $1.80 a pack, and they are REUSABLE. Use them twice, it costs 90 cents per use. Use them thrice, they cost you 60 cents per use. I'm sure I have no further need to elaborate on math, so I will carry on to talk about the better quality earplugs that cost (gasp) $20+!!!!! OH NO!!!!!!!!
But, let's be honest, what can you do really have spent that ear plugs cash, of say $25?
I'd say maybe:
1) A nice CD that isnt in the jap / korean section of HMV
2) Two nice old cds from some bargain bin
3) A few packs of guitar strings
4) about two glasses of double shot baileys
is it really that worth it to scrimp and save on this?
Alright, the old man feels tired now, I'm off to bed.
I've actually been toying with the idea of starting a thread about the aforementioned, but internships and facebook apps got in the way.
Alright, back to topic.
Fellow softies and guests who are reading this, I am creating this post to remind (i.e nag like your grandmother) us all about the merits, and importance of protecting our ears.
As musicians, we create music, and we use our ears to decide whether we have created something gd or not. Unless you are immensively talented on the other side of Beethoven, it would be very difficult, if not impossible for you to write something when your hearing is gone.
We need our ears not just to enjoy what we have played, but most importantly, to listen to others in your band as well. You can't rock out in a band, if you can't even hear the rock.
Take Paul Gilbert, for instance. He is always seen with his earphones. He wears them because his hearing has pretty much detoirated to the point that he NEEDS those earphones to even play. Do you really want to reach that stage for the sake of the cranked up marshall sound and hearing those bar chords in all their distorted glory.
I for one, love those distorted chords just as much as the other guy, but I don't want my ears to crap out on me.
The easy solution? A pair of earplugs.
I'm sure that we are familiar as to what a earplug is, and we know the benefits of wearing them.
But why do't others wear them? I have identified, and shall attempt to debunk the reasons why a large lot of us still refuse to wear them.
First up is the assertion that "It doesnt look cool? Well, guess who uses earplugs live on stage? Steve Vai endorses Hearos (at least, the last I checked, he did), and uses them live on stage. Like him or hate him, Steve Vai has good showmanship, and his wearing ear plugs does not diminish his ability to look cool on stage. Wearing earplugs prevents you from getting headaches due to the excessive noise, and you will thus feel more comfortable and your ability to deliver increases.
Furthermore, if you, like me, formed a band at some point purely out of teenage angst to be different and unique, I generally take it that you want to be known to have a unique style of some sorts, not a unique disability to do a certain something.
The second reason is that they are expensive. Well, you can buy really cheap ones at about $1.80 a pack, and they are REUSABLE. Use them twice, it costs 90 cents per use. Use them thrice, they cost you 60 cents per use. I'm sure I have no further need to elaborate on math, so I will carry on to talk about the better quality earplugs that cost (gasp) $20+!!!!! OH NO!!!!!!!!
But, let's be honest, what can you do really have spent that ear plugs cash, of say $25?
I'd say maybe:
1) A nice CD that isnt in the jap / korean section of HMV
2) Two nice old cds from some bargain bin
3) A few packs of guitar strings
4) about two glasses of double shot baileys
is it really that worth it to scrimp and save on this?
Alright, the old man feels tired now, I'm off to bed.