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SK New Member
Joined: 25 Nov 2023 Posts: 2
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 12:28 pm Post subject: Hearing protection for new student |
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H there,
I'm in my early 50's and looking to take up the trumpet again (I played for a couple of years in my 20's, albeit to a pretty basic standard).
I'm very aware of the issues around hearing loss as I watch older relatives grapple with hearing problems and wonder what more experienced players would recommend to protect my hearing. This is a hobby for me so I obviously wouldn't want one of the outcomes to be hearing loss.
Realistically, I'll mostly be practicing by myself or with a teacher for some time - the ultimate goal would be to join a band one day, albeit that is a long way off.
Ultimately, is it possible to learn this instrument without damaging hearing? How would you go about it, still making this an enjoyable experience.
Appreciate anyone's thoughts and guidance.
Regards
Stephen |
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tomba51 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Nov 2001 Posts: 619 Location: Hilton Head, SC
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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In my experience, playing the trumpet shouldn't cause hearing loss to you, because the sound is going out the front of the bell and being directed away from you. Musicians who experience hearing loss do so because of playing in loud bands or sitting directly in front of other instruments (especially drummers). _________________ Tom Barreca |
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huntman10 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 30 Aug 2017 Posts: 688 Location: Texas South Plains
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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tomba51 wrote: | In my experience, playing the trumpet shouldn't cause hearing loss to you, because the sound is going out the front of the bell and being directed away from you. Musicians who experience hearing loss do so because of playing in loud bands or sitting directly in front of other instruments (especially drummers). |
+1. (especially drummers) +1000 and add sitting in front of a few trombonists I have known _________________ huntman10
Collector/Player of Fine (and not so fine) Brass Instruments including
Various Strads, Yammies, Al Hirt Courtois, Schilkes,
Selmer 25, Getzen Eternas, Kanstuls (920 Pic, CG)
Martin Custom Large Bore, Lots Olds!, Conns, etc. |
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spitvalve Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 Mar 2002 Posts: 2158 Location: Little Elm, TX
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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The joy of trumpet playing is you get to stand behind all the noise, and if the room is reasonably reverb-free, it won't bounce back to do any damage. And generally you have to be playing relatively loud for that to happen.
I will submit, in jest, of course, that the trumpet is more likely to cause hair loss than hearing loss. I've played in many big bands where the lead trombone player had a bald spot in the back of his head from being in the lead trumpet player's line of fire.
I have a pair of shooting range ear muffs that I use sometimes if I'm working on loud high stuff. Lynn Nicholson does that. (I'm nowhere near as loud as he is)
If you're concerned about hearing loss a practice mute might be useful. I recommend the Stomvi UpMute. I just bought one and I love it. Strangely enough, my family loves it even more than I do. _________________ Bryan Fields
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1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1977 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
1995 UMI Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces |
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stuartissimo Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2021 Posts: 980 Location: Europe
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Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2023 1:31 am Post subject: |
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Many people also find it helpful for their technique to practice softly, and I've found that it's quite doable to remain under the recommended safety dB levels if you do so.
It is good of you to consider your (and other people's) hearing when playing though. _________________ 1975 Olds Recording trumpet
1997 Getzen 700SP trumpet
1955 Olds Super cornet
1939 Buescher 280 flugelhorn
AR Resonance mouthpieces |
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Mike Prestage Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Oct 2012 Posts: 722 Location: Hereford, UK
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Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2023 5:58 am Post subject: |
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To add to what's already been said, remember that hearing damage is proportional to the length and frequency of exposure as well as the volume. Also keep in mind that in the early stages you won't be playing nearly as loud as advanced players are capable of, even at the top end of your dynamic range.
Practice mutes are really best avoided when you're getting started. You'll benefit so much from being able to consistently hear your sound. There are mutes with built in microphones for use with headphones. (The Yamaha Silent Brass is by far the most popular.) Some experienced players prefer them to conventional practice mutes I couldn't really recommend them for your situation either.
If concern about your ears is going to be a barrier to you getting back in to the trumpet, the best compromise I can see for substantially reducing the volume would be a Harmon mute with the stem removed. It limits the volume the most of the types of mute commonly used for musical reasons (rather than made specifically for reducing volume like a practice mute). It's also relatively easy to learn what you're listening for in your sound with a no-stem Harmon so that your playing will develop properly.
I really hope you do get started again with the trumpet. If/when you go for it, I'd encourage you to find out straight away what community bands etc are in your area and what minimum standard of playing they require to join, with view to getting involved with something as soon as you can. Most people make much quicker progress once they start regular ensemble playing - it brings direct and indirect benefits to the learning process and can be a huge help with motivation to keep practicing. Even if you will need a significant period of time to develop the required skills, having something specific in mind that you'll be doing with them makes the journey easier.
Mike _________________ www.facebook.com/MikePrestageTrumpetTeacher |
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Shark01 Veteran Member
Joined: 10 Jun 2017 Posts: 283
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Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2023 11:22 am Post subject: |
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I use the Yamaha silent brass mute (without the electronics) pretty much every day during warm ups and sometimes during the practice itself when my daughter is studying near by. It is very quiet. |
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Seymor B Fudd Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 1469 Location: Sweden
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2023 7:20 am Post subject: |
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Shark01 wrote: | I use the Yamaha silent brass mute (without the electronics) pretty much every day during warm ups and sometimes during the practice itself when my daughter is studying near by. It is very quiet. |
So did I but one day it was mysteriously gone. Never(?) to be found again.
What to do? I bought myself a SSSmute (by Bremner). Cheap in relation.
Problem solved. Meaning wife doesn´t complain and my poor damaged ears
(drummers, trombones horns you name them plus more than 60 years in insanely loud bands) stay in the same (bad) condition.
Speaking of bands - Etymotic Pro is to be recommended although you will have to rob a bank prior to buying them. Better them than me. _________________ Cornets: mp 143D3/ DW Ultra 1,5 C
Getzen 300 series
Yamaha YCRD2330II
Yamaha YCR6330II
Getzen Eterna Eb
Trumpets:
Yamaha 6335 RC Schilke 14B
King Super 20 Symphony DB (1970)
Selmer Eb/D trumpet (1974)
Last edited by Seymor B Fudd on Thu Nov 30, 2023 4:59 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill_Bumps Veteran Member
Joined: 07 May 2019 Posts: 157
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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spitvalve wrote: | The joy of trumpet playing is you get to stand behind all the noise, and if the room is reasonably reverb-free, it won't bounce back to do any damage. And generally you have to be playing relatively loud for that to happen. |
Well, yeah, if you get to practice in a nice-sized room, with acoustic baffling, that's true. But it's the "reasonably reverb-free" part that we can't all manage. Speaking for myself, I have only my basement in which to practice, where the ceiling is only two feet above my head and the walls are wooden panelling. If I didn't wear shooters' earmuffs while I practice, my already-damaged hearing (explosive trauma) would be down to zero in no time. |
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Robert P Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2596
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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The rooms I've had problems in were small practice rooms with brick walls and no sound treatment, had to find another room. They're probably fine for non-brass instruments. A treated practice booth like in colleges or like we had in the Army never presented a problem.
I generally play standing outside a spare bedroom that has a large sound booth I built for recording playing into the open sound booth. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Flugel |
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SK New Member
Joined: 25 Nov 2023 Posts: 2
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Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2023 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks to everyone for the responses and advice. |
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Dieter Z Veteran Member
Joined: 21 Jun 2013 Posts: 449 Location: Mountains of North Carolina
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2023 6:47 am Post subject: |
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I have used Etymotic ear plugs before.
The interesting part is that it cuts back a lot on the overtones, so you hear more the center of your tone, which makes you aware if your not clean in the center of the note, but also if your playing a little sloppy.
https://www.etymotic.com/product/etyplugs-high-fidelity-earplugs/ _________________ B & H Sovereign 928
Conn 80A
F. Besson Brevette Kanstul made
B&S Challenger II 3137 rl
Buescher 400 - 225 (WWII)
Benge 90C
Eastman 540 D/Eb
ACB Fluegelhorn
Selmer Picc
ACB mouthpieces for most of my playing |
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Karel Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2001 Posts: 501 Location: The Netherlands
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2023 10:36 am Post subject: |
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I use Vibes earplugs. One of the advantages for me is that the plug doesn't go complete into the ear so that you don't press earwax further into your ear. |
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Benson Regular Member
Joined: 14 Feb 2017 Posts: 35
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2023 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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+1 to Dieter Z.
I've used hearing protection for years, partly because I teach beginning band as well as playing outside of school. The duration of that exposure causes hearing loss, and I had the tell tale signs of ringing, missed conversations in restaurants, and not hearing 1st graders when they said hi in the hallway. There's stories about office administrative assistants that have hearing loss from sitting next to a copier for 35 years. I need hearing protection.
Etymotic, Eargasm, Earasers are great. They cut out the really loud stuff. At home, I don't always feel like sticking something in my ears. I have an old pair of 3M Peltors that I pulled the foam out of that sound very similarly.
While they're not always appropriate or you need to tune with an oboe, they are excellent to hear the pronunciation of notes and hear the air in your oral cavity. In my community concert band you can actually hear 2nd and 3rd clarinet parts with hearing protection in - it's wild, they have parts, too!
I swear they helped me with my upper range issues. Also, and this may be nuts, my endurance increases with ear protection. Why? My hypothesis is I'm not trying to run away from the persistent loud sounds, think "fight or flight." As I said, it's kind of nuts.
NOTE: They will take some time to get used to because you'll hear your tongue squeezing around in your mouth and tonguing. It's weird at first. You'll understand when you hear it. _________________ Benson |
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