Hearing protection for new student

[SK]

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

[tomba51]

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).
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Tom Barreca

[huntman10]

[spitvalve]

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.
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Bryan Fields
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1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1979 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
Eastlake Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces

[stuartissimo]

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.
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1975 Olds Recording trumpet
1997 Getzen 700SP trumpet
1955 Olds Super cornet
1939 Buescher 280 flugelhorn
AR Resonance mouthpieces

[Mike Prestage]

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
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www.facebook.com/MikePrestageTrumpetTeacher

[Shark01]

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.

[Seymor B Fudd]

[Bill_Bumps]

[Robert P]

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.
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Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C

Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo

Chinese Flugel

[SK]

Thanks to everyone for the responses and advice.

[Dieter Z]

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/
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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

[Karel]

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.

[Benson]

+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.
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Benson