Why should drummers wear ear plugs?
Cos they stop you from losing your hearing dummy.
Before you learn about drummers ear plugs press play on the player below and then begin to read the article. DO NOT SWITCH IT OFF BUT DON'T PLAY IT LOUD!
If you don't have tinnitus symptoms MAKE SURE YOU KEEP IT THAT WAY!
Don't take your ears for granted cos if you damage them the chance of repair is almost impossible. Quite simply the best investment you'll ever make as a musician might well be to buy some ear plugs for when you are drumming. Ear plug design has improved greatly over the years so that you can easily protect your hearing without losing the feel and power when playing the drums and listening to music, Most ear plugs are now small and clear enough so that the earplugs won't even be noticed when you are playing, you don't even have to compromise on that cool image you are after. More important than your cool image is protecting your ear, ask any musician who suffers with hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of not wearing ear plugs and I'll bet you my drum kit they will recommend you get yourself a set of ear plugs, NOW!
All good drum teachers should be taking responsibility for their students and encouraging them to buy and wear ear plugs for practicing or gigging. For any drummer, wearing ear plugs should be part of the routine and if you are a beginner and you take the advice I offer you here I promise you you will thank me for advising you to buy and wear a set of ear plugs. It might just save your ears? As drummers, the instrument we play possesses naturally dangerous sound levels and as you are sitting less than a foot from the kit YOU ARE RIGHT IN THE FIRING LINE! If you don't have any ear plugs stuffed in those ears you could soon be taking a trip to the doctor with anything from a perforated eardrum to tinnitus or worst off all hearing loss. But you just don't think it will happen to you though, do you? Well trust me when I tell you it could and will if you don't do the simple act of plugging your ears with ear plugs. I have seen more than a few friends give up a successful career in music due to tinnitus or other hearing complaints related to not using ear protection.
So, with the ramble over, what are your options? The good news is you can buy ear plugs from anywhere between a few bucks or pounds to a set of custom molded ear plugs for pro drummers and musicians. Or maybe you want to go one step further and buy a set of ear muffs? Not so cool on stage but great for rehearsals.
Below are some of the best options for drummers ear plugs.
FOAM EAR PLUGS - Foam earplugs are cheap and readily available to buy in all kinds of different stores, hell they even give them away free on airplanes (although I wouldn't recommend you use those). Foam earplugs have a number of positives and a few negatives as well. They are extremely cheap to buy and are reusable for sometime, although technically they should be used just once . They come in many colors and shapes that squash down to completely fill the ear cavity, this is a good thing as it means the ear canal is completely sealed and protected against harmful frequencies. Below are some good quality drummers foam ear plugs that cost $3.99.
| Hearos Ultimate Softness Ear Plugs |
The draw back to foam ear plugs is that they aren't always made for musicians and therefore may not reduce the sound by sufficient decibels leaving you open to ear damage and hearing loss. Also the they have no filtering options, all frequencies are reduced making the music sound dull and muddy, this can greatly effect your playing and feel because you don't get enough power coming back at you from the kit. I used to use good quality foam ear plugs when I rehearsed and found them to be ok but I certainly wouldn't use these ear plugs to gig with.
Some people also find them a fiddle to roll up and place in the ear. Personally I never found this a problem. What I did find a problem was the fact that the ear plugs made the music sound like it was in a goldfish bowl - TOO MUFFLED for my liking.
Filtered Ear Plugs - Vater Ear Protection for all musicians. Includes two filter styles for different levels of hearing protection. Also includes pouch for safe storing when not in use. Vater retail at $19.95, although slightly more on the cost front the advantage to filtered ear plugs for drummers is they reduce the music to safe volumes without destroying the frequencies that allow you to hear and feel the power of the music you are playing.
Vater safe and Sound Ear Plugs List Price $28.95 |  |
 | Skull Screws Ear Plugs |
Price wise they can be expensive compared the to foam ear plugs but if you shop around you can get a good pair with good decibel reduction for a good price.
Vic Firth DB22 Drummers Practice Headhones |  |
Drummers, buy Filtered Ear Plugs - Filtered ear plugs are our top recommendation for drummers the ear plugs are made especially for musicians and concert goers which means they are designed to reduce noise levels to a safe volume without destroying the frequency spectrum, in other words you'll hear the music almost as you would without the ear plugs in but at safer levels of volume. The sound is filtered rather than just blocked out all together.
Filtered ear plugs are extremely good for rehearsing as well as gigging with. They are reusable and will last a long time so you only need to buy one pair, at the cost of around $15-$20 to protect your ears and still be able to hear the power and punch of your drumming you can't go wrong.
The ultimate drummers Ear Plugs
Custom Molded Ear Plugs - King of professional ear plugs, these plugs are custom made to your ear so you'll have to go to an audiologist to get an impression made of your ear canal. They are unique to your ear alone meaning that the ear plugs are fully enclosed thus causing no sound leakage and maximum comfort. Your ear plugs will be equipped with the best filters money can buy and with some models you can choose the filters to the suit the right decibel reduction for your instrument - these are the plugs you'll see on the ears of the pros.
The biggest draw back to these earplugs is the fact that they do cost, so it's a question of how much do you think your ears are worth? I would like to add to this that for young musicians who are still growing they might prove to be an expensive option due to the fact that young people may grow out of them very quickly. Prices start at around $150 and can go up to $200.
The biggest draw back to these earplugs is the fact that they do cost, so it's a question of how much do you think your ears are worth? I would like to add to this that for young musicians who are still growing they might prove to be an expensive option due to the fact that young people may grow out of them very quickly. Prices start at around $150 and can go up to $200.
Tips For Drummers Earplugs
- Inspect your ear plug before use - Look for cracks or imperfections.
- To put the ear plug in your ear properly. With one hand reach behind you head and pull the opposite ear upwards and towards the back of your head to straighten the ear canal. With the free hand place the ear plug into the ear canal but don't push it in too far. Repeat for the opposite side.
- To remove rotate gently.
- Clean your ear plugs in warm water with soap and dry gently.
- When the ear plugs are correctly placed in your ear your voice should sound louder and deeper. If this is the case you'll know you have placed them securely and properly.
To Sum Up - Get Some Ear Plugs!
If you take nothing else from Drum Lessons Beginners please take this one piece of advice, get some ear plugs. I have seen first hand how tinnitus and other hearing complaints due to listening to loud music for too long can cause real problems for musicians. There are many rock musicians out there that can no longer play as much as they used to because of hearing damage, Jeff Beck to name just one of many. Remember unlike a guitar play you can't turn your drum kit down (assuming you don't have an electric kit) so your stuck with it being loud all of the time so I would say that for us drummers ears plugs are just as essential as the drumsticks we use.
Are you still listening to the ringing from the audio above or has it annoyed you so much that you have switched it off? Did it distract you from reading the above advice? Either way remember that you can turn that ringing off, now imagine you've damaged your ears and that ringing audio above is going to be a part of your life for the rest of your years, not a good prospect any of us want to face. Be sensible and don't take your ears for granted before it's too late and you can't switch that ringing off, get some drummers ear plugs today you'll thank us.
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