Anybody use hearing protection in home studios?

C

Cheeky Monkey

New member
I did a search on this subject, and most of what I found addressed hearing protection during live performances (and links to products). I'm just now setting-up a small home recording studio, and it'll just be me -- bands won't be playing. I'm rarely in places where I'm subjected to very loud music, but now that I'm getting ready to record (and do so as often as I can), I'm wondering if I should consider hearing protection. Apparently, some are really good at letting you "hear" the music, but what about certain frequencies being cut-out that you need to hear while tracking/mixing? Do any of you use anything, or are you're listening levels not a problem? Is this a non-issue?
 
hey, welcome to the forums. personally, if ur music is loud enough to give u any type of hearing problem, maybe u should turn it down. we like our music loud, but that might be a bit outragous. anyways, earplugs r a major no-no. they distort the sound on the way to ur ears, and ur mixes will have absolutely no low-end. basically, all u have to do is listen at a level that is comfortable. the only reason live artists use it is because it is a hell of a lot louder on stage, than per say, front row. plus they do it every night, which will eventually lead to deafness and following stupidity. u shouldn't have any problems.
 
Non-issue for recording IMO.

I never use plugs while tracking or mixing, and have never thought I needed to. For gigging and rehearsing, absolutely.
 
I use earplugs when playing with a drummer. If you keep your sound level at or below 85db then you shouldn't need protection.
 
Yo Umgawa:

When I'm working in the studio I make sure my cans are not over the ears until I push "playback" or turn on something that will play something. Sometimes I forget the mic is "hot" and get a squeal. So, until the the music starts up, I just leave the cans slightly off my ears.

I learned this by having to fling off my cans once or twice.

Green Hornet :D :D
 
Rock Star 87 said:
the only reason live artists use it is because it is a hell of a lot louder on stage, than per say, front row.
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If that is the case, then fire the monitor engineer, the drummer, or the guitarist, whichever applies (it's the drummer). I can't think of a good reason for stage volume to be louder than the mains.
 
It doesnt take long for your ears to turn into mud when exposed to load music. If your blasting those drums or guitar amp while your setting up mics you think your going to hear what you just set up when you get back to your monitors? probably not. It only takes a half a minute infront of a drum set or big marshal amp to take your ears out for a good couple of hours.

I bought some of those ear plugs that reduce the decibals by 21 without changing the frequencies. Obviously it isnt accurate, so i dont really do critical listening. But when i go into the tracking room i always wear the earplugs so i can get my head right in front of the amp or drums and still have a general idea on whats going on. Then when i go back to the monitors i know that what i am hearing is accurate.

Danny
 
I bought some of those musician's earplugs recently, mostly for practice, and I'm kinda disappointed in them. I sing and play guitar, and find that I have no idea how my levels (vox especially) compare to the rest of the band. Can't really hear myself, ya know? I would never use them for recording though, as you need to hear your sounds as accurately as possible.
 
I have used the foam type in the home recording environment. Only for when I record myself playing loud distorted guitar. I first get the sound i like without the plugs adjusting the tone and levles, then put the plugs in for the repeated takes.

I also make sure the headphone volume is way down you actualy don't need the headphones to be loud for tracking purposes I find, and for mixing you only need to put headphones on accasionaly to check panning and stuff.

I ALWAYS wear foam earplugs on stage in my rock covers band. I already have a slight permanent whistle in my left ear, so I'm aware of the dangers. It took me a while to get used to the sound with them in, but I'm fine with it now and really notice a difference if they fall out or something!
 
..whenever the session is large enough that my front room (mix room) does guitar-iso room duties I'll switch to the old pound-and a half solid phones or the gun safety sets. :p
 
I have never seen anyone use earplugs to record, it seems to defeat the purpose. And most of the time when you see earplugs in the artists on stage, they are not earplugs at all: they are personal monitors....
 
Ooops, I lied. I have used plugs in a session. A few months ago the band whose CD I am recording was in to do some guitar overdubs, and I put plugs in when I went into the studio to reposition the mic on the lead guitar player's cabinet. The guy just couldn't stop playing, he's obsessed! But he's also really good, so I let it go. So that helped me from getting ear fatigue too early in the session.
 
MadAudio said:
Ooops, I lied. I have used plugs in a session. A few months ago the band whose CD I am recording was in to do some guitar overdubs, and I put plugs in when I went into the studio to reposition the mic on the lead guitar player's cabinet. The guy just couldn't stop playing, he's obsessed! But he's also really good, so I let it go. So that helped me from getting ear fatigue too early in the session.
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In that instance, or when the drummer is beating the hell out of his kit, I could see it....
 
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