Thread: Earplugs for violin practice?

Hi, I'm starting violin soon, but what I noticed when I try playing one, was that the sound was quite high. Would it be ridiculous to consider earplugs for violin practice, or have you people never had problems with hearing loss or tinnitis?

How are you going to hear whether you are exactly in tune, or producing a beautiful tone, if you have earplgs in?

Originally Posted by mamascarlatti

How are you going to hear whether you are exactly in tune, or producing a beautiful tone, if you have earplgs in?

Noise suppression is important during novice violin practice. Well, maybe the budding musician has to forgo it.

I don't think that would be ridiculous at all if you have tinnitus. I suffer from the same condition and use earplugs quite often. I would imagine if you use the right ones you will still be able to hear your instrument just fine.

Originally Posted by tdc

I don't think that would be ridiculous at all if you have tinnitus. I suffer from the same condition and use earplugs quite often. I would imagine if you use the right ones you will still be able to hear your instrument just fine.

Alright. Even though I don't have tinnitis just yet. :P Just wondering, because I hear people talk about their left ear rining after playing violin for 30 years...

Yes ... you should protect your hearing - but you need the etymotic style earplugs which preserve middle frequencies and attenuate sound intensity (dB) equally. Usually a reduction around 20dB is sufficient (it is for me - flute playing). You will need a pair, particularly in a small practice room.

Make sure that you buy one which conforms to a recognisable standard like EN-352-2. The best ones cost £200s and are custom moulded, however for £20 you can get a decent set.

Not sure where you are in the world, but I'd let you know the brand of mine, if it didn't constitute advertising.

Btw - industrial deafness due to music playing is a recognised issue. If you're young, make sure you protect your ears before it's too late.

Originally Posted by Head_case

Yes ... you should protect your hearing - but you need the etymotic style earplugs which preserve middle frequencies and attenuate sound intensity (dB) equally. Usually a reduction around 20dB is sufficient (it is for me - flute playing). You will need a pair, particularly in a small practice room.

Make sure that you buy one which conforms to a recognisable standard like EN-352-2. The best ones cost £200s and are custom moulded, however for £20 you can get a decent set.

Not sure where you are in the world, but I'd let you know the brand of mine, if it didn't constitute advertising.

Btw - industrial deafness due to music playing is a recognised issue. If you're young, make sure you protect your ears before it's too late.

Hi, thanks for your reply. I live in Denmark so I haven't really got any chance of getting the model you mentioned.

However, I'll look into buying some soon! (I should only use it for the left ear, right?)

Of interest to you.
http://hornmatters.com/2008/12/hear-...ne-tomorrow-i/

Well obviously you need to be able to hear your intonation... I think all musicians go slightly deaf in their old age anyway! (Especially if you play in a symphony orchestra... ) I don't think you need to bother with ear plugs, really.

Just use a practice mute. Big hefty thing that sits on the bridge and cuts the volume down by about 80%.
Used by touring virtuosi to play ion their hotel rooms without bothering anyone!

Ruggiero Ricci used to say that peoploe complained if he practiced in his hotel room. So he used to put the TV on, and then they weren't bothered.
Fancy complaining about having Ricci playing violin in the room next to you.
cheers,
GG

Originally Posted by Hanspwnz

Hi, thanks for your reply. I live in Denmark so I haven't really got any chance of getting the model you mentioned.

However, I'll look into buying some soon! (I should only use it for the left ear, right?)

Hi there -

most of us think that earplugs stop us from hearing. I'm not talking about that kind of earplug - these are noise reduction ear plugs without any fine control, and just blunt all sound.

Specific musicians' earplugs, attenuate frequency responses: they have a channel and different sound attenuation levels (like 10db, 15db, 20dB) across the middle frequency. The wearer wears one in each ear.

Far from making you unable to hear your instrument, they act as a filter, to remove excess noise levels, and dampen other unwanted noises.

You can look up the different models in this site for example:

www.sensorcom.com

A practice mute is a great idea, but it's not very useful if everyone else in the room is playing full volume. Where the ear plugs are very useful, is for making sound just that bit more comfortable, like during a rehearsal, without a terrible loss of aural feedback.

I use mine for the flute, because the sound can be deafening (especially piccolo frequency). If you go to loud rock concerts, it's almost reckless to go without the other type: the noise muffling type of earplugs which reduce sound. In any case, there are earplugs to filter out the high pitched screams of babies if you're flying on planes; earplugs to filter out waffling passengers beside you; earplugs to filter your boss' whinges every Monday morning .... and so on..