Not only do concerts seem to be getting louder and louder, I seem to be finding my way into movie theaters that blast me with ridiculous levels of noise a lot lately
One of the last movies I watched in theaters I actually had to physically put my fingers against my ears because the sound was so loud. I genuinely felt like it would harm me, lol.
In Norway the venues are actually forced to offer free ear-plugs so there will be people walking around when you are queueing up that are selling the buds. The fun thing is that if you just ask them for a free pair they are legally binded to give them to you. Those plugs are like the orange ones
I live in the States and have my own pair now, but anytime I didn’t, I was able to snag a foam pair for free either from venue staff or a designated booth. Hopefully this is customary everywhere!
A few months ago I went to a show where a friend of mine works as the sound engineer, and he encouraged me to wear earplugs because the bands that night were loud as hell during soundcheck. Honestly, it sounded better. I could actually hear the tone in the guitar and make out the instrument separation. Not only that but the next day I felt better than I usually do the day after a show.
I would agree, a lot of times earplugs (of any quality) can help make super loud stuff sound less muddy in the low end and less harsh in the high end, making everything a lot clearer
The best part about wearing earplugs to concerts is that moment when you get home and go to bed and no ringing blaring in your ears when your trying to go to sleep.
@@aydenjenkins8760One reason that could be happening is earwax buildup. Ears by nature shed earwax through the canal, so if it is blocked by earplugs, it sort of accumulates there and stays there. Earwax buildup usually causes temporary tinnitus and the tinnitus will clear after the earwax clears (this can happen by itself over time or you can use earwax removal drops if you want).
@@aydenjenkins8760 you sure you guys mean visiual snow or just mouche volantes? because i have mouche volantes and i have a tinnitus since birth basically which is just mostly faded out by the brain
As someone who goes to music school I’m amazed over how few people who own or use earplugs. If you want to persue music as your profession, why wouldn’t you want the best ears you can have.
I would love to wear earplugs in rehearsals but then you can’t hear instructions, so idk what’s the solution. Also wearing them while practicing makes the tone sound artificially better, which I guess could be both good and bad, especially on flute because it blocks out the high pitch blowing sounds.
@@Jwellsuhhuh just get better plugs. Mine sound transparent. I have no trubble hearing people talking and when I play flute I only have it in my right ear
@@Timopeo yeah but covering one ear isn't going to magically protect the other ear as well, even if it makes it perceivably less painful for loud sounds. I'm considering buying the "earasers" since they are rated for balanced frequency response but the eargasm stuff also seems pretty good
So I was once at a concert with Opeth. For those who don't know, they are a super heavy and LOUD death metal/progressive rock band from Sweden, and it was my second time seeing them. I had aquirred some great earplugs from a metal-festival earlier on, where I saw Opeth the first time, so naturally I took them along for the second concert. I stood right at the front, kinda close to the right side of the PA and next to the sub. For the first 30-40 minutes, the earplugs were working great, sounded natural and were super comfortable. Then my right earplug fell out of my ear and onto the floor in front of the guard rails. I couldn't reach or get the attention of the security to get them. So for the remaining two hours of the concert, I was only protectet on one ear. The mix from the stage was really balanced, so it felt loud but not painful at all. Then the concert ended, and I took my left earplug put... It was then that I realised how much of a difference it had made. I kid you not when I say, that I felt like my right ear was only hearing about 50% of what my left ear was hearing, and it lasted for about two days. Everything is fine now, but that was kind of a "holy-shit-moment". I think when both ears are exposed, you don't notice reduced volume from loud music as much, as both ears feel the same. But when one of them is different than the other, you REALLY do, and you realise how uncomfortable it can be. Ear protection is essential IMO and we should all try keep having healthy ears so we can enjoy live music for the rest of our lives 🤘😁
The ones I use have a string that connects them. I pass it around the back of my neck when I wear them, that way if one falls off, it just hangs from the string. Even if for some reason they both fell, they'd just hang from my neck.
what causes the hearing to come back if the hairs dont heal? does your brain just automatically adjust the volume of it, but the fidelity of what you can hear still becomes worse?
I'm an audio engineer who wears ear plugs and sometimes I feel like the "they don't know I'm wearing ear plugs" meme. There's a weird moment where I feel self conscious when I first put them in because I'm in that 8%. But then I remember both of my parents wrecked their hearing at shows and that's why my mom yells when we're out at dinner
To those wondering, *YES THIS APPLIES TO THE CINEMA TOO* . Many cinemas level dialogue loudness for 85db (where the film spends most of its time), and target a peak amplitude of 105db. Many action films reach that 105db peak for minutes at a time during action setpieces, and quite a few movies are beginning to push 3 hours. IMAX and Dolby cinemas especially lean towards the top-end of the dial to impress audiences, but that means if you were to watch Avatar: The Way of Water in IMAX with no hearing protection, you're essentially guaranteeing permanent damage (however subtle). I'm not a live music guy, but I always keep a pair of earplugs in my bag at all times for the movies. You should do the same
This is something I wish I knew because I went to go rewatch Across the Spiderverse and I sat near the front this time and didn’t expect how LOUD it would be it was genuinely a bit of a sensory overload and I do worry a little about my hearing (though so far it doesn’t seem much different🤞) I really regretted not being my earplugs with me
@@margoalex. Honestly it likely isn't. Take it from someone who has been around incredibly loud noise for years (was a music producer for 7+ years), I have insanely sensitive hearing to the point where Harvard Medical has told me it's basically peak or inhuman. I have been to multiple concerts in my life, several were heavy metal mind you, incredibly loud, insanely so. I've worn rather loud headphones since my late high school years and I'm in my early 30s. One visit to the movie theaters won't affect your hearing unless you already have issues. Rather than taking anyone's advice on the internet, consult your doctor. The fact that this video didn't expressly say this bothers me.
@@mitrikgaduk347 Everybody is built differently. Maybe you are the lucky guy who smokes all his life and still gets to live 100 years with no lung cancer ever. Still, it can't hurt to at least have protection on you, or AT LEAST be made aware of the topic. I am 34, also musician, also produce music, and I have slight but noticable tinnitus since 30, plus pain in my left ear when volume is beyond a certain threshold. And since then I always carry earplugs with me. I wear them when I teach drums, when I go to loud concerts, band rehearsals, heck, even on the train sometimes, when it's late and I'm tired and the train seems excrutiatingly loud. Having earplugs with me is a really handy habit I developed. Side note: I got my hearing damage bc of one particularly three-day drum practice session for a recording. I was wearing bad headphones and tto much of the low mids from the bassdrum came through. Never had any problems before. So, who knows when it might hit you? No to cause unnecessary fear, just be aware! Also, your lifestyle might still lead to considerably earlier hearing damage in your 40s/50s/60s etc. You still have 2/3 of your life ahead of you, right?
I was at the Eras tour earlier this year and I legit thought I was not going to be able to hear by the end of it. My stomach was filled with dread and fear and I was panicking. I thought I’d never hear my loved ones laughter, or listen to music, or listen to the soft breeze of the trees ever again. Luckily I was able to get a hold of some earplugs and the pain of loud noise completely went away. Please, PLEASE wear earplugs at loud shows or events. You will have overwhelming relief. It’s so worth saving your beautiful ability to hear
i’m so glad more musicians are speaking up about this! the last show i went to, the ACOUSTIC solo opener at a small venue kept sending warnings to my apple watch that i was temporarily, or permanently, damaging my hearing. I was in so much pain, i contemplated just leaving the show in tears even before seeing my favorite artist. i’ve forever learned my lesson to bring earplugs, and will encourage my loved ones to do the same. i even carry them around with me at the mall, coffee shops, etc.
I of course have no idea where you are from, but where I live all concert venues and festivals have to supply free hearing protection if you ask. This is usually going to be the bad foam plugs as it is the cheapest way to conform to this law, but for cases like the one you're mentioning this can still be a great solution to get an at least somewhat enjoyable experience instead of hurting and wanting to leave
@@LennertK Wow, that's awesome that's a requirement where you're from. Unfortunately, I've never been offered by the staff at venues near me. Either way I learned my lesson and will bring my own gear.
Just something I feel should be mentioned regarding tinnitus: you can actually get it for seemingly no reason. I’m someone who’d been to just two concerts, a year+ prior to getting tinnitus. I was never really around excessive noise, tinnitus unfortunately just happens sometimes. But to anyone who just got it and is stressing out: it WILL get better. You will adjust to the sound, and it will become something you don’t think about that often.
yup! tinnitus is really common. its annoying and a little depressing to get young, but anyone worried, you will get used to it. it’s not a life sentence…and you become more aware of protecting your hearing too. earplugs at loud concerts and loud workplaces are so so important! (also, stress, anxiety, illness, earwax build-up and neck muscle stiffness can both make and worsen tinnitus! take care of yourselves!! if you suddenly got worse tinnitus, one of these things is probably the suspect…)
yeah, this seems to have happened to me. I don't remember being around any really loud sounds, but I got it at around 17 and just got more aware of it somewhat lately. Sometimes it's a bit better sometimes it is driving me nuts...
i second this. got tinnitus in september of 21. really tough time for me. about a year and a half later i’m chilling. you habituate to the ringing after awhile for the most part. at least in my case. got custom ear plugs and they work exceptionally well.
I also have had it from a young age while my hearing capacity has always been and still is "above average", whatever that means, and I've always been very very careful with hearing protection but I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember. There are neurological reasons that can result in tinnitus as well, so some people just have bad luck. I also second that factors like stress, sleep deprivation, dehydration and others can worsen the symptoms. Afaik tinnitus is something that happens in the brain, so when your brain is healthy it can improve and when your brain is unhealthy it can worsen. For me it is fine most of the time but when in quiet situations like at night it can keep me up, and during stressful times or when I've barely slept it can get much worse. While I don't let it get me down and it has become part of life, I also wouldn't wish it on anyone
I went to my first concert ever a few months ago, and I forgot to bring earplugs. It was quite loud though, so I just ended up shoving these wireless earbuds I carry with me into my ears. It turned the music from somewhat painful to bearable and enjoyable. So, I 100% agree with what y’all are saying and definitely encourage everyone to wear earplugs or do something to protect themselves from obnoxiously loud noises (and music).
Earphones are not a bad way to go about it. In fact, if you actually get some professional In-ear monitors like the ones from Shure and get some foam or flanged tips, the isolation can get pretty good and almost comparable to convenience store foam earplugs.
Putting in your earbuds is a great solution, I have done that as well when in such a situation. The in-ear monitors that artists wear on stage are basically just a professional version of earbuds, they isolate the outside sound as much as possible so you can get a clear mix in your ears, that can even be much quieter than the environment. I play the drums and even when practicing alone I use microphones and in-ears, so I can play as loud as I want and still be at a very comfortable or even quiet sound level.
About the argument #2 for not wearing earplugs: I remember, distinctly, being at concerts where if you went to the bathroom, you got to hear instruments and things that were gushed in a ball of noise in front of the stage. Literally it sounded better with a resonance barrier than at the venue. Also it was clearer to hear a singers' voices if you put your fingerprint at your earhole, and you could tell if they're real good or out of tune and being camouflaged by the band. The point is: Too loud of a soundstage can make the music sound bad, distorted and muddier. And earplugs can help you hearing it better right now, at the show, not only in the long term
As a hearing aid professional myself I'm really stoked you made this video. Please protect your hearing, people! (And if all else fails, please consider the custom made ones. My company does them for €120,- so while not cheap, it's not always as expensive as Mic said in the video)
@@ianjames8140 Just wear them anyways. If they have a problem with it. Then why should i care? My health is more important than your feeling about my health precautions.
not sure, people would start collecting them instead of wearing them, I bet. Especially if they are disposables. The better ones cost enough, that people would rather buy a shirt for the same money, I bet.
As a teenager that has always been sensitive to loud sounds I've always either used earplugs or covered my ears with my hands when it's too loud for me. The thing is some people seem to almost be offended if you wear earplugs anywhere. Sometimes people even try and rip my arms away from my head because " it's not loud". For them maybe but not for me that still has good hearing
i have had tinnitus since i was about 14 from a malfunctioning speaker at a school assembly, and it really blows. please protect your ears people, not having constant ringing in your ears is a blessing.
Tangentially related, but a bike tire exploded inches away from my face several months ago, leaving me with tinnitus. While I’ve somewhat adapted, if I ever consciously think about the ringing in my ears, it takes a lot of effort to start ignoring it again. It’s present from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep. In short, thanks for spreading advice like this. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
YES EARPLUGS. Personally i’ve been using a pair of loops, but i consider trying a flanged set from time to time as well. Also try not to turn the music in your earphones up too too high, because loudness is still loudness, even if most people around you can’t hear it. Side note: i recently learned a quick fix for those flashes of tinitis i get from time to time: Place the palm of your hand over your ear, fingers facing backwards, then reach back and tap the back of your neck with your fingers a few times right at the base of your skull. It won’t cause the hairs in your ear to regrow, but it does seem to temporarily realign whatever’s off kilter so the ringing goes away.
I think something else to consider is the growing use of earbuds, especially amongst teens. People don't always consider how loud they're listening to music with them, and this can also lead to premature hearing loss.
I ended up getting tinnitus at 25 from spending my teen and young adult years going to every concert I could find. It kinda messed me up for about a year, but I started wearing earplugs at shows and now at 28 I still have tinnitus, but it hasn't progressed much at all and the results of my last hearing test were great. Better late than never I guess!
Believe it or not, the loudest concert I have ever been to is Bruce Springsteen on The River anniversary tour. 3 hours of classic rock jams, and after leaving Nationals Park, I had ringing in my ears for the rest of the night.
As someone who often has panic attacks triggered by too much auditory stimulation, I can say that wearing earplugs to a concert doubles as a great way to sort of turn down the stimulation and be able to handle the show!
Wearing earplugs was literally the first lesson we got in music school when I was 16. Some students still didn’t wear them after the fact, though, which is mind-boggling. I don’t know if this is a UK only thing but everyone I know wears Alpine MusicSafe earplugs. They work great and are very widely accessible online for UK people.
im going to a king gizzard concert next week, so i very much appreciate this video's existence, and will be sure to pick up some earplugs on my way there (or whatever works to keep my weird ear hairs from dying), thank you very much mr. snare :)
i went to a kg show in a indoor venue with no protection. my hearing's fine, just as fine as before the concert, but I can safely say i'm not pulling that again.
my experience is slightly different to the other guy.. i went to knotfest a couple months before kgatlw and i had noticeably worse tinnitus after seeing em indoors than that. and even worse again after seeing the chats in a small venue. pls get earplugs!!
Red rocks? See you there dude!! I think it’s good to bring some but since it’s such a large outdoor venue it would probably be okay to not have them in. I’ll judge how loud it is and go from there
Can someone please tell me why we're not discussing lowering down the volume of the shows? Earplugs are great, but why do we need to suffer the obnoxious loudness in the first place? It's not just the bands, fans and stage hands that suffer from it, everyone in the neighborhood is also forced to listen in. Honestly, noise pollution severely decreases our quality of life, impedes our ability to concentrate or relax, and it's just horrid to live in a world where you cannot escape noise, even in nature. So why the hell can't we just all agree to turn it down a notch?
@@bt3743 Personally, I go to concerts to enjoy the music and share a good time with its creators. If, however, your goal is to experience loudness, I may have an idea just for you. Strap 2 loudspeakers on both sides of your head, turn it up to 11 and blast white noise for an hour and 30 mins. It should be even louder than a concert, and much cheaper to boot!
@sqyx93 Never cared for Metallica, so I have no idea what you're talking about. Black Album is a pretty good rock album, but if you want actual trash metal, Megadeth is where it's at. Also, Dave's concert I've been to was remarkably not too loud. Not sure if that's the band or the sound guy, but good job anyway.
Just got back from a Travis Scott concert two days ago. I did have ear protection but not the best and it still got me ringing in my ears the next day I woke up. Today has been a lot more manageable and looking positive on a full recovery. This was my first concert in a decade since I was a kid. Didn’t expect the outcome but definitely learned a lot from it and wishing they make more awareness for this. Protect your ears at all cost no matter if your high up far out or up close. The damage is done and it sucks.
While the concerts I've attend have been few and far between, I do have plenty of experience with prolonged loud music exposure through nearly 10 years of being in marching band and specifically, the drumline. Earplugs are essential, especially in the stands when you're all crammed together in such a small space.
I was born with tinnitus, afaik, and bring earplugs to every concert. they make everything so much better ... thanks for making this. :) hopefully some people listen!
Finally people seem to realize how absurdly loud this generation is, I wear industrial-grade hearing protection every time I go to public events, even going to church I wear this same industrial-grade hearing protection, ear plugs don't cut it for me, not even noise cancelling headphones, so I wear the same hearing protection that people with jackhammers would wear, and even while wearing it I can hear everything in the concert or sermon clearly. This is not an extreme measure either, I can still hear my full 20-20,000 hz, and I will regularly listen to music at sub 10% volume while most people need to crank it up to 30-50%.
I agree y’all I noticed concerts and movie theaters have been getting louder and louder after the last 20 yrs. I think it’s fing ridiculous, the industry is doing this to people, they are not dumb, it’s not hard to look up how many decibels can cause hearing damage. Concerts and movies I’ve been to have literally hurt my ears. I was made fun of many times for bringing earplugs to concerts. But I have tinnitus now at 34. It’s evil the industry is doing this to people and basically charging them $100 or more to fing go deaf. There should be laws about this because they are causing permanent damage to human bodies that have paid for an experience. I think it’s on purpose, they don’t care about people’s well being. Thank you for making this video. ❤
my girlfriend and I are on the autism spectrum, so, we frequently wear plugs or noise protection due to misophonia. and we both love the loops, they are really practical, pocket/bag sized and i have a few spare ones. plus, i also have some provided by my workplace as backup. besides that, i also use my ear monitors on mute on a daily, it helps a lot in general. unfortunately due to my misophonia, i just went to a single concert so far, but thanks to the advice on ear plugs i might give it a shot some day. my dream would be to see caravan palace performing live, also hatsune miku... i think electronic music in general would be a pleasure to hear live, so thank you for the advice.
I'm 20 years old and experiencing bad hear loses due to playing events as a drummer for the past years of my life, I took it for granted because I wanted to feel and experience the whole band around me. Changed my entire career path, from being a Music Major in drums to dropping out. Now I have to wear customizable molded earplugs almost everywhere I go as my hearing tolerance has worsen. My passion for playing live music has disappeared, and now I'm stuck with my what if's and what could have been if I protected my ears a lot earlier. Doesn't happen to a lot of people, but when it does it'll hit you hard. Learn from my mistakes, get your earplugs.
For my first couple of years going to shows I didn’t wear earplugs and have regretted it ever since. Now I won’t go to a concert or even a club without hearing protection. Clubs and bars can play music that is as loud as concerts, so don’t underrate those! I’d recommend getting clear silicone earplugs for those settings as you can protect your hearing without anyone knowing :)
@@LightPink Normalization is a good thing, but I figured most people would want to be protecting their hearing undercover in a club or bar setting. You can stand out and people may look at you funny. All the power to the people normalizing it in public, tho
Thanks for this PSA One of the biggest mistakes I've commited in my life was seeing Swans without earbuds. It was 1 hour and a half of some of the loudest sounds I've heard in my life. Not only did I not enjoy the concert to it's fullest, but I had my ears ringing for a whole week. I was so scare that I could possibly have Tinnitus that I went for a medical check. Fortunaly I don't have Tinnitus, but the doctor did warn me that I had some damage done to my ear, and that another exposure to that kind of loudness again could damage my ears irreparably. Young people really don't understand how sensible our ears really are and how easy you can atrophy them, and the worst part is that there is no real cure, if you get Tinnitus, you are gonna have it for the rest of your life. As a music fan, I can't imagine how miserable my life would if I won't be able to enjoy some of my favorite albums the same way. It's terrifying.
My friend is partially deaf in his ears, he was born like that, and at one of the concerts we went to he could literally hear it perfectly fine without either hearing aid in
I'm sensitive to loud noises (apparently, to me it just seems logical that loud noises hurt) and have always needed ear protection, grateful for this feature as it's essentially forced me to protect my ears over time. Been clubbing a lot and never had any post-event issues thanks to this, now mid-30s and still have excellent hearing. If I had more average sound experiences though... I probably would have been cavalier! So heed the warnings people, you'll pat yourself on the back later.
You might have very mild hyperacusis. Typically for us it's way worse than just a bit of noise sensitivity (more like constant agony from kinda loud things), but what you described sounds pretty similar.
I'm autistic & stupidly forgot my Loop earplugs for the Eras tour and I never felt more glad I had the foresight to ask security for earplugs before going into Wembley because it was LOUD to the point it made the stadium shake. While I had the most amazimg time, I still felt self-conscious of people looking at me adjusting the earplugs because it implied I wasn't fully immersing myself in the experience. However, I'd rather protect my ears from sensory overload than risk potentially permanent damage.
The drone metal band Boris highly recommend everyone at their shows to use earplugs and sell customized ones on their merch booth at every show. They were the first artists I've ever seen talking about this, and that made me love them even more. Not only Boris is my favourite band of all time, but I've suffered some hearing loss myself and I think it's something that can be easily prevented and we should talk about it more. Thanks for the video, Mic!
not gonna lie, when this video came out it convinced me to get some earplugs as I work with live music and it's just been something I kept putting off but decided I should just commit to it now considering all the information you presented in this video, and I gotta say it's really worth it, as much as I love working with live music I gotta admit, it's loud as hell and I genuinely never knew how much damage it was doing to my ears until I started wearing some and after end of show, striking equipment, actually being able to hear my coworkers is a life saver. seriously gonna be sending this around to the crew's I work with, highly recommend getting some.
I have been an advocate for hearing protection at concerts since I went to my first live show 15 years ago. I had to deal with a moderate amount of ridicule for wearing ear plugs at some concerts, but I am way above that. I always try to bring awareness of the mentioned health risks to people. The condom simile is brilliant, I will remember that and I'm sure people will have an easier time getting my point. Thanks!
I wish i had seen that video before my acute acoustic trauma that really change my life...After many hours close to very loud speakers in a concert i still have after 5 months tinitus and sensitivity to high pitched loud sounds and its get me really depressed when i am thinking maybe i will have these symptoms for ever! Nothing would happen if i use earplugs that day!
Been wearing plugs to concerts ever since the age of 18! I'm at shock at how many people brush it away knowing what kind of damage loud volumes can do to your hearing.
100% support this. Been struggling with tinnittus for 8 years. It sucks. And then you get used to it. And then it sucks again if you don't change your habits. Also fireworks and guns suck.
Also of note, if you feel that those standard orange earplugs arent blocking enough sound, or keep falling out: Squeeze them super thin, then when you're putting them in, twist them as you push them in so they snake deeper into your ears. Then hold it against your ear until they've fully reinflated. From my experience, the fit is very very snug, and I can stand up next to PA speakers blasting metal with next to no hearing damage. P.S. Regardless of your hearing protection, I still dont recommend standing with your ear up against a P.A. speaker for any prolonged period of time.
i’ve got tinnitus and lost most of the hearing my left ear and now that I’m on my 40s I finally appreciate good sound and have a nice vintage pioneer hi-fi system. I’m so scared of losing my hearing I wear earplugs almost all the time now and only take them out when I’m listening to records. I cut them down so you can’t see them much but still. You will not get it back and you will regret it. PS. I didn’t realize this for a long time and so maybe other people don’t either. I thought you went deaf, you just stopped hearing and sound went away and that’s not true. It’s like a white noise, etc. Sometimes it sounds different I guess depending on your level of hearing damage or tinnitus or whatever. Sometimes it sounds like a bunch of people in the other room, speaking like a murmur at a party. protect it.
I love ear plugs. It's like wearing knee-high waterproof boots and walking through a swamp, vs attempting to do the same thing in flip-flops. It makes the experience so much more enjoyable, and you don't have to worry about going deaf.
Would highly recommend loop earplugs! I’m very neurodivergent and have some industrial deafness already and I love them! They have a bunch of customisation options and they’re quite comfortable! It’s pretty much at a point where I wear earplugs or earbuds whenever I’m out now and I’m glad we’re normalising it
Oh man, how I wish I had seen a video like this a month ago. I'm 28, I've been going to loud metal concerts for years with zero issues, I went to a particularly loud one in a very small venue a month ago, after the concert everything sounded extremely muffled and I had a loud ringing in my ears, I thought that it was gonna go away, but it didn't. After one month of letting my ears rest (sort of), taking medication and learning about habituation, it's not as loud and annoying anymore, but it's still there and probably will be there for the rest of my life. I don't understand how tinnitus is not something people generally know about, just like everyone knows that smoking can cause cancer, it should be common knowledge, but I didn't even know tinnitus was a thing until I got it, I hope there's more awareness of this in the future, it's really important, especially considering how easy it is to avoid.
Honestly wearing earplugs and checking dB levels as soon as I’m in a loud environment makes me feel like I’m in the twilight zone or the matrix with how everyone is just blissfully unaware of the damage being inflicted. So, so many musicians just don’t care at all or just don’t know better, *ESPECIALLY GUITARISTS* because they “need” to hear the 120+dB coming out of their 4x12 at point blank while driving the sound guy insane. I get it… moving a lot of air is fun, but so is being able to hear in the first place
And ironically, when sounds get too loud it gets harder to hear the intricacies and eventually it just becomes noise. No wonder so many shit bands get gigs.
I have noticed this with movie theaters and concerts which is why I stopped going. It is mainly the higher Hz frequencies which destroy your hearing. Those are loud enough. Instead there needs to be a louder bottom range and a more quiet upper range
I don't go to shows often, so I tend to underestimate how loud they can get even if the artist typically makes quieter music. I only started wearing earplugs to shows this year and now I think I'll do it more often.
I was at a madonna concert today and I misplaced my earplugs. The stadium had a bowl of free earplugs in their first aid area. So if you forget or lose your pair, check around.
this is the year I finally started to protect my hearing so I got a pair of loops, and I like them. they have a model made specifically for concert wear, and I saw that they're doing a partnership with a music festival this year and making a limited edition colorway for them. hopefully they actually give them out to the attendees or something but I see that idea going far.
thank you for making this video. ive been wearing plugs to every show ive been to for the past year. to my surprise, i believe the awareness has grown tremendously within the last few years. as someone who has struggled with tinnitus in the past, it made me smile walking around at the last festival i went to where a bunch of people had them in.
I have NEVER seen earplugs for free or for sale at any venue. From holes in the wall to stadiums. It seems like such an easy thing to sell (and mark up) at concerts. Even if one person bought them at a show they're so small to store at the venue indefinitely and it could prevent hearing damage for that person.
I've never seen them for free or even advertised but a lot of concert venues will sell you the cheap orange foam earplugs for a $1 or so if you ask but very few people seem to even be aware that they have them at all. Every once in a while, it's the people at the merch tables selling them instead and rarely, you can find earplugs branded with a band logo.
I was scared this whole video was going to be a massive advert for an earplug brand, I shouldn't have doubted you!! Thank you for this important reminder, it's something I hadn't given much thought till now and I'm definitely bringing earplugs to my next concert.
I highly recommend Happy Ears earplugs! I own the Ocean Plastic version and I'm very happy with them. They are small which makes them wearable when sleeping on the side. They also attenuate sound uniformly, which means hearing sound without colouration.
I attended Sonar last year and used these plugs that are designed for musicians (Alpine Music Safe: they come with different filters) and it was an amazing experience: everything sounded way better than the two minutes I took them off to compare. I would absolutely recommend using earplugs all the time. The first time I used earplugs was in a Swans concert, and it was the promoters themselves that offered them. It was incredible, and I believe that show would have been impossible to stand through without them. Do wear earplugs, and don’t listen to music in your headphones too loudly. If you happen to create music, take rests and don’t abuse your ears!
Went to Knotfest earlier in the year, walked past a dude when leaving who said to his mate "My ears are ringing" - I only saw a handful of people wearing hearing protection at that festival, absolute madness.
Concerts are a thing, but i often find people blasting music through their headphones or in their cars, which induce hearing damade just as much as concerts do. Be careful folks, trust me you don't want to experience any sort of tinnitus ever in your life, it drives you crazy
If artists sold unique earplugs for every show then no one would wear them because they either want to keep them as a collector's item for themselves or sell them. The best idea is to give out comfortable but cheap standard earplugs that people have no qualms about actually using.
for our first concert together after the pandemic started, my mom looked into getting earplugs that were specifically tailored to protecting your hearing for live events like concerts. she got us both Loop earplugs and we both swear by them now. i will never ever go to a concert or similar event without earplugs now. what i like so much about the Loop earplugs specifically compared to regular plugs like the orange ones in the video is that they somehow seem to make the music sound clearer while the audience gets completely drowned out + the music isn't at ear-splitting levels. i do pull them out slightly when the artist on stages starts talking bc it is a little bit difficult to understand their words with the earplugs in, but MAN, when i have them out for a moment and then the audience around me starts screaming or another song starts, the contrast makes me realize how damn near painfully loud concerts are without protection. thank you so much for making this psa! and i think the "custom made artist branded earplugs" is a fantastic idea. i wonder how much it would cost if fans wanted to make their own to pass out at a venue...
Im finally suffering the repercussions of blasting my music at full because now a days my ears kinda hurt and ring everyonce in a while. Only after a about 2 to 3 years of me not even going to a concert. Use Ear Plugs
as a young person who’s gonna to see their first real show in October (for death grips of all fucking bands, which is literally known for being ear-piercingly loud) this was genuinely pretty helpful. never even thought about how one concert could permanently mess me up. thank you mic the snare :)
This video is so, so good and important!! I've been going to concerts since I was 15. That was over 15 years ago. Just seeing My Chemical Romance alone, I've been to 8 shows, the most recent last August, however I've been to plenty other shows. I've never once worn ear plugs. I honestly do not know why either. Because I know that in all my years of concert going that I've already done some slight damage, so I don't know why it never clicked and occurred to me to start wearing plugs. However, in July I'm going to see L.S. Dunes, and you can bet I'm gonna take your recommendation and get some good ear plugs and wear them. And not just for that show, but for every show I ever go to for the rest of my life. Like I said, this video is so important and so good! Thank you for making it! Def gonna share! ❤
I really like my eargasm earplugs, but I definitely suggest SureFire EP3's if you're in the market for new earplugs! They're less than $20 and they have these little caps that you can pop out that clears up sound so it doesn't sound as muffled, but I just saw The Cure with these earplugs and they were SUPER comfy for their entire almost 3 hour set lol
I've bought a couple of them (They are really really cheap) and always have a pair in mi bag. At first it was just to use while rehearsing with my band but now I user them in many different situations. And as you mentioned is something that not much people talks about but can be a game changer! I really recommend getting them. It's also important to mention that you won't miss any details while attending a concert, they clean the worst noise and let you hear more clearly in my opinion.
I was born with moderate to severe hearing loss. I depend on hearing aids to hear anything although all. With this hearing loss. I am able to hear concerts just fine without my hearing aids at all. They are so loud. I'm glad I have them. But I hope that no one damages their hearing so they need them. Protect what you have. You may lose it someday
To answer your question at 4:00: It has nothing to do with ability to cover large areas. Modern line array tech allows you to cover crazy large areas with almost no drop from front to back, unless you have subs on the ground. It has everything to do with the fact that louder is generally perceived as better.
I’ve had tinnitus my whole life and learned that I was on the spectrum as an adult so I’ve always had to wear ear protection in loud situations like concerts and fireworks displays and it’s done wonders for me. I’ll never not take the opportunity to advocate for everybody using ear protection.
I used to not wear them and then I went to two loud shows in a week and developed tinnitus, pretty mild but it’s there. It sucks. I never risk going without earplugs. I’d rather skip a concert than go without earplugs.
I remember the first time I went to a rock concert (also my first ever concert) and I made it right infront of the speakers. Not only was the sound quality awful from the amplification but it was the loudest thing I had ever heard. I was plugging my ears for most of the concert, but no one else was, and I kept thinking to myself: "How are these people handling this volume??" There was one girl who was wearing earplugs, and she has inspired me to bring earplugs to all of my future concerts.
Weaker hearing isn't the awful part about hearing loss, the awful part is the tinnitus. The tinnitus you will get isn't these occasional ringings every now and then, but this constant ringing that doesn't go away and cannot be cured. I really wish this was emphasized more about hearing damage.
I couldn't hear you over the sound of *EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*
I only go concerts very rarely, but I went to two last year and I did wear regular orange earplugs. I think avoiding hearing damage is well worth the very slight change in the sound quality. I remember both times I took the earplugs out after the concert was over I was blown away by how loud everything was even after the concert had ended.
As someone with a dad who is currently losing his hearing from years of working with heavy machinery please know how heartbreaking it is to have to yell every word at someone you aren't angry with. I work in an industry where I often am subject to loud machinery and I know many people, some as young as 35 who already have severe hearing damage. Additionally, hearing aids are extremely expensive and many insurance companies do not cover the cost, my dad still doesn't have hearing aids because of this. So they are not a safe bet to correct damage to your ears. Please wear hearing protection, if not for yourself do it for a friend's voice you love to hear, music you love, or a future child, but please just do it.
There is absolutely no good reason why any average concert should be as loud as an airplane taking off. I went to a concert last year with my dad (we went to go see Yola) and I was so excited to hear her perform live, but my enjoyment of the vocals and instrumentation were dulled by the fact that violent sound waves were rippling through my bones and skull. Just unreasonable levels of loudness, my body was tensed up the whole time. It also didn’t help that we both had a history of tinnitus, so without protection our skulls were proper rattled. And by the way, I did love Yola’s performance with her band, and I highly recommend it but, regardless, bring those earplugs.
Not only do concerts seem to be getting louder and louder, I seem to be finding my way into movie theaters that blast me with ridiculous levels of noise a lot lately
One of the last movies I watched in theaters I actually had to physically put my fingers against my ears because the sound was so loud. I genuinely felt like it would harm me, lol.
Yeah What the hell! Watched avatar and it physically hurt my ears!
When I saw Dune every time the action started I couldnt understand what the character were saying, it was that loud
I wear my concert earplugs to the movies now. Forget them for Evil Dead Rise and that was real bad.
I’ve been noticing that more and more
As someone who didn’t protect their hearing at pep band gigs and concerts, please wear ear plugs and try your best to avoid loud noises.
Tinnitus sucks
@@Revealingstorm. As a drummer, it sucks hard.
No
But its more manly if youre deaf by 35. You know, for macho reasons.
@@Revealingstorm. it sucked for a while I have it bad, I barely think about it anymore
In Norway the venues are actually forced to offer free ear-plugs so there will be people walking around when you are queueing up that are selling the buds. The fun thing is that if you just ask them for a free pair they are legally binded to give them to you. Those plugs are like the orange ones
What if I'm horny?
based
I live in the States and have my own pair now, but anytime I didn’t, I was able to snag a foam pair for free either from venue staff or a designated booth. Hopefully this is customary everywhere!
those Nords really seem to have their shit together, huh?
In belgium too but you have to explicitly ask for them most of the time or they will be hidden away at some ticket booth. Sucks kinda.
A few months ago I went to a show where a friend of mine works as the sound engineer, and he encouraged me to wear earplugs because the bands that night were loud as hell during soundcheck. Honestly, it sounded better. I could actually hear the tone in the guitar and make out the instrument separation. Not only that but the next day I felt better than I usually do the day after a show.
I would agree, a lot of times earplugs (of any quality) can help make super loud stuff sound less muddy in the low end and less harsh in the high end, making everything a lot clearer
DAAAMN! THAT'S CRAZY! So the differences (if you actually give ear protection a chance) can actually make you appreciate the music MORE?!
would you wear earplugs if you are in the far back or in the back seats not in the front?
@@CB_4 If you are at a good concert, there wouldn't be a difference in sound level so yes. Earplugs are needed.
What earplugs should i buy?
The best part about wearing earplugs to concerts is that moment when you get home and go to bed and no ringing blaring in your ears when your trying to go to sleep.
I still tend to get tinnitus after concerts, even if I wear earplugs, for some reason.
@@aydenjenkins8760One reason that could be happening is earwax buildup. Ears by nature shed earwax through the canal, so if it is blocked by earplugs, it sort of accumulates there and stays there. Earwax buildup usually causes temporary tinnitus and the tinnitus will clear after the earwax clears (this can happen by itself over time or you can use earwax removal drops if you want).
@@monad_tcp I have visual snow too...that could be it
@@aydenjenkins8760 you sure you guys mean visiual snow or just mouche volantes? because i have mouche volantes and i have a tinnitus since birth basically which is just mostly faded out by the brain
@@aydenjenkins8760 make sure you're wearing them right. pull on your ear so you can insert them deep
Getting Tinnitus or hearing damage is a serious fear of mine, so this video is made for me. Thank you Mic The Snare.
I had it for a few months and... it's definitely worth the (small!) effort when you can avoid or delay it.
You're right to fear it. It's not fun for me hearing eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee all day
Since i had tinnitus as a child, i thought the whole ringing thing was normal until recently
I have slight tinnitus, though i'm not sure how I got it, still, it's not wroth it.
@@sus-rai-69gamingchannel70 Well, I knew something was up for a long time personally haha.
As someone who goes to music school I’m amazed over how few people who own or use earplugs. If you want to persue music as your profession, why wouldn’t you want the best ears you can have.
EXACTLY
I would love to wear earplugs in rehearsals but then you can’t hear instructions, so idk what’s the solution. Also wearing them while practicing makes the tone sound artificially better, which I guess could be both good and bad, especially on flute because it blocks out the high pitch blowing sounds.
@@Jwellsuhhuh just get better plugs. Mine sound transparent. I have no trubble hearing people talking and when I play flute I only have it in my right ear
@@Jwellsuhhuhyou could use the plug in the ear closest to your instrument, and maybe buy plastic and not foam plugs, those are reusable
@@Timopeo yeah but covering one ear isn't going to magically protect the other ear as well, even if it makes it perceivably less painful for loud sounds. I'm considering buying the "earasers" since they are rated for balanced frequency response but the eargasm stuff also seems pretty good
So I was once at a concert with Opeth. For those who don't know, they are a super heavy and LOUD death metal/progressive rock band from Sweden, and it was my second time seeing them. I had aquirred some great earplugs from a metal-festival earlier on, where I saw Opeth the first time, so naturally I took them along for the second concert. I stood right at the front, kinda close to the right side of the PA and next to the sub. For the first 30-40 minutes, the earplugs were working great, sounded natural and were super comfortable. Then my right earplug fell out of my ear and onto the floor in front of the guard rails. I couldn't reach or get the attention of the security to get them. So for the remaining two hours of the concert, I was only protectet on one ear. The mix from the stage was really balanced, so it felt loud but not painful at all. Then the concert ended, and I took my left earplug put... It was then that I realised how much of a difference it had made. I kid you not when I say, that I felt like my right ear was only hearing about 50% of what my left ear was hearing, and it lasted for about two days. Everything is fine now, but that was kind of a "holy-shit-moment". I think when both ears are exposed, you don't notice reduced volume from loud music as much, as both ears feel the same. But when one of them is different than the other, you REALLY do, and you realise how uncomfortable it can be. Ear protection is essential IMO and we should all try keep having healthy ears so we can enjoy live music for the rest of our lives 🤘😁
The ones I use have a string that connects them. I pass it around the back of my neck when I wear them, that way if one falls off, it just hangs from the string. Even if for some reason they both fell, they'd just hang from my neck.
Mhm I'm sure we all also know that strange uncomfortable feeling of having to readjust a pair of earplugs.
what causes the hearing to come back if the hairs dont heal? does your brain just automatically adjust the volume of it, but the fidelity of what you can hear still becomes worse?
@@anty. I'm guessing there is an intermediate stage where they arent completly destroyed yet
Id love to see an Opeth show sometime, great band
I'm an audio engineer who wears ear plugs and sometimes I feel like the "they don't know I'm wearing ear plugs" meme. There's a weird moment where I feel self conscious when I first put them in because I'm in that 8%. But then I remember both of my parents wrecked their hearing at shows and that's why my mom yells when we're out at dinner
To those wondering, *YES THIS APPLIES TO THE CINEMA TOO* .
Many cinemas level dialogue loudness for 85db (where the film spends most of its time), and target a peak amplitude of 105db. Many action films reach that 105db peak for minutes at a time during action setpieces, and quite a few movies are beginning to push 3 hours. IMAX and Dolby cinemas especially lean towards the top-end of the dial to impress audiences, but that means if you were to watch Avatar: The Way of Water in IMAX with no hearing protection, you're essentially guaranteeing permanent damage (however subtle).
I'm not a live music guy, but I always keep a pair of earplugs in my bag at all times for the movies. You should do the same
I had to block my ears during the new thor movie
This is something I wish I knew because I went to go rewatch Across the Spiderverse and I sat near the front this time and didn’t expect how LOUD it would be it was genuinely a bit of a sensory overload and I do worry a little about my hearing (though so far it doesn’t seem much different🤞) I really regretted not being my earplugs with me
@@margoalex. Honestly it likely isn't. Take it from someone who has been around incredibly loud noise for years (was a music producer for 7+ years), I have insanely sensitive hearing to the point where Harvard Medical has told me it's basically peak or inhuman. I have been to multiple concerts in my life, several were heavy metal mind you, incredibly loud, insanely so. I've worn rather loud headphones since my late high school years and I'm in my early 30s. One visit to the movie theaters won't affect your hearing unless you already have issues. Rather than taking anyone's advice on the internet, consult your doctor. The fact that this video didn't expressly say this bothers me.
@@mitrikgaduk347 Everybody is built differently. Maybe you are the lucky guy who smokes all his life and still gets to live 100 years with no lung cancer ever. Still, it can't hurt to at least have protection on you, or AT LEAST be made aware of the topic.
I am 34, also musician, also produce music, and I have slight but noticable tinnitus since 30, plus pain in my left ear when volume is beyond a certain threshold. And since then I always carry earplugs with me. I wear them when I teach drums, when I go to loud concerts, band rehearsals, heck, even on the train sometimes, when it's late and I'm tired and the train seems excrutiatingly loud. Having earplugs with me is a really handy habit I developed.
Side note: I got my hearing damage bc of one particularly three-day drum practice session for a recording. I was wearing bad headphones and tto much of the low mids from the bassdrum came through. Never had any problems before. So, who knows when it might hit you? No to cause unnecessary fear, just be aware! Also, your lifestyle might still lead to considerably earlier hearing damage in your 40s/50s/60s etc. You still have 2/3 of your life ahead of you, right?
Makes sounds more _"cinematic",_ as they say.
I was at the Eras tour earlier this year and I legit thought I was not going to be able to hear by the end of it. My stomach was filled with dread and fear and I was panicking. I thought I’d never hear my loved ones laughter, or listen to music, or listen to the soft breeze of the trees ever again. Luckily I was able to get a hold of some earplugs and the pain of loud noise completely went away. Please, PLEASE wear earplugs at loud shows or events. You will have overwhelming relief. It’s so worth saving your beautiful ability to hear
i’m so glad more musicians are speaking up about this! the last show i went to, the ACOUSTIC solo opener at a small venue kept sending warnings to my apple watch that i was temporarily, or permanently, damaging my hearing. I was in so much pain, i contemplated just leaving the show in tears even before seeing my favorite artist. i’ve forever learned my lesson to bring earplugs, and will encourage my loved ones to do the same. i even carry them around with me at the mall, coffee shops, etc.
I of course have no idea where you are from, but where I live all concert venues and festivals have to supply free hearing protection if you ask. This is usually going to be the bad foam plugs as it is the cheapest way to conform to this law, but for cases like the one you're mentioning this can still be a great solution to get an at least somewhat enjoyable experience instead of hurting and wanting to leave
@@LennertK Wow, that's awesome that's a requirement where you're from. Unfortunately, I've never been offered by the staff at venues near me. Either way I learned my lesson and will bring my own gear.
earbuds without plugging in or toilet paper are passable substitutes when forgetting earplugs
Just something I feel should be mentioned regarding tinnitus: you can actually get it for seemingly no reason. I’m someone who’d been to just two concerts, a year+ prior to getting tinnitus. I was never really around excessive noise, tinnitus unfortunately just happens sometimes. But to anyone who just got it and is stressing out: it WILL get better. You will adjust to the sound, and it will become something you don’t think about that often.
yup! tinnitus is really common. its annoying and a little depressing to get young, but anyone worried, you will get used to it. it’s not a life sentence…and you become more aware of protecting your hearing too. earplugs at loud concerts and loud workplaces are so so important! (also, stress, anxiety, illness, earwax build-up and neck muscle stiffness can both make and worsen tinnitus! take care of yourselves!! if you suddenly got worse tinnitus, one of these things is probably the suspect…)
yeah, this seems to have happened to me. I don't remember being around any really loud sounds, but I got it at around 17 and just got more aware of it somewhat lately. Sometimes it's a bit better sometimes it is driving me nuts...
i second this. got tinnitus in september of 21. really tough time for me. about a year and a half later i’m chilling. you habituate to the ringing after awhile for the most part. at least in my case. got custom ear plugs and they work exceptionally well.
I also have had it from a young age while my hearing capacity has always been and still is "above average", whatever that means, and I've always been very very careful with hearing protection but I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember. There are neurological reasons that can result in tinnitus as well, so some people just have bad luck.
I also second that factors like stress, sleep deprivation, dehydration and others can worsen the symptoms. Afaik tinnitus is something that happens in the brain, so when your brain is healthy it can improve and when your brain is unhealthy it can worsen.
For me it is fine most of the time but when in quiet situations like at night it can keep me up, and during stressful times or when I've barely slept it can get much worse. While I don't let it get me down and it has become part of life, I also wouldn't wish it on anyone
yeah i don't remember ever not having tinnitus, though not wearing earplugs really didn't help
I went to my first concert ever a few months ago, and I forgot to bring earplugs. It was quite loud though, so I just ended up shoving these wireless earbuds I carry with me into my ears. It turned the music from somewhat painful to bearable and enjoyable. So, I 100% agree with what y’all are saying and definitely encourage everyone to wear earplugs or do something to protect themselves from obnoxiously loud noises (and music).
Earphones are not a bad way to go about it. In fact, if you actually get some professional In-ear monitors like the ones from Shure and get some foam or flanged tips, the isolation can get pretty good and almost comparable to convenience store foam earplugs.
Putting in your earbuds is a great solution, I have done that as well when in such a situation.
The in-ear monitors that artists wear on stage are basically just a professional version of earbuds, they isolate the outside sound as much as possible so you can get a clear mix in your ears, that can even be much quieter than the environment. I play the drums and even when practicing alone I use microphones and in-ears, so I can play as loud as I want and still be at a very comfortable or even quiet sound level.
I was glad I had headphones when I saw the Force Awakens. 15 minutes in and it was hurting my ears. With my headphones, it made the experience better.
About the argument #2 for not wearing earplugs: I remember, distinctly, being at concerts where if you went to the bathroom, you got to hear instruments and things that were gushed in a ball of noise in front of the stage. Literally it sounded better with a resonance barrier than at the venue. Also it was clearer to hear a singers' voices if you put your fingerprint at your earhole, and you could tell if they're real good or out of tune and being camouflaged by the band.
The point is: Too loud of a soundstage can make the music sound bad, distorted and muddier. And earplugs can help you hearing it better right now, at the show, not only in the long term
As a hearing aid professional myself I'm really stoked you made this video. Please protect your hearing, people! (And if all else fails, please consider the custom made ones. My company does them for €120,- so while not cheap, it's not always as expensive as Mic said in the video)
The price of one concert ticket is how I see it. If I can budget for tickets I can budget for a one time quality ear plug purchase
What would you do at a bar or club where it’s not really an option to wear earplugs?
@@ianjames8140 why exactly is it not an option to wear ear plugs?
@@ianjames8140 for clubs most people wont notice if you buy silicone see through custom fit ones
@@ianjames8140 Just wear them anyways.
If they have a problem with it. Then why should i care?
My health is more important than your feeling about my health precautions.
That idea about earplugs as concert merch is actually genius, why aren't artists doing this already?!!
can't they turn down the volume a little bit?
TURN DOWN FOR WHAT
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
not sure, people would start collecting them instead of wearing them, I bet.
Especially if they are disposables.
The better ones cost enough, that people would rather buy a shirt for the same money, I bet.
As a teenager that has always been sensitive to loud sounds I've always either used earplugs or covered my ears with my hands when it's too loud for me. The thing is some people seem to almost be offended if you wear earplugs anywhere. Sometimes people even try and rip my arms away from my head because " it's not loud". For them maybe but not for me that still has good hearing
those people are such assholes, honestly!
That's just rude of them. People are built differently.
They are no better than purse stealing theives
i have had tinnitus since i was about 14 from a malfunctioning speaker at a school assembly, and it really blows. please protect your ears people, not having constant ringing in your ears is a blessing.
Tangentially related, but a bike tire exploded inches away from my face several months ago, leaving me with tinnitus.
While I’ve somewhat adapted, if I ever consciously think about the ringing in my ears, it takes a lot of effort to start ignoring it again. It’s present from the moment I wake up until the moment I fall asleep.
In short, thanks for spreading advice like this. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
YES EARPLUGS. Personally i’ve been using a pair of loops, but i consider trying a flanged set from time to time as well. Also try not to turn the music in your earphones up too too high, because loudness is still loudness, even if most people around you can’t hear it.
Side note: i recently learned a quick fix for those flashes of tinitis i get from time to time: Place the palm of your hand over your ear, fingers facing backwards, then reach back and tap the back of your neck with your fingers a few times right at the base of your skull. It won’t cause the hairs in your ear to regrow, but it does seem to temporarily realign whatever’s off kilter so the ringing goes away.
I think something else to consider is the growing use of earbuds, especially amongst teens. People don't always consider how loud they're listening to music with them, and this can also lead to premature hearing loss.
I ended up getting tinnitus at 25 from spending my teen and young adult years going to every concert I could find. It kinda messed me up for about a year, but I started wearing earplugs at shows and now at 28 I still have tinnitus, but it hasn't progressed much at all and the results of my last hearing test were great. Better late than never I guess!
Believe it or not, the loudest concert I have ever been to is Bruce Springsteen on The River anniversary tour. 3 hours of classic rock jams, and after leaving Nationals Park, I had ringing in my ears for the rest of the night.
I damaged my hearing listening loud music in my head phone. Now i have to listen it loud to enjoy. Don't lose it folk you'll miss when its to late
As someone who often has panic attacks triggered by too much auditory stimulation, I can say that wearing earplugs to a concert doubles as a great way to sort of turn down the stimulation and be able to handle the show!
So true
I struggle with the same thing due to Autism! It surprises me that people DONT wear them!
True!! Recently had a panic attack for the first time in a long while because I was at a loud concert without ear plugs, I don't recommend ':-/
Wearing earplugs was literally the first lesson we got in music school when I was 16. Some students still didn’t wear them after the fact, though, which is mind-boggling. I don’t know if this is a UK only thing but everyone I know wears Alpine MusicSafe earplugs. They work great and are very widely accessible online for UK people.
I use Alpine earplugs as well. I think they do the job just fine without affecting the sound too much.
im going to a king gizzard concert next week, so i very much appreciate this video's existence, and will be sure to pick up some earplugs on my way there (or whatever works to keep my weird ear hairs from dying), thank you very much mr. snare :)
i went to a kg show in a indoor venue with no protection. my hearing's fine, just as fine as before the concert, but I can safely say i'm not pulling that again.
my experience is slightly different to the other guy.. i went to knotfest a couple months before kgatlw and i had noticeably worse tinnitus after seeing em indoors than that. and even worse again after seeing the chats in a small venue. pls get earplugs!!
Ay I'm seeing them on the 28th, I feel like I really should get ear plugs now...
Red rocks? See you there dude!! I think it’s good to bring some but since it’s such a large outdoor venue it would probably be okay to not have them in. I’ll judge how loud it is and go from there
@@LudwigAlbums yeah please do!
Can someone please tell me why we're not discussing lowering down the volume of the shows? Earplugs are great, but why do we need to suffer the obnoxious loudness in the first place? It's not just the bands, fans and stage hands that suffer from it, everyone in the neighborhood is also forced to listen in. Honestly, noise pollution severely decreases our quality of life, impedes our ability to concentrate or relax, and it's just horrid to live in a world where you cannot escape noise, even in nature. So why the hell can't we just all agree to turn it down a notch?
Because being loud is the entire god damn point
@@bt3743 Personally, I go to concerts to enjoy the music and share a good time with its creators. If, however, your goal is to experience loudness, I may have an idea just for you. Strap 2 loudspeakers on both sides of your head, turn it up to 11 and blast white noise for an hour and 30 mins. It should be even louder than a concert, and much cheaper to boot!
@sqyx93 Never cared for Metallica, so I have no idea what you're talking about. Black Album is a pretty good rock album, but if you want actual trash metal, Megadeth is where it's at. Also, Dave's concert I've been to was remarkably not too loud. Not sure if that's the band or the sound guy, but good job anyway.
@sqyx93 Ah, I see! Woosh, I guess.Thanks for the explanation!
Just got back from a Travis Scott concert two days ago. I did have ear protection but not the best and it still got me ringing in my ears the next day I woke up. Today has been a lot more manageable and looking positive on a full recovery. This was my first concert in a decade since I was a kid. Didn’t expect the outcome but definitely learned a lot from it and wishing they make more awareness for this. Protect your ears at all cost no matter if your high up far out or up close. The damage is done and it sucks.
Thank you for bringing up Sound of Metal. Seriously one of the scariest movies I've seen in my life, and it's not a horror film
this is one ur best videos. sound advice. dont take ur ears for granted. cheers
I'm going to a rock show tonight. I go to a lot of shows, so I always bring earplugs with me. Good timing, and thank you for the PSA.
Bring a mask as well, swifties are catching it while their idol has their staff masked 🤡
@@xdanic3 Oh, I still wear a mask to shows. Thanks
@@Betta66 Good to know there's still people masking out there!!
While the concerts I've attend have been few and far between, I do have plenty of experience with prolonged loud music exposure through nearly 10 years of being in marching band and specifically, the drumline. Earplugs are essential, especially in the stands when you're all crammed together in such a small space.
I was born with tinnitus, afaik, and bring earplugs to every concert. they make everything so much better ... thanks for making this. :) hopefully some people listen!
What a wholesome and considerate video. Definitely was expecting a meme type of video, but it was very educational.
Finally people seem to realize how absurdly loud this generation is, I wear industrial-grade hearing protection every time I go to public events, even going to church I wear this same industrial-grade hearing protection, ear plugs don't cut it for me, not even noise cancelling headphones, so I wear the same hearing protection that people with jackhammers would wear, and even while wearing it I can hear everything in the concert or sermon clearly. This is not an extreme measure either, I can still hear my full 20-20,000 hz, and I will regularly listen to music at sub 10% volume while most people need to crank it up to 30-50%.
I agree y’all I noticed concerts and movie theaters have been getting louder and louder after the last 20 yrs. I think it’s fing ridiculous, the industry is doing this to people, they are not dumb, it’s not hard to look up how many decibels can cause hearing damage. Concerts and movies I’ve been to have literally hurt my ears. I was made fun of many times for bringing earplugs to concerts. But I have tinnitus now at 34. It’s evil the industry is doing this to people and basically charging them $100 or more to fing go deaf. There should be laws about this because they are causing permanent damage to human bodies that have paid for an experience. I think it’s on purpose, they don’t care about people’s well being. Thank you for making this video. ❤
You're probably helping a lot of people with this vid, no joke
Thank you for using your platform to educate people about this.
I have a keychain with earplugs because I kept forgetting to bring them to concerts. That thing is a life saver.
my girlfriend and I are on the autism spectrum, so, we frequently wear plugs or noise protection due to misophonia.
and we both love the loops, they are really practical, pocket/bag sized and i have a few spare ones.
plus, i also have some provided by my workplace as backup.
besides that, i also use my ear monitors on mute on a daily, it helps a lot in general.
unfortunately due to my misophonia, i just went to a single concert so far, but thanks to the advice on ear plugs i might give it a shot some day.
my dream would be to see caravan palace performing live, also hatsune miku...
i think electronic music in general would be a pleasure to hear live, so thank you for the advice.
I'm 20 years old and experiencing bad hear loses due to playing events as a drummer for the past years of my life, I took it for granted because I wanted to feel and experience the whole band around me. Changed my entire career path, from being a Music Major in drums to dropping out. Now I have to wear customizable molded earplugs almost everywhere I go as my hearing tolerance has worsen. My passion for playing live music has disappeared, and now I'm stuck with my what if's and what could have been if I protected my ears a lot earlier. Doesn't happen to a lot of people, but when it does it'll hit you hard. Learn from my mistakes, get your earplugs.
My worst fault is refusing to wear them even though there's like no reason not to
For my first couple of years going to shows I didn’t wear earplugs and have regretted it ever since. Now I won’t go to a concert or even a club without hearing protection. Clubs and bars can play music that is as loud as concerts, so don’t underrate those! I’d recommend getting clear silicone earplugs for those settings as you can protect your hearing without anyone knowing :)
nice profile pic
@@chromechromechromechrome :O same to you!
definitely. Went to a club once without earplugs and never again.
Imo it's better if the ear plugs are very obvious because it normalizes them.
@@LightPink Normalization is a good thing, but I figured most people would want to be protecting their hearing undercover in a club or bar setting. You can stand out and people may look at you funny. All the power to the people normalizing it in public, tho
man why do companies have to name things stuff like "eargasm" it puts me off so much lmao
Thanks for this PSA
One of the biggest mistakes I've commited in my life was seeing Swans without earbuds. It was 1 hour and a half of some of the loudest sounds I've heard in my life.
Not only did I not enjoy the concert to it's fullest, but I had my ears ringing for a whole week. I was so scare that I could possibly have Tinnitus that I went for a medical check.
Fortunaly I don't have Tinnitus, but the doctor did warn me that I had some damage done to my ear, and that another exposure to that kind of loudness again could damage my ears irreparably.
Young people really don't understand how sensible our ears really are and how easy you can atrophy them, and the worst part is that there is no real cure, if you get Tinnitus, you are gonna have it for the rest of your life.
As a music fan, I can't imagine how miserable my life would if I won't be able to enjoy some of my favorite albums the same way. It's terrifying.
My friend is partially deaf in his ears, he was born like that, and at one of the concerts we went to he could literally hear it perfectly fine without either hearing aid in
wow
Thank you Microphone the Snare. I'm going to my first concert tomorrow lmao
Concerts are so loud after a few minutes everything starts sounding like a chipmunk to me
I'm sensitive to loud noises (apparently, to me it just seems logical that loud noises hurt) and have always needed ear protection, grateful for this feature as it's essentially forced me to protect my ears over time. Been clubbing a lot and never had any post-event issues thanks to this, now mid-30s and still have excellent hearing. If I had more average sound experiences though... I probably would have been cavalier! So heed the warnings people, you'll pat yourself on the back later.
You might have very mild hyperacusis. Typically for us it's way worse than just a bit of noise sensitivity (more like constant agony from kinda loud things), but what you described sounds pretty similar.
I'm autistic & stupidly forgot my Loop earplugs for the Eras tour and I never felt more glad I had the foresight to ask security for earplugs before going into Wembley because it was LOUD to the point it made the stadium shake.
While I had the most amazimg time, I still felt self-conscious of people looking at me adjusting the earplugs because it implied I wasn't fully immersing myself in the experience. However, I'd rather protect my ears from sensory overload than risk potentially permanent damage.
The drone metal band Boris highly recommend everyone at their shows to use earplugs and sell customized ones on their merch booth at every show. They were the first artists I've ever seen talking about this, and that made me love them even more. Not only Boris is my favourite band of all time, but I've suffered some hearing loss myself and I think it's something that can be easily prevented and we should talk about it more. Thanks for the video, Mic!
not gonna lie, when this video came out it convinced me to get some earplugs as I work with live music and it's just been something I kept putting off but decided I should just commit to it now considering all the information you presented in this video, and I gotta say it's really worth it, as much as I love working with live music I gotta admit, it's loud as hell and I genuinely never knew how much damage it was doing to my ears until I started wearing some and after end of show, striking equipment, actually being able to hear my coworkers is a life saver. seriously gonna be sending this around to the crew's I work with, highly recommend getting some.
I have been an advocate for hearing protection at concerts since I went to my first live show 15 years ago. I had to deal with a moderate amount of ridicule for wearing ear plugs at some concerts, but I am way above that. I always try to bring awareness of the mentioned health risks to people. The condom simile is brilliant, I will remember that and I'm sure people will have an easier time getting my point. Thanks!
I wish i had seen that video before my acute acoustic trauma that really change my life...After many hours close to very loud speakers in a concert i still have after 5 months tinitus and sensitivity to high pitched loud sounds and its get me really depressed when i am thinking maybe i will have these symptoms for ever! Nothing would happen if i use earplugs that day!
Been wearing plugs to concerts ever since the age of 18! I'm at shock at how many people brush it away knowing what kind of damage loud volumes can do to your hearing.
100% support this. Been struggling with tinnittus for 8 years. It sucks. And then you get used to it. And then it sucks again if you don't change your habits. Also fireworks and guns suck.
Also of note, if you feel that those standard orange earplugs arent blocking enough sound, or keep falling out: Squeeze them super thin, then when you're putting them in, twist them as you push them in so they snake deeper into your ears. Then hold it against your ear until they've fully reinflated. From my experience, the fit is very very snug, and I can stand up next to PA speakers blasting metal with next to no hearing damage.
P.S. Regardless of your hearing protection, I still dont recommend standing with your ear up against a P.A. speaker for any prolonged period of time.
i’ve got tinnitus and lost most of the hearing my left ear and now that I’m on my 40s I finally appreciate good sound and have a nice vintage pioneer hi-fi system. I’m so scared of losing my hearing I wear earplugs almost all the time now and only take them out when I’m listening to records. I cut them down so you can’t see them much but still. You will not get it back and you will regret it. PS. I didn’t realize this for a long time and so maybe other people don’t either. I thought you went deaf, you just stopped hearing and sound went away and that’s not true. It’s like a white noise, etc. Sometimes it sounds different I guess depending on your level of hearing damage or tinnitus or whatever. Sometimes it sounds like a bunch of people in the other room, speaking like a murmur at a party. protect it.
I love ear plugs. It's like wearing knee-high waterproof boots and walking through a swamp, vs attempting to do the same thing in flip-flops. It makes the experience so much more enjoyable, and you don't have to worry about going deaf.
this is such a good comparison omg
Would highly recommend loop earplugs! I’m very neurodivergent and have some industrial deafness already and I love them! They have a bunch of customisation options and they’re quite comfortable! It’s pretty much at a point where I wear earplugs or earbuds whenever I’m out now and I’m glad we’re normalising it
that 8 percent statistic is terrifying. how do people even manage all that discomfort just standing there at a concert
go to a metal concert and there is zero people wearing ear plugs, gotta keep the metal flowing its the culture
@@ptv222 Sure about that? At least here in Germany it's not that little. I'd say about 25% of the people in the frist few rows wear ear protection
Oh man, how I wish I had seen a video like this a month ago. I'm 28, I've been going to loud metal concerts for years with zero issues, I went to a particularly loud one in a very small venue a month ago, after the concert everything sounded extremely muffled and I had a loud ringing in my ears, I thought that it was gonna go away, but it didn't. After one month of letting my ears rest (sort of), taking medication and learning about habituation, it's not as loud and annoying anymore, but it's still there and probably will be there for the rest of my life. I don't understand how tinnitus is not something people generally know about, just like everyone knows that smoking can cause cancer, it should be common knowledge, but I didn't even know tinnitus was a thing until I got it, I hope there's more awareness of this in the future, it's really important, especially considering how easy it is to avoid.
Honestly wearing earplugs and checking dB levels as soon as I’m in a loud environment makes me feel like I’m in the twilight zone or the matrix with how everyone is just blissfully unaware of the damage being inflicted. So, so many musicians just don’t care at all or just don’t know better, *ESPECIALLY GUITARISTS* because they “need” to hear the 120+dB coming out of their 4x12 at point blank while driving the sound guy insane. I get it… moving a lot of air is fun, but so is being able to hear in the first place
And ironically, when sounds get too loud it gets harder to hear the intricacies and eventually it just becomes noise. No wonder so many shit bands get gigs.
literally had no idea about this lmao, i'll pick some up. thanks mic
Great timing! I'm going to my first concert ever this summer so it's nice to be informed about these things :))
I have noticed this with movie theaters and concerts which is why I stopped going. It is mainly the higher Hz frequencies which destroy your hearing. Those are loud enough. Instead there needs to be a louder bottom range and a more quiet upper range
I don't go to shows often, so I tend to underestimate how loud they can get even if the artist typically makes quieter music. I only started wearing earplugs to shows this year and now I think I'll do it more often.
I was at a madonna concert today and I misplaced my earplugs. The stadium had a bowl of free earplugs in their first aid area. So if you forget or lose your pair, check around.
this is the year I finally started to protect my hearing so I got a pair of loops, and I like them. they have a model made specifically for concert wear, and I saw that they're doing a partnership with a music festival this year and making a limited edition colorway for them. hopefully they actually give them out to the attendees or something but I see that idea going far.
thank you for making this video. ive been wearing plugs to every show ive been to for the past year. to my surprise, i believe the awareness has grown tremendously within the last few years. as someone who has struggled with tinnitus in the past, it made me smile walking around at the last festival i went to where a bunch of people had them in.
I have NEVER seen earplugs for free or for sale at any venue. From holes in the wall to stadiums. It seems like such an easy thing to sell (and mark up) at concerts. Even if one person bought them at a show they're so small to store at the venue indefinitely and it could prevent hearing damage for that person.
I've seen them given out for free at the entrance to both Swans and Boris. As they should be, given how loud they both were.
I've never seen them for free or even advertised but a lot of concert venues will sell you the cheap orange foam earplugs for a $1 or so if you ask but very few people seem to even be aware that they have them at all. Every once in a while, it's the people at the merch tables selling them instead and rarely, you can find earplugs branded with a band logo.
So glad I watched this video even though I’ve never been to a concert nor do I plan to ever go to one : )
I was scared this whole video was going to be a massive advert for an earplug brand, I shouldn't have doubted you!! Thank you for this important reminder, it's something I hadn't given much thought till now and I'm definitely bringing earplugs to my next concert.
I highly recommend Happy Ears earplugs! I own the Ocean Plastic version and I'm very happy with them. They are small which makes them wearable when sleeping on the side. They also attenuate sound uniformly, which means hearing sound without colouration.
I attended Sonar last year and used these plugs that are designed for musicians (Alpine Music Safe: they come with different filters) and it was an amazing experience: everything sounded way better than the two minutes I took them off to compare. I would absolutely recommend using earplugs all the time.
The first time I used earplugs was in a Swans concert, and it was the promoters themselves that offered them. It was incredible, and I believe that show would have been impossible to stand through without them.
Do wear earplugs, and don’t listen to music in your headphones too loudly. If you happen to create music, take rests and don’t abuse your ears!
Went to Knotfest earlier in the year, walked past a dude when leaving who said to his mate "My ears are ringing" - I only saw a handful of people wearing hearing protection at that festival, absolute madness.
Concerts are a thing, but i often find people blasting music through their headphones or in their cars, which induce hearing damade just as much as concerts do. Be careful folks, trust me you don't want to experience any sort of tinnitus ever in your life, it drives you crazy
If artists sold unique earplugs for every show then no one would wear them because they either want to keep them as a collector's item for themselves or sell them.
The best idea is to give out comfortable but cheap standard earplugs that people have no qualms about actually using.
for our first concert together after the pandemic started, my mom looked into getting earplugs that were specifically tailored to protecting your hearing for live events like concerts. she got us both Loop earplugs and we both swear by them now. i will never ever go to a concert or similar event without earplugs now. what i like so much about the Loop earplugs specifically compared to regular plugs like the orange ones in the video is that they somehow seem to make the music sound clearer while the audience gets completely drowned out + the music isn't at ear-splitting levels. i do pull them out slightly when the artist on stages starts talking bc it is a little bit difficult to understand their words with the earplugs in, but MAN, when i have them out for a moment and then the audience around me starts screaming or another song starts, the contrast makes me realize how damn near painfully loud concerts are without protection. thank you so much for making this psa! and i think the "custom made artist branded earplugs" is a fantastic idea. i wonder how much it would cost if fans wanted to make their own to pass out at a venue...
Im finally suffering the repercussions of blasting my music at full because now a days my ears kinda hurt and ring everyonce in a while. Only after a about 2 to 3 years of me not even going to a concert. Use Ear Plugs
as a young person who’s gonna to see their first real show in October (for death grips of all fucking bands, which is literally known for being ear-piercingly loud) this was genuinely pretty helpful. never even thought about how one concert could permanently mess me up. thank you mic the snare :)
I like Hearos. They are avilable at most guitar centers. You can push them in only halfway when you only need a bit of protection.
This video is so, so good and important!! I've been going to concerts since I was 15. That was over 15 years ago. Just seeing My Chemical Romance alone, I've been to 8 shows, the most recent last August, however I've been to plenty other shows. I've never once worn ear plugs. I honestly do not know why either. Because I know that in all my years of concert going that I've already done some slight damage, so I don't know why it never clicked and occurred to me to start wearing plugs. However, in July I'm going to see L.S. Dunes, and you can bet I'm gonna take your recommendation and get some good ear plugs and wear them. And not just for that show, but for every show I ever go to for the rest of my life. Like I said, this video is so important and so good! Thank you for making it! Def gonna share! ❤
Another point to wearing them is that the mixers (if they're not dumb), also wears them - Innately tailoring the music to sound better with plugs in 🙃
I really like my eargasm earplugs, but I definitely suggest SureFire EP3's if you're in the market for new earplugs! They're less than $20 and they have these little caps that you can pop out that clears up sound so it doesn't sound as muffled, but I just saw The Cure with these earplugs and they were SUPER comfy for their entire almost 3 hour set lol
SureFire!!! Those things have saved me on more than occasion working at music festivals
I've bought a couple of them (They are really really cheap) and always have a pair in mi bag. At first it was just to use while rehearsing with my band but now I user them in many different situations. And as you mentioned is something that not much people talks about but can be a game changer! I really recommend getting them. It's also important to mention that you won't miss any details while attending a concert, they clean the worst noise and let you hear more clearly in my opinion.
I was born with moderate to severe hearing loss. I depend on hearing aids to hear anything although all. With this hearing loss. I am able to hear concerts just fine without my hearing aids at all. They are so loud. I'm glad I have them. But I hope that no one damages their hearing so they need them. Protect what you have. You may lose it someday
To answer your question at 4:00: It has nothing to do with ability to cover large areas. Modern line array tech allows you to cover crazy large areas with almost no drop from front to back, unless you have subs on the ground. It has everything to do with the fact that louder is generally perceived as better.
I’ve had tinnitus my whole life and learned that I was on the spectrum as an adult so I’ve always had to wear ear protection in loud situations like concerts and fireworks displays and it’s done wonders for me. I’ll never not take the opportunity to advocate for everybody using ear protection.
I used to not wear them and then I went to two loud shows in a week and developed tinnitus, pretty mild but it’s there. It sucks. I never risk going without earplugs. I’d rather skip a concert than go without earplugs.
I remember the first time I went to a rock concert (also my first ever concert) and I made it right infront of the speakers. Not only was the sound quality awful from the amplification but it was the loudest thing I had ever heard. I was plugging my ears for most of the concert, but no one else was, and I kept thinking to myself: "How are these people handling this volume??" There was one girl who was wearing earplugs, and she has inspired me to bring earplugs to all of my future concerts.
Weaker hearing isn't the awful part about hearing loss, the awful part is the tinnitus. The tinnitus you will get isn't these occasional ringings every now and then, but this constant ringing that doesn't go away and cannot be cured. I really wish this was emphasized more about hearing damage.
Tinnitus in the house!📣
I couldn't hear you over the sound of
*EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*
I had earache for a few days from a concert.
not from the music but from the girls behind me screaming so damn loud
I only go concerts very rarely, but I went to two last year and I did wear regular orange earplugs. I think avoiding hearing damage is well worth the very slight change in the sound quality. I remember both times I took the earplugs out after the concert was over I was blown away by how loud everything was even after the concert had ended.
As someone with a dad who is currently losing his hearing from years of working with heavy machinery please know how heartbreaking it is to have to yell every word at someone you aren't angry with.
I work in an industry where I often am subject to loud machinery and I know many people, some as young as 35 who already have severe hearing damage.
Additionally, hearing aids are extremely expensive and many insurance companies do not cover the cost, my dad still doesn't have hearing aids because of this. So they are not a safe bet to correct damage to your ears.
Please wear hearing protection, if not for yourself do it for a friend's voice you love to hear, music you love, or a future child, but please just do it.
There is absolutely no good reason why any average concert should be as loud as an airplane taking off.
I went to a concert last year with my dad (we went to go see Yola) and I was so excited to hear her perform live, but my enjoyment of the vocals and instrumentation were dulled by the fact that violent sound waves were rippling through my bones and skull. Just unreasonable levels of loudness, my body was tensed up the whole time.
It also didn’t help that we both had a history of tinnitus, so without protection our skulls were proper rattled.
And by the way, I did love Yola’s performance with her band, and I highly recommend it but, regardless, bring those earplugs.
Some people I spoke to believed that only headphones could cause hearing damage.