Hi-fi earplugs and the sound of raw drums

J

juiceforjoe

Member
(I am strictly talking about my perspective from behind the kit here. This isn't an issue to the audience.)

But...

I feel like drums literally sound better when wearing hi-fi earplugs. When it's going into your ears raw, there's too much attack, and I feel like this doesn't allow the ear to fully appreciate the tone of the drum. There are also lots of little frequencies and impurities (caused by a sharp attack) that are obvious when sitting directly behind the kit, but are inaudible while using earplugs. In other words, using hi-fi ear protection almost reproduces what we hear when we mic and EQ a drum well: an uncompromised sound, without the overbearing attack and impurities. This allows for a full, round, warm sound. I personally never play without my hi-fi earplugs, and if you don't own any or have never tried them, I recommend you go out to your local pharmacy and get them ASAP.

PS: Drums sound awesome with mallets.
 
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Well, yeah... because drums above a piano dynamic (and actually still below a piano dynamic often) are too loud for most human ears and overload them like a mic with harsh clipping. As far as earplugs that make the drums sound nice (which, to me, means earplugs that take down the volume but leave the nuances on the low and high end) I'm a big fan of Earasers.
 
Ya I noticed this when I switched from over-ear protection to my Etymotic ear plugs. Things I was unhappy with because I thought they sounded harsh suddenly sounded much better. (My Sabian AA Hi-Hats jump to mind).
 
Im on the other side. I acquired and setup my drums, heads, cymbals, and other instruments using my uncovered ear. So when I play, I enjoy hearing the full dynamic range, complete envelope, and every harmonic and overtone they are capable of.
 
makinao said:
Im on the other side. I acquired and setup my drums, heads, cymbals, and other instruments using my uncovered ear. So when I play, I enjoy hearing the full dynamic range, complete envelope, and every harmonic and overtone they are capable of.
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You sir are going to be deaf in short order...
 
savage8190 said:
You sir are going to be deaf in short order...
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And you sir don't know me.

I'm 58, only play loud when I have to, and have been in a variety of situations from big rock gigs to college big band to intimate jazz clubs to conservatory new music concerts to reverberant churches and even a children's choir in a small auditorium. Its only when I am forced into a high-loudness situation that I use hearing protection, and I don't enjoy it because while it protects my ears, I don't like how it changes the timbre. My hearing is still good enough to still pick up musical nuances in the studio as record producer, and head out to the field for soundscape recording.
 
Binaural recording techniques, use the molded shape of an ear and head to imitate the frequency filters that the ears provide, though it would be different than your ears, because everyone's pinnae are different.

http://www.kallbinauralaudio.com/binaural-recording-vs-binaural-beats/

I think it is one of the most fascinating things that people can tell the direction of a sound, not only left or right, but also from above or below due to the pinnae filtering high frequency sounds.
 
makinao said:
And you sir don't know me.

I'm 58, only play loud when I have to, and have been in a variety of situations from big rock gigs to college big band to intimate jazz clubs to conservatory new music concerts to reverberant churches and even a children's choir in a small auditorium. Its only when I am forced into a high-loudness situation that I use hearing protection, and I don't enjoy it because while it protects my ears, I don't like how it changes the timbre. My hearing is still good enough to still pick up musical nuances in the studio as record producer, and head out to the field for soundscape recording.
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This is exactly right.

I have family members who are audiologists (one of whom is also a drummer). Their advice is that if after playing there is absolutely no lingering after effect, no ringing, no sense that normal sounds (such as the dulcet tones of JustMrs) and no other sense that my hearing is "off", then all is well and I don't need to wear hearing protection. That said, they naturally
err on the side of caution and would prefer me to wear hearing protection.
 
Everyone's ears are different. I absolutely have to wear my ear plugs in loud volume situations or else I get ringing for about 10 minutes afterwards. And in some bands they do actually improve my ability to hear the rest of the band, which means I can actually feel more embedded in the music than I would otherwise which is important (for me). I have worn fitted earplugs for 20 years they are the best piece of gear I ever bought. I probably wouldn't be playing if it wasn't for them; so a much smarter purchase than any drum/ cymbal item.

With properly fitted plugs and the right db filter you loose some of the higher end frequencies which means you perceve less attackand a more mellow, dare I say it focused tone which is possibly what the OP likes ?
 
I swear by these bad boys:

http://www.djmmusic.com/p-2673-genuine-acs-elacin-er-20-high-fidelity-musicians-ear-plugs-white.aspx

They took a while to get use to because you get a raw sound, it's not like foam ear plugs or over ear defenders which deaden the sound.

With this I can get the nuances and I'm not taking any risks.

We only get one pair of ears folks look after them. Taking risks is like saying I stare at the sun but it hasn't made me blind yet. Each to their own but I'm only 32 and don't fancy having tinnitus or being deaf as a post in later years!
 
andtfoot said:
I use what appears to be the same thing, but different branding:
http://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/er20.html
I basically carry them everywhere as I often go to see live music on the fly, and they're handy in a pinch for motorbike riding.
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Same here, they're great for watching live music especially as some venues have sound engineers that have the cure it with volume approach.

They look exactly the same as mine, Probably mass produced somewhere and farmed out across the world!
 
JustJames said:
This is exactly right.

I have family members who are audiologists (one of whom is also a drummer). Their advice is that if after playing there is absolutely no lingering after effect, no ringing, no sense that normal sounds (such as the dulcet tones of JustMrs) and no other sense that my hearing is "off", then all is well and I don't need to wear hearing protection. That said, they naturally
err on the side of caution and would prefer me to wear hearing protection.
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Thanks - that's very helpful!

I've always had poor-ish hearing (I didn't know how poor until I tried to become a sound engineer and discovered that others could hear WAY more than I could). Most of my playing has been with big bands and/or studio work, so no exposure to nasty volumes. I can honestly say I've never had an after-effect such as ringing or other things sounding different.

The good news is I'm not ruining by ears! The bad news is they were never much good.
 
Interesting topic. I never minded the sound of "raw" drums, and in fact prefer it to the controlled sound you get with most earplugs. I use the type of plugs shown above that are supposed to attenuate all frequencies more evenly, but I still don't really like the sound. I prefer the real deal, and only wear plugs when things are super loud.

That said, I've drummed for 40 years, most of it without protection. I do have hearing loss, but mostly in my right ear, and that was caused by other medical issues, not drumming. My left ear is still within the normal range for my age. I also have tinnitus, and I wish I had avoided that. Too late now, I suppose.

When I was young, I listened to loud music a LOT, and it was somehow a badge of honor for our ears to be ringing and sound to be muffled afterwards. Stupid macho crap, lol. Wish I'd been smarter. At least my left ear has survived my lack of care relatively unscathed.
 
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