For professional musicians, hearing damage is an occupational health hazard that they need to be very careful to manage, especially as damage to hearing can accumulate over time.
The nature of live music, particularly in genres such as hard rock and heavy metal which at one point competed for the title of the “world’s loudest band”, means that permanent hearing damage for both band members and members of the audience can happen very quickly.
This was the reason that according to Get Licensed, Guinness World Records stopped measuring the Loudest Live Performances following a 2008 Manowar concert that peaked at 139 decibels, which is around the same level as a gunshot and can cause earsplitting pain and permanent damage within seconds.
A set of private hearing aids supplied and fitted by an audiologist can help restore some hearing in cases of partial hearing loss, but in the spirit of prevention being better than cure, here are ways professional musicians can protect their hearing.
Most live music venues have decibel limits to ensure that they do not disturb nearby buildings and preserve the hearing of everyone in the venue, and it is important to stick within those limits.
What was found during the arms race between the “world’s loudest bands” was that there is a threshold where music does not sound any louder but the damage caused to ears intensifies once audio reaches a certain threshold.
Bands and people who frequent live music venues should regularly use earplugs, and it is worth investing in professional-grade audio filters that can provide the best sound quality without damaging your hearing in the process.
One change for a lot of rock and heavy metal bands is that the audio seldom comes directly from the amplifiers anymore. Instead it is transmitted through a PA system pointed up over an audience to allow the audio to travel the furthest distance whilst causing the least damage.
However, for bands where there is direct sound and speaker output, such as pit orchestras, it is best to avoid adding additional aural pressure to your ears which can contribute to hearing damage over time.
Hearing damage, like a lot of illnesses and injuries that come from the life of a touring musician, is accumulative and caused by a constant level of noise without time for relief or recovery.
Much like how many singers will refuse to talk for days leading up to a performance, allowing your ears time to recover in between rehearsal sessions, studio recording time and live shows will help to preserve your hearing.
Whilst early detection is important for everyone to consider, given that hearing damage often accumulates in a way that is not noticeable until it becomes impossible to ignore, it is essential for a musician to regularly check their hearing to avoid long-term damage.
This should be at least every year, but musicians who play particularly loud music or are part of extensive touring schedules should aim for more frequent tests than this.
