| When I was in the Fife and Drum corps (and standing right in front of snare drummer Brian Pentony, The Volumator) we were issued the musician's earplugs and ordered to use them on the gigs. I HATED mine. In general I dislike earplugs when I play, although I have gotten used to using the left bud/plug from a set of Shure E1 in-ears monitors that I use when gigging.
We use the in-ears to keep the stage clear of monitor wedges, and since I stand to the right of the drummer, even though I'm still piping sound into my left ear, it is controllable and keeps the drums from overwhelming me on that side.
As for hearing loss....I know I have lost some hearing due to my time in the fife and drum, playing Latin Band (some of the loudest situations I have played in) and the last 3.5 years playing in the party band, yet I still seem to be able to hear things that my wife doesn't, and she hasn't abused her ears like I have mine.
I suppose time will tell a different story in the end.
__________________ Patrick Gleason
email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com
"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
"At my signal, unleash hell."
- Maximus Decimus Meridius |