Ear plugs

[John Musselwhite]

At 11:09 AM 9/29/2000 -0400, Victor wrote:

>I also use the 15db reduction plugs. Have been for 5 years. I especially
>use them for practice rooms, and smaller upright, as they tend to have a
>brighter tone to them.

I use them as well, but I'd like to have 10dB attenuators as well as the ER15s.

>They say that the db's on spinets are pretty powerful. I am not sure if it
>is because of the higher mid frequencies are more pronounced.

I think it's what audiophiles would call "distortion" at that point. The 
plugs make the distortion less painful. They didn't help on the Howard 
spinet I tuned yesterday though.

>It took a while to get used to them. Especially in someones house. Some ask
>about them, and some don't. If they do I just explain to them that a
>certain amount of db (I usually say around the 80 to 90db) is produced
>times 200 tuning pins. That pretty much covers it.

The analogy I saw used once is the plugs are like a pilot wearing 
sunglasses. They cut through the "glare".

>I find that ear fatigue has been greatly reduced and that when the day is
>over I am not as exhausted.

Definitely agree with that one, especially if there are pitch corrections 
involved in your day!

>I do not use them for concert work. Sometimes if I don't use them, I notice
>that a ringing sound is constantly with me for a while, as if I have gone
>to a rock concert. That is a sign that my hearing has been affected. Just
>the more proof that I should be using them.

Here's a suggestion for concert work. Just use one plug in the ear you keep 
pointed at the piano. You can tilt your head to find a "sweet spot" with 
the other ear when you need to really hear and there'll be less fatigue in 
the ear that takes most of the attack. Check and fine-tune the unisons 
without them when you're finished.

Someone mentioned using the Sonic II plugs and I still have a pair I use 
for some purposes like playing on stage. My only concern about them is that 
they will pass mid and high frequencies with little attenuation and they 
could lull you into a false sense of true protection.

                 John

John Musselwhite, RPT    -     Calgary, Alberta Canada
http://www.musselwhite.com  http://canadianpianopage.com/calgary
email: john@musselwhite.com    http://www.mp3.com/fatbottom