Does playing in a Pipe Band damage your ears?

[Gary Krueger]

Actually, yes...the pipes (depending on how they are set up, the strength of the chanter reed etc) can come in just shy of the low end of hearing loss. That's mostly when played indoors. In that case, many of us wear hearing protection...actually ear plugs. They also make ear protection that can be adjusted so that you can hear clearly, but can filter out the more damaging frequencies. We don't generally wear hearing protectors when performing in public regardless of indoors or outdoors.

We had Pipers Christmas here at the house (an annual party for my teaching partner and I and our piping students, their families and spouses (significant others)) My wife insisted on my purchasing those throw-away ear plugs you can purchase at the hardware store.

All those that had kilts came kilted and all who had pipes brought them. It gets quite loud when you have 6 pipers all together in a 14 X14 foot room.

[JimB]

It gets quite loud when you have 6 pipers all together in a 14 X14 foot room.

HUH???? WHATTT???
I can't even imagine that!

[WJJagFan]

I had a tough time with conversations in noisy rooms before, and I haven't noticed much difference in the almost four years I've been playing the bagpipes. For a long time I never used earplugs even indoors, but I have started to use them now. I've been concerned about my son's hearing (an 11 year old drummer) so I bought about 10 sets of musician's earplugs and they seem to work very well. I still don't wear the earplugs when I play outdoors or in a large auditorium. I would guess that about half our band wear earplugs. About 25% wear earplugs all the time and the other 25% only wear them indoors.

[mkmound]

I had a tough time with conversations in noisy rooms before, and I haven't noticed much difference in the almost four years I've been playing the bagpipes. For a long time I never used earplugs even indoors, but I have started to use them now. I've been concerned about my son's hearing (an 11 year old drummer) so I bought about 10 sets of musician's earplugs and they seem to work very well. I still don't wear the earplugs when I play outdoors or in a large auditorium. I would guess that about half our band wear earplugs. About 25% wear earplugs all the time and the other 25% only wear them indoors.

"Musician's earplugs" . . . are these different from other types? Where do you get these?

[Doomsday]

"Musician's earplugs" . . . are these different from other types? Where do you get these?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/live/...=100001+304650

Is a good place to start. Your local music store should also carry a limited supply. Look to spend about $5.00 - $15.00 on a decent set.

[Doomsday]

"Musician's earplugs" . . . are these different from other types? Where do you get these?

This is a good place to start;
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/live/...=100001+304650

Your local music store will also carry some. Look to spend about $10-$25 on a nice high quality pair. In the end NOT a bad investment for your ears.

[mkmound]

This is a good place to start;
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/live/...=100001+304650

Your local music store will also carry some. Look to spend about $10-$25 on a nice high quality pair. In the end NOT a bad investment for your ears.

Thanks!!

[WJJagFan]

"Musician's earplugs" . . . are these different from other types? Where do you get these?

Doomsday's link is a good one. I paid about $10 a pair for the ones I've got. The difference I've noticed between the foam earplugs (which I occassionally use at work) and the musician's plugs is that you can actually converse with people fairly well and the music comes through better. I think the goal of these plugs is to simply reduce noise to a safe level while trying to retain some amount of sound clarity.