Not sure if this is the best place for a discussion about hearing protection, but since it is mostly relevant to acoustic instruments I've dropped it in here.

I recently got a new pair of custom fitted in-ear plugs as PPE for work. As I'm just wearing them in I decided to bring them home over the weekend to continue that process. They were still in when I got home last night and went to play a little piano. That was a very interesting experience.

I have two upright pianos, once of which is a moderately expensive 'dream' piano that has a very rich sound, and the other is a cheaper piano that served as a stopgap during the COVID-related supply chain disruption. My AF sounded good while I was playing, although perhaps lost some of the tonal complexity even though it has a relatively 'pure' sound. I then turned to my budget upright, which generally has a warmer tone but also some less pleasing stuff in the sound. While wearing the plugs it sounded rather nice, albeit still not as rich as my AF. Importantly, the harshness that can occur was completely absent.

My ear plugs are designed for industrial environments, not musical performance environments, so the frequency filter is not necessarily designed to apply the same reduction across all audible sound. Does anybody use the specialist musician ear plugs when playing piano or going to a concert? What is the effect? Are they custom fit or off the shelf?

(As an aside, I will be taking with my tech about whether any rogue frequency damping can be done on my cheap piano.)

    Definitely! As I mentioned in another thread, I have tinnitus and hyperacusis. I certainly cannot play an acoustic piano without pain, and even DPs are a problem unless turned down further than I'd generally like.

    I started with Hearos earplugs. They're affordable and work reasonably well, though I'm not always convinced of the fit, and I don't like they way they look with the little posts sticking out of my ears ...

    More recently, I've been using Eargasm earplugs. They fit much better and (perhaps as a result) bring the volume down a bit more. I feel like the sound is better quality too, reducing the most obnoxious high frequencies that set my ears ringing while still giving a rich sound. The only downsides are that they are a bit more pircy, and they have a very silly brand name ...

    I've also recently picked up some in-ear monitors to try using with my garage band, but I haven't had a chance to put them through their paces yet, so I'd have to report back later if anyone is interested.

    Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

      TC3 It is useful to know brand names of recommended ear plugs. My wife is usually keen on a little attenuation during orchestral concerts but much more for musical theatre when sound levels sometimes spoil the show.

      • TC3 likes this.

        I own a set of Etymotic ear plugs that I bought for tuning. On occasion I'll use them for extended practice sessions as well. My AF215 is in a small space and the sound can be overwhelming. Playing with the full lid open is almost not an option at this point. I want to preserve my hearing as best and long as I can.

        2005 August Förster 215
        Maybe a Blüthner one day...

        Not a direct answer to OP's question, but I find this document very informative. I especially like the part about hearing damage is caused not only by loudness but also by duration of exposure. Therefore it's important to keep track of Daily Personal Exposure Level. It's probably worth to invest in a noise or SPL meter, too.

        BBC - MUSIC, NOISE AND HEARING: HOW TO PLAY YOUR PART
        A GUIDE FOR MUSICIANS

          iternabe ... damage is caused not only by loudness but also by duration of exposure.

          Yes! I had my hearing tested recently and my audiologist said the same thing. So a volume that's perfectly fine for a 20 minute practice session could be damaging if it were 60 minutes.

          Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

            TLH21 Thanks for this reminder. There was a discussion a couple months ago and as a result I bought a pair of EARasers, with the intention of wearing them at my concert band rehearsals. I tried them at home for all of 5 minutes before I chucked them in the drawer and forgot all about them. They fit well and they're comfortable enough, but they really changed the way my clarinet sounds to me...it's similar to how your voice sounds if you speak with your ears plugged. Also somehow they managed to amplify the noise of my keywork, which was very annoying & distracting. Practicing at home was probably not the best way to test them though...I really should try them at a rehearsal.

                JB_PT but they really changed the way my clarinet sounds to me...it's similar to how your voice sounds if you speak with your ears plugged.

                Ugh, yes: the dreaded occlusion effect. I sing sometimes while I play piano and the earplugs really make my vocals sound like they're overpowering the piano. I'm mostly just trying to get used to it, but I bought some IEMs to try, I just haven't gotten around to it.

                Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

                  yes, I have a couple pairs of acoustic music earplugs, intended specifically for playing loud music, concerts, etc., so that it keeps, to a certain degree, the music, while reducing the decibels considerably.

                  here's an example of one I have Loop Earplugs

                  I find that the amount of occlusion can differ quite a lot between different ear plugs. With my custom molded plugs (They happen to be of the brand ACS, which I chose simply because they were the only ones I found that could make small enough plugs to fit my ear canals) I actually don't find occlusion in itself a problem at all while a few of the several different off-the-shelf musicians' plugs I've had through the years have exhibited a small but noticeable amount of occlusion.

                  That said, I agree it still doesn't sound the same to sing or play the clarinet with or without plugs, but to my understanding that is simply because the now different ratio of sound that travels through the air and outer ears vs through teeth, bone etc to reach the inner ear. Occlusion is what we experience eg when covering our ears, wearing foam ear plugs or having wax buildup due to some disease. In those cases our own sounds can't escape totally through the outer ear but some of it is reflected back to the ear drum again and gives that familiar stuffy echoey sensation. Musicians' ear plugs try to avoid this usually by having an open air canal through the entire length of the plug, between the filter and the other end.

                  For me what's most difficult is to control my own volume when playing or singing with others or even just having a conversation in a noisy environment where I'd wear hearing protection. I also used to play the clarinet in a concert band and we were seated right in front of the director. In other words she'd hear us individually to an extent I can't imagine she'd distinguish each player of the sections seated in the back rows or further to the sides. I lost count early on of the number of times she told me I need to play louder ... With high attenuation ear plugs one will hear oneself so much louder than the surrounding that it's really difficult to play loud enough and still be able to listen well to the others. Piano should not give the same problem, I imagine, but I never play piano in that kind of setting.