How is Stewart's Hearing?

[blueboy]

I'm wondering if any of you have read anything about Stewart's hearing.

I'm interested because a year ago I developed a bad case of Tinnitus (ear ringing). As a young musician I didn't always use ear plugs, but I didn't really go overboard too much either. I've been much more aware of the dangers as I got older, and this is why this sudden case of Tinnitus took me by surprise. It has subsided somewhat, but I'll probably have it for the rest of my life.

I have read some comments about Sting having hearing problems, but being a drummer is probably a lot harder on the ears than just having onstage monitors blasting at you.

Has he ever made any comments about it?

Thanks.

[Divemistress of the Dark]

He has mentioned he wears earplugs (in the YO section, in the della Taranta article, I think). He says it's so loud as to be unbearable on the riser without 'em.

(Something about tuning his snares so sharp you could kill birds with 'em, but I'd have to look it up to do the exact quotation justice...)

[blueboy]

Thanks Divemistress, I hadn't read that yet.

It's good to hear he is using them. I wonder if he always has over the years. I know what it is like (as most rock musicians do) with everyone fighting onstage to hear themselves. It doesn't take long to do some permanent damage.

[georgygirl]

Oh blueboy, thanks to share your experience with us.

Is a sad new. I hope you are doing better now.

Take care of you.

[zilboy]

If you look at the Orchestrali DVD, in one of the sections where Stewart talks about his grip, you can see a small burgundy case in his hand. That's his earplug case. They are made by Westone Laboratories, Inc. I have the same ones. I got them in 1998. They were custom fit for me. The doctor took molds of my ears. He said the lab had a hard time making them because I have very small ear canals. I got two sets of filters for them. I have to use the stronger filters now only because the weaker ones broke a few years ago. They are very effective, but despite the company's claims, they do alter the sound of instruments. I don't use them when I am playing by myself because my drums and cymbals have very low pitches, so they don't bother me much, but I do use them when playing with a band. I used them a lot in my previous band, because the guitarist was so loud even though we'd ask him to turn down.

I have some hearing loss in one of my ears because years ago, I was forced to fire several shots from a starter pistol in a piece our college concert band was performing. I couldn't hear out of that ear for two days. It still hurts form time to time, but luckily there's no ringing. I think this is why I've gravitated to such dark cymbals over the years - the lower frequencies are easier on my ears.

I don't care what anyone says - you're not a wimp if you use hearing protection. Anyone who listens to or performs loud music needs to take care of their hearing.

[jedsoon]

definitely agree. it makes me glad my band rarely plays together, since we're more of a studio thing.

one of my bandmates became concerned recently when he heard something about phil collins' hearing loss. i looked it up for him, and was disconcerted to learn it affects many professional musicians, such as roger daltrey, pete townshend, sting, eric clapton, and bono to varying degrees.

what's more, many younger musicians have a more blase attitude toward it and don't use hearing protection, thinking they are either invincible, or can just deal with it when they get older. talk about cutting your own throat!

[STEWART]

Yes I do have slight hearing loss in one ear (Andy's side) but it's not something that I notice. The curse of tinnitus is truly to be dreaded, and it can occur even when there is no volume trauma to the ears. Many classical musicians have it. Thankfully I don’t, but am surrounded by people who do. Yes, the little burgundy case is for the earplugs and they work very well for me. The drums and cymbals actually sound richer with the high end filtered out.

[Divemistress of the Dark]

Hey Stewart, if you get a minute to swing back in this thread...have high pitched sounds been implicated in hearing loss (as opposed to tinnitus, as you mention), or is it more pure volume that contributes to it?

Just wondering. I think I have a little myself, from standing way too close to speaker stacks in the front row at concerts.

[sockii]

I have minor tinnitus, and it is definitely not any fun at all. I'm just glad it's not worse. It only bugs me at night or in very quiet surroundings, but still, I can only sleep with a fan or other white noise generator running to cover up the ringing in my ears.

I'm not even sure what caused it, beyond perhaps too many hours on the headphones growing up but even then, I never thought I had them up THAT loud (I guess it was loud enough). But as such I'm always extremely cautious at concerts or even going out to clubs where the music is too loud, never do it without earplugs. In general I find they actually improve how I hear a show anyway, cutting out some of the highest pitch "noise".

[jedsoon]

this makes me wonder if i am in the same boat, as i HAVE to have a fan on to sleep. i even run one when i'm mixing music, which isn't generally advisable...

[Divemistress of the Dark]

Me too. Weird. (Sleeping with a fan on, I mean.)

Separated at birth...?

[georgygirl]

I am thinking reading all these posts here, and never known about tinnitus before; maybe the advice sounds so brat and mellow, although also I have to said it to myself:

Please, never forget to take care of yourselves.

[zilboy]

The earplugs do filter out the high end, which actually works against me since my cymbals and drums are already very dark, but if you have bright cymbals, they're definitely the way to go.

This is so weird - my wife has tinnitus and she has to have the fan on when sleeping also! I never knew why. I don't think she does, either! And this weekend, she was just complaining about how cold it is in the bedroom and how she wished she could find some other form of white noise!

[Mrs. Gradenko]

cN't you buy a cd of running water or something?

[zilboy]

Actually, we do have a little waterfall gizmo that makes different sounds. We're gonna try that.