Our Ears After a Couple of Hours

[rokdog49]

I have discovered that perceived loudness changes dramatically after a couple of hours of performing. I know this has been mentioned many times, but I really experienced it today busking acoustically. Seemed like my Dread got quieter and quieter.

[Steve DeRosa]

If you ever have the opportunity, plug into an old 200W Marshall Major (think '70s Deep Purple) sometime - even if you're not primarily an electric guitarist...

Your entire world may become dramatically - and permanently - quieter if you're not careful...

Pretty much why I went all-acoustic for about 15 years around that time...

[Purfle Haze]

Ear fatigue is a known phenomenon. Use the Google!

[Glennwillow]

Our ears do tend to close down for protection after a sustained period of fairly loud noise.

- Glenn

[Tico]

Get the highest quality earplugs you can afford.
Use them.

[woodbox]

Yep.
Sensory adaption.
Simple as that.

It's why calluses develop on your hand if you swing an axe all day every day.
It's why a hot tub isn't so hot after a little while.

And if our ears are adjusting/adapting to the volume of our guitars, so are the ears of our audience.
Granted, not in a busking situation, where the audience is constantly changing.
But I plan my set list with sensory adaption in mind.
Changing keys, tempos, intensity, and of course, volume--they all come into play because of what the OP is talking about.

I give it to the audience, then take it away.
Change it, give it back in a different way, keeping it fresh.
Well, thats my intention anyway.
I deliberately use sensory adaption.

(yes, it's 3 am, I'm awake, and some might say I over-think such things and have a bit too much time on my hands)

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

If you ever have the opportunity, plug into an old 200W Marshall Major (think '70s Deep Purple) sometime - even if you're not primarily an electric guitarist...

Your entire world may become dramatically - and permanently - quieter if you're not careful...

Pretty much why I went all-acoustic for about 15 years around that time...

Yep, I have tinnitus in my left ear for exactly that reason. Although in my case it was two AC30s run together that did it. A Status Quo concert didn't help!

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Yep, I have tinnitus in my left ear for exactly that reason. Although in my case it was two AC30s run together that did it. A Status Quo concert didn't help!

For me, it was some years as a drummer stuck between various "stacks" but there was one gig - that i can't forget - ELO at the Rainbow Theatre Finsbury Park. I didn't like them, never did but a friend begged me to go. It was horrendous and my ears didn't stop ringing for weeks. and my hearing was never the same again.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

For me, it was some years as a drummer stuck between various "stacks" but there was one gig - that i can't forget - ELO at the Rainbow Theatre Finsbury Park. I didn't like them, never did but a friend begged me to go. It was horrendous and my ears didn't stop ringing for weeks. and my hearing was never the same again.

Hi Silly,

I'll see your ELO and raise you a .38 Special, Charlie Daniels Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd on a triple bill in a small theatre that lasted almost 6 hours. I was there for the CDB, and his volume was tolerable, but the other 2 were overwhelming. My ears rang constantly for several days.

Good thing I was only 18 at the time. It was the first concert ever for one of my friends and he was literally traumatized by the volume. This was 1976, before it was cool to wear earplugs

I was never much on ELO, either!

Hope you are feeling better and able to get back to playing soon.

[Captain Jim]

What'd you say?

[menhir]

I SAID....

Etymotic ETY musicians earplugs...

https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/he...tion/er20.html

They offer other models, too.

I never used them back in my performing days because I don't think I even thought about hearing protection back then.

I came across them years later when I was looking for hearing protection during long motorcycle rides. I wanted to hear what was going on around me...not muffled...just at a lower volume.

That's what these are designed to do. Not expensive, either.

[Jambi]

My guitar suddenly seems VERY LOUD when I sit down to play after putting the baby in bed for the night. Especially to my wife.

[AllThumbsBruce]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Hi Silly,

I'll see your ELO and raise you a .38 Special, Charlie Daniels Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd on a triple bill in a small theatre that lasted almost 6 hours. I was there for the CDB, and his volume was tolerable, but the other 2 were overwhelming. My ears rang constantly for several days.

Good thing I was only 18 at the time. It was the first concert ever for one of my friends and he was literally traumatized by the volume. This was 1976, before it was cool to wear earplugs

I was never much on ELO, either!

Hope you are feeling better and able to get back to playing soon.

For me it was standing in front of the wall of speakers for Hot Tuna with Papa John Creach.

Echo the best wishes.

[rokdog49]

That's all well and good folks but my post was about me having to strum harder to hear myself after a couple of hours.

[Jeff Scott]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

If you ever have the opportunity, plug into an old 200W Marshall Major (think '70s Deep Purple) sometime - even if you're not primarily an electric guitarist...

Your entire world may become dramatically - and permanently - quieter if you're not careful...

Pretty much why I went all-acoustic for about 15 years around that time...

I would have thought you'd have gotten a few more stacks to keep you with your growing deafness..............