Home

Blog

Ear Damage

5 Ways to Protect Your Ears

No Comments Events

It’s no surprise when I say this: Music has gotten louder over the years. As technology has evolved, it’s allowed not only for louder systems but tracks themselves have gotten louder and louder (sometimes referred to as the “loudness war”). As a result of this, people are listening to music at levels never before seen, which is doing tremendous damage to our ears.

In this post I want to give you 5 ways or techniques to protect your ears. Obviously, everyone knows that you should turn the music down, but this can be tricky at points. Therefore, I wanted to include these tips to help your further protect your ears.

 

1. Earplugs

I don’t know why, but I’ve seen this stigma that wearing ear plugs isn’t “cool.” As a DJ/Music Producer, I’ve met and performed along side of many famous DJs, and I can tell you this: They all wear earplugs. Whether you’re actually performing, or just attending a show, I can’t emphasize to bring earplugs enough. My favorite set of Earplugs are EarPeace, as they allow you to adjust the decrease in volume (which is pretty awesome).

I also suggest buying backup earplugs, as they are extremely easy to lose. I always have a backup pair in my car, just in case I’m going to a show and need to snag some real quick. I’m not joking when I say that I never go to shows unless I have my earplugs.

 

2. Volume Limit

Now there are 2 ways to have a volume limit: Setting it and remembering it. For example, most Smartphones allow you to program in a volume limit – meaning the volume won’t get louder than the limit your assign. Here’s how to set a volume limit on the iPhone:

The second way is to “remember” the limit. In my car, for example, I can see how loud my system is by number, and I make sure to never go above a 10 (I’m not even sure how loud my system can go). Obviously every system is different, so a 10 could be really quiet or loud depending on what you have. I suggest picking a decent volume and then sticking to that no matter what – I promise that even if it might seem quiet at points, your ears will naturally adjust.

 

3. Minimize Background Noise

When it comes to having your music quiet, this can get even more tricky in public. When you’re in a Starbucks, for example, you have to turn your music louder than normal to compete with all the background noise. Although it may not sound like it’s louder than normal, it 100% is.

There’s a couple different ways to overcome this: One, get a set of noise cancelling headphones. Second, make sure you stick to your volume limit, like I mentioned above. And lastly, try to avoid being in situations that your music needs to overpower the background noise (ex. Producing music in public).

 

4. Wait It Out

A lot of times, especially when you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to listen to music at a loud volume and not notice how loud it actually is. Therefore, one big tip I can give you is to always turn your music down, and wait 5-10 minutes before adjusting the volume. You’ll be surprised how much “louder” the track will seem, simply because you’ve given your ears time to adjust to that volume. Ever turn on your car and realize how loud you were listening to the music before? It’s the same idea.

 

5. Take Breaks

Last, but certainly not least, is to take breaks. I make sure to always take breaks, whether I’m producing music or listening casually. Even this post, for example, I’m writing without listening to music to give my ears a break from producing all day.

I’ve seen a lot of different perspectives, from taking a break every 20 minutes to every hour or so. Every situation is different, so what I will say is this: Just be aware. Be aware of how loud you’re listening to music, what setting your in, and more. Even the type of music can switch things up: Dubstep and Classical are two completely different genres of music.

As long as you keep your ears in check, and stay conscious of how you’re affecting them, you can use them to experience music on the best level.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *