Do you think there will be government action in the U.S. regarding SPL at concerts? If so, any ideas as to what that may be?
I hope not. And if they do take action, I would hope that it is not hypocritical and biased. First they should ban scuba diving and put mufflers on dragsters. Next they should ban skiing and tennis because it’s a well-known fact that tennis players can get tennis elbow and skiers sustain knee injuries. Brain aneurysms occur on roller coasters so they should enforce speed limits on amusement rides.
I guess the question is whether protecting humans from rock concert volumes should be viewed in the same light as helmet laws or in the light of letting people make their own decisions about their bodies – though clearly rock concert volumes present negligible danger when compared to head injuries.
If the government were to take action, the only thing that makes any sense is to mandate that free earplugs be available at all concerts. To wear or not wear them would be up to the individual or up to the parent to determine. I think being prepared for predictable situations is obvious, so anyone attending a rock concert should probably bring ear plugs just as someone heading out into cold weather should probably bring a coat.
It’s also important to point out that volume regulations seem to fall into two categories. First there is the government trying to protect people from damaging their bodies by passing laws, and second, there are local ordinances passed that limit volumes to protect property values and reduce disturbing nearby homes and businesses.
Do you wear hearing protection when working shows? Do you get your hearing tested on a regular basis?
I rarely attend concerts that I’m not working anymore, but when I do I either bring ear plugs or fashion some homemade version with paper and water. (They work really well!)
When mixing shows on tour I tend to set up the first three songs without ear plugs and then put in plugs for most of the show, removing them occasionally to make sure the mix does not drift from the desired tonal balance. When I’m just doing a show every once in a while, I don’t worry about plugs as much.
I occasionally get my hearing tested. I’ve had massive high-volume exposure over the past three decades and do have some loss, but nothing excessive and it’s hard to determine what is exposure related versus age related.
I’m more concerned with making sure that any offset in my hearing does not show up in the tonal balance of my mixes. My ears are holding up much better than other parts of my humanly self – the separated shoulder, broken shoulder blade, broken collar bone, damage I’ve done to my lower back, and sinus issues from surfing are of much greater concern.