Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • June 2013
21
6. Start a hearing conservation program at
your school.
If sound levels in your music room exceed safe
levels, use hearing protection. There are many types
of hearing protection on the market today. Some are
made specifically for musicians and people who need
to hear clearly in noise. Many band directors already
wear custom Musicians Earplugs™. The human ear
overloads at high sound levels, making it difficult
to impossible to distinguish the blend with other
instruments. High-fidelity earplugs not only protect
from noise exposure, but they actually help educators
and musicians hear and play better. We wouldn’t dream
of letting football players on the field without wearing
protective equipment. Broken bones and strained ankles
heal, but there are no known cures for noise induced
hearing loss or tinnitus. Prevention of hearing damage
is the only viable treatment at this time.
Q: What is the best kind of earplug?
A: An earplug that is worn!
In summary, decades of research show that shifts in
hearing due to noise exposure appear to be temporary,
but recent studies on recovery from temporary
hearing loss challenge long-held beliefs. We now
have irrefutable evidence that permanent damage to
the inner ear does occur even when hearing returns
to previous levels after prolonged exposure. Band
directors and music educators need information on
how to best advise the musicians under their direction.
The key to prevention is to understand the risks and
consistently act to minimize them.
Hear for a Li fet ime®
Etymotic Research will present
Adopt-a-Band,
A Hearing Conservation Program for Educators and Young Musicians
at the TBA Product Showcase on Tuesday, July 23 at 5:15 p.m.
Attendees will receive an in-depth look at noise exposure in the classroom,
the risks involved and learn about Etymotic’s full line of high-fidelity
hearing protection that includes
ETYPlugs (available at a reduced cost through the Adopt-a-Band program),
custom Musicians Earplugs
™
and MusicPRO 9-15 electronic earplugs
with adaptive attenuation.