Ultimate Ears at the Christian Music Summit
Posted in Hearing on November 10, 2010
I'm really looking forward to working with Ultimate Ears at the Christian Music Summit this next weekend Nov. 12-13.
Any familiar with my blogs understand that noise conservation is one of my hot topics.
The use of in-the-ear monitors by musicians is just one of the ways I work to reduce the damage that our daily activities cause to our hearing. Ultimate Ears is renown for their sound quality through these monitors. This is often called a step up from the wedge--but anyone who purchases a custom set of monitors will tell you that is a vast understatement. Universal fit and custom designed in-the-ear monitors move sound into the ear limiting the distortion of sound as it crosses distance, it also allows for attenuation of surrounding sounds to reduce the level of volume needed for clear understanding of sound as it is produced.
I've met many musicians who don't think that they play often enough to use them, however I argue that anyone who goes on stage is better with even the entry level of monitor over nothing at all. We habituate to sounds...meaning that when we play music loud, we develop a need to have music loud in order to feel the same enjoyment. There are studies that prove that our body reacts to music much like a drug of it's own design. I am not talking about I-dosing--that I'll cover after more research into it. But yeah there is a GREAT deal of attention on how music can affect the brain.
In this blog I'm referencing more of the "toughing" on ears that miners used to do to handle the hammering in very constricted spaces and over long tunnels. We have understood that we can get used to loud sounds so that they are not uncomfortable by increasing the time around or volume level over time. Or maybe better said, when music is set below the new baseline level of volume--it's not perceived as "normal" and thus the volume wheel gets cranked up. In-the-ear monitors prevent this re-setting of baseline volume. Because the sound is heard just the way the wedge or monitor speaker would provide--the listener gets a clean, clear sound at an appropriate volume. That is a win-win.
Do watch for my blog on I-dosing--it's coming soon.
Michelle Batson, AuD
Doctor of Audiology