Hi flutists!
Can you be using ear-plugs and still be totally aware to the quality of your sound?
I ask this because I feel my ears are a bit sensitive.. AND Im exactly on the most important level of playing - building strong embochure and clean sound. So could you work out on your sound with ear-plus?? Please help!
Important ear-plugs question.
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
Hi Mai,
This will depend on many things, first being the quality of the earplugs. The cheaper ones will cut the overtones so you won't be able to fully hear your sound if you have them in. The more expensive earplugs claim to simply reduce the volume equally across the frequency spectrum, but I have not tested them. I have some medium-priced ones that help sometimes but it does affect the sound and I generally don't like to play with them.
Another important factor to consider is the room that you are practicing in - if the room is resonant the sound will get amplified and will hurt much more. This becomes even worse if it is small and resonant at the same time. Open space or a pretty sound-dead room are the most forgiving to your ears, although they might not give you the sound you like to hear from the flute.
So, for me, no clear-cut solution. Try the earplugs and try different rooms if you can.
Regards,
This will depend on many things, first being the quality of the earplugs. The cheaper ones will cut the overtones so you won't be able to fully hear your sound if you have them in. The more expensive earplugs claim to simply reduce the volume equally across the frequency spectrum, but I have not tested them. I have some medium-priced ones that help sometimes but it does affect the sound and I generally don't like to play with them.
Another important factor to consider is the room that you are practicing in - if the room is resonant the sound will get amplified and will hurt much more. This becomes even worse if it is small and resonant at the same time. Open space or a pretty sound-dead room are the most forgiving to your ears, although they might not give you the sound you like to hear from the flute.
So, for me, no clear-cut solution. Try the earplugs and try different rooms if you can.
Regards,
Damjan, --- Fluteland.com Teacher
