This week on Gig Gab, dive deep into the world of hearing health with Frank Wartinger, a renowned music audiologist and podcaster! Wartinger emphasizes the importance of protecting your ears, especially for musicians and avid music fans. He introduces the “Dangerous Decibels Three Part Solution” – a practical approach involving turning down the volume, walking away from excessively loud sounds, and consistently wearing ear protection. He highlights the significance of being a considerate onstage neighbor and viewing your band in terms of ‘entrées and side dishes,’ where you’re often the side dish, suggesting a balance in sound levels. Frank also recommends various earplugs like Etymotic ER20, Loop, Vibes, and Eargasm, stressing on the need for filtered earplugs to maintain sound quality while protecting hearing.

Further into the show, the conversation shifts to the technical aspects of hearing protection, discussing the loss of specific frequencies during live performances and the importance of getting custom-molded earplugs for the best protection. Lists from JH Audio and Sensaphonics are recommended for finding reliable audiologists. The discussion then turns to the use of in-ear monitors (IEMs) and how to maintain safe levels to avoid long-term hearing damage, citing a 2008 study comparing stage monitor levels with IEMs. Wartinger and Hamilton remind listeners that in the world of music, it’s crucial to “Always Be Performing,” but that also means taking care of your health, especially your hearing, to ensure longevity in your career.

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 411 – Monday, January 8th, 2024
  • Healthy Hearing with Music Audiologist, Frank Wartinger
• 00:01:30 Special Guest: Frank Wartinger, Music Audiologist and host of the Talking Ears podcast
• 00:03:19 Helping musicians protect their hearing
  • Hypercusis
  • Tinnitus
• 00:04:54 What Can we as musicians *and* music fans do to preserve and even improve our Hearing Health?
  • Dangerous Decibels Three Part Solution
    • Turn it down – 3dB down is twice as safe
    • Walk away – be more careful of what you do with loud sounds…especially on gig days
    • Protect Your Ears
• 00:12:00 Be A Good Neighbor (on stage)
• 00:15:48 Think of your band as being made up of entrées and side dishes — You’re usually the side dish!
  • Heather Maluku Music Audiologist – Small Muscle Athletes
  • 00:17:28 Ear plug recommendations
    • Maynard James Keenan Plays Drums with Shotgun
    • Filtered Earplugs
    • Etymotic ER20
    • Loop Earplugs
    • Dubs Earplugs (discontinued)
    • Vibes
    • Earaser
    • Eargasm
• 00:28:26 Do you wear earplugs when doing live sound?
  • Losing 3kHz-6kHz over the course of a two hour show
• 00:34:07 Getting Molds Done
  • Good Lists to use
    • JH Audio Audiologist list
    • Sensaphonics Audiologist List
  • MusiCares and Tuned
• 00:46:00 Getting the right fit the first time
  • Trust your IEM manufacturer!
  • Andy Swanson from Alclair on Gig Gab
  • From The Graduate to Fletch in less than 14 seconds!
• 00:50:14 Should we use a bite blocks?
  • Use “The dumb guy look!”
• 00:55:55 Keeping IEM levels down
  • 2008 Study comparing stage monitor levels with in-ear monitors
  • Question your IEM habits for 2024
  • “Don’t Get Addicted to That Snap” – Bill Tasto
• 01:01:49 GG 411 Outtro
  • Find Frank Wartinger at TunedCare.com
    • Earmark Hearing Conservation in Philadelphia
    • The Talking Ears Podcast
  • Contact Us!
    • feedback@giggabpodcast.com
    • Sign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List

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