[Dixielandjazz] Re:Hearing loss - Loud music (Mike Short)

[Shortuba at aol.com]

Guys -

There is indeed a controversy rippling through the music world about decibel 
levels in all sorts of musical situations.  I've done a fair amount of 
orchestra playing, and in the article that was quoted they complain about the bass 
trombonist being the culprit.  Having played that instrument myself, I'm guilty 
of committing loudness.  The joke goes: "What are the volume settings on a 
bass trombone?  Two - On and Off."  I have a friend who is the bass boneist in 
the San Fransisco Symphony.  During a rehearsal, the tubist (also a friend and 
fellow Iowan) slammed his horn down and said "Don't you EVER play that loud 
next to me again!" and stalked off the stage.  The conductor hadn't noticed 
anything wrong.

But I know tubists who actually practice with a decibel meter in front of 
them.  I can usually sustain 105 to 110 db for short (ha ha) periods, but I only 
practice that way so it is easier when I back off into the 95 to 100 range.  A 
lot of guys think they MUST play in that louder range.

I have about 20% hearing loss in my left ear, but I know exactly when that 
happened - we have an every Monday night big band here in Des Moines that I used 
to play in, and the room is small and trumpet players just LOVE to play loud 
(as well as high) and a trumpet near my ear caused actual pain.  The one 
setting that I have played in (besides brass quintet) where I never hear too much 
sound is in trad and Dixie bands, any of the settings where we play OKOM.  
Unless I end up too close to the drummer....that's why I try to sit to Kurt's 
right.  It's the ear that doesn't work well.

Mike Short
Des Moines
tubist Party Gras band