Promoting Safe Listening Over The Festive Period!

For the last few years I have been proud to be an ambassador for the British Tinnitus Association and their social media campaign Plug’em. The BTA are an independent charity supporting thousands of people who experience tinnitus in the UK. They aim to encourage prevention of tinnitus though an educational programme, and to seek effective treatment of tinnitus though a medical research programme.

If there is one message I could tell to everyone working in professional audio (composers, songwriters, engineers, producers, editors, DJs, assistants), it would be to ‘protect your ears – your ears are your livelihood’.

When I am working in my studio (composing and mixing), I monitor the sound at fairly low levels, low enough to carry on a conversation at the same time (if there was someone in the studio with me). I think people would be surprised how quiet my speakers are actually set. I am listening to music for long periods of time every day of the week…so I need to be careful about monitoring levels. I will usually check mixes at a louder level once before running off a final mix….but I limit my monitoring time at the higher levels.

An engineer once told me ‘It’s harder to get a mix sounding good at lower levels than at higher levels’. There is certainly some truth in this!

I was at an artist showcase the other day in a venue in North London and as the band started playing I took out my custom ear plugs (which I carry everywhere) and put them in my ears. My music supervisor friend next to me saw me do it and said ‘good shout’ and then did the same.

Enjoy the festive period and check out Plug’em.

 

Sheridan uses ACS PRO 17 custom ear plugs.