Allen Maier (American Scarecrows, drums)
SPB: Do you wear earplugs when you play? Why/why not?
Maier: I have heard people say they wish they took better care of their hearing when they were younger. Playing almost every day I was getting tired of trying to fall asleep while my ears were ringing. The more I was playing the worse it got, I knew it was time to make a change. A few years ago I bought ear plugs that don’t muddy the sound but just reduce the volume. It took a bit of getting use to but I started realizing I was hearing stage monitors better because it was cutting down on a lot of the room sound and bounce.
I also use a in-ear monitoring system with custom molded Westone in ears for performing with my band American Scarecrows. This way I have control of a click track and my overall monitoring volume of my drums and my other bandmates. I am glad I made the switch to protect my hearing and only wish I had done it sooner. These days there are so many great options to protect your hearing that still let you enjoy the music you are playing and listening to.
