There’s nothing quite like the satisfying crack and thump of a live drum kit, the punch of bass and guitar amplifiers, and the energy of synthesizers and vocals over the PA system or powered monitors. And if a little is good, a lot is better, right? Especially if you’re playing with a live drummer, and you have to get your volume loud enough to compete. Everyone might be excited and having a great time, but you also may be doing serious hearing damage to yourself. And if you lose your hearing, so goes any future fun you might have had playing with the band. Taking a few moments to put in some high-quality musician’s earplugs can literally save your hearing for the rest of your life. Another way to protect your ears is using an in-ear monitoring system at a reasonable volume. This is especially true if you have a large enough space to isolate the drums. You can hear exactly what you want and hear it at volumes that won’t leave your ears ringing. Protecting your hearing might not seem very “rock and roll” but there’s nothing rock and roll about hearing aids, either. Do yourself a favor and get hearing protection that is up to the punishment you’re going to put your ears through. It’s one of the most vital pieces of gear you’ll buy!