Infernal High Pitched Guitar Solos

These are absolutely excruciating for me. I can't even bear the thought of them...it's a shame because i'm a heavy metal fan too!

Anyone feel my pain?

 

Yes totally...I love my slayer etc at fairly high volumes...one more thing off the list off the list of things I use to love.

Try old school hip hop, a little different. Haha. but good shit never the less! And way easier on the ears.

 

Nice to see some Slayer fans here!!! Thankfully I can still listen to this stuff at sensible volumes, an hour here or there seems to be ok. I just keep the volume down and take the extra bass off.

 

Haha funny you guys should mention Slayer! Coz when i posted this Kerry King was the man i was thinking of! I can't take his solos any more.

I still listen to metal, but i can only handle the real heavy downtuned guitar bands such as Meshuggah. Any of that high pitched stuff makes my H and T burn like hell!

 

Abrasive is not the word for King's solos at the best of times, never mind listening with Tinnitus involved!

I'm the exact opposite now, I'f I'm listening to something bass heavy like Meshuggah or Cannibal Corpse I have to make sure I have any "bass boost" etc off.

At least you can still listen to stuff, plenty of cases where that is just not an option.

 

I would rather listen to screaming T than a guitar solo
Kidding...

 

@MattL Just out of curiosity do you still go to live shows??

 

Hey @Greg Clarke, I just looked at your avatar and connected you might be in that band. I dug out your ep 'First Light' that I got a few years ago. There you are. Sounds pretty decent mate, although I confess I never followed up on your other releases (it got so there was too much post-rock in the world to follow around that time).

Anyway, good to encounter a musician from that persuasion who also appreciates a bit of thrash. I spent my 17th birthday at a Slayer gig (Reign in Blood tour 1987) but I think the 10 or so Mogwai gigs probably did me more damage. Those guys are seriously dangerous.

How about you.... you still go to live shows?

 

@dboy Wow - that's great that you have that EP. I know what you mean, there were tonnes of Post-Rock bands around that time, a lot of great stuff being released for sure but definitely an over saturated genre. I'd like to think we weathered the storm somewhat and went on to release several other records. In fact we have another one written but progress has been hindered somewhat at least partially because of my Tinnitus.

I've had T since 2006, very mild. I think it was the rehearsing that did it for me, I did use plugs but when we wrote I would take them out as we all played different parts so it was tough to hear properly. It never stopped me performing and playing or attending shows and I was very careful and more strict on myself to use plugs in those environments after that initial onset. Unfortunately this year my T has worsened for some reason, I don't think it is noise related as I haven't been around that kind of noise in a while and if I was I'd certainly have used protection. To answer your question I've been afraid to attend a show since it has worsened which is a shame as there's a lot of cool gigs coming up soon. Morbid Angel are here next week doing their entire Covenant album, would love to have seen that!

Just as you mention Mogwai, I tend to find the metal gigs are usually more controlled in terms of volume. The loudest bands I've seen tend to be of the more experimental ilk. Mogwai were exceptionally loud when I seen them, as were Explosions In The Sky (Thankfully wore protection at both.) The loudest band I've seen by far though are Dinosaur Jr. Ridiculously loud.

What about yourself, still hit shows despite the T?

 

@ mat l I use to play some loud stuff my self and know that didn't help the condition of my T now. Only quite playing now, that down hard scraping metal is hard on my T. Its like the band still jamming even after you are back home! T covers up the high notes now I cant even hear them but those bases put a wrecking on me.

 

@Greg Clarke, I can say with considerable sadness that I will probably never go to another gig in my life now. I used to passionately love live music, but now it is just not worth the risk to me. I had a milder T since 2007 that I think emerged a while after a particularly noisy Bardo Pond gig, but I was also in the middle of writing up a PhD. at the time and that does some seriously wacky things to your brain chemistry. I have checked out some live music since then, but was not comfortable and did not enjoy it. Then I got a few volume increases last year and now I'm reaching for my ear plugs even for car/train journeys.

I kind of agree about metal gigs not seeming so loud as some of those alternative acts. Although from what I remember Motorhead were pushing it a bit in the 80's.

I'll have to check out some of your later recordings. Good luck with getting that new record sorted - I admire you keeping going despite the T and think you are right to do so carefully.

I am very lucky in that my T does not stop me listening to music at home, although it does spoil the enjoyment a fair bit. My tastes have naturally mellowed and diversified over the years, which probably helps. I only feel the urge for heavy music occasionally now. Although (going off at a real tangent here) I was excited to read a few days ago that the band Sacrilege who made one of my favourite albums ever ('Within the Prophecy' 1987) are gonna record again. If they were to tour then saying no to that would be a real bummer!

 

@dboy Any Idea what your increases were a result of or are they as mysterious as mine?

I've been comfortable going to gigs the past 8 years, had the same method - ear plugs from the time I went in until I got outside and usually a spot at the back. Not even a hint of my T increasing after any show I went to during that period. My sudden increase in T came at a relatively quiet point, I hadn't gone to any shows in a while, the loudest my life got was listening to music at a moderately loud level in the car on the way to work (20 mins) so it came out of nowhere. Our second child was on the way so I wasn't even playing any music at that point. I'm in the same boat as you now, I don't think I can realistically attend a show for at least the forseeable future and possibly forever which saddens me too, I always enjoyed live music and discovering new bands, I've a diverse taste myself!

Again, I'm like yourself in the sense I continue to listen to music at home, my enjoyment is spoiled as I can't escape feeling like it's something I shouldn't be doing. I keep the volume low but I always have the ridiculous notion that it's too loud. Thing is, you could avoid all manner of sounds for the rest of your days and your T could still increase so it's hard to say what's right and wrong.

That's not too much of a tangent at all, I personally love it when a band like that reforms for a few shows. Some of my favourites in recent years included Sacred Reich, Mordred etc Bands like that tend to be up for it a hell of a lot more than bands who have been on the road 30+ years. They know they may never get a chance to do it again so play like their lives depend on it.

Please let me know if you do think you'll hit a show, I reckon we could provide good advice for each other as we seem to be in similar boat with similar tastes.

 

@Greg Clarke My increases are a long and unhappy tale. I won't go into all the details but I made the mistake of trusting my GP when he said antibiotic eardrops for a suspected ear infection would not bother my tinnitus. They did, and I subsequently had two further increases from noise exposure that I believe would not previously have damaged me. I think the antibiotics were the thing that predisposed me to this further damage, but of course I cannot prove that.

Regarding listening to music at home, I doubt you will cause any damage if you keep the volume low. Too much of it I guess might cause a reactive spike. I find I need a lot of quiet time now, so whereas I usually had music on most of the time just as the norm, now I make a decision I specifically want to listen to an album or two, then turn it off. But having a family changes things like that anyway. My four year old showed an interest recently in dancing to some of my 90's UKHC stuff that horrified my wife. But I don't think I could get away with that too often.

By the way you mention having kids... how do you cope with 'em wailing. My boy is a right strop-monster and for the last couple of years I've had a pair of construction work style ear defenders handy to stick on at a moments notice when he kicks off. Trouble is, I think he enjoys the effect.

Oh yeah, Sacred Reich - listened to 'Ignorance' again a couple of weeks ago by pure coincidence. Damn fine record that. I did lose a lot of my interest in thrash in the 90's but got a big soft spot for those records that defined my teens. Revisiting it now I feel lucky to have found such a liberating form of music at that time of life. I honestly don't think I'll be off to any gigs though, much as I would love to if I was sure it would be safe.

 

Man, we have so much in common! I have a girl and boy myself. Our little boy is six weeks old and definitely has a set of lungs. I try keep it sensible, I have a box of 3m foam plugs but try only use them if he is having an absolute meltdown. If he is crying I don't like to delay in picking him up just because Ive no earplugs to hand. Realistically Id say the chances of that increasing T is low so I reserve the plugs for meltdowns.

My daughter is 4 and knows I have a "sore ear" so she is very considerate, if you remind her she tones it down.

Sorry to hear your increase was a result of bad advice from the gp. It does sound though like you are getting through it, we have to be able to take pleasure in some things even if it listening to a few records.

 

Yes I feel your pain. No guitar solos for a year here..Watching Jack White's set online at Bonnaroo on volume one hurt my ears.

Now I am back to no music.

Music was a massive part of my life and I have had to accept no more live concerts or fests again.

Bloody sucks.

 

Yeah, we do have much in common. I even have those little orange ear plugs you mention. Congrats on your new arrival. You are still in the special time? Still flooded with love hormones and other wonderful stuff.

I'm getting through it yeah. Just lost a lot of the colour out of life, and letting things slide a bit much. But still here.

Been a pleasure making your acquaintance. Thanks & apologies to the original poster for any thread-hijack connotations to my rambling. Hey, @MattL maybe a graphic equaliser might help tone down the squealiness of those Slayer guitar solos? Be a shame to give up completely on those pleasures.

 

Hi Greg

Yes i can still go to them thankfully, armed with earplugs. But i'll never go to another Slayer or Megadeth show...

 

Hi Lyn35 and John


One question. Even with earplugs in is it still unbearable?

 

Hey no worries dboy!

You guys mentioned a few bands i have never even heard of!

Hey yeah i might try the equaliser! Thanks

 

@MattL Glad to hear you're capable of hitting shows, I'll see where I am with this in a few months time.

 

Heck, it's like being locked in a closet with Paris Hilton, Justin Beiber, Honey Boo Boo, Don Cherry (goggle him, Yanks),Donald Trump and Al Gore. Noway are you coming out of there 100% sane.

 

I can take a little louder music with ear plugs in if I had to but its not worth it to me since even with ear plugs mine spikes up big time. For me its like give and take, if I give in to loud music I take in a big spike in my T! Bad thing about T is it can spike with no music just out of the blue and its on you. Some times it may be way down the road before you realize the damage done from just one big blow out show. But you can't live your life in a bubble live and let live just stay away from real loud noise.

 

My best friend got T from a motorhead show. Front row, drunk as hell, no plugs.
For me, i just went to my first rock concert since i contracted this god-forsaken ringing three months ago. Wore the foamies and did ok. No real spike to speak off, but they just had little combo amps, no walls of marshalls. I'm not sure i'd go see Manowar or anything, but so far so good.

Of course i've heard stories of people having moderate or low T, then going to a show and having it get much worse, so i'd be careful.

 

I'm a huge black Sabbath fan I still listen to heavy metal but at a much lower volume .....I use to listen to metal all the time while working out reminds me of the non T days gets a little depressing thinking about it ...But life goes on

 

Yep that is so true. It sure is a shame not being able to broadcast that metal to your neighbours because you can't stand the volume!!

 

Oh ya. I hear ya. Pun intended.
It seems like if I hear notes on any instrument out of the range of a human voice, I'm screwed. Now that i think about it, that's probably the main reason I shifted to folk/Americana music. Hadn't thought about that til now. Less volume, but all the notes are in the 'middle.'

 

Is it really that much dependant on the frequencies? I always thought you could listen to anything, as long as it's not too loud.