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How good is your hearing ? And how do you know ?

Sometimes I have a big laugh when reading this forum. There are clearly people whose hearing is, shall I say, very special. So why buy good stuff ?
inna
shadowcat2016
132 posts
 
have had tinnitus in my right ear for years....very annoying, along with poor HF hearing in that ear....yet I can still, thankfully hear small differences in music and recordings, as well as any changes I make to my setup. I can't explain it. I guess you just have to know what you're listening for. I'm sure that 20 years ago my hearing was much better, but thankfully I can still appreciate my gear and the music that it plays. When I can no longer do that, I guess I'll post my stuff here for sale and go back to reading books at night :)
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wolf_garcia
6,692 posts
 
I joined the Honolulu Musicians Union 50 years ago (they tossed me and every other member I knew out from time to time for non payment of dues), and have played electric guitar too loud too often and still do. Ears ring, etc. So now I mix live concert sound to the standards required by Fred Hersch, Julian Lage, The Baltimore Consort, etc., and get overpaid to do so. My "active listening" (meaning paying attention) sessions with my hifi rig have increased my listening abilities and contribute mightily to my ever evolving personal taste. I imagine I’m not alone there...Bob Ludwig is 73...Clearmountain is 65...my former neighbor Elliot Scheiner is 71...can they hear dog whistles? I doubt it, but their dogs can’t apply accumulated perceptive skill to sound production so it’s a wash (sort of, but you get it). Also, I’ve been into sports cars for decades, and a great car is obviously great (to an experienced driver anyway) at any speed. ’69 Lotus Elan? Yep...great. 74 Carrera? Great. My Mini Turbo...a 9 year old 3 series...you don’t need to race them to know they’re excellent, and don’t need to hear speakers at 103db to know they’re working. The "going back to simple gear" concept isn’t lost on me, but you have to appreciate that, for example, a modern single ended hand wired tube amp has better everything in its construction, and speakers that were originally designed in 1957 now have upgraded components and sound WAY better than back in the day. Possible exceptions do exist as old tube guitar amps are often pure magic, but hey, so are lots of new ones.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,760 posts
 

Speaking of the Musicians Union, I have a story:

In the early 70’s, Bill Graham used Monday nights to audition local (Bay Area) bands. The ones who passed were given slots on regular nights, opening for national acts. The Fillmore was a Union building, so to be able to perform there bands were required, if they didn’t already belong, to join the union. Most semi-pro bands, playing bars, clubs, weddings, corporate gigs, etc., never have to.

I knew some guys in a San Jose band who did the audition night at The Fillmore, joining the Union just to be able to do so. Induction fee, plus monthlies (whether you work that month or not). They played their set, and went home to hear back from the Graham organization. They instead heard from the Musicians Union, who fined them for playing below scale! Graham paid bands peanuts, auditioning bands actually willing to play for free to get on the Fillmore stage. Graham KNEW he was playing below scale, and that the bands would therefore get fined, and couldn’t care less. Ah, the life of an aspiring musician ;-) .

Speaking of pay.....for those who think being a professional musician in a big name band pays well: Denny Seiwell, the L.A. studio drummer McCartney plucked out of that environment for his early 70’s band Wings, gave an interview in which he disclosed that Paul was paying him $150 a week. He eventually quit, being unable to afford to work for Paul.

wolf_garcia
6,692 posts
 
We had to re-join the union every time we got a gig opening for a big act, and generally it cost about as much as we made for the show. I made more playing 5 or 6 nights a week in Honolulu clubs than friends I knew who toured in major acts. A couple of years ago I was talking to the brilliant drummer Dave Mattacks in a Portsmouth NH club and he said he couldn't get gigs in London so he moved here...he was in Fairport Convention, played with Wings, Jethro Tull, Elton John, etc...crazy.
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