i can hear you

I apologize for geeking out a bit, but I now have a pair of fancy shiny new earplugs.

I participated in a study that tested how well musicians could hear with custom-fitted earplugs. It turns out musicians don't need as much protection as the drugstore variety provides, but because the player cannot accurately hear music when wearing these earplugs (it blocks all high frequencies and therefore muffles the sound), it is ideal for the musician to wear higher-quality earplugs like mine. With these earplugs, I can accurately hear pitches and timbres and still hear people talking, although I hear myself a little too much.

Photos by the author.