Ears...

[Bogner]

I Am Curious How Physical Tiredness / Exhaustion Also Ties Into Ear Fatigue And How They Each Can Play A Part In How We Hear And Or Perceive Sound. I Have Been Pretty Tired Lately And Finally Got Caught Up A Bit On Some Much Needed Rest. I Plugged Into A Couple Of Amps I Had Been Playing Before So All The Gear And Settings Are The Same And Today I Heard Everything Differently. This Was Different Than The Typical Ear Fatigue From Playing And Chasing Sounds For Hours On End. If That Is 2D This Experience Today Was 3D. It Seemed To Have More Body Or Fullness To The Overall Perception. I Am Sure We All Have Ear Fatigue But Has Anybody Else Thought Of The Physical Side Of Being Tired And How That Effects Things As Well? Fresh Ears, Alertness, Being Fresh From Some Good Sleep, Hydration And Nutrients...I Think It All Matters In Our Perception Of Things.

What Is Your Experience With This?

 

[LunarRock]

Happy Capital Day!

 

[Lola]

It’s really hard for me to read about your situation because of the capitalization of certain letters. I can’t offer any advice because my brain is doing a double take on what I am seeing. Sorry!

 

[Moondog Wily]

My experience is, it sounds different every day (though not dramatically) and I have no way of identifying how or why. About a week ago, it was REALLY off and I could not figure out why. At the end of a frustrating 2 hour session where nothing sounded right, I found that I had not turned on one of my PA speakers. Considering I love using stereo effects and different cabinets for L and R, I understand now why it was so off! But every day (all setting same, guitar same, etc.) it seems to sound different in my world!!

 

[veinbuster]

Ya. Some days my ears are stupid. I haven’t really tried to pin it down, but I won’t be surprised if high pollen season make it more frequent.

 

[Rider1260]

you 100% sound better to yourself and others when rested , faster reactions and sound is less irritating , as I get more tired I tend to start tweaking my sound only to revert to my usual setting on a different day

 

[Lola]

In the last little bit I think I am hearing my guitar being out of tune but when I get out my tuner it’s bang on. I am thinking to myself WTF kind of tricks is my brain playing on me. It can literally throw off a whole practice session for me.

 

[László]

The brain interprets the senses differently based on a lot of factors - I think sleep is one, I know glucose levels are a factor (the brain is fueled by glucose, and if you've ever had a low blood sugar, you know you lose a lot of sensory perception, including hearing and peripheral vision).

And of course, we know that the brain interprets sensory input differently if one is using certain substances...including alcohol.

Your experience totally makes sense to me.

 

[Lola]

Last night while playing to a rocking back track I was so in sync with the band that you could not discern who was playing. I had to listen to it a million times. I figured I was playing in perfect synchronization and left it at that. I was having too much fun to even take the time to analyze it.

 

[alantig]

Ya. Some days my ears are stupid. I haven’t really tried to pin it down, but I won’t be surprised if high pollen season make it more frequent.

Yep - some days when my allergies kick up and my ears feel like they do when I have a cold, even though I'm not really congested. I've learned there's not much sense trying to play those days.

 

[vchizzle]

I think a great deal of things affect how we hear things. Certainly rest, hydration, state of mind are key factors. I know if we were rehearsing heavy for gigs, if I worked 12 hours then went to rehearse, it was purely for repetition and to make sure I landed all the parts and transitions. Quite awhile ago, I stopped tweaking anything because of what I was hearing on a particular day. I forced myself to roll with it. I find I fiddle around a lot less than I used to. It’s an interesting topic for sure.

 

[Lola]

Do you find sometimes your ears to be your best friend?

Because I have made a concerted effort to learn about more complex dynamics of improvisation I can sit there for hours on end making stuff up that I love. It’s not just noodling there is stuff going on. Learning to alternate pick quickly and cleanly, learning more about triads and how they relate, octave finger tapping( for me this is hard). Sometimes it sounds right and others not so much. Learning creative pedal tones! More about Billy Gibbons hybrid picking. I actually have taken to hybrid picking like ducks to water. I picked it up pretty quickly and it’s so fun and the twang of the plucked is music to my ears.

So with me it just ain’t just noodling anymore I am having fun and exploring new territory that I haven’t been able to before because of a lacking skill set.

My ears are more then satisfied with this.

I am also(round of applause please lol) learning small segments of some of Yngwie Malmsteen solos but very slowly and figuring out how I can apply them to my own songs. Who’d a thought I would reach this insane goal??

Sometimes I dazzle myself. It’s a good thing.

PS don’t mean to sound arrogant or narcissistic

 

[dogrocketp]

I don’t think you sound like either one, Lola. If I’m tired and practicing, everything sounds flat and out of tune. Even if I’m exhausted at a gig, my adrenaline keeps me going. There have been times after an 8 hour work day and a 3 hour gig where I have to just sit for 10-20 minutes because I’m too tired to load out. Even if it’s a dive bar with 20 people in it, I always feel like I have to give my best, no matter how I feel.

 

[Lola]

There have been times after an 8 hour work day and a 3 hour gig where I have to just sit for 10-20 minutes because I’m too tired to load out. Even if it’s a dive bar with 20 people in it, I always feel like I have to give my best, no matter how I feel.

You have an old school work ethic just like myself. You soldier on no matter what!!
I can never say no. That is a bit of problem at times because ppl have a tendency to take advantage of agreeable ppl like you and me!
It’s all in how you were raised as well!

 

[dogrocketp]

How right you are…..sigh……

 

[Monahan]

I Am Curious How Physical Tiredness / Exhaustion Also Ties Into Ear Fatigue And How They Each Can Play A Part In How We Hear And Or Perceive Sound. I Have Been Pretty Tired Lately And Finally Got Caught Up A Bit On Some Much Needed Rest. I Plugged Into A Couple Of Amps I Had Been Playing Before So All The Gear And Settings Are The Same And Today I Heard Everything Differently. This Was Different Than The Typical Ear Fatigue From Playing And Chasing Sounds For Hours On End. If That Is 2D This Experience Today Was 3D. It Seemed To Have More Body Or Fullness To The Overall Perception. I Am Sure We All Have Ear Fatigue But Has Anybody Else Thought Of The Physical Side Of Being Tired And How That Effects Things As Well? Fresh Ears, Alertness, Being Fresh From Some Good Sleep, Hydration And Nutrients...I Think It All Matters In Our Perception Of Things.

What Is Your Experience With This?

Ear fatigue?
Well, not exactly what I've been dealing with. However, I've had tinnitus (ringing, steady tones) and a bit of hearing loss (upper register) for decades.
Sometimes when I hear a steady tone louder than usual, I can make it go away using breathing exercises; takes just a few min and I'm back to normal. Everything improves with a good nights sleep, but the tinnitus is always there-- I'm just better equipped to deal with it when I'm rested.

~M