Roger Hecht wrote:

>Watch the players sitting in front of the brass.  Often you'll seem them
>putting in and taking out earplugs.  It's no joke.  I've talked to many
>musicians who have hearing problems from playing.  I have a slight hissing,

This is absolutely the truth...I sat in front of brass players for several
years early in college.  You think it's loud in the audience? Try sitting
right in front of them while they're warming up!  ;-) In either case, I
have a piccolo-playing friend who had a special earplug made for her right
ear...(Fortunately, I sat to her left when we played together!)

-Lindsey Orcutt
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