Music production is a hard job. It takes a toll on your life and is actually stressful.
But it’s a fun craft to learn and I have no regrets in being a music producer.
However, there are times when even I get stressed to the point where I feel like I can’t sit at my desk for a minute more.
Ear fatigue is one of the side effects of mixing music for long hours.
This post will discuss some techniques you can employ in order to avoid ear fatigue.
It’s important to have a general process of care because music production like most work is delicate and requires people to be well at ease and free of discomfort.
Avoid prolonged loud work sessions
Being exposed to music for long periods of time is one thing you should avoid at all cost, you’re better off only spending a reasonable amount of time on mixing music….
This is one way you can avoid ear fatigue.
if you’re not a music producer you can just try to avoid the source of the loud noise.
Most people these days move around with headphones and play music which is why they experience ear fatigue.
So you might want to limit your exposure time to music or anything else that could stress your ears.
Take a break
I know there are moments when you want to go all in and work as much as you can. Trust me we all go through these times when work is all we want to do.
But if your work involves being exposed to loud noise or loud music you should factor in a couple of breaks to let your ears rest.
Ear fatigue can be stressful and bad for you psychologically so you might want to give yourself some time to recuperate.
Lower the volume
If you work in audio production or music production then loud music is something that you’re frequently exposed to.
However, in situations where you feel ear fatigue start to kick in, you might want to lower the volume and relax a bit.
Same goes for those that listen to music at high volumes…Lower the volume and give yourself room to let your ears breathe.
The fact is, you can’t be exposed to heightened volumes for extended periods of time because the effects of this can be stress and ear fatigue.
Don’t have headphones on for too long
Like I earlier mentioned most people these days literally move with music playing in their ears…
Of course it’s not a bad thing if you do it in moderation.
If you’re a music producer then you know the bad effects of having on headphones for too long and lostening to audio the entire time.
Therefore, limit your time with headphones and take a break whenever you can.
Get a good amount of shut eye
You also need to sleep.
Make sure that you’re getting adequate rest because the effects of sleep deprivation and ear fatigue can easily drive you crazy.
You’ve obviously felt the effects of ear fatigue, when you’re exposed to too much noise or music to the extent where you don’t even want to listen to one more song or any noise for that.
Lack of rest can be a cause of this.
Get enough rest before heavy work sessions
For those of you that work in noisy places, getting enough rest before a heavy work session can help you work better as well as alleviate ear fatigue.
For example, if you’re a music producer that has a lot of audio production work to handle the next day, you should leave the studio early and have enough rest before you even get to sleep.
So kick back and relax, then have a good 8 hours of sleep.
Take a walk (somewhere quiet)
A great way to alleviate ear fatigue is to do the opposite of its cause.
The primary cause of ear fatigue is exposure to noise for extended periods of time.. therefore do the opposite by taking some time away from loud noise and enjoying some tranquility.
A walk is a great way of doing this which is something I recommend doing.
Take a walk preferably in a very quite place like in nature.
This will give your ears enough time to rest and you’ll release some built up tension too.
Use Studio monitors instead of speakers
For those that are involved in audio production work being exposed to too much loud music can be a bad thing especially if your ears are enclosed in headphones the whole time.
Therefore a good practice is using studio monitors or any studio optimized speakers when carrying out audio work.
This will make it easy for you give your ears a break and keep from being easily burnt out.
Use ear plugs or ear muffs to give your ears a break
I recommended taking walks because it is an effective way of giving your ears a break.
Another effective tactic is to use ear plugs or ear muffs if you’re in noisy places.
This is also an effective technique for those that work in loud places such as construction sites where heavy mechanical work is done and noise is always present.
Have a reasonable schedule
Another good way to avoid ear stress or ear fatigue is to have a reasonable schedule.
If you’re a music producer, you should take some days off and have a schedule that allows for some flexibility and some time away from loud music.
Hard work is certainly important but it will be hard for you to carry out this work if you’re burnt out.
Therefore create a schedule that allows you to work hard whilst maintaining a healthy lifestyle that doesn’t have you exposed to loud noise all the time.
Exercise
You can also use your breaks away from music or other work to do some exercise.
Regular exercise will keep your mind sharp and will also get you healthier.
Try and work it into your schedule however you can.
