Program Mission

Etymotic Research, the first company to create high-fidelity hearing protection, is on a mission to preserve the hearing of drumline, marching and concert band members nationwide. With your help, the Adopt-a-Band Program will educate musicians about the importance of wearing hearing protection during practice and performance.

Adoption

The Adopt-a-Band Program is simple to join and available to parents, boosters, band directors, music educators — anyone interested in advocating safe playing and practicing habits for today’s young musicians.

What Sponsorship Provides

• ETY•Plugs High-Fidelity Earplugs and cord
• Educational materials on safe listening levels
• Industry news and updates

Hearing loss is a function of exposure time, the average sound level, and the peak level of very loud sounds. Exposure to excessive noise from drumlines, pipebands, marching bands, orchestras, and music from a player’s own instrument or nearby instruments can cause permanent hearing loss depending on the intensity and duration of the sound. Some persons are more susceptible to hearing loss from high-level sound than others.

The human ear overloads at high sound levels, making it difficult to impossible to distinguish the blend with other instruments.

Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and temporary hearing loss can occur from a single concert, sporting event, or sudden loud noise like a firecracker. Even if a temporary hearing loss recovers over a period of hours to days, there is a risk that repeated exposure could result in permanent hearing loss.

The good news: Noise-induced hearing loss is preventable.