Traditionally associated with professions involving high noise levels, such as construction or engineering, the practice of using ear protection has been around for a while. However, it's only relatively recently that musicians have begun to take this seriously. Musicians face a unique challenge in that they require ear protection that doesn't just block out all sound but allows them to hear with a certain degree of clarity and precision.
Thankfully, the technology behind musician-friendly earplugs has evolved far beyond the basic fluorescent foam plugs you might be familiar with. Modern earplugs designed for musicians offer significant noise reduction while still permitting essential frequencies to pass through at reduced levels. This way, musicians can still discern the high and low notes of their fellow bandmates and never miss a beat from the drummer. These earplugs achieve this by employing filters that block out overall pressure while permitting specific frequencies to pass through. These filters can be either active, using internal processing powered by batteries to manage the process, or passive, utilizing specific shapes within the earplug to filter sound.