Playing with Earplugs

[Sweet Marissa]

I thought about playing with an mp3 player on, but I wasn't sure how people would take it, like cutting everyone out. If your just practicing thats one thing but if your on a team or in a tournament I think some might not approve? or think it was disrespectful?

I would love to do it, I think I could stay in the zone better, but I would think it would be in bad taste, I haven't seen anyone in a golf tournament do this.

What's disrespectful is when people are trying to talk to you or shark you while you're shooting. You're only blocking these people out

 

[Sweet Marissa]

I tried playing with a walkman a few years ago. Distractions such as noise and loud (wiseass) comments were cut away, but I felt like I was playing with a pillow over my head. Very important part for me is to hear the cue hit the cueball, the audible click of my Scruggs and to hear the cueball clicking with the other balls and the balls dropping down the pockets and possibly the silent rumbling of the ball returning system.

IMHO pool is filled with sounds you expect to hear and it helps your (at least my) concentration. Cutting off these sounds didn't help me, I felt like I was shooting in a void with hardly any feedback on my shots. Also, when I'm hitting 'em well, I feel like the sound of the cue hitting the cueball is also different. Sometimes it helps me just to concentrate on this sound and getting it out of the stroke.

Any opinions and similar experiences ?

This might sound silly, but I concentrate more on the feel of the hit than the actual sound.

 

[Rod]

This might sound silly, but I concentrate more on the feel of the hit than the actual sound.

Well the sound and feel go together. It seems so incomplete with out one to accompany the other. Like mjantti, similar to a pillow over your head and playing inside a large drum. The silence is deafening and it feels so hollow.

My reference was to golf but i'm sure pool wouldn't be any different. With a player (which I don't have) at least there would be sound instead of the silence. Could be better on low volume buts its only a guess.

Rod

 

[steffi]

That's interesting as I have a pair of Etymotic ER-4P's that could really cut down the noise in my hall. The problem is I wouldn't be able to converse (when necessary) with my opponent. During league the music is played way too loud.

 

[Salamander]

I hear what you say about the "pillow" factor, but I think if you use earplugs long enought you can adapt.

Regards,

Doug

Well the sound and feel go together. It seems so incomplete with out one to accompany the other. Like mjantti, similar to a pillow over your head and playing inside a large drum. The silence is deafening and it feels so hollow.

My reference was to golf but i'm sure pool wouldn't be any different. With a player (which I don't have) at least there would be sound instead of the silence. Could be better on low volume buts its only a guess.

Rod

 

[tom haney]

Thanks for the post. I've been thinking about doing the
same thing.

Hi all,

Just thought I would toss this idea out there. I have been playing for years in various pool halls and have often found my self conciously or unconciously distracted by levels of noise (usually excessive music that is played too high). Lately, I tried using ear plugs to "quiet" the atmosphere. The idea actually occured to me after hearing (mind the pun) about Shane Van Boenings hearing impairment...and how that might actually allow him to shut out distractions.

At any rate, I actually think that my pool performance has increased dramatically by using ear plugs. I am now able to better "zone in" on the task at hand. I also can't hear my opponent and any sharking (on purpose or otherwise). The only drawback that I can perceive is that I can not hear the clicking of the balls as well. However, I've adapted to the point where that no longer bothers me.

Regards,

Doug

 

[akaTrigger]

FWIW I saw Vivian Villareal warming up at the San Diego WPBA tour stop listening to an iPod in one ear only but she took it off once the match started. (Although this was a televised match, perhaps that was why)

I think it's a WPBA rule that you can't wear headphones while playing (whether on TV or not). I know some regional women's tour have adopted that same policy. Does anyone know why the WPBA has this rule?

-Melinda

 

[Solartje]

why dont they use anti sound systems. university's have developed alot of them and they work greath. High class sound insulation could work alot to.
ive standed in one of these uber sound insolated rooms and its funny. u talk , but u cant hear yourself almost.

they could invent a anti sound system that doesnt influence the sound when balls hit eachother but that take away 90% of the other sounds. i know these system exist, and it could be a good idea to use them in tourneys.

 

[tom]

If it's diffuse noise(even if it's loud) it doesn't disturb me, if I'm hearing only a couple of people talking or just a particular sound, I'm more easily distracted.
Mikko, do u know if EPBF rules ban earplugs?

 

[Sweet Marissa]

I think it's a WPBA rule that you can't wear headphones while playing (whether on TV or not). I know some regional women's tour have adopted that same policy. Does anyone know why the WPBA has this rule?

-Melinda

I think that's ridiculous. It doesn't affect play... it isn't an aiming device. What reason does anyone possibly have for banning them??

 

[Snapshot9]

It could be ...

I think that's ridiculous. It doesn't affect play... it isn't an aiming device. What reason does anyone possibly have for banning them??

Because of the Fire Marshall. Incase of fire, you might
not hear the fire alarm... in a public building ...
that, and it could be distracting to the other players.

 

[Sweet Marissa]

Because of the Fire Marshall. Incase of fire, you might
not hear the fire alarm... in a public building ...
that, and it could be distracting to the other players.

What if the player is deaf? I'm sure if kept at a reasonable decible level, you could hear the shrill of any fire alarm. Either way, the panicked outcry and subsequent stampede of the fleeing crowd should clue any reasonable person in.

Besides, if that were the case, we wouldn't be allowed to wear them inside any building.

My Sony mp3 is tiny and fits in my pants pocket. Then I usually run the cords under my shirt, but even when I don't, people have said they didn't even notice I was wearing it.

I think as long as it remains inconspicuous, it should be allowed.

 

[Solartje]

i found myself playing better the louder the music .

i actually practise in a club where between 6 -8pm they put the sound VERY high. almost like in a discotheque, and if the music they play is my style i find myself being in the zone alot more then when the music is played at a low level and i hear alot of people talk.

my ritual to get in the zone: play my favorit song, think of the happy moments i had with the song, imagine myself in that place, and play pool. (only downside of it, is that my playing speed is alot faster, but the balls seem to pot without thinking, i kinda change from mechanical to free potting.)

 

[Celtic]

I shoot with an mp3 player. It helps me not only zone people out, but the music that some people play doesn't suit my tastes.

I have always thought that would help me huge. When a song I like comes onto the speakers at the pool hall or bar I usually shoot better because i think about little else other then humming the song or whatnot. My music tastes are such that a song I like is a rare thing to be played though. Only problem, the MP3 players I like are not cheap.

 

[zeeder]

I have always thought that would help me huge. When a song I like comes onto the speakers at the pool hall or bar I usually shoot better because i think about little else other then humming the song or whatnot. My music tastes are such that a song I like is a rare thing to be played though. Only problem, the MP3 players I like are not cheap.

I don't know what you consider cheap, but the new iPod Nano's are reasonably inexpesive. I just bought the 4GB Nano and it's great. fit's in a shirt pocket or change pocket on jeans and it's so light you don't even know it's there.

 

[Snapshot9]

Because ...

What if the player is deaf? I'm sure if kept at a reasonable decible level, you could hear the shrill of any fire alarm. Either way, the panicked outcry and subsequent stampede of the fleeing crowd should clue any reasonable person in.

Besides, if that were the case, we wouldn't be allowed to wear them inside any building.

My Sony mp3 is tiny and fits in my pants pocket. Then I usually run the cords under my shirt, but even when I don't, people have said they didn't even notice I was wearing it.

I think as long as it remains inconspicuous, it should be allowed.

They just don't want you to ... okay ... Ask them ... I know you don't
want to hear that, but the negativety will make you stronger ...
(which it doesn't really, challenges make you stronger, negativety
just leaves scars, and sometimes they don't heal ...
as you get older, say 50 or so, you will get where you don't want
anything negative in your life, including people that are negative, only
positive things and people because you get sick and tired of dealing
with the problems that come along with negative people)

 

[NaClBandit]

I think it's a WPBA rule that you can't wear headphones while playing (whether on TV or not). I know some regional women's tour have adopted that same policy. Does anyone know why the WPBA has this rule?

-Melinda

Because they're ultra-conservative control freaks who don't condone gambling, music-listening or staying up late during tournaments (not sure about the last one).

p.s. I can understand why they wouldn't want headphones in televised events, but otherwise I don't see the harm - unless of course they're listening to subliminal messages that put them in dead stroke. Hmm that gives me an idea...

 

[NaClBandit]

I don't know what you consider cheap, but the new iPod Nano's are reasonably inexpesive. I just bought the 4GB Nano and it's great. fit's in a shirt pocket or change pocket on jeans and it's so light you don't even know it's there.

How do you like the nano, Zeeder? I was thinking about buying one.

How many songs does it hold (4GB means little to me)?

Do you use it in your car too? If so, how do you connect (radio transmitter, direct plug in, etc)?

 

[Sweet Marissa]

How do you like the nano, Zeeder? I was thinking about buying one.

How many songs does it hold (4GB means little to me)?

Do you use it in your car too? If so, how do you connect (radio transmitter, direct plug in, etc)?

4GB will store roughly 1000 song files. They're also available in 2GB (500 songs).

I know Sharper Image carried specialty products for listening to your mp3 player at home, the office, or in your car.

 

[Sweet Marissa]

They just don't want you to ... okay ... Ask them ... I know you don't
want to hear that, but the negativety will make you stronger ...
(which it doesn't really, challenges make you stronger, negativety
just leaves scars, and sometimes they don't heal ...
as you get older, say 50 or so, you will get where you don't want
anything negative in your life, including people that are negative, only
positive things and people because you get sick and tired of dealing
with the problems that come along with negative people)

Wow, I thought this was an open discussion and only sharing my thoughts and opinions on the matter.