“Ignore rents is plus.” What did you say? Oh, I see…. “Ignorance is bliss.” Sorry, I couldn't hear you very well.

In the case of hearing loss, ignorance is most certainly not bliss. If you've spent years listening to loud music onstage, in your car, through headphones, and at concerts, chances are good that you've suffered some hearing loss. And if you're a musician, deafness is not an option.

FreeHearingTest.com is a Web site maintained by hearing health-care professionals. It offers plenty of useful information about hearing loss and on the mechanics of hearing. It also provides what the URL says: a free online hearing test, which can help you determine whether or not turning that amp up to 11 has cracked your cochlea (a part of your inner ear, a fact that you would know if you'd checked out FreeHearingTest.com). Although the test is certainly not as comprehensive or accurate as one you'd get from an audiologist, it's effective enough to let you know whether your hearing has been damaged.

If you have suffered loss, the site can direct you to a hearing professional in your area. We joke, but hearing loss is serious. When musicians lose their hearing, they lose the ability to do what they love most. Check out FreeHearingTest.com. If nothing else, maybe it'll convince you to start using earplugs — before it's too late.