Knowing that more than a few of us here probably have some degree of hearing loss (damn this aging game), I thought that some might find this site to be of interest.

It deals specifically with hearing loss in musicians as opposed to hearing loss in general - evidently there's quite a difference.
http://www.musiciansclinics.com/articlesfrm.asp

Thanks, I've got a slight problem, and this helps!


Russ

WHAT?
HUH?
Did you say something?

People keep asking me where is my hearing aid, AND, I just keep telling them she doesn't leave her office until 4 PM

Bebop

In my case, the loss began early in life, when I was just 17 and a first loader on a 3-inch 50 dual mount anti-aircraft gun in the U.S. Navy. This was from 1957 to 1960, a time when the Navy said this was not a problem. They said the same about asbestos too. Consequently, when we went to General Quarters and manned our battle stations, the only hearing protection we had were wads of raw cotten that we swiped from Sick Bay. After a firing exercise, during which you were standing between the gun barrels as they fired 60 round a minute, you couldn't hear the guy next to you if he was yelling. All you heard was a loud ringing in your ears. The medics and medical officers at sick bay would tell us not to worry and it would get better in a week or less. They were right, after about 3 days you could hear the gunners mate yelling, and at the end of the week you could hear normal conversation. Unfortunately, it took its toll, eventually resulting in tinitus.

One of the problems with wearing a hearing aid for correcting the problems associated with hearing loss, at least for musicians, is hearing aids are very selective in the frequencies they amplify, and for most males, the loss is high frequency sounds. Consequently, amplifying just the highs means the hearing aid is acting like an ear plug for the lower frequency sounds--not a good thing.

For those individuals that have not suffered hearing loss, the best advice any of us can give you is to protect your hearing using any method at your disposal. Ear bud monitors work well, but only if they're not turned up load.

Good topic Renig,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Gary, my hearing loss resulted from growing up as an Air Force brat. Seems like all the base housing was at the end of a jet runway. Military people in the 50's and 60's (maby later) didn't really worry about hearling loss, I guess.


Russ

Yes, that's quite true, Russ. I guess when we were younger we were all bullet-proof.

I had a hearing test the other week and, as Gary points out, it is the upper frequencies that suffer. Since the test, I came across this article and now that I know that specific differences exist in the perception of speech vs. music, I think I'm going to try to find the best hearing device in terms of maximum benefit in balance of both. To have one of each, though ideal, would be both impractical and horrendously expensive.

I really hope younger members of this forum are listening closely to this subject.

[This message has been edited by renig (edited 03-15-2007).]

Good Topic. Especially for the younger element to read and learn, although I believe that most of the younger ones are already experiencing hearing loss because of the volume of their dance music.

As for tinnitus, Gary, this is also a bane of my life now for probably 20 years.It came about by selling House Security Alarms which went off at 114 Db every time I demonstrated one. Now , I am constantly under strain from the continuous 'ringing'.
I remember an interview I heard which was with Engelbert Humperdinck. He had tinnitus from performing under huge loudspeakers. He had sometimes contemplated suicide....... (his words).

So I repeat the warning to all our younger members. Take care. Your hearing is more important to you than you think. like everything, you don't miss it until you lose it..

cheers
Eddie

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Eddie from Rotherham
Skype:eddiefromrotherham
www.yamahakeyboards.info

This issue alone is enough to justify any serious musician to invest in the Bose L1 pa system.
DonM

I have lost the ability to hear high tones (frequencies) in my right ear, about 25%. Shortly after, I lost 10% in my left. Not good for a piano tuner, a struggle to hear beats and waves.

I now have a hearing aid for my right ear so tuning a piano has become comfortable again.
But --- I with the hearing loss I have lost something very precious, the ability hear the sound quality of my acoustic guitar and the keyboard. If I use my hearing aid the sound is terrible, mush like listening to music on the telephone.

What I was not aware of is that my opinion of musical sounds was being based on the condition of my ears. I thought that my evaluation was normal, after all I was hearing the sound, I knew what I was hearing. Like the man said, “How come the people who sing out-of-tune don’t know they sing out-of-tune?”

There was little difference between the sound of a $1,000 guitar and a $4,000 guitar. I can hear lows and mids, but the highs are not as clear. So, what’s a good trumpet sound like – What’s a good piano sound like? There have been posts that stated that the sound of an instrument is subjective --- Subjective to what I am use to hearing is understandable, but subjective to hearing loss is different.

My point – I have given my opinions about instrument and amplifier sounds on this forum –Wow, what an eye opener, I could have been way off the mark and not have know it.

The man’s right,
Getting old is not for wimps.

John C.