[Dixielandjazz] Hearing Loss and Musicians

[macjazz]

I moved out of music (high school band director) after 18 years in 1980, 
(age 43) due to hearing loss. Later, I became a "(crash) test Hearing dummy" 
for a major university.

As a band director with hearing loss, I found that I no longer had overtones 
and couldn't put the band in tune.  That got progressively worse until  by 
the time I bailed out, I was checking notes on the flutes by watching their 
fingers.

I got the chance to change careers and went back to school to do it.  The 
first things I did was check into the University hearing clinic to have my 
ears checked and find out about hearing aids.  I was found to be "profoundly 
deaf" needing a 115 db augment in each ear for normal hearing.  You are 
considered "legally deaf" if you need an 80 db augment or higher.  The next 
question was would my hearing continue to deteriorate when I wasn't exposed 
to a band.  The answer is no, it didn't, so there was lots of concern about 
the band.  Then a kid doing a study gathered information about my family. 
Long/short I have "a hereditary deafness, accelerated by exposure to a 
band."

I function now (outside of music) with two very good, very expensive aids 
(about $2100 each) and have very little trouble.  I do sing in the community 
choir and do still enjoy my record collection.  I can hear basic tones in 
music, if not all the timbre. I have trouble in noisy environments, even 
simple situations like cocktail parties etc. But in small groups or normal 
face to face speech, it's no problem. I did go to classes at the university 
and ended up with a  PhD and a whole new career area, outside of music.

Advice!

PROTECT YOUR EARS. There are ear plugs that let you hear music while you 
play but do offer a good deal of protection.  I won't go into the mechanics 
(but can if you wish) other than to tell you that ONCE YOU LOOSE ANY OF YOUR 
HEARING IT DOES NOT AND WILL NOT COME BACK.  There are good "in your ear" 
(as opposed to behind the ear) aids now that will allow you to keep playing 
and working in music without looking silly, but those are only good up to 
about 90db augment.

The other piece of advice if you suspect you are loosing your hearing is to 
find a good university hearing clinic, even if you have to travel quite a 
ways to get to one, and have your hearing checked.  Don't necessarily go to 
your "friendly neighborhood hearing aid store" because it is just that----a 
hearing aid store.  They are in business to sell hearing aids.

I am happy to answer individual questions if anyone wants to email me or to 
discuss this further if there are questions from the floor.

Mart

Martin D. McKay, (Designated listener - see how really cute that is, now?)
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen G Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "Martin D. McKay" <macjazz at comcast.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 1:22 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Hearing Loss and Musicians


> Ken Gates asked about hearing different tones in different ears. Like  a 
> telephone dial tone sounds different depending u[on which ear he  uses to 
> listen to it.
>
> Same with me Ken. For a treat go to 
> http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2009/03/can-you-hear-this-hearing-test/
>
> Take the test and block one ear at a time. Be sure to turn your volume 
> up.
>
> Scary.
>
> I can hear 8kHtz with either ear, however can only hear 12 kHz in my  left 
> ear. And nothing above that in either or both ears.
>
> Like the site says, musicians are especially subject to hearing loss.  And 
> as we age it gets worse.
>
> No wonder I like loud amplified guitars as our OKOM chord instrument.  No 
> wonder too, that we all tune up electronically. <grin>
>
> WHAT????
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
>
>
>
>
>
>
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