Piano Forum

Topic: Hard of hearing?  (Read 1220 times)

Offline elsie07

  • PS Silver Member
  • Jr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 51
Hard of hearing?
on: September 29, 2007, 04:57:03 PM
Any musicians on here who are hard of hearing or deaf?  How does it affect your musical abilities?

I'm hard of hearing.  I have difficulty hearing the highest and lowest octaves on the piano, loud sounds are too loud and soft sounds are too soft, difficult hearing and understanding speech, and chronic tinnitus.  It makes it frustrating sometimes, when I can't hear the music very well or when I try to sing, but it's not too bad.  Beethoven is my inspiration.  He was completely deaf, and still one of the greatest musicians and composers!
 - Evelyn Glennie

Offline pianowolfi

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5654
Re: Hard of hearing?
Reply #1 on: September 29, 2007, 05:48:53 PM
Well I think I am not actually hard of hearing. But since I had a middle ear inflammation 7 years ago I have a slight tinnitus in the left ear (which was my better ear before that) And during this inflammation I had a hearing loss of 70 % on the left ear for two days which scared me so much.... :o and I think it never got like before since :-\ They needed to penetrate my eardrum, which was *very* painful, really a nightmare. I still have got that tiny green tube that they put into my eardrum  :P (I could post a picture of this thing, hee hee, now I am proud that I survived this procedure without dying from fear lol ;D). And the removing of it was *very* scary too. *shivers*.

 Due to aging my hearing doesn't get better, I once have made an online test which said that I don't hear frequences above 16000 HZ anymore. I don't know if that's normal for my age (43) but it made me concerned. Also, when I don't understand people talking, I get concerned. And I keep away from every loud noise like jackhammers, firecrackers, disco, even cinemas, since they tend to increase the volume at cinemas. Probably because a lot of people have already serious hearing problems due to listening to extensively loud music all the time.

But I guess, musicians tend to be very sensitive about their hearing anyway. And well, IF there is something, hearing devices seem to be very advanced, nowadays. Not like back in Beethoven's days :P

Offline elsie07

  • PS Silver Member
  • Jr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 51
Re: Hard of hearing?
Reply #2 on: November 03, 2007, 03:46:47 PM
Just found out I have Central Auditory Processing Disorder, and possibly Meniere's disease. :'(
 - Evelyn Glennie

Offline counterpoint

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2003
Re: Hard of hearing?
Reply #3 on: November 03, 2007, 04:59:49 PM

 Due to aging my hearing doesn't get better, I once have made an online test which said that I don't hear frequences above 16000 HZ anymore. I don't know if that's normal for my age (43) but it made me concerned.

That's very good - no reason to be concerned  :)

Did you know, that highest note of the piano has a frequency of  4186 Hz ?

And that the interval between 16000 Hz and 20000 Hz is only a major third?   :D
If it doesn't work - try something different!

Offline pianowolfi

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5654
Re: Hard of hearing?
Reply #4 on: November 03, 2007, 08:57:20 PM
That's very good - no reason to be concerned  :)

Did you know, that highest note of the piano has a frequency of  4186 Hz ?

And that the interval between 16000 Hz and 20000 Hz is only major third?   :D

Major third? Interesting :) Well I think I miss some of the overtones. But okay, it's not yet a big deal I guess.
For more information about this topic, click search below!
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert