Musicians' Concerns with Hearing Loss

Are you a musician? Have you been struggling to hear the sounds you love, or having difficulty hearing all the subtleties in the music you listen to and play every day? Hearing loss among musicians is more common than you might think, since many artists and musicians have exposed their ears to dangerously loud noises for many years without realizing the risks to their hearing health.

The Magic of Music

Have you experienced the magic of music? It has the power to transport you to a favorite memory, like an amazing show you saw, your first kiss, or your first heartbreak. Music can connect you with your loved ones, change your mood, and remind you of important moments in your life. Music is also a great motivator, and we listen to an upbeat playlist at the gym, or to keep us company on the commute to work. It can even reduce stress, and a slow song can help you relax before bed. Plato famously said, “music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything,” and many of us can relate to that feeling.

Has your hearing loss come between you and the music you used to love? Hearing loss strips music of its full, rich sound, leaving it sounding empty or hollow, and lacking the vibrancy you enjoyed so much. While this is a heartbreaking experience for everyone, musicians with hearing loss lose their art and their livelihood as well.

Musicians’ Concerns with Hearing Loss

A recent article in the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology explained how hearing loss has a huge effect on music perception, and showed some of the concerns musicians have with hearing loss. The study examined ensemble instrumentalists who played a variety of instruments, from percussion to wind, brass, and string instruments. Musicians with hearing loss had a much harder time hearing in rehearsals, whether hearing the conductor speaking, talking with fellow musicians, or hearing their own and others’ instruments.

Not only did they have more difficulty hearing speech and communicating, they also reported far less enjoyment of the music and the performance, and complained that the music has lost its full, rich sound they used to enjoy so much.

Hearing Devices for Musicians

Hearing aids are designed to enhance hearing, help wearers follow speech, and reduce background noise to make it easier to focus on important sounds. Hearing aids help you communicate with your friends and loved ones, enjoy social events, and be productive at work. However, musicians with hearing loss aren’t just concerned with hearing well during family dinner. They want to hear all the subtle sounds in the environment, from the birds singing to the laughter of children, and all the soft sounds in music that give music its warmth, depth, and emotion.

Can hearing devices help musicians hear? Musicians with quality devices, made with musicians in mind, report that the hearing aids helped restore the overtones and undertones in the music, giving it a rich sound, and helping them enjoy the music once again. They’re able to hear the soft sounds in the music as well as the loud, and experience a balanced sound quality.

The ensemble musicians in the study also reported that wearing hearing devices not only helped them appreciate the music once again, but the hearing aids also helped them hear during rehearsals, hear instructions from the conductor, and perform better.

Hearing Consultants

If you’re a musician or a music lover, and haven’t been able to enjoy music because of your hearing loss, then visit us today at Hearing Consultants to ask about the devices that will help you hear better. From devices made for musicians, to programs and settings designed for every music lover, you’ll be able to enjoy music once again. Don’t let your hearing loss stop you from enjoying a concert by your favorite band, or give up on your career.

At Hearing Consultants, we have a number of devices with special programs that enhance music, increase the volume of soft sounds, help you hear the subtleties, provide clarity, and give music its full, rich sound so you’ll be able to hear music in the most natural way.